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Immunotherapy
Lung Cancer
Breast Cancer
Skin Cancer
Gastrointestinal Cancer

Neoadjuvant Immune Checkpoint Blockade May Be Effective Across Multiple Cancer Types

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy may be effective prior to surgery in multiple types of cancers, according to a recent study published by Topalian et al in Cancer Cell. Background Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockades have been a rapidly growing area of research and are currently being tested across...

Gastroesophageal Cancer
Gastrointestinal Cancer
Immunotherapy

Quality of Life With Nivolumab Plus Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric/GEJ Cancer or Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

As reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Markus Moehler, MD, and colleagues found that in the phase III CheckMate 649 trial, the addition of nivolumab to chemotherapy was associated with generally better patient-reported health-related quality of life outcomes in patients with advanced...

Lung Cancer
Genomics/Genetics
Immunotherapy

Do Checkpoint Inhibitors Show Benefit in EGFR-Mutated NSCLC After Progression?

In patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring EGFR mutations, the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors following disease progression with tyrosine kinase inhibitors has been unclear. Several studies reported at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer 2023 ...

Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy

NeoCOAST: Durvalumab Monotherapy vs Combined With Other Immunotherapies for Early-Stage NSCLC

The anti–PD-L1 monoclonal antibody durvalumab in combination with other immuno-oncology agents may outperform treatment with durvalumab alone in the neoadjuvant setting for patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a recent study published by Cascone et al in Cancer ...

Leukemia
Immunotherapy

Relapsed Pediatric T-Cell ALL: Base-Edited CAR7 T Cells

In an interim analysis of a small phase I study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, Chiesa et al found that base-edited CAR7 T cells were active in pediatric patients with relapsed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As stated by the investigators: “Cytidine deamination that is...

Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy Combination vs Standard Chemotherapy for Metastatic NSCLC

Researchers have discovered that therapy with first-line nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab may improve the 6-year survival and quality of life of patients with metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with standard chemotherapy, according to findings presented by Peters et al...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

Expert Point of View: Barbara Burtness, MD

Barbara Burtness, MD, the Anthony N. Brady Professor of Medicine and Chief Translational Research Officer at Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, featured the CONTINUUM study at the head and neck cancer session on Highlights of the Day during the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting. She noted the study’s premise...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

CONTINUUM: In Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Cancer, Addition of Sintilimab to Chemoradiotherapy Offers Benefit

The addition of the PD-1 inhibitor sintilimab to standard induction chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy resulted in a significant improvement in 3-year event-free survival, a manageable safety profile, and comparable quality of life in high-risk, locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma vs standard ...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

Expert Point of View: Erminia Massarelli, MD, PhD, MS

The invited discussant of the VERSATILE-002 and CUE-101-01 trials, Erminia Massarelli, MD, PhD, MS, said both are examples of a growing interest in evaluating immunotherapeutic strategies and treatment sequences in early-stage head and neck squamous cell cancer as well as in metastatic disease. Dr. ...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

Novel HPV-Targeted Agents Boost Efficacy of Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Cancer, Two Studies Show

Immunotherapeutics that target human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype 16 appear to boost the activity of pembrolizumab in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Two examples were presented in posters at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting.1,2 The phase II VERSATILE-002 trial evaluated PDS0101,...

Hepatobiliary Cancer
Immunotherapy

Expert Point of View: Peter Paul Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO

ASCO EXPERT Peter Paul Yu, MD, FACP, FASCO, commented on the implications of the study presented by Zhao et al. Dr. Yu is Physician-in-Chief at the Hartford HealthCare Cancer Institute. “Tumor microbiome studies are at the cutting edge of precision medicine metabolomics,” Dr. Yu stated....

Hepatobiliary Cancer
Immunotherapy

Gut Microbiome Differs in Responders and Nonresponders to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients With HCC

In patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), gut microbiome characteristics differed between those who had durable responses to immunotherapy and those who did not, according to a retrospective study presented at the 2023 ASCO Breakthrough meeting.1 The presence of Clostridium...

Hepatobiliary Cancer
Immunotherapy

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Patients With Child-Pugh Class B vs A Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

In a systematic review and meta-analysis reported in JAMA Oncology, Xie et al explored outcomes associated with immune checkpoint inhibition among patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with Child-Pugh B vs Child-Pugh A liver function. Study Details The analysis included 22 studies...

Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy

Phase III Trial Reports Chemoimmunotherapy Is Superior to Chemotherapy Alone in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma who were treated with a chemoimmunotherapy regimen containing the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab experienced significantly improved overall survival compared with those treated with chemotherapy alone, with acceptable tolerability, according...

Gynecologic Cancers
Immunotherapy

Platinum-Sensitive Ovarian Cancer: Addition of Atezolizumab to Bevacizumab and Platinum-Based Therapy

In the phase III ATALANTE/ENGOT-ov29 trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Kurtz et al found that the addition of atezolizumab to bevacizumab and platinum-based doublets did not significantly improve progression-free survival among patients with platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer....

Colorectal Cancer
Immunotherapy

Strategies to Predict Immunotherapy Benefit Among Patients With Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Researchers have identified new strategies to help physicians predict which patients with advanced colorectal cancer may benefit from immunotherapy, according to a recent study published by Saberzadeh-Ardestani et al in Clinical Cancer Research. The findings demonstrate the potential of using...

Lymphoma
Immunotherapy

DLBCL: Benefit From Polatuzumab Vedotin–Containing Regimens Based on Cell-of-Origin Subtype

In an analysis reported in a letter to the editor in The New England Journal of Medicine, Palmer et al identified evidence that polatuzumab vedotin-piiq–containing regimens were preferentially effective among patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with activated B cell (ABC) vs...

Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy

Immunochemotherapy Triplet in Patients With Advanced Nonsquamous NSCLC and Untreated Brain Metastases

In a Spanish phase II study (Atezo-Brain; GECP17/05) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Ernest Nadal, MD, PhD, and colleagues investigated the activity of the combination of atezolizumab with chemotherapy in patients with advanced nonsquamous non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with...

Bladder Cancer
Immunotherapy

Urothelial Carcinoma: Perioperative PD-L1 Inhibition Plus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

In a Swiss phase II study (SAKK 06/17) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Richard Cathomas, MD, and colleagues found that the addition of perioperative durvalumab to neoadjuvant chemotherapy resulted in improved event-free and overall survival in patients with muscle-invasive urothelial...

Skin Cancer
Immunotherapy

Follow-up of Chronic Immune-Related Adverse Events After Adjuvant Immunotherapy for High-Risk Resected Melanoma

In a retrospective cohort study reported in JAMA Network Open, Goodman et al found that patients receiving adjuvant PD-1 inhibitor therapy for high-risk resected melanoma often had chronic immune-related adverse events, with some persisting over long-term follow-up. Study Details The study included ...

Skin Cancer
Immunotherapy

Ipilimumab Plus Nivolumab May Improve Outcomes in Patients With Refractory Metastatic Melanoma, Study Suggests

Researchers have discovered that ipilimumab in combination with nivolumab may be an effective second-line therapy in patients with PD-1 blockade–refractory metastatic melanoma, according to a recent study published by VanderWalde et al in Nature Medicine. These findings demonstrated the combination ...

Bladder Cancer
Immunotherapy

Expert Point of View: Xin Gao, MD

Xin Gao, MD, Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical School, Genitourinary Cancers Program, Mass General Cancer Center, commented on the results from TROPHY-U-01 cohort 2. “These data add to the overall data on the efficacy of sacituzumab govitecan in patients with metastatic urothelial cancer. This...

Bladder Cancer
Immunotherapy

Sacituzumab Govitecan-hziy Achieves Response After Disease Progression on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor in Metastatic Urothelial Cancer

Treatment with the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan-hziy achieved an objective response rate of 32% in platinum-ineligible patients with metastatic urothelial cancer who experienced disease progression on an immune checkpoint inhibitor, according to the primary analysis of the...

Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy

Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab/Chemotherapy and Adjuvant Pembrolizumab in Early-Stage NSCLC

As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Heather Wakelee, MD, and colleagues, an interim analysis of the phase III KEYNOTE-671 trial showed that the addition of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab to cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab improved pathologic response and ...

Kidney Cancer
Immunotherapy

COSMIC-313: Triplet Therapy Is Active in Renal Cell Carcinoma, but Toxicities Pose a Challenge

The addition of cabozantinib to nivolumab plus ipilimumab prolonged progression-free survival in untreated intermediate-risk patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), according to the first results of the phase III COSMIC-313 trial. These findings were presented as a Presidential Symposium ...

Leukemia
Immunotherapy

Blinatumomab Improves Survival in MRD-Negative, B-Cell ALL

The standard of care could be changing for adults with newly diagnosed BCR-ABL–negative B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who achieve measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity after induction chemotherapy. In the phase III E1910 trial by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, an...

Immunotherapy

T-Cell Tolerant Fraction May Predict Immune-Related Adverse Events Among Patients Receiving Immunotherapy

Researchers have identified a novel parameter of T cells that may help oncologists anticipate which patients are most likely to develop immunotherapy toxicity. The findings, published by Ostmeyer in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer, could lead to improved treatments for a variety of ...

Solid Tumors
Immunotherapy

Are Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Efficacious Among Patients With Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma?

Penile squamous cell carcinoma is a rare type of penile cancer with limited treatment options. An international study has found that the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors may offer clinical benefits for some patients with advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma. These findings were published by...

Hematologic Malignancies
Immunotherapy

CAR T-Cell Therapies: Trends and Indications

The ASCO Post is pleased to present Hematology Expert Review, an ongoing feature that quizzes readers on issues in hematology. With this installment, we launch a new series of articles on commercially available chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies. Syed Ali Abutalib, MD, and Jennifer N. ...

Immunotherapy
Issues in Oncology

Researchers Characterize Adverse Immune Events in Patients With Cancer Who Experience Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor–Associated Arthritis

Researchers may have uncovered the immune adverse events and the specific type of CD8 T cells that characterize inflammatory arthritis induced by immune checkpoint inhibitors, according to a recent study published by Wang et al in Science Immunology. Immune checkpoint inhibitors used to treat...

lymphoma
hematologic malignancies
immunotherapy

Matthew J. Frank, MD, PhD, on Large B-Cell Lymphoma: New Data on CD22 CAR T-Cell Therapy

Matthew J. Frank, MD, PhD, of Stanford University School of Medicine, discusses new findings showing that CD22 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is an effective and safe salvage therapy for patients with CAR19-refractory large B-cell lymphoma. A multicenter phase II clinical trial is planned for 2023 (Abstract S230).

Multiple Myeloma
Immunotherapy

Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel vs Standard Care in Lenalidomide-Refractory Patients With Multiple Myeloma

In the phase III CARTITUDE-4 trial reported in The New England Journal of Medicine, San-Miguel et al found that receipt of ciltacabtagene autoleucel following bridging therapy significantly improved progression-free survival vs standard care in lenalidomide-refractory patients with multiple...

Gynecologic Cancers
Immunotherapy

Niraparib Maintenance in Newly Diagnosed Advanced Ovarian Cancer

In a Chinese phase III study reported in JAMA Oncology, Li et al found that niraparib maintenance therapy given with an individualized starting dose improved progression-free survival vs placebo in newly diagnosed patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Study Details In the double-blind multicenter...

Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy

Addition of Nivolumab to SABR in Early-Stage or Isolated Lung Parenchymal Recurrent NSCLC

In the phase II I-SABR trial reported in The Lancet, Chang et al found that the addition of nivolumab to stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) improved event-free survival in patients with previously untreated stage I or II or isolated parenchymal recurrent node-negative non–small cell lung...

Breast Cancer
Immunotherapy

Expert Point of View: Barbara Pistilli, MD

Barbara Pistilli, MD, Head of the Breast Cancer Unit in the Medical Oncology Department of Gustave Roussy Cancer Center, Villejuif, France, was invited to discuss the TROPiCS-02 updated analysis. She began by pointing out that the target landscape of antibody-drug conjugates is “expanding...

Breast Cancer
Immunotherapy

Extended Follow-up of TROPiCS-02 Trial: Sacituzumab Govitecan in Metastatic Breast Cancer

Additional follow-up of the phase III TROPiCS-02 trial has upheld the progression-free and overall survival benefit seen with sacituzumab govitecan-hziy compared with physician’s choice of treatment in patients with endocrine-resistant, hormone receptor–positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast...

Lymphoma
Immunotherapy

Omitting Mediastinal Radiotherapy in Some Patients With Primary Mediastinal B-Cell Lymphoma After Immunochemotherapy

In the largest prospective study of patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, radiation therapy was omitted in complete responders to immunochemotherapy without compromising outcomes. These findings were presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting.1 “Mediastinal radiotherapy may be safely...

Solid Tumors
Immunotherapy

Addition of SBRT to Immunotherapy in Advanced Solid Tumors

In the Belgian phase II CHEERS trial reported in JAMA Oncology, Spaas et al evaluated the addition of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to anti–PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, with SBRT directed to a maximum of three lesions, in patients with advanced solid tumors. The...

Lymphoma
Immunotherapy

Overall Survival With Axicabtagene Ciloleucel in Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Results From ZUMA-7

As reported in The New England Journal of Medicine by Jason R. Westin, MD, and colleagues, the overall survival analysis from the phase III ZUMA-7 trial showed significant benefit with axicabtagene ciloleucel vs standard care in patients with early relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma. The...

Breast Cancer
Immunotherapy

Current Management of and Future Possibilities for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

“Triple-negative breast cancer remains the most challenging subtype to treat because of its aggressive phenotype and limited treatment options,” stated Erica Michelle Stringer-Reasor, MD, who spoke at an education session on current approaches to treatment and future directions during the 2023 ASCO ...

Sarcoma
Immunotherapy

Activity and Toxicity of Pembrolizumab in Rare Sarcomas

In a French phase II basket trial (AcSé Pembrolizumab) reported in The Lancet Oncology, Jean-Yves Blay, MD, and colleagues investigated the activity and safety of pembrolizumab in patients with rare sarcomas. AcSé Pembrolizumab is an ongoing phase II multitumor study investigating the activity of...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

Expert Point of View: Barbara Burtness, MD

Barbara Burtness, MD, the Anthony N. Brady Professor of Medicine and Chief Translational Research Officer at Yale Cancer Center, New Haven, featured the CONTINUUM study at the head and neck cancer session on Highlights of the Day during the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting. She noted the study’s premise...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

CONTINUUM: In Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Cancer, Addition of Sintilimab to Chemoradiotherapy Offers Benefit

The addition of the PD-1 inhibitor sintilimab to standard induction chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy resulted in a significant improvement in 3-year event-free survival, a manageable safety profile, and comparable quality of life in high-risk, locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma vs standard ...

Skin Cancer
Immunotherapy

Adjuvant Nivolumab vs Observation for Patients With Completely Resected Merkel Cell Carcinoma

As reported in The Lancet by Becker et al, an interim analysis of a European phase II study (ADMEC-O) showed that adjuvant nivolumab was associated with a numeric benefit in disease-free survival vs observation in patients with completely resected Merkel cell carcinoma.  Study Details In the...

Kidney Cancer
Immunotherapy

First-Line Pembrolizumab/Lenvatinib in Advanced Non–Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

In the phase II KEYNOTE-B61 trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Laurence Albiges, MD, PhD, and colleagues found that first-line pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib produced durable responses in patients with advanced non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma. As stated by the investigators,...

Kidney Cancer
Immunotherapy

Addition of Atezolizumab to Cabozantinib in Renal Cell Carcinoma Progressing During or After Prior Immune Checkpoint Inhibition

In the phase III CONTACT-03 trial reported in The Lancet, Sumanta Pal, MD, FASCO, and colleagues found that the addition of atezolizumab to cabozantinib did not improve outcomes in patients with renal cell carcinoma whose disease progressed on or after prior immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment....

Multiple Myeloma
Immunotherapy

Crenigacestat Plus BCMA CAR T-Cell Therapy in Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

In a single-institution, phase I, first-in-human trial reported in The Lancet Oncology, Cowan et al found that the combination of the γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) crenigacestat and B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy was tolerable and produced a high...

Immunotherapy
Cost of Care

Changing How Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Are Delivered Could Reduce Costs by 14%, Study Finds

Investigators have found that millions of dollars could be saved annually across the Veterans Health Administration by reconsidering how immune checkpoint inhibitors are delivered, according to a new study published by Bryant et al in Health Affairs. The findings suggested that if vials of immune...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

Expert Point of View: Erminia Massarelli, MD, PhD, MS

The invited discussant of the VERSATILE-002 and CUE-101-01 trials, Erminia Massarelli, MD, PhD, MS, said both are examples of a growing interest in evaluating immunotherapeutic strategies and treatment sequences in early-stage head and neck squamous cell cancer as well as in metastatic disease. Dr. ...

Head and Neck Cancer
Immunotherapy

Novel HPV-Targeted Agents Boost Efficacy of Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Cancer, Two Studies Show

Immunotherapeutics that target human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype 16 appear to boost the activity of pembrolizumab in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Two examples were presented in posters at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting.1,2 The phase II VERSATILE-002 trial evaluated PDS0101,...

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