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Cheuk Leung



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    OA13 - Ideal Approach to Lung Resection and Novel Perioperative Therapy (ID 146)

    • Event: WCLC 2019
    • Type: Oral Session
    • Track: Treatment of Early Stage/Localized Disease
    • Presentations: 1
    • Now Available
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      OA13.06 - Surgical Outcomes Following Neoadjuvant Nivolumab or Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - NEOSTAR Study (Now Available) (ID 2041)

      11:30 - 13:00  |  Author(s): Cheuk Leung

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background

      Surgical outcomes following neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are limited. We report 90-day perioperative results of the NEOSTAR phase II trial of neoadjuvant nivolumab or nivolumab/ipilimumab in resectable non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs).

      Method

      44 pts with stage I-IIIA NSCLC (AJCC 7th) were randomized to nivolumab (3 mg/kg IV, days 1, 15, 29, n=23) or nivolumab/ipilimumab (1 mg/kg IV, day 1, n=21) with resection planned between 3-6 weeks after last dose. Surgical approach and extent of resection were at surgeons’ discretion.

      Result

      39 (89%) patients underwent R0 resection, of those 2 (5%) were resected off trial after additional induction chemotherapy (1 nivolumab, 1 nivolumab/ipilimumab). Among 37 patients, 21 underwent surgery following nivolumab and 16 following nivolumab/ipilimumab. Median age 66 (43-83) years, 24 (65%) male, 33 (89%) white, 22 (59%) adenocarcinoma, 22 (59%) stage I, 9 (24%) stage II, 6 (16%) stage IIIA.

      5 (11%) were not resected, 1 (1/23, 4%) after nivolumab (stage II), 4 (4/21, 19%) after nivolumab/ipilimumab (1 stage I, 1 stage II, 2 stage IIIA). Reasons for unresectability were change in surgeon’s judgement (n=2), toxicity (n=1), progression (n=1), and declining pneumonectomy (n=1). Median time to surgery was 31 days (range 21-87). 8 (22%) operations were delayed beyond 42 days, 5 after nivolumab/ipilimumab (5/16, 31%) and 3 after nivolumab (3/21, 14%).

      33 (89%) underwent lobectomy, 2 (5%) pneumonectomy, 1 (3%) segmentectomy and 1 (3%) wedge resection. 27 (73%) had thoracotomy, 7 (19%) thoracoscopy, 3 (8%) robotic approach. 2 (5%) were electively converted from thoracoscopy to thoracotomy. Median operative time was 147 minutes (71-315), median blood loss was 100cc (50-1000), and median length of stay was 4 days (1-18).

      Perioperatively, pulmonary complications occurred in 8 (22%) patients: 8 (22%) prolonged air leak, 2 (5%) pneumonitis/pneumonias, 1 (3%) empyema, and 1 (3%) bronchopleural fistula (BPF). 1 (3%) died from complications of BPF and steroid therapy for pneumonitis. 4 (11%) developed atrial fibrillation, 1 (3%) diarrhea, 1 (3%) ileus, and 1 (3%) transient ischemic attack.

      Surgeons subjectively judged 15/37 (40%) of operations to be more complex than usual with 7/37 (19%) lasting > 4 hours.

      Conclusion

      Following three cycles of neoadjuvant ICIs 89% of patients underwent complete R0 resection, including two patients who received additional induction chemotherapy off trial. Five marginally operable patients who didn’t proceed to resection, and one perioperative mortality highlight the importance of cautious patient selection for neoadjuvant ICIs in the management of operable NSCLC.

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    P2.04 - Immuno-oncology (ID 167)

    • Event: WCLC 2019
    • Type: Poster Viewing in the Exhibit Hall
    • Track: Immuno-oncology
    • Presentations: 1
    • Now Available
    • Moderators:
    • Coordinates: 9/09/2019, 10:15 - 18:15, Exhibit Hall
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      P2.04-90 - Nodal Immune Flare (NIF) Following Neoadjuvant Anti-PD-1 and Anti-CTLA-4 Therapy in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer   (Now Available) (ID 2065)

      10:15 - 18:15  |  Author(s): Cheuk Leung

      • Abstract
      • Slides

      Background

      Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have induced durable responses in selected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. However, ICIs have also shown to induce tumor pseudo-progression in some cases. We report the incidence and consequences of a distinct phenomenon – the apparent radiographic progression of lymph nodes without pathological evidence of tumor – that we define “nodal immune flare” (NIF), following neoadjuvant ICIs in the NEOSTAR phase 2 trial of nivolumab or nivolumab plus ipilimumab for operable NSCLCs.

      Method

      NEOSTAR randomized 44 patients with stage I-IIIA (AJCC 7th edition) to nivolumab (3 mg/kg IV, days 1, 15, 29) or nivolumab/ipilimumab (1 mg/kg IV, day 1) with planned surgery between 3-6 weeks after last dose. Computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET-CT) were obtained prior to ICIs and prior to resection. Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v1.1 were used to evaluate responses.

      Result

      44 patients, median age 66 years (range 43-83), 28 (64%) males, 37 (84%) white were randomized to nivolumab (n=23) or nivolumab/ipilimumab (n=21). 26 (59%) had adenocarcinoma, 17 (39%) squamous cell, 1 (2%) adenosquamous carcinoma. 23 (52%) stage I, 12 (27%) stage II, 9 (20%) stage IIIA. 39 (89%) underwent complete resection, 2 off trial, and 5 (11%) were not resected.

      NIF occurred in 5/44 (11%) patients, 3 post nivolumab (3/23, 13%) and 2 (2/21, 10%) post nivolumab/ipilimumab. All patients had no evidence of malignancy in nodes of interest prior to ICIs. 2 (2/26, 8%) occurred in adenocarcinoma and 3 (3/17, 18%) in squamous cell. 2 (5%) required additional invasive restaging, 3 (7%) change in surgical plan, 1 (2%) declined surgery, 1 (2%) was thought to have disease progression and was treated with chemotherapy plus ICI prior to resection off study, and 1 (2%) underwent planned resection. Pathologic evaluation of the flared nodes revealed no evidence of cancer in all 5 patients, rather demonstrated noncaseating granulomata.

      In a previous neoadjuvant trial utilizing platinum-based chemotherapy with nintedanib, we did not observe NIF in 21 patients in absence of pathologic evidence of tumor progression (primary or nodal metastases).

      Conclusion

      NIF occurred in 11% of patients following neoadjuvant ICIs and changed treatment plan in 9% of patients. This is the first preliminary report of NIF in operable NSCLCs treated with neoadjuvant single and combined ICIs. Considering the number of ongoing neoadjuvant immunotherapy trials, we highlight the importance of judicious and invasive restaging of sites of suspected progression after neoadjuvant ICIs prior to definitive treatment decisions.

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