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G. Zalcman



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    MA16 - Novel Strategies in Targeted Therapy (ID 407)

    • Event: WCLC 2016
    • Type: Mini Oral Session
    • Track: Chemotherapy/Targeted Therapy/Immunotherapy
    • Presentations: 1
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      MA16.03 - Global RET Registry (GLORY): Activity of RET-Directed Targeted Therapies in RET-Rearranged Lung Cancers (ID 4325)

      14:20 - 15:50  |  Author(s): G. Zalcman

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background:
      GLORY is a global registry of patients with RET-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In order to complement ongoing prospective studies, the registry’s goal is to provide data on the efficacy of RET-directed targeted therapies administered outside the context of a clinical trial. We previously reported results from our first interim analysis (Gautschi, ASCO 2016). Following additional accrual into the registry, updated results are presented here, with a focus on an expanded efficacy analysis of various RET inhibitors.

      Methods:
      A global, multicenter network of thoracic oncologists identified patients with pathologically-confirmed NSCLC harboring a RET rearrangement. Molecular profiling was performed locally via RT-PCR, FISH, or next-generation sequencing. Anonymized data including clinical, pathologic, and molecular features were collected centrally and analyzed by an independent statistician. Response to RET tyrosine kinase inhibition (TKI) administered off-protocol was determined by RECIST1.1 (data cutoff date: April 15, 2016). In the subgroup of patients who received RET TKI therapy, the objectives were to determine overall response rate (ORR, primary objective), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

      Results:
      165 patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC from 29 centers in Europe, Asia, and the USA were accrued. The median age was 61 years (range 28-89 years). The majority of patients were female (52%), never smokers (63%), with lung adenocarcinomas (98%) and advanced disease (91%). The most frequent metastasic sites were lymph nodes (82%), bone (51%) and lung (32%). KIF5B-RET was the most commonly identified fusion (70%). 53 patients received at least one RET-TKI outside of a clinical protocol, including cabozantinib (21), vandetanib (11), sunitinib (10), sorafenib (2), alectinib (2), lenvatinib (2), nintedanib (2), ponatinib (2) and regorafenib (1). In patients who were evaluable for response (n=50), the ORR was 37% for cabozantinib, 18% for vandetanib, and 22% for sunitinib. Median PFS was 3.6, 2.9, and 2.2 months and median OS was 4.9, 10.2, and 6.8 months for cabozantinib, vandetanib, and sunitinib, respectively. Responses were also observed with nintedanib and lenvatinib. Among patients who received more than one TKI (n=10), 3 partial responses were achieved after prior treatment with a different TKI.

      Conclusion:
      RET inhibitors are active in individual patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC, however, novel therapeutic approaches are warranted with the hope of improving current clinical outcomes. GLORY remains the largest dataset of patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC, and continues to accrue patients.

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    OA06 - Prognostic & Predictive Biomarkers (ID 452)

    • Event: WCLC 2016
    • Type: Oral Session
    • Track: Biology/Pathology
    • Presentations: 1
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      OA06.05 - Proteomic Analysis of ERCC1 Predicts Benefit of Platinum Therapy in NSCLC: A Reevaluation of Samples from the TASTE Trial (ID 5361)

      14:20 - 15:50  |  Author(s): G. Zalcman

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background:
      It is hypothesized that low or absent expression of the excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) protein predicts improved survival in NSCLC patients treated with platinum-based therapy. However, the International Adjuvant Lung Cancer Trial Collaborative Group concluded that current ERCC1 assessment methods are inadequate for clinical decision-making. Due to the unreliability of ERCC1 immunohistochemistry (IHC), the IFCT-0801 TASTE (Tailored Postsurgical Therapy in Early-Stage NSCLC) trial of adjuvant therapy for NSCLC was discontinued. We reevaluated a subset of samples from the TASTE trial using mass spectrometry-based proteomics to quantitate ERCC1 protein. We correlated ERCC1 proteomic status with survival after chemotherapy with cisplatin/pemetrexed and compared it to ERCC1 IHC ranking.

      Methods:
      Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded NSCLC tumor tissues were laser microdissected, solubilized, digested, and proteomically analyzed. A multiplexed, selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometric assay was used to quantitate levels of multiple proteins including ERCC1. The Kaplan-Meier method and univariate Cox analysis assessed overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). A chi-squared test compared binary proteomic levels of ERCC1 (detectable vs. undetectable) with the IHC status assessed using an anti-ERCC1 antibody (8F1) during the TASTE trial.

      Results:
      Of 146 evaluable patients, 33 (22.6%) had undetectable ERCC1 by quantitative proteomics. Proteomics found no detectable ERCC1 protein in 8/36 (22.2%) IHC-positive patients nor in 8/22 (19.3%) IHC-indeterminate patients. ERCC1 was detected in 71/88 (80.7%) IHC-negative patients (range: 36-137 amol/µg total tumor protein). Undetectable ERCC1 by proteomics was prognostic of OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.45; p=0.031). In survival analyses of cisplatin-treated patients (n=122), only one of the 15 deaths occurred among the patients with undetectable ERCC1 protein. These patients had better OS than cisplatin-treated patients with detectable ERCC1, although the difference statistically nonsignificant (HR: 3.98; p=0.102). RFS was similar between patients with and without detectable ERCC1. GARFT protein (predictive of response to pemetrexed) was quantified in 100% of patients (range: 492-4006 amol/µg). The 10 cisplatin/pemetrexed-treated patients with GARFT levels >900 amol/µg had nonsignificantly worse OS than their counterparts with lower GARFT levels (p=0.08).

      Conclusion:
      Although underpowered to detect statistically significant survival differences, this study clearly demonstrates that quantitative proteomics can increase accuracy in identifying NSCLC patients who will respond to platinum-based therapy because they do not express ERCC1. Approximately 28% of such patients were misclassified by ERCC1 IHC in the TASTE trial. Clinicians should be aware that multiplexed quantitative proteomics can quantitate ERCC1 simultaneously with multiple clinically relevant proteins in lung tumors and small biopsies.

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    OA11 - Angiogenesis in Advanced Lung Cancer (ID 387)

    • Event: WCLC 2016
    • Type: Oral Session
    • Track: Advanced NSCLC
    • Presentations: 1
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      OA11.01 - Prolonged OS of Patients Exposed to Weekly Paclitaxel and Bevacizumab: Impact of the Cross-Over in the IFCT-1103 ULTIMATE Study (ID 4988)

      11:00 - 12:30  |  Author(s): G. Zalcman

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background:
      Overall survival (OS) is considered as the gold standard for evaluating efficacy of antineoplastic treatments, including chemotherapy and targeted therapies. In randomized trials, allowing patients to cross-over to the other arm usually prevents demonstration of a survival benefit. However, it may provide important information with clinical relevance.

      Methods:
      The phase III IFCT-1503 ULTIMATE study compared weekly paclitaxel and bevacizumab (wPB) vs. docetaxel (DOC) as second- or third-line therapy in non-squamous NSCLC. At progression, patients were allowed to cross over to the other arm. Date of progression was collected for patients who crossed over to the other arm and for those who did not cross over but received a post-discontinuation treatment within 60 days following progression. Post-discontinuation progression-free survival (PFS2) and OS2 were calculated from day 1 of post-discontinuation treatment.

      Results:
      The study met its primary endpoint, PFS, which was significantly improved in the wPB arm (medians 5.4 vs. 3.9 mo, hazard ratio (HR) 0.62, p=0.006). No overall survival was observed (medians 9.9 vs. 11.4 mo, HR 1.18, p=0.4). Out of patients treated with DOC (n=55), those who crossed over to wPB (n=21, 38.2%) had a median PFS2 of 4.9 mo [3.1-6.2] and a median OS2 of 12.5 mo (7.0-NR), whereas those who did not cross over but received a post-discontinuation treatment (n=13, 23.7%) had a median PFS2 of 1.7 mo [1.1-2.2] and a median OS2 of 4.1 mo [2.1-5.9]. Out of patients treated with wPB (n=111), median PFS2 was 1.9 mo [1.2-2.2] for those who crossed over to DOC (n=9, 8.3%) and median PFS2 and OS2 were 1.9 mo [1.7-2.6] and 5.0 m [3.4-9.0] for those who did not cross over but received a post-discontinuation treatment (n=57, 52.3%).

      Conclusion:
      Allowing patients to cross over to the other arm demonstrated benefit of wPB following progression on docetaxel and explains the absence of OS benefit.

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    P2.04 - Poster Session with Presenters Present (ID 466)

    • Event: WCLC 2016
    • Type: Poster Presenters Present
    • Track: Mesothelioma/Thymic Malignancies/Esophageal Cancer/Other Thoracic Malignancies
    • Presentations: 1
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      P2.04-003 - Chemotherapy in Advanced Thymic Epithelial Tumors: Insights from the RYTHMIC Prospective Cohort (ID 4275)

      14:30 - 15:45  |  Author(s): G. Zalcman

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background:
      Thymic Epithelial Tumors (TET) are rare intrathoracic malignancies, which may be aggressive and difficult to treat. In the advanced setting, chemotherapy may be delivered as a primary/induction therapy before subsequent surgery or definitive radiotherapy, and/or as exclusive treatment in patients for whom no focal treatment is feasible, and/or in the setting of recurrences. As no randomized trial and a limited number of prospective studies are available, there is paucity of prospective, multicentre evidence regarding response rates and survival of patients. RYTHMIC is the nationwide network for TET in France. The RYTHMIC prospective database is hosted by the French Intergroup (IFCT), and collects data for all patients diagnosed with TET, for whom management is discussed at a national multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB) based on consensual recommendations. Primary, exclusive chemotherapy, and chemotherapy for recurrence accounted for 149 (11%), 37 (3%), and 67 (5%) questions of a total of 1401 questions raised at the MTB between 2012 and 2015.

      Methods:
      All consecutive patients for whom chemotherapy and/or systemic treatment was discussed at the RYTHMIC MTB from 2012 to 2015 were identified from the RYTHMIC prospective database. Main endpoints were response rates and progression-free and overall survival.

      Results:
      At the time of analysis, data were available for 156 patients (80 thymic carcinomas, and 76 thymomas), for whom the management led to raise 283 questions at the MTB: 67 (24%) for primary chemotherapy, 35 (11%) for exclusive chemotherapy, and 181 (64%) for recurrences. For primary and exclusive chemotherapy, the most frequently administered regimen was CAP, producing response rates of 70% and 60%, respectively. A total of 104 patients received at least one line of chemotherapy for recurrence; 53 patients received second-line treatment, and 13 and 7 patients received third- and fourth line treatment. In the setting of first recurrence, carboplatine-paclitaxel combination was the most preferred regimen, administered to 54% of patients; overall response and disease control rates to systemic treatments for recurrences were 13% and 42% in thymic carcinomas, and 19% and 43% in thymomas (p=0.38 and p=0.92, respectively). Median recurrence-free survival after primary chemotherapy was 16.6 months; median progression-free survival after exclusive chemotherapy, and first-, second-, and third-line chemotherapy for recurrence were 6.0 months, and 7.6 months, 6.2 months, and 6.0 months.

      Conclusion:
      Our data provide with a unique insight in the efficacy of chemotherapy for advanced thymic epithelial tumors in a real-life setting; our results help the decision-making to better define the optimal therapeutic strategies.

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    P3.02c - Poster Session with Presenters Present (ID 472)

    • Event: WCLC 2016
    • Type: Poster Presenters Present
    • Track: Advanced NSCLC
    • Presentations: 1
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      P3.02c-032 - Interstitial Pneumonitis Associated with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Treatment in Cancer Patients (ID 5670)

      14:30 - 15:45  |  Author(s): G. Zalcman

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background:
      Immunotherapy is now a standard of care in melanoma, lung cancer and is spreading across other tumours. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are generally well tolerated but can also generate immune-related adverse effects. Since the first trials, pneumonitis has been identified as a rare but potentially life-threatening event.

      Methods:
      We conducted a retrospective study over a period of 5 months in centers experienced in ICI use in clinical trials, access programs or following national approval. We report the main features of possibly related pneumonitis occurring in patients treated with ICI with a particular focus on clinical presentation, radiologic patterns (with a double reviewing by radiologists and pulmonologists), pathology and therapeutic strategies.

      Results:
      We identified 71 patients with possibly related pneumonitis including 54 NSCLC and 13 melanoma. They mainly received PD1 inhibitors. Pneumonitis usually occurred in male, former or current smokers with a median age of 59 years. We observed grade 2/3 (n= 45, 65.2%) and grade 5 (n= 6, 8.7%) pneumonitis. The median duration time between the introduction of immunotherapy and the pneumonitis was 2.2 months [0.1-27.4]. Ground glass opacitiy on lung CT-scan were the most predominant lesion 80.9% (n=55), followed by consolidations 44.1% (n=30), reticulations 36.7% (n=25) and bronchiectasis in 20.6% (n=14). When performed, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) showed a T-lymphocytic alveolitis and transbronchial biopsy an inflammatory and lymphocytic infiltration. Pneumonitis treatment was steroids (86.6%) and/or antibiotics (67.6%). Immunotherapy was stopped after the pneumonitis for 65 cases (92.9%) and reintroduced for 12 (9.4%) cases. Twenty-four patients (34.3%) were dead at the last follow-up and 46 patients (65.7%) were still alive. Among the living patients, the pneumonitis outcome was a total recovery in 12 patients, improvement in 22 patients, stability in 10 patients, worsening evolution in 1 patient (1 unknown). Causality of immunotherapy was evaluated by investigators as “possible” for 34 patients (49.3%), “probable” for 17 (24.6%), “certain” for 15 (21.7%) other causes for 3 (4.3%) and 2 unknowns. Median overall survival from the onset of pneumonitis was 6 months.

      Conclusion:
      This serie, the largest to date, of immune-related pneumonitis demonstrates that it occurs usually during the first months and displays specific radiologic features. As there is no clearly identified risk factor, oncologists should be able to detect, diagnose (with CT-scan and bronchoscopy) and treat this adverse event. An early management is usually associated with a favourable outcome and requires a close collaboration between pulmonologists, radiologists and oncologists.

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