Cancer immunotherapy of patients with HIV infection.

Cancer immunotherapy with antibodies against immune checkpoints has made impressive advances in the last several years. The most relevant drugs target programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) expressed on T cells or its ligand, the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), expressed on cancer cells, and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4). Unfortunately, cancer patients with HIV infection are usually excluded from cancer clinical trials, because there are concerns about the safety and the anti-tumoral activity of these novel therapies in patients with HIV infection. Several retrospective studies and some case reports now support the notion that antibodies against immune checkpoints are safe and active in cancer patients with HIV infection, but prospective data in these patients are lacking. In addition, signs of antiviral activity with increase in CD4 T cell counts, plasma viremia reduction or decrease in the viral reservoir have been reported in some of the patients treated, although no patient achieved a complete clearance of the viral reservoir. Here we briefly summarize all clinical cases reported in the literature, as well as ongoing clinical trials testing novel immunotherapy drugs in cancer patients with HIV infection.

Large scale, prospective screening of EGFR mutations in the blood of advanced NSCLC patients to guide treatment decisions.

BACKGROUND: In a significant percentage of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, tumor tissue is unavailable or insufficient for genetic analyses. We prospectively analyzed if circulating-free DNA (cfDNA) purified from blood can be used as a surrogate in this setting to select patients for treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Blood samples were collected in 119 hospitals from 1138 advanced NSCLC patients at presentation (n = 1033) or at progression to EGFR-TKIs (n = 105) with no biopsy or insufficient tumor tissue. Serum and plasma were sent to a central laboratory, cfDNA purified and EGFR mutations analyzed and quantified using a real-time PCR assay. Response data from a subset of patients (n = 18) were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: Of 1033 NSCLC patients at presentation, 1026 were assessable; with a prevalence of males and former or current smokers. Sensitizing mutations were found in the cfDNA of 113 patients (11%); with a majority of females, never smokers and exon 19 deletions. Thirty-one patients were positive only in plasma and 11 in serum alone and mutation load was higher in plasma and in cases with exon 19 deletions. More than 50% of samples had <10 pg mutated genomes/µl with allelic fractions below 0.25%. Patients treated first line with TKIs based exclusively on EGFR positivity in blood had an ORR of 72% and a median PFS of 11 months. Of 105 patients screened after progression to EGFR-TKIs, sensitizing mutations were found in 56.2% and the p.T790M resistance mutation in 35.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Large-scale EGFR testing in the blood of unselected advanced NSCLC patients is feasible and can be used to select patients for targeted therapy when testing cannot be done in tissue. The characteristics and clinical outcomes to TKI treatment of the EGFR-mutated patients identified are undistinguishable from those positive in tumor.

Tracking MET de-addiction in lung cancer: A road towards the oncogenic target.

The discovery of druggable oncogenic drivers (i.e. EGFR and ALK), along with the introduction of comprehensive tumor genotyping techniques into the daily clinical practice define non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) asa group of heterogeneous diseases, requiring a context-personalized clinico-therapeutical approach. Among the most investigated biomarkers, the MET proto-oncogene has been extensively demonstrated to play a crucial role throughout the lung oncogenesis, unbalancing the proliferation/apoptosis signaling and influencing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the invasive phenotype. Nevertheless, although different mechanisms eliciting the aberrant MET-associated oncogenic stimulus have been detected in lung cancer (such as gene amplification, increased gene copy number, mutations and MET/HGF overexpression), to date no clinically impactful results have been achieved with anti-MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies in the context of an unselected or MET enriched population. Recently, MET exon 14 splicing abnormalities have been identified asa potential oncogenic target in lung cancer, able to drive the activity of MET inhibitors in molecularly selected patients. In this paper, the major advancement and drawbacks of MET history in lung cancer are reviewed, underlying the renewed scientific euphoria related to the recent identification of MET exon 14 splicing variants asan actionable oncogenic target.

DNA repair pathways to regulate response to chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Platinum-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is a preferred standard of care for locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). However, survival benefit is small, with substantial toxicity and biomarkers of CRT resistance that could guide treatment selection and spare morbidity. Increased DNA repair in solid tumors may contribute to cancer cells' ability to survive in genotoxic stress environments afforded by therapy. We assessed mRNA expression levels of DNA repair-related genes BRCA1, RAP80, 53 binding protein 1 (53BP1), mediator of DNA damage checkpoint 1 (MDC1), and RNF8. We correlated our findings with response and overall survival in 72 head and neck patients treated with weekly carboplatin AUC 2 and radiotherapy. Complete response (CR) to CRT was 50 % in patients with low levels of 53BP1 compared to 6.3 % in patients with high levels (p = 0.0059). Of high BRCA1 mRNA expressors, 41.2 % had CR compared to 29.4 % of low expressors (p = 0.72). For a small group of patients with low 53BP1 and either high BRCA1 or RAP80, CRs were 66.7 and 71.4 %, respectively. A trend for better overall survival (OS) was found for patients with low 53BP1 (15 vs 8 m; p = 0.056). Our findings highlight the potential usefulness of 53BP1 mRNA as a predictive biomarker of response and overall survival in HNC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. Those with high 53BP1 expression could derive only a meager benefit from treatment. Analysis of BRCA1 and RAP80 could further reinforce the predictive value of 53BP1. Although this was a retrospective study with small sample size, it could inform larger translational studies in HNC.

Comprehensive molecular portrait using next generation sequencing of resected intestinal-type gastric cancer patients dichotomized according to prognosis.

In this study, we evaluated whether the presence of genetic alterations detected by next generation sequencing may define outcome in a prognostically-selected and histology-restricted population of resected gastric cancer (RGC). Intestinal type RGC samples from 34 patients, including 21 best and 13 worst prognostic performers, were studied. Mutations in 50 cancer-associated genes were evaluated. A significant difference between good and poor prognosis was found according to clinico-pathologic factors. The most commonly mutated genes in the whole population were PIK3CA (29.4%), KRAS (26.5%), TP53 (26.5%) MET (8.8%), SMAD4 (8.8%) and STK11 (8.8%). Multiple gene mutations were found in 14/21 (67%) patients with good prognosis, and 3/13 (23%) in the poor prognosis group. A single gene alteration was found in 5/21 (24%) good and 6/13 (46%) poor prognosis patients. No mutation was found in 2/21 (9.5%) and 4/13 (31%) of these groups, respectively. In the overall series, ß-catenin expression was the highest (82.4%), followed by E-Cadherin (76.5%) and FHIT (52.9%). The good prognosis group was characterized by a high mutation rate and microsatellite instability. Our proof-of-principle study demonstrates the feasibility of a molecular profiling approach with the aim to identify potentially druggable pathways and drive the development of customized therapies for RGC.

Tubulin inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: looking back and forward.

INTRODUCTION: Although the advent of target therapy for lung cancer has brought about outstanding results, this benefit is confined to a subgroup of molecularly selected patients, whereas for most non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, chemotherapy still represents the milestone of treatment. Since their introduction into clinics, microtubule targeting agents (MTA), including vinca alkaloids and taxanes, have been extensively used for NSCLC in different settings and combinations. AREAS COVERED: In this review, MTA are classified according to their mechanism of action, with a focus on the most common mechanisms of resistance. Moreover, an overview of the most remarkable clinical data regarding MTA in adjuvant, neoadjuvant and advanced setting is provided. Finally, the novel mitotic kinases inhibitors are described according to their different mechanism of action and clinical activity compared to MTA. EXPERT OPINION: Unfortunately, the awaited benefit deriving from the actually available chemotherapeutic regimens for advanced NSCLC has reached a plateau. In this scenario, the identification of reliable predictive biomarkers represents a major challenge. Moreover, different schedules for MTA administration are currently under investigation, such as the combination of MTA with other drugs able to bypass the resistance derived from the 'mitotic slippage' and the use of metronomic administration of spindle poisons with anti-angiogenic or immunomodulatory agents.

Cisplatin in combination with metronomic vinorelbine as front-line treatment in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter phase II study of the Hellenic Oncology Research Group (HORG).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of metronomic vinorelbine in combination with cisplatin as first-line treatment in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 41 patients with inoperable stage IIIb or stage IV NSCLC (14 with adenocarcinomas, 19 with squamous cell carcinoma and eight with other types), PS = 0-2, were treated with cisplatin (80 mg/m(2)) in combination with oral metronomic vinorelbine (60 mg total dose, every other day) in cycles of 21 days. RESULTS: A total of 35 patients who received at least one cycle of chemotherapy were evaluable for toxicity and response. Partial response was achieved in 13 patients (ORR 37.1%; CI 21.1-53.1%) and stable disease in 10 (28.6%). After a median follow-up period of 26.2 months (range 0.5-33.4 months), the median progression-free survival was 4.2 months and the median overall survival 12.0 months. The 1-year survival rate was 52.6%. Myelosuppression was the main adverse event with grade 3 and 4 neutropenia occurring in five (14.3%) and six (17.1%) patients, respectively. Three of these patients presented with febrile neutropenia and there was one death due to sepsis. Non-hematologic toxicities were mild. CONCLUSION: Cisplatin in combination with metronomic vinorelbine is an active, although myelotoxic, therapeutic option in the first-line setting for the treatment of patients with locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, which merits further evaluation in randomized trials.

Two biomarker-directed randomized trials in European and Chinese patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer: the BRCA1-RAP80 Expression Customization (BREC) studies.

BACKGROUND: In a Spanish Lung Cancer Group (SLCG) phase II trial, the combination of BRCA1 and receptor-associated protein 80 (RAP80) expression was significantly associated with outcome in Caucasian patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The SLCG therefore undertook an industry-independent collaborative randomized phase III trial comparing nonselected cisplatin-based chemotherapy with therapy customized according to BRCA1/RAP80 expression. An analogous randomized phase II trial was carried out in China under the auspices of the SLCG to evaluate the effect of BRCA1/RAP80 expression in Asian patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eligibility criteria included stage IIIB-IV NSCLC and sufficient tumor specimen for molecular analysis. Randomization to the control or experimental arm was 1 : 1 in the SLCG trial and 1 : 3 in the Chinese trial. In both trials, patients in the control arm received docetaxel/cisplatin; in the experimental arm, patients with low RAP80 expression received gemcitabine/cisplatin, those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and low/intermediate BRCA1 expression received docetaxel/cisplatin, and those with intermediate/high RAP80 expression and high BRCA1 expression received docetaxel alone. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy-nine patients in the SLCG trial and 124 in the Chinese trial were assessable for PFS. PFS in the control and experimental arms in the SLCG trial was 5.49 and 4.38 months, respectively [log rank P = 0.07; hazard ratio (HR) 1.28; P = 0.03]. In the Chinese trial, PFS was 4.74 and 3.78 months, respectively (log rank P = 0.82; HR 0.95; P = 0.82). CONCLUSION: Accrual was prematurely closed on the SLCG trial due to the absence of clinical benefit in the experimental over the control arm. However, the BREC studies provide proof of concept that an international, nonindustry, biomarker-directed trial is feasible. Thanks to the groundwork laid by these studies, we expect that ongoing further research on alternative biomarkers to elucidate DNA repair mechanisms will help define novel therapeutic approaches. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00617656/GECP-BREC and ChiCTR-TRC-12001860/BREC-CHINA.

A multicenter phase II trial of docetaxel and capecitabine as salvage treatment in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of docetaxel plus capecitabine (DC) combination as salvage treatment in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). PATIENTS AND TREATMENT: Patients with MBC who had disease progression after initial chemotherapy with anthracyclines (n = 29; 100 %) and taxanes (n = 11; 37.9 %) were treated with oral capecitabine 950 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14 and docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) on day 1 every 3 weeks. Nineteen (65.5 %) patients received this regimen as second line and 10 (34.5 %) as ≥3rd line of therapy. All patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. RESULTS: Complete response occurred in two (6.9 %) patients and partial response in eleven (37.9 %) for an overall response rate of 44.8 % (95 % CI 26.7-62.9 %). Eleven women (37.9 %) had stable disease and five (17.2 %) progressive disease. Of the eleven patients previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes, five (45.5 %) responded to DC combination. The median duration of response was 5.7 months (range 3.4-64.2), the median time to disease progression 9.3 months (range 1.2-58), and the median overall survival 25.5 months. No toxic death occurred. Neutropenia grade 4 occurred in 58.6 % of patients and three of them (10.3 %) developed neutropenic fever. Non-hematological toxicities were manageable with grade 3 hand-foot syndrome occurring in 6.9 % of the patients, fatigue in 3.4 %, and neurotoxicity in 3.4 %. CONCLUSION: The DC combination is a valuable regimen as salvage treatment in anthracycline- or anthracycline and taxane-pretreated patients with MBC.

A multicenter phase II trial of docetaxel plus gemcitabine as salvage treatment in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the docetaxel-gemcitabine (DG) combination administered every 2 weeks as salvage therapy in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). PATIENTS AND TREATMENT: Thirty women with MBC who had disease progression after chemotherapy with anthracyclines, or anthracyclines and taxanes were treated with docetaxel 50 mg/m² and gemcitabine 1,500 mg/m² on days 1 and 14 in cycles of 28 days. All patients had received prior anthracyclines, and fourteen (46.6%) had also received prior taxanes. All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 24 for response to treatment. RESULTS: Complete response occurred in four (13.3%) patients and partial response in 10 (33.3%) for an overall response rate of 46.7% (95% CI 28.8-64.5). Seven patients (23.3%) had stable disease and nine (30%) progressive disease. Of the 14 patients previously treated with both anthracyclines and taxanes, seven (50%) responded. The median duration of response was 4.8 months (range 1.9-15.3), the median time to disease progression 6.6 months (range 0.5-16.9) and the median overall survival 16.8 months (range 1.3-53.2). There was no treatment-related toxic death. Neutropenia was the only grade 4 toxicity occurring in three (10%) patients. None of them developed neutropenic fever. Grade 3 thrombocytopenia occurred in two (6.7%) patients. Non-hematological toxicities were manageable. CONCLUSION: The DG combination administered biweekly is very well tolerated and effective in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated patients with MBC. A previous treatment with taxanes does not preclude a good clinical response to this regimen.