scholarly journals Current Treatments of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors—2020 Update

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 3520
Author(s):  
Gerhard Jung ◽  
Daniel Benítez-Ribas ◽  
Ariadna Sánchez ◽  
Francesc Balaguer
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Clinical Trial Design ◽  
Predictive Biomarkers ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Systemic Treatments

During the last 20 years, chemotherapy has improved survival rates of colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the majority of metastatic cases do not respond to or progress after first line conventional chemotherapy and contribute to the fatalities of patients with CRC. Insights into the immune contexture of the tumor microenvironment (TME) have enabled the development of new systemic treatments that boost the host immune system against the tumor—the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). These promising drugs have already shown astonishing efficacies in other cancer types and have raised new hope for the treatment of metastatic CRC (mCRC). In this review, we will summarize the results of the clinical trials that led to their accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017, as well as all relevant recent studies conducted since then—some of which are not published yet. We will focus on therapeutic efficacy, but also discuss the available data for drug safety and security, changes in quality of life indicators and predictive biomarkers for treatment response. The burgeoning evidence for a potential use of ICIs in other settings than mCRC will also be mentioned. For each trial, we have made a preliminary assessment of the quality of clinical trial design and of the “European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) magnitude of clinical benefit” (ESMO-MCBS) in order to provide the first evidence-based recommendation to the reader.

Microsatellite instability status in metastatic colorectal cancer and effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors on survival in MSI-high metastatic colorectal cancer.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e15106-e15106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wataru Okamoto ◽  
Yoshiaki Nakamura ◽  
Manabu Shiozawa ◽  
Yoshito Komatsu ◽  
Tadamichi Denda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Microsatellite Instability ◽  
Metastatic Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Gene Mutations ◽  
Poorly Differentiated

e15106 Background: Tumor mismatch repair (MMR) predicts benefit of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We conducted a large-scale prospective observational trial on microsatellite instability (MSI) status in mCRC: SCRUM-Japan GI-SCREEN CRC-MSI. Methods: mCRC patients (pts) appropriate for systemic chemotherapy were eligible. Paired tumor and normal DNA extracted from FFPE samples were analyzed by the MSI Analysis System, which includes 5 mononucleotide markers. Tumors exhibiting ≥2 unstable markers were defined as MSI-H, while those with ≤1 were labelled MSI-L/MSS. Results: From 2/2016 to 3/2018, 1,711 pts were enrolled, and 1,696 samples were submitted. MSI status was determined in 1,676 pts (98.8%); 51 pts (3.0%) were MSI-H. For MSI-H vs. MSI-L/MSS pts: Median age (years) 64/64; male gender (%) 51.0 vs. 43.8, p=0.31; right-sided primary (%) 70.6 vs. 25.0, p<0.001; and poorly differentiated histology (%) 33.3 vs. 8.9, p<0.001. Of the 864 pts who received parallel NGS testing, median tumor mutation burdens (TMB) in MSI-H and MSI-L/MSS were 32.8 and 12.6 mt/Mb, p<0.001. High TMB, defined as >20 mt/Mb, was observed in 27/29 (93.1%) MSI-H pts. The frequency of representative gene mutations (%) for MSI-H vs. MSI-L/MSS pts were: TP53 17.2 vs. 66.1, p<0.001; PIK3CA 48.3 vs. 13.2, p<0.001; BRAF 34.5 vs. 7.5, p<0.001; MSH2 17.2 vs. 0, p<0.001; CTNNB1 17.2 vs. 0.6, p<0.001; and ERBB2 10.3 vs. 1.4, p<0.001. ERBB2 amplification was detected only in MSI-L/MSS pts (2.3%). Two-year survival rates from first-line systemic therapy in 389 pts with MSI-L/MSS, 5 pts with MSI-H treated with ICI in any-line, and 5 pts with MSI-H not treated with ICI, were 77.7, 100, and 33.3%, respectively. Conclusions: MSI-H mCRC tumors were more frequent in right-sided colon primaries and with poorly differentiated histology. Median TMB was significantly greater in MSI-H pts, and a very high burden was frequently seen. Survival in MSI-H mCRC was poor before ICIs; these agents may improve outcomes for MSI-H pts. Clinical trial #UMIN000020437.

scholarly journals How to Best Exploit Immunotherapeutics in Advanced Gastric Cancer: Between Biomarkers and Novel Cell-Based Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1412
Author(s):  
Michele Ghidini ◽  
Angelica Petrillo ◽  
Andrea Botticelli ◽  
Dario Trapani ◽  
Alessandro Parisi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Advanced Gastric Cancer ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitor ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Predictive Biomarkers ◽  
Clinical Implementation ◽  
T Cell Therapy ◽  
Dismal Prognosis

Despite extensive research efforts, advanced gastric cancer still has a dismal prognosis with conventional treatment options. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment landscape for many solid tumors. Amongst gastric cancer subtypes, tumors with microsatellite instability and Epstein Barr Virus positive tumors provide the strongest rationale for responding to immunotherapy. Various predictive biomarkers such as mismatch repair status, programmed death ligand 1 expression, tumor mutational burden, assessment of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and circulating biomarkers have been evaluated. However, results have been inconsistent due to different methodologies and thresholds used. Clinical implementation therefore remains a challenge. The role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastric cancer is emerging with data from monotherapy in the heavily pre-treated population already available and studies in earlier disease settings with different combinatorial approaches in progress. Immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations with chemotherapy (CT), anti-angiogenics, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, anti-Her2 directed therapy, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors or dual checkpoint inhibitor strategies are being explored. Moreover, novel strategies including vaccines and CAR T cell therapy are also being trialed. Here we provide an update on predictive biomarkers for response to immunotherapy with an overview of their strengths and limitations. We discuss clinical trials that have been reported and trials in progress whilst providing an account of future steps needed to improve outcome in this lethal disease.

scholarly journals Ipilimumab and nivolumab/pembrolizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma refractory to prior immune checkpoint inhibitors

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e001945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Sum Lung Wong ◽  
Gerry Gin Wai Kwok ◽  
Vikki Tang ◽  
Bryan Cho Wing Li ◽  
Roland Leung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Objective Response ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Primary Resistance ◽  
Advanced Hcc

BackgroundProgrammed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) pathway blockade with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a standard therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nowadays. No strategies to overcome ICI resistance have been described. We aimed to evaluate the use of ipilimumab and anti-PD-1 ICIs (nivolumab or pembrolizumab) combinations in patients with advanced HCC with progression on prior ICIs.MethodsPatients with advanced HCC with documented tumor progression on prior ICIs and subsequently received ipilimumab with nivolumab/pembrolizumab were analyzed. Objective response rate (ORR), median duration of response (DOR), time-to-progression (TTP), overall survival (OS), and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were assessed.ResultsTwenty-five patients were included. The median age was 62 (range: 51–83). About 68% were of Child-Pugh (CP) Grade A and 48% had primary resistance to prior ICI. At median follow-up of 37.7 months, the ORR was 16% with a median DOR of 11.5 months (range: 2.76–30.3). Three patients achieved complete response. The median TTP was 2.96 months (95% CI: 1.61 to 4.31). Median OS was 10.9 months (95% CI: 3.99 to 17.8) and the 1 year, 2 year and 3 year survival rates were 42.4%, 32.3% and 21.6%, respectively. The ORR was 16.7% in primary resistance group and 15.4% in acquired resistance group (p=1.00). All responders were of CP A and Albumin-Bilirubin (ALBI) Grade 1 or 2. CP and ALBI Grades were significantly associated with OS (p=0.006 and p<0.001, respectively). Overall, 52% of patients experienced TRAEs and 12% experienced Grade 3 or above TRAEs.ConclusionsIpilimumab and nivolumab/pembrolizumab can achieve durable antitumor activity and encouraging survival outcomes with acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced HCC who had prior treatment with ICIs.

scholarly journals Is There a Place for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Vulvar Neoplasms? A State of the Art Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 190
Author(s):  
Fulvio Borella ◽  
Mario Preti ◽  
Luca Bertero ◽  
Giammarco Collemi ◽  
Isabella Castellano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Younger Women ◽  
Multiple Tumor ◽  
Tumor Types

Vulvar cancer (VC) is a rare neoplasm, usually arising in postmenopausal women, although human papilloma virus (HPV)-associated VC usually develop in younger women. Incidences of VCs are rising in many countries. Surgery is the cornerstone of early-stage VC management, whereas therapies for advanced VC are multimodal and not standardized, combining chemotherapy and radiotherapy to avoid exenterative surgery. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are scarce due to the rarity of the disease and prognosis has not improved. Hence, new therapies are needed to improve the outcomes of these patients. In recent years, improved knowledge regarding the crosstalk between neoplastic and tumor cells has allowed researchers to develop a novel therapeutic approach exploiting these molecular interactions. Both the innate and adaptive immune systems play a key role in anti-tumor immunesurveillance. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated efficacy in multiple tumor types, improving survival rates and disease outcomes. In some gynecologic cancers (e.g., cervical cancer), many studies are showing promising results and a growing interest is emerging about the potential use of ICIs in VC. The aim of this manuscript is to summarize the latest developments in the field of VC immunoncology, to present the role of state-of-the-art ICIs in VC management and to discuss new potential immunotherapeutic approaches.

scholarly journals New drug developments in metastatic gastric cancer

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 175628481880807 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron C. Tan ◽  
David L. Chan ◽  
Wasek Faisal ◽  
Nick Pavlakis
Keyword(s):  
Gastric Cancer ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Targeted Therapies ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Predictive Biomarkers ◽  
Metastatic Gastric Cancer ◽  
New Era

Metastatic gastric cancer is associated with a poor prognosis and novel treatment options are desperately needed. The development of targeted therapies heralded a new era for the management of metastatic gastric cancer, however results from clinical trials of numerous targeted agents have been mixed. The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has yielded similar promise and results from early trials are encouraging. This review provides an overview of the systemic treatment options evaluated in metastatic gastric cancer, with a focus on recent evidence from clinical trials for targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. The failure to identify appropriate predictive biomarkers has hampered the success of many targeted therapies in gastric cancer, and a deeper understanding of specific molecular subtypes and genomic alterations may allow for more precision in the application of novel therapies. Identifying appropriate biomarkers for patient selection is essential for future clinical trials, for the most effective use of novel agents and in combination approaches to account for growing complexity of treatment options.

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