32 C-reactive protein (CRP) as a prognostic biomarker in advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Results from a multi-center international observational study

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A31-A31
Author(s):  
Abdul Rafeh Naqash ◽  
Alessio Cortellini ◽  
Emma Mi ◽  
Sanna Livanainen ◽  
Daria Gramenitskaya ◽  
...  

BackgroundCRP is an acute-phase protein produced primarily in response to interleukin IL-6 via transcriptional activation of the STAT3. Recent data have provided mechanistic insights into the immune suppressive role of elevated CRP by elucidating its influence on effector T-cell function and antigen presentation.1 Furthermore, melanoma patients in Checkmate-064 and 067 with high baseline and on-treatment CRP were seen to have a lower response rate and shorter survival to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).2 Given these observations, we sought to evaluate the role of CRP as a prognostic biomarker in advanced NSCLC treated with ICIs from a multi-center international cohort.MethodsBetween 2015–2019, 420 adult patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICIs alone or with concurrent chemotherapy (Chemo-ICI) were identified at four (1 US and 3 European) academic centers. CRP level in peripheral blood samples collected up to 2 weeks before starting ICI based treatments was considered as baseline. Based on previously validated data, a CRP cutoff of 10 mg/l was used to define CRP-normal (CRP-N) and CRP-high (CRP-H). Association of baseline CRP with median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate proportional hazards regression adjusted for multiple variables.ResultsBaseline CRP value was available in 75.5% of patients, with 66% having CRP-H. The median CRP was 21.0 mg/l. Single-agent nivolumab (44%) and Chemo-ICI (33.3%) were the two most common therapies. CRP-H showed a trend for stronger association with squamous histology (73.7% vs 63.3%; p= 0.063) and female sex (70.8 vs 60.0%; p=0.062) but did not show an association with PD-L1 status (0%, 1–49%, or ≥50%). Patients with CRP-H had a lower objective response rate compared with patients with CRP-N (26.9% vs. 47.6% PR; p=0.029). Compared to those with CRP-N (figure 1), patients with CRP-H had a significantly shorter median PFS [3.9 vs. 6.6 months, HR 1.41 95% CI: (1.07–1.86); p=0.0138] and OS (8.6 vs. 14.8 months, HR 1.55 95% CI [1.13- 2.14]; p=0.0060). In Cox regression analysis, CRP-H was again found to be independently associated with shorter median PFS and OS.ConclusionsThis is the largest international real-world dataset demonstrating significantly inferior outcomes associated with CRP > 10 mg/l in NSCLC patients treated with ICI based therapies. The potential influence of the immune suppressive effects of elevated CRP and IL-6 on the anti-tumor efficacy of ICIs needs prospective evaluation and could potentially be exploited as a therapeutic avenue in NSCLC.Abstract 32 Figure 1Kaplan-Meier Curves with 95% CI for PFS and OSSignificantly inferior median PFS and OS were seen for patients with CRP-H vs. CRP-N.AcknowledgementsSusan Eubanks and Sue-Ann Joyner at the ECU IRB for their help and support.Ethics ApprovalThe primary IRB approval for this study was conducted under an ECU (P-MAIT- UMCIRB-15-001400). Individual approval was also obtained from the respective IRB of each participating institution.ReferencesYoshida T, Ichikawa J, Giuroiu I, et al. C reactive protein impairs adaptive immunity in immune cells of patients with melanoma. Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer 2020.Weber, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology37, no. 15_suppl (May 20, 2019) 100–100

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A388-A388
Author(s):  
Byoung Chul Cho ◽  
Ki Hyeong Lee ◽  
Ji-Youn Han ◽  
Byoung Yong Shim ◽  
Hye Ryun Kim ◽  
...  

BackgroundTargeting transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is reported to augment the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) through either enhanced anti-tumor immunity or the correction of tumor microenvironment (TME). Therefore, the combination of vactosertib, a highly selective TGF-β RI kinase inhibitor, and durvalumab is anticipated to improve anti-tumor activity of the ICI. A phase 1b/2a study was conducted to evaluate the combination of vactosertib and durvalumab in patients with advanced NSCLC who progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy.MethodsPatients were treated with vactosertib at a dose of 200 mg twice daily (five days on and two days off) and durvalumab at a dose of 1500 mg every four weeks. Eligible patients were ≥19 years old with good performance status (ECOG 0–1) and have no prior exposure to immune checkpoint inhibitors or other TGF- β R1 kinase inhibitors. The objectives of this analysis were to evaluate the safety, antitumor activity including objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), and time to response (TTR) as well as circulating pharmacodynamic biomarkers related to TGF-β signaling. Response was assessed per RECIST (v1.1).ResultsBy August 4 2020, twenty-six PD-L1 positive (SP263 assay) patients were analyzed. Median age was 61.5 years (range 48–83), 69.2% were male, median number of previous lines of chemotherapy was 1 (range 1–4), and all patients were PD-L1 positive (15 patients with PD-L1≥25% and 11 patients with PD-L1 1–24%). The most frequently reported treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) were itching (38.5%) and skin rash (34.6%), but no Gr≥3 itching and rash were observed. Each case of the following was reported as Grade 3 TRAEs: adrenal insufficiency, anemia, and pneumonitis; Grade 4 TRAE, CPK increase, was observed in one patient. Objective response rate was 30.8% and 40.0% in patients with PD-L1≥1% and ≥25% respectively. Circulating PAI-1 and CTGF evaluated in 15 patients decreased significantly on Cycle 1 day 5. Ongoing biomarker results will be presented.ConclusionsThe combination of vactosertib and durvalumab has demonstrated a manageable safety profile and encouraging anti-tumor activity as a potential therapeutic strategy in patients with advanced NSCLC. The efficacy outcomes of this combination in a larger number of patients with advanced NSCLC will be followed.Trial RegistrationNCT03732274Ethics ApprovalThe study was approved by Ethics Board of Severance Hospital (4-2018-0892), National Cancer Center (NCC2019-0057), St. Vincent’s Hospital (VC19MDDF0205), and Chungbuk National University Hospital (2019-08-015).


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. S300-S301
Author(s):  
M. Peravali ◽  
C. Gomes-Lima ◽  
E. Tefera ◽  
M. Baker ◽  
M. Sherchan ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Jie Zhang ◽  
Zhujiang Dai ◽  
Cheng Yan ◽  
Wenjie Zhang ◽  
Daorong Wang ◽  
...  

AbstractCancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of many malignant tumors. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can reactivate the anti-tumor activity of immune cells, sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy depends on the complex tumor immune processes. In recent years, numerous researches have demonstrated the role of intestinal microbiota in immunity and metabolism of the tumor microenvironment, as well as the efficacy of immunotherapy. Epidemiological studies have further demonstrated the efficacy of antibiotic therapy on the probability of patients' response to ICIs and predictability of the short-term survival of cancer patients. Disturbance to the intestinal microbiota significantly affects ICIs-mediated immune reconstitution and is considered a possible mechanism underlying the development of adverse effects during antibiotic-based ICIs treatment. Intestinal microbiota, antibiotics, and ICIs have gradually become important considerations for the titer of immunotherapy. In the case of immunotherapy, the rational use of antibiotics and intestinal microbiota is expected to yield a better prognosis for patients with malignant tumors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7511
Author(s):  
Albina Fejza ◽  
Maurizio Polano ◽  
Lucrezia Camicia ◽  
Evelina Poletto ◽  
Greta Carobolante ◽  
...  

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has revolutionized the treatment of melanoma patients, leading to remarkable improvements in the cure. However, to ensure a safe and effective treatment, there is the need to develop markers to identify the patients that would most likely respond to the therapies. The microenvironment is gaining attention in this context, since it can regulate both the immunotherapy efficacyand angiogenesis, which is known to be affected by treatment. Here, we investigated the putative role of the ECM molecule EMILIN-2, a tumor suppressive and pro-angiogenic molecule. We verified that the EMILIN2 expression is variable among melanoma patients and is associated with the response to PD-L1 inhibitors. Consistently, in preclinical settings,the absence of EMILIN-2 is associated with higher PD-L1 expression and increased immunotherapy efficacy. We verified that EMILIN-2 modulates PD-L1 expression in melanoma cells through indirect immune-dependent mechanisms. Notably, upon PD-L1 blockage, Emilin2−/− mice displayed improved intra-tumoral vessel normalization and decreased tumor hypoxia. Finally, we provide evidence indicating that the inclusion of EMILIN2 in a number of gene expression signatures improves their predictive potential, a further indication that the analysis of this molecule may be key for the development of new markers to predict immunotherapy efficacy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e001460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiuting Liu ◽  
Graham D Hogg ◽  
David G DeNardo

The clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors has highlighted the central role of the immune system in cancer control. Immune checkpoint inhibitors can reinvigorate anti-cancer immunity and are now the standard of care in a number of malignancies. However, research on immune checkpoint blockade has largely been framed with the central dogma that checkpoint therapies intrinsically target the T cell, triggering the tumoricidal potential of the adaptive immune system. Although T cells undoubtedly remain a critical piece of the story, mounting evidence, reviewed herein, indicates that much of the efficacy of checkpoint therapies may be attributable to the innate immune system. Emerging research suggests that T cell-directed checkpoint antibodies such as anti-programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand-1 (PD-L1) can impact innate immunity by both direct and indirect pathways, which may ultimately shape clinical efficacy. However, the mechanisms and impacts of these activities have yet to be fully elucidated, and checkpoint therapies have potentially beneficial and detrimental effects on innate antitumor immunity. Further research into the role of innate subsets during checkpoint blockade may be critical for developing combination therapies to help overcome checkpoint resistance. The potential of checkpoint therapies to amplify innate antitumor immunity represents a promising new field that can be translated into innovative immunotherapies for patients fighting refractory malignancies.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Adrien Costantini ◽  
Paul Takam Kamga ◽  
Catherine Julie ◽  
Alexandre Corjon ◽  
Coraline Dumenil ◽  
...  

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are commonly used in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). An unmet need remains for new biomarkers associated with ICIs. In this study, consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab were included. Plasma at ICIs initiation was prospectively collected and a multiplex ELISA assay testing 48 cytokines and growth factors was performed. Exploratory endpoints were the association between plasma biomarkers with outcome and grade III–IV immune related adverse events (irAEs). Thirty-five patients were included. Patients without clinical benefit (n = 22) had higher pre-ICI soluble Hepatocyte Growth Factor (sHGF) (210.9 vs. 155.8 pg/mL, p = 0.010), lower pre-ICI soluble Fibroblast Growth Factor (sFGF) (4.0 vs. 4.8 pg/mL, p = 0.043) and lower pre-ICI interleukine-12 (IL-12) (1.3 vs. 2.2 pg/mL, p = 0.043) concentrations. Patients with early progression (n = 23) had higher pre-ICIs sHGF (206.2 vs. 155.8 pg/mL, p = 0.025) concentrations. Patients with low sHGF levels at ICIs initiation had longer progression-free survival and overall survival than those with high sHGF levels: respectively 2.5 vs. 8.0 months (p = 0.002), and 5.5 vs. 35.0 months (p = 0.001). TNF-α, IL-16, IL-12p40 and MCP3 were associated with high grade irAEs. This study shows the potential association between several plasma biomarkers with outcome and grade 3–4 IrAEs in advanced NSCLC treated with ICIs.


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