scholarly journals ASCO 2021–Gastroesophageal tumor highlights

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysegül Ilhan-Mutlu
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Gastroesophageal Cancer ◽  
Innovative Design ◽  
Annual Congress ◽  
American Society ◽  
Therapy Studies ◽  
Experimental Group ◽  
Upper Gastrointestinal

SummaryThe oncological community witnessed several practice-changing clinical reports in this years’ annual congress of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Many immunotherapeutic agents were shown to be beneficial for upper gastrointestinal tumors. For advanced squamous cell carcinoma, immunotherapy and chemotherapy combinations revealed by the CheckMate 648 and ESCORT-1st trials have been implemented into the clinical practice. The updates on the CheckMate 649 and CheckMate 577 trials again underlined the significant clinical contribution of nivolumab in advanced and localized gastroesophageal cancer, respectively. However, this effect seems to be dependent to PD-L1 expression. Not only immunotherapy trials, but also targeted therapy studies such as the FIGHT trial investigating the anti-FGFR2b monoclonal antibody bemarituzumab attracted huge interest, not only due to extension of survival in experimental group, but also due to the innovative design of this trial. This review summarizes the highlights regarding gastroesophageal tumors at the ASCO 2021 congress.

scholarly journals Safe Administration of Cemiplimab to a Kidney Transplant Patient with Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Scalp

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 574-580
Author(s):  
Luca Paoluzzi ◽  
Thomas J Ow
Keyword(s):  
Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Kidney Transplant ◽  
Squamous Cell ◽  
Locally Advanced ◽  
Kidney Transplant Patient ◽  
Cell Transplant ◽  
Renal Transplant Recipients ◽  
Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem

Immunotherapies directed at T-cell activation through antibodies targeting checkpoint proteins, such as programmed cell death 1 (PD1), are rapidly becoming the new standard of care in the treatment of several malignancies. Cemiplimab is a monoclonal antibody targeting PD1 that has recently emerged as a highly active treatment for locally advanced and metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Patients who have received an organ transplant (OTRs) have been traditionally excluded from clinical trials with checkpoint inhibitors (CIs), given concerns for organ rejection. Renal transplant recipients (RTRs) are more likely to develop cancers than the general population, and skin cancers are among the most frequent malignancies. We report the case of a 72-year-old man with a history of a kidney transplant who presented with a rapidly growing, locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the scalp that recurred within four weeks from surgical resection. The patient was able to safely receive ten cycles of cemiplimab so far with significant clinical benefit, and no issues with his kidney function, while continuing immunosuppression with low dose prednisone alone. An ongoing clinical trial (NCT04339062) is further exploring the safety of CIs in patients with metastatic CSCC who have previously received allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant or a kidney transplant.

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