Neoadjuvant and adjuvant toripalimab for locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a randomised, single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial.

Patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma with a high pretreatment plasma concentration of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA remain at high risk for recurrence after concurrent chemoradiotherapy. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant-adjuvant treatment with the PD-1 inhibitor toripalimab and concurrent chemoradiotherapy versus placebo and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This randomised, single-centre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial was conducted at Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre in Guangzhou, China. Adult patients (aged 18-65 years) with newly diagnosed high-risk stage III-IVa locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma, with a pretreatment plasma EBV DNA concentration of at least 1500 copies per mL and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score of 0-1, were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) using an interactive web response system (block size of six), stratified by TNM stage (III vs IVa), to neoadjuvant toripalimab (240 mg intravenously) or placebo once every 2 weeks for two cycles, followed by concurrent cisplatin (100 mg/m2 intravenously) on days 1, 22, and 43 during intensity-modulated radiotherapy and adjuvant toripalimab (240 mg intravenously) or placebo once every 3 weeks for up to eight cycles. The primary endpoint was 2-year progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03925090, and is closed to enrolment; follow-up is ongoing. Between Dec 6, 2019, and Dec 9, 2021, 150 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the toripalimab group (n=100) or placebo group (n=50). 115 (77%) patients were male and 35 (23%) were female. As of data cutoff (May 31, 2024), median follow-up for progression-free survival was 37·8 months (IQR 34·2-46·5) for the intention-to-treat population analyses. 2-year progression-free survival was higher in the toripalimab group (92·0% [95% CI 86·7-97·3]) than in the placebo group (74·0% [61·8-86·2]; stratified hazard ratio 0·40 [95% CI 0·18-0·89]; log-rank p=0·019). The most common grade 3 or worse acute adverse events (occurring within 1 year of randomisation) were leukopenia (40 [40%] of 99 patients in the toripalimab group vs 22 [44%] of 50 patients in the placebo group), mucositis (28 [28%] vs ten [20%]), neutropenia (17 [17%] vs nine [18%]), anaemia (16 [16%] vs five [10%]), and weight loss (12 [12%] vs six [12%]). The most common grade 3 or worse late adverse events (occurring >1 year after randomisation) was auditory or hearing loss (eight [8%] vs four [8%]). Immune-mediated adverse events of grade 3 or worse occurred in ten (10%) patients only in the toripalimab group. One (2%) of 50 patients in the placebo group died due to septic shock caused by bacteraemia considered not treatment related. There were no treatment-related deaths in the toripalimab group. Our findings suggested that a so-called sandwich approach involving toripalimab (in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant phases) combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy could be a highly promising therapy for the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Phase 3 non-inferiority trials are warranted comparing neoadjuvant and adjuvant toripalimab versus cisplatin plus gemcitabine neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. National Key Research and Development Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou, Sun Yat-sen University Clinical Research 5010 Program, Innovative Research Team of High-level Local Universities in Shanghai, Postdoctoral Innovative Talent Support Program, Planned Science and Technology Project of Guangdong Province, Key Youth Teacher Cultivating Program of Sun Yat-sen University, and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities. For the Chinese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Liu SL ，Li XY ，Yang JH ，Wen DX ，Guo SS ，Liu LT ，Li YF ，Luo MJ ，Xie SY ，Liang YJ ，Sun XS ，Yang ZC ，Lv XF ，Luo DH ，Li JB ，Liu Q ，Wang P ，Guo L ，Mo HY ，Sun R ，Yang Q ，Lan KQ ，Jia GD ，Li R ，Zhao C ，Xu RH ，Chen QY ，Tang LQ ，Mai HQ ... -  《-》

Primary lung tumour stereotactic body radiotherapy followed by concurrent mediastinal chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant immunotherapy for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial.

Patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who undergo concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy often experience synergistic toxicity, and local regional control rates remain poor. We assessed the activity and safety outcomes of primary tumour stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) followed by conventional chemoradiotherapy to the lymph nodes and consolidation immunotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced NSCLC. In this multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial, patients aged 18 years and older were enrolled at eight regional cancer centres in North Carolina and South Carolina, USA. Patients were eligible if they had stage II-III, unresectable, locally advanced NSCLC (any histology), with peripheral or central primary tumours that were 7 cm or smaller, excluding central tumours within 2 cm of involved nodal disease, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2. Patients who had previously received systemic therapy or radiotherapy were excluded. Participants received SBRT to the primary tumour (50-54 Gy in three to five fractions) followed by standard radiotherapy (planned up to 60 Gy in 30 2 Gy fractions) to the involved lymph nodes with concurrent platinum doublet chemotherapy (either paclitaxel 50 mg/m2 intravenously plus carboplatin area under the curve 2 mg/mL per min every 7 days for a total of six 1-week cycles or etoposide 50 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1-5 and days 29-33 plus cisplatin 50 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1, 8, 29, and 36 for two cycles of 4 weeks). An amendment to the protocol (Dec 11, 2017) permitted the administration of consolidation durvalumab at the discretion of the treating investigator. An additional protocol amendment on Jan 13, 2021, directed patients without disease progression after chemoradiotherapy to receive consolidation durvalumab (10 mg/kg intravenously on day 1 and day 15 of a 4-week cycle for up to 12 cycles or 1500 mg intravenously on day 1 of a 4-week cycle for up to 12 cycles). The primary endpoint was 1-year progression-free survival (per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1), assessed in all participants who received at least one fraction of SBRT and had radiological follow-up data up to 1 year. A 1-year progression-free survival rate of greater than 60% was required to reject the null hypothesis and show significant improvement in 1-year progression-free survival. One-sided exact binomial tests were used to compare the primary endpoint versus the historical control 1-year progression-free survival rate used to determine the sample size. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one fraction of SBRT. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03141359, and is closed to accrual. Between May 11, 2017, and June 27, 2022, 61 patients were enrolled and received at least one dose of fractionated SBRT, of whom 59 were evaluable for the primary endpoint. Median age was 67 years (IQR 61-72), 28 (46%) of 61 were female, 33 (54%) were male, 51 (84%) were White, seven (11%) were Black, and three (5%) were of other or unknown race. Of the 61 patients enrolled, 47 received at least one dose of consolidation durvalumab. As of data cutoff (July 12, 2023), median follow-up was 29·5 months (IQR 14·9-47·1). 1-year progression-free survival was 62·7% (90% CI 51·2-73·2; one-sided p=0·39, compared with the historical control rate), with 37 of 59 evaluable participants progression free and alive 1 year after enrolment (n=14 progressed, n=8 died). The most common grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events were decreased neutrophil count (nine [15%] of 61 patients), decreased white blood cell count (five [8%]), and anaemia (four [7%]). Treatment-related serious adverse events occurred in 11 (18%) of 61 patients, which included lung infection (three [5%]), pneumonitis (two [3%]), decreased neutrophil count (two [3%]), febrile neutropenia (two [3%]), and dyspnoea, hypoxia, respiratory failure, sinus tachycardia, bronchial infection, and acute kidney injury (each in one [2%] patient). Treatment-related deaths occurred in four (7%) of 61 patients (one each of respiratory failure, respiratory failure and dyspnoea, lung infection, and pneumonitis). Although this study did not meet the primary endpoint, activity and safety profiles of primary lung tumour SBRT followed by concurrent mediastinal chemoradiotherapy were favourable compared with other modern trials treating locally advanced NSCLC with chemoradiotherapy. These findings serve as the basis for the ongoing randomised phase 3 study NRG Oncology LU008 (NCT05624996). AstraZeneca and Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute.

Heinzerling JH ，Mileham KF ，Robinson MM ，Symanowski JT ，Induru RR ，Brouse GM ，Corso CD ，Prabhu RS ，Haggstrom DE ，Moeller BJ ，Bobo WE ，Fasola CE ，Thakkar VV ，Pal SE ，Gregory JM ，Norek SL ，Begic XJ ，Kesarwala AH ，Burri SH ，Simone CB 2nd ... -  《-》

Radiotherapy with cetuximab or durvalumab for locoregionally advanced head and neck cancer in patients with a contraindication to cisplatin (NRG-HN004): an open-label, multicentre, parallel-group, randomised, phase 2/3 trial.

Management of patients with locoregionally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) when cisplatin is contraindicated is controversial. We aimed to assess whether radiotherapy with concurrent and adjuvant durvalumab would improve outcomes compared with radiotherapy with cetuximab. NRG-HN004 was designed as an open-label, multicentre, parallel-group, randomised, phase 2/3 trial with safety lead-in conducted at 89 academic and community medical centres in North America. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older with American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition stage III-IVB p16-negative HNSCC or unfavourable stage I-III p16-positive oropharyngeal or unknown primary carcinoma, who had a contraindication to cisplatin (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [ECOG] performance status 2, renal or hearing impairment, peripheral neuropathy, aged at least 70 years with moderate or severe comorbidity, or aged younger than 70 years with severe comorbidity). Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) by permuted block randomisation (multiples of 6) to intravenous durvalumab 1500 mg starting 2 weeks before radiotherapy then every 4 weeks starting week 2 of radiotherapy (seven cycles) or intravenous cetuximab 400 mg/m2 1 week before radiotherapy then 250 mg/m2 weekly beginning week 1 of radiotherapy (eight cycles), with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (70 Gy in 35 fractions over 7 weeks). Stratification factors were tumour and nodal stage, ECOG performance status and comorbidity, and primary site and p16 status. The phase 2 primary endpoint was progression-free survival in the intention-to-treat population. There was one prespecified interim futility analysis at 50% of progression-free survival information. If the observed hazard ratio was 1·0 or more, favouring cetuximab, early stopping would be considered. Extended follow-up analysis was post hoc. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03258554, and is closed to enrolment. Following a ten-patient safety lead-in, the phase 2 trial enrolled 190 patients from March 12, 2019, to July 30, 2021, 186 of whom were randomly assigned (123 to durvalumab and 63 to cetuximab). Median age was 72 years (IQR 64-77), 30 (16%) patients were women and 156 (84%) were men. Phase 2 accrual was suspended in July 30, 2021, following an interim futility analysis, and permanently closed in Sept 1, 2022. The phase 3 part of the trial was not conducted. At a median follow-up of 2·3 years (IQR 1·9-3·1) for the extended follow-up (data cutoff July 31, 2023; post-hoc analysis), 2-year progression-free survival was 50·6% (95% CI 41·5-59·8) in the durvalumab group versus 63·7% (51·3-76·1) in the cetuximab group (hazard ratio 1·33 [95% CI 0·84-2·12]; p=0·89). Adverse events were similar in both groups. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were dysphagia (26 [22%] of 119 patients in the durvalumab group vs 18 [30%] of 61 patients in the cetuximab group), lymphopenia (33 [28%] vs 20 [33%]), and oral mucositis (13 [11%] vs 11 [18%]). Four (3%) patients in the durvalumab group and one (2%) in the cetuximab group died from treatment-related adverse events (death not otherwise specified, laryngeal oedema, lung infection, and respiratory failure in the durvalumab group and sudden death not otherwise specified in the cetuximab group). Our findings suggest that durvalumab did not improve outcomes compared with cetuximab in patients with HNSCC with contraindications to cisplatin. Further trials are needed to define the standard of care for this population. US National Cancer Institute and AstraZeneca.

Mell LK ，Torres-Saavedra PA ，Wong SJ ，Kish JA ，Chang SS ，Jordan RC ，Liu T ，Truong MT ，Winquist EW ，Takiar V ，Wise-Draper T ，Robbins JR ，Rodriguez CP ，Awan MJ ，Beadle BM ，Henson C ，Narayan S ，Spencer SA ，Powell S ，Dunlap N ，Sacco AG ，Hu KS ，Park HS ，Bauman JE ，Harris J ，Yom SS ，Le QT ... -  《-》

Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus lenvatinib plus placebo for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (LEAP-002): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial.

Systemic therapies have improved the management of hepatocellular carcinoma, but there is still a need to further enhance overall survival in first-line advanced stages. This study aimed to evaluate the addition of pembrolizumab to lenvatinib versus lenvatinib plus placebo in the first-line setting for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. In this global, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 study (LEAP-002), patients aged 18 years or older with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, Child Pugh class A liver disease, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, and no previous systemic treatment were enrolled at 172 global sites. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) with a central interactive voice-response system (block size of 4) to receive lenvatinib (bodyweight <60 kg, 8 mg/day; bodyweight ≥60 kg, 12 mg/day) plus pembrolizumab (200 mg every 3 weeks) or lenvatinib plus placebo. Randomisation was stratified by geographical region, macrovascular portal vein invasion or extrahepatic spread or both, α-fetoprotein concentration, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status. Dual primary endpoints were overall survival (superiority threshold at final overall survival analysis, one-sided p=0·019; final analysis to occur after 532 events) and progression-free survival (superiority threshold one-sided p=0·002; final analysis to occur after 571 events) in the intention-to-treat population. Results from the final analysis are reported. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03713593, and is active but not recruiting. Between Jan 17, 2019, and April 28, 2020, of 1309 patients assessed, 794 were randomly assigned to lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (n=395) or lenvatinib plus placebo (n=399). Median age was 66·0 years (IQR 57·0-72·0), 644 (81%) of 794 were male, 150 (19%) were female, 345 (43%) were Asian, 345 (43%) were White, 22 (3%) were multiple races, 21 (3%) were American Indian or Alaska Native, 21 (3%) were Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 13 (2%) were Black or African American, and 46 (6%) did not have available race data. Median follow up as of data cutoff for the final analysis (June 21, 2022) was 32·1 months (IQR 29·4-35·3). Median overall survival was 21·2 months (95% CI 19·0-23·6; 252 [64%] of 395 died) with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus 19·0 months (17·2-21·7; 282 [71%] of 399 died) with lenvatinib plus placebo (hazard ratio [HR] 0·84; 95% CI 0·71-1·00; stratified log-rank p=0·023). As of data cutoff for the progression-free survival final analysis (April 5, 2021), median progression-free survival was 8·2 months (95% CI 6·4-8·4; 270 events occurred [42 deaths; 228 progressions]) with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus 8·0 months (6·3-8·2; 301 events occurred [36 deaths; 265 progressions]) with lenvatinib plus placebo (HR 0·87; 95% CI 0·73-1·02; stratified log-rank p=0·047). The most common treatment-related grade 3-4 adverse events were hypertension (69 [17%] of 395 patients in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group vs 68 [17%] of 395 patients) in the lenvatinib plus placebo group), increased aspartate aminotransferase (27 [7%] vs 17 [4%]), and diarrhoea (25 [6%] vs 15 [4%]). Treatment-related deaths occurred in four (1%) patients in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group (due to gastrointestinal haemorrhage and hepatorenal syndrome [n=1 each] and hepatic encephalopathy [n=2]) and in three (1%) patients in the lenvatinib plus placebo group (due to gastrointestinal haemorrhage, hepatorenal syndrome, and cerebrovascular accident [n=1 each]). In earlier studies, the addition of pembrolizumab to lenvatinib as first-line therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma has shown promising clinical activity; however, lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab did not meet prespecified significance for improved overall survival and progression-free survival versus lenvatinib plus placebo. Our findings do not support a change in clinical practice. Eisai US, and Merck Sharp & Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck.

Llovet JM ，Kudo M ，Merle P ，Meyer T ，Qin S ，Ikeda M ，Xu R ，Edeline J ，Ryoo BY ，Ren Z ，Masi G ，Kwiatkowski M ，Lim HY ，Kim JH ，Breder V ，Kumada H ，Cheng AL ，Galle PR ，Kaneko S ，Wang A ，Mody K ，Dutcus C ，Dubrovsky L ，Siegel AB ，Finn RS ，LEAP-002 Investigators ... -  《-》

Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy for HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer (KEYNOTE-859): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial.

PD-1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy have shown efficacy in gastric or gastro-esophageal junction cancer. We compared the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy with placebo plus chemotherapy in participants with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma. KEYNOTE-859 is a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, phase 3 trial, done at 207 medical centres across 33 countries. Eligible participants were aged 18 years and older with previously untreated histologically or cytologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive pembrolizumab or placebo 200 mg, administered intravenously every 3 weeks for up to 35 cycles. All participants received investigator's choice of fluorouracil (intravenous, 800 mg/m2 per day) administered continuously on days 1-5 of each 3-week cycle plus cisplatin (intravenous, 80 mg/m2) administered on day 1 of each 3-week cycle or capecitabine (oral, 1000 mg/m2) administered twice daily on days 1-14 of each 3-week cycle plus oxaliplatin (intravenous, 130 mg/m2) administered on day 1 of each 3-week cycle. Randomisation was done using a central interactive voice-response system and stratified by geographical region, PD-L1 status, and chemotherapy in permuted block sizes of four. The primary endpoint was overall survival, assessed in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, and the populations with a PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) of 1 or higher, and PD-L1 CPS of 10 or higher. Safety was assessed in the as-treated population, which included all randomly assigned participants who received at least one dose of study intervention. Here, we report the results of the interim analysis. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03675737, and recruitment is complete. Between Nov 8, 2018, and June 11, 2021, 1579 (66%) of 2409 screened participants were randomly assigned to receive pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy (pembrolizumab group; n=790) or placebo plus chemotherapy (placebo group; n=789). Most participants were male (527 [67%] of 790 participants in the pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy group; 544 [69%] of 789 participants in the placebo plus chemotherapy group) and White (426 [54%]; 435 [55%]). Median follow-up at the data cutoff was 31·0 months (IQR 23·0-38·3). Median overall survival was longer in the pembrolizumab group than in the placebo group in the ITT population (12·9 months [95% CI 11·9-14·0] vs 11·5 months [10·6-12·1]; hazard ratio [HR] 0·78 [95% CI 0·70-0·87]; p<0·0001), in participants with a PD-L1 CPS of 1 or higher (13·0 months [11·6-14·2] vs 11·4 months [10·5-12·0]; 0·74 [0·65-0·84]; p<0·0001), and in participants with a PD-L1 CPS of 10 or higher (15·7 months [13·8-19·3] vs 11·8 months [10·3-12·7]; 0·65 [0·53-0·79]; p<0·0001). The most common grade 3-5 adverse events of any cause were anaemia (95 [12%] of 785 participants in the pembrolizumab group vs 76 [10%] of 787 participants in the placebo group) and decreased neutrophil count (77 [10%] vs 64 [8%]). Serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in 184 (23%) participants in the pembrolizumab group and 146 (19%) participants in the placebo group. Treatment-related deaths occurred in eight (1%) participants in the pembrolizumab group and 16 (2%) participants in the placebo group. No new safety signals were identified. Participants in the pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy group had a significant and clinically meaningful improvement in overall survival with manageable toxicity compared with participants in the placebo plus chemotherapy group. Therefore, pembrolizumab with chemotherapy might be a first-line treatment option for patients with locally advanced or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Merck Sharp and Dohme.

Rha SY ，Oh DY ，Yañez P ，Bai Y ，Ryu MH ，Lee J ，Rivera F ，Alves GV ，Garrido M ，Shiu KK ，Fernández MG ，Li J ，Lowery MA ，Çil T ，Cruz FM ，Qin S ，Luo S ，Pan H ，Wainberg ZA ，Yin L ，Bordia S ，Bhagia P ，Wyrwicz LS ，KEYNOTE-859 investigators ... -  《-》