•Immune-based combinations have led to marked improvements in OS in mRCC.•One major challenges is to identify a predictive biomarker of response to immunotherapy-based treatments in mRCC.•Anticancer ...immune response is extremely complex, thus finding a unique biomarker for patient’s selection may not be feasible.•The development of a reproducible and reliable biomarker will require the integration of different elements, e.g. checkpoints’ expression, TILs, mutational load, and probably many others emergent biological events.
A major breakthrough in cancer immunotherapy was the development of monoclonal antibodies targeting inhibitory immune checkpoint proteins. This approach demonstrated significant antitumor activity and efficacy in different cancer types, including metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). In the majority of patients, this drug is able to restore the patient’s tumour-specific T-cell-mediated response thus improving both overall survival and objective response rate. However, a lack of clinical response occurs in a number of patients, raising questions about how to predict and increase the number of patients who receive long-term clinical benefit from immune checkpoint therapy or not. The aim of this review is to summarize available data about immune biomarkers in patients with mRCC treated with immunotherapy.
Novel treatments based upon the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors have an impressive efficacy in different types of cancer. Unfortunately, most patients do not derive benefit or lasting responses, ...and the reasons for the lack of therapeutic success are not known. Over the past two decades, a pressing need to deeply profile either the tumor microenvironment or cells responsible for the immune response has led investigators to integrate data obtained from traditional approaches with those obtained with new, more sophisticated, single-cell technologies, including high parameter flow cytometry, single-cell sequencing and high resolution imaging. The introduction and use of these technologies had, and still have a prominent impact in the field of cancer immunotherapy, allowing delving deeper into the molecular and cellular crosstalk between cancer and immune system, and fostering the identification of predictive biomarkers of response. In this review, besides the molecular and cellular cancer-immune system interactions, we are discussing how cutting-edge single-cell approaches are helping to point out the heterogeneity of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and in blood.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are used for treating patients with metastatic melanoma. Since the response to treatment is variable, biomarkers are urgently needed to identify patients who may benefit ...from such therapy. Here, we combine single-cell RNA-sequencing and multiparameter flow cytometry to assess changes in circulating CD8
T cells in 28 patients with metastatic melanoma starting anti-PD-1 therapy, followed for 6 months: 17 responded to therapy, whilst 11 did not. Proportions of activated and proliferating CD8
T cells and of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are significantly higher in responders, prior to and throughout therapy duration. MAIT cells from responders express higher level of CXCR4 and produce more granzyme B. In silico analysis support MAIT presence in the tumor microenvironment. Finally, patients with >1.7% of MAIT among peripheral CD8
population show a better response to treatment. Our results thus suggest that MAIT cells may be considered a biomarker for patients responding to anti-PD-1 therapy.
The Italian Renal Cell Cancer Early Access Program was an expanded access program that allowed access to nivolumab, for patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) prior to regulatory ...approval.
Pts with previously treated advanced or mRCC were eligible to receive nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks. Pts included in the analysis had received ≥1 dose of nivolumab and were monitored for drug-related adverse events (drAEs) using CTCAE v.4.0. Immune-related (ir) AEs were defined as AEs displaying a certain, likely or possible correlation with immunotherapy (cutaneous, endocrine, hepatic, gastro-intestinal and pulmonary). The association between overall survival (OS) and irAEs was assessed, and associations between variables were evaluated with a logistic regression model.
A total of 389 pts were enrolled between July 2015 and April 2016. Overall, the objective response rate was 23.1%. At a median follow-up of 12 months, the median progression-free survival was 4.5 months (95% CI 3.7-6.2) and the 12-month overall survival rate was 63%. Any grade and grade 3-4 drAEs were reported in 124 (32%) and 27 (7%) of pts, respectively, and there were no treatment-related deaths. Any grade irAEs occurred in 76 (20%) of patients, 8% cutaneous, 4% endocrine, 2% hepatic, 5% gastro-intestinal and 1% pulmonary. Of the 22 drAEs inducing treatment discontinuation, 10 (45%) were irAEs. Pts with drAEs had a significantly longer survival than those without drAEs (median OS 22.5 versus 16.4 months, p = 0.01). Pts with irAEs versus without irAEs had a more significant survival benefit (median OS not reached versus 16.8 months, p = 0.002), confirmed at the landmark analysis at 6 weeks. The occurrence of irAEs displayed a strong association with OS in univariable (HR 0.48, p = 0.003) and multivariable (HR 0.57, p = 0.02) analysis.
The appearance of irAEs strongly correlates with survival benefit in a real-life population of mRCC pts treated with nivolumab.
More than 20% of metastatic prostate cancer carries genomic defects involving DNA damage repair pathways, mainly in homologous recombination repair-related genes. The recent approval of olaparib has ...paved the way to precision medicine for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer with PARP inhibitors in this subset of patients, especially in the case of
or
pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants. In face of this new therapeutic opportunity, many issues remain unsolved. This narrative review aims to describe the relationship between homologous recombination repair deficiency and prostate cancer, the techniques used to determine homologous recombination repair status in prostate cancer, the crosstalk between homologous recombination repair and the androgen receptor pathway, the current evidence on PARP inhibitors activity in metastatic prostate cancer also in homologous recombination repair-proficient tumors, as well as emerging mechanisms of resistance to PARP inhibitors. The possibility of combination therapies including a PARP inhibitor is an attractive option, and more robust data are awaited from ongoing phase II and phase III trials outlined in this manuscript.
Pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma are uncommon and their prognostic significance is not well defined. In this analysis we evaluated the outcome of patients with pancreatic metastases ...treated with either targeted therapies or local treatment to the pancreas. Patients with pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma treated between 1993 and 2014 were identified from 11 European centers. Clinical records were retrospectively reviewed. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to evaluate progression-free survival and overall survival. Cox's proportional hazard models were used for survival analysis. In total, 276 PM patients were evaluated, including 77 (28%) patients treated by either surgery or radiotherapy to the pancreas, and 256 (93%) who received systemic therapy. Median time from nephrectomy to diagnosis of pancreatic metastases was 91 months (IQR 54-142). Disease control rate after first-line TTs was 84%, with a median progression-free survival of 12 months (95% CI 10-14). Median overall survival was 73 months (95% CI 61-86) with a 5-year OS of 58%. Median OS of patients treated with local treatment was 106 months (95% CI 78-204) with a 5-year overall survival of 75%. On multivariable analysis, nephrectomy (HR 5.31; 95%CI 2.36-11.92; p<0.0001), Memorial Sloan Kettering/International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium prognostic score (HR 1.45, 95% CI 0.94-2.23 for intermediate vs good vs risk; HR 2.76 95%, CI 1.43-5.35 for poor vs good risk p = 0.0099) and pancreatic local treatment (HR 0.48; 95%CI 0.30-0.78 p = 0.0029) were associated with overall survival. Difference in median OS between patients with PM and that reported in a matched-control group of mRCC patients with extrapancreatic metastases was statistically significant (p < .0001). Pancreatic metastases from renal cell carcinoma usually occur years after nephrectomy, are associated with an indolent behavior and a prolonged survival. Targeted therapies and locoregional approaches are active and achieve high disease control rate.
Abstract Background The availability of new agents (NAs) active in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) progressing after docetaxel treatment (abiraterone acetate, ...cabazitaxel, and enzalutamide) has led to the possibility of using them sequentially to obtain a cumulative survival benefit. Objective To provide clinical outcome data relating to a large cohort of mCRPC patients who received a third-line NA after the failure of docetaxel and another NA. Design, setting, and participants We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients who had received at least two successive NAs after the failure of docetaxel. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis The independent prognostic value of a series of pretreatment covariates on the primary outcome measure of overall survival was assessed using Cox regression analysis. Results and limitations We assessed 260 patients who received one third-line NA between January 2012 and December 2013, including 38 who received a further NA as fourth-line therapy. The median progression-free and overall survival from the start of third-line therapy was, respectively, 4 mo and 11 mo, with no significant differences between the NAs. Performance status, and haemoglobin and alkaline phosphatase levels were the only independent prognostic factors. The limitations of the study are mainly due its retrospective nature and the small number of patients treated with some of the sequences. Conclusions We were unable to demonstrate a difference in the clinical outcomes of third-line NAs regardless of previous NA therapy. Patient summary It is debated which sequence of treatments to adopt after docetaxel. Our data do not support the superiority of any of the three new agents in third-line treatment, regardless of the previously administered new agent.
Clinically relevant bone metastases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality for prostate cancer patients. Distinct phenotypes are described: osteoblastic, the more common osteolytic and mixed. A ...molecular classification has been also proposed. Bone metastases start with the tropism of cancer cells to the bone through different multi-step tumor-host interactions, as described by the "metastatic cascade" model. Understanding these mechanisms, although far from being fully elucidated, could offer several potential targets for prevention and therapy. Moreover, the prognosis of patients is markedly influenced by skeletal-related events. They can be correlated not only with bone metastases, but also with "bad" bone health. There is a close correlation between osteoporosis-a skeletal disorder with decreased bone mass and qualitative alterations-and prostate cancer, in particular when treated with androgen deprivation therapy, a milestone in its treatment. Systemic treatments for prostate cancer, especially with the newest options, have improved the survival and quality of life of patients with respect to skeletal-related events; however, all patients should be evaluated for "bone health" and osteoporotic risk, both in the presence and in the absence of bone metastases. Treatment with bone-targeted therapies should be evaluated even in the absence of bone metastases, as described in special guidelines and according to a multidisciplinary evaluation.
Results from phase III clinical trial CheckMate 025 have established nivolumab as the standard of care for treatment of metastatic renal-cell carcinoma (mRCC) after VEGF inhibitor failure; however, ...elderly patients are under-represented in the registration trial and little is known about the activity of nivolumab in this subgroup. The purpose of the Expanded Access Program was to provide nivolumab to patients with mRCC who had progressed despite treatment with other agents that were considered standard of care.
Nivolumab 3 mg/kg was administered intravenously every 2 weeks to a maximum of 24 months or until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The current analysis included all patients from the EAP Italian cohort who had received ≥1 dose of nivolumab. Adverse events (AEs) were monitored using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.0.
A total of 389 patients with advanced RCC were enrolled in the Italian cohort of the EAP and treated with nivolumab. Of these patients, 125 (32%) were at least 70 years of age and 70 (18%) were at least 75 years of age. Efficacy with nivolumab in the elderly patients was similar to that observed in the overall EAP population and in the CheckMate 025 trial. Safety was comparable between the elderly patients and the overall EAP population, and was consistent with what previously reported.
The final results suggest that elderly patients with pretreated metastatic RCC may benefit from therapy with nivolumab.
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