frontline treatment
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HER2 amplification/overexpression is a common driver in a variety of cancers including gallbladder cancer (GBC). For patients with metastatic GBC, chemotherapy remains the standard of care with limited efficacy. The combination of HER2 antibody trastuzumab plus chemotherapy is the frontline treatment option for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer and gastric cancer. Recently, this regime also showed antitumor activity in HER2-positive GBC. However, resistance to this regime represents a clinical challenge. Camrelizumab is a novel PD-1 antibody approved for Hodgkin lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma in China. In this study, we presented a HER2-positive metastatic GBC patient who was refractory to trastuzumab plus chemotherapy but experienced significant clinical benefit after the addition of camrelizumab. Our case highlights the potential of immunotherapy in combination with HER2-targeted therapy in HER2-positive GBC. We also demonstrated that two immune-related adverse events (irAEs) associated with camrelizumab can be managed with an anti-VEGF agent apatinib. This case not only highlights the importance of irAE management in patients treated with camrelizumab, but also demonstrates the potential of PD-1 antibody plus trastuzumab in HER2-positive GBC patients who have developed resistance to chemotherapy and trastuzumab-based targeted therapy.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignancy with few treatment options. Recent advances have led to US Food and Drug Administration approvals and changes in the standard of care with a novel biomedical device approved for use with platinum-pemetrexed, and also for immunotherapy agents to be included as a frontline treatment option in unresectable disease. Although predictive biomarkers for systemic therapy are not currently in use in clinical practice, it is essential to correctly identify the MPM histology to determine an optimal treatment plan. Patients with nonepithelioid MPM may have a greater magnitude of benefit to dual immunotherapy checkpoint inhibitors and this regimen should be preferred in the frontline setting for these patients. However, all patients with MPM can derive benefit from immunotherapy treatments, and these agents should ultimately be used at some point during their treatment journey. There are ongoing studies in the frontline unresectable setting that may further define the frontline therapy space, but a critical area of research will need to focus on the immunotherapy refractory population. This review article will describe the new developments in the areas of biology with genomics and chromothripsis, and also focus on updates in treatment strategies in radiology, surgery, radiation, and medical oncology with cellular therapies. These recent innovations are generating momentum to find better therapies for this disease.

Aberrant activity of oncogenic rat sarcoma virus (RAS) protein promotes tumor growth and progression. RAS-driven cancers comprise more than 30% of all human cancers and are refractory to frontline treatment strategies. Since direct targeting of RAS has proven challenging, efforts have been centered on the exploration of inhibitors for RAS downstream effector kinases. Two major RAS downstream signaling pathways, including the Raf/MEK/Erk cascade and the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) pathway, have become compelling targets for RAS-driven cancer therapy. However, the main drawback in the blockade of a single RAS effector is the multiple levels of crosstalk and compensatory mechanisms between these two pathways that contribute to drug resistance against monotherapies. A growing body of evidence reveals that the sequential or synergistic inhibition of multiple RAS effectors is a more convenient route for the efficacy of cancer therapy. Herein, we revisit the recent developments and discuss the most promising modalities targeting canonical RAS downstream effectors for the treatment of RAS-driven cancers.

Abstract Both BTKi and BCL2i are regarded as standards of care for frontline treatment of CLL. In this paper, I present the arguments for favoring BTKi as initial therapy. Venetoclax-based regimens have the advantage of being fixed in duration, but patients with select high-risk features may experience inferior PFS relative to those without high-risk features.

Abstract Positron emission tomography (PET)–adapted chemotherapy and radiotherapy approaches are currently used for the initial treatment of early-stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) with progression-free survival and overall survival exceeding 85% and 95%, respectively. However, despite general agreement on the prognostic value of interim PET in HL, frontline treatment approaches vary among institutions with respect to how pretreatment clinical risk factors determine treatment selection, the definition of PET negativity, which chemotherapy regimen to initiate and how many cycles to administer, and when to incorporate radiation. Furthermore, as recent trials have confirmed improved efficacy and manageable toxicity when brentuximab and checkpoint inhibitors are combined with frontline regimens such as doxorubicin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine in advanced-stage HL, these agents are now under evaluation as frontline therapy in early-stage HL. A number of issues will affect the use of these agents in early-stage HL, including the costs, early and late toxicities with these agents, patient population (favorable or unfavorable risk groups), how to incorporate them (concurrently or sequentially), and whether they can ultimately replace cytotoxic therapy with similar efficacy and fewer late effects. Future treatment paradigms for early-stage HL may change significantly once randomized studies are completed incorporating these agents into frontline therapy. Ideally, frontline use of brentuximab and checkpoint inhibitors in early-stage HL will result in improved outcomes compared with current PET-adapted approaches with decreased risks of late toxicities that continue to afflict long-term survivors of HL.

Abstract Unlike younger adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), older adults are rarely cured due to a combination of intrinsic disease resistance and treatment-related toxicities. Novel therapeutics such as inotuzumab ozogamicin, blinatumomab, venetoclax, and ABL kinase inhibitors have high activity in ALL and are well tolerated by older adults. Frontline treatment regimens for older adults using novel therapeutics with reduction or omission of conventional chemotherapy are being developed with early results demonstrating high remission rates and lower toxicity, but long-term efficacy and toxicity data are lacking. Collaboration between academic and pharmaceutical stakeholders is needed to develop clinical trials to define the optimal treatment regimens for older adults with ALL.

The treatment landscape for relapsed multiple myeloma (RRMM) has experienced an unprecedented wave of innovation. Implementation of numerous new substances and drug classes with different modes of action is made possible in routine clinical practice. Next generation proteasome inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, as well as first in class agents such as selinexor and venetoclax have widened the therapeutic spectrum. This has led to an increase in progression-free and overall survival. Consequently, new challenges for treating physicians in choosing the right treatment at the right stage of the disease have been generated. Several trials support the use of novel agents in the frontline treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. The use of lenalidomide or bortezomib as a backbone in the first-line setting, requires strategies for treatment once these patients relapse and are refractory to these drugs. Despite the variety of options, selecting the optimal treatment strategy is difficult, since multiple factors have to be considered: patient-specific factors such as age and co-morbidities, as well as myeloma/tumor specific factors such as cytogenetics and relapse kinetics. This review intends to summarize the existing data and guidelines regarding the optimal sequencing of treatments of RRMM using already approved agents as well as agents under investigation.

Not available.

Abstract Background Enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL), previously designated type 1 EATL, is a neoplasm of intraepithelial T cells that occurs in individuals with celiac disease (CD). It is a rare lymphoma, accounting for approximately 3% of all peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTCLs). EATL may be preceded by refractory CD (RCD), defined as persistent or recurrent symptoms and signs of malabsorption with villous atrophy despite a strict gluten-free diet for more than 12 months. Currently, RCD is categorized into 2 types, based on immunophenotypic and molecular criteria. In RCD-II, intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) have an aberrant phenotype and a clonal TCR gene rearrangement. RCD-II is considered a low-grade lymphoma of intraepithelial T cells, with a high risk of transformation into EATL. CD or RCD may be diagnosed prior to or concomitant with EATL. EATL has a poor prognosis due to perforation or obstruction of the bowel, sepsis, malnutrition and treatment resistance, with 2-year OS of 20% (de Baaij, CCR 2015). An EATL prognostic index (EPI) has been developed, that can distinguish 3 risk groups (de Baaij, CCR 2015). Optimal treatment of EATL is an unmet need, and novel therapeutic approaches are required. Most EATLs are CD30+ and could be targeted by brentuximab vedotin (BV). Based on the encouraging activity and manageable safety profile of BV and CHP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and prednisone) combination in CD30+ PTCLs, the EATL-001 phase 2 trial was initiated to assess the efficacy and safety of BV-CHP followed by HDT-ASCT for the frontline treatment of patients (pts) with EATL (ClinicalTrials.gov No. NCT03217643). Here we report the first results of the EATL-001 trial. Methods EATL-001 is an Investigator Initiated-Sponsored Research phase 2 study, on behalf of the CELAC (French NCI-labeled network of Centers of Expertise for Lymphomas Associated with Celiac disease). Key inclusion criteria were as follows: Newly diagnosed CD30+ (≥10% of neoplastic cells by central review) EATL (WHO 2016 criteria), 18-65 years, PS 0-3. Response was assessed according to the Lugano classification. Pts were scheduled to receive 4 cycles of BV+CHP as induction. Responding pts received 2 cycles of Etoposide (200 mg/m2) + Methotrexate (3 g/m2) followed by HDT-ASCT (BEAM conditioning regimen). The primary endpoint was 2-year PFS per investigator. Underlying CD/RCD diagnosis was based on uninvolved duodenal histology (including CMF and TCR gene rearrangement analysis of IEL), serology and HLA typing. Results A total of 14 pts were included between February 2018 and February 2021. The median age was 54 years (range, 34-65) and 64% were male. 11 pts (79%) had initial surgery for bowel obstruction (n=6) or jejunal perforation (n=5). All pts had CD, diagnosed prior to (n=4) or concomitant with (n=10) EATL. 9 pts (64%) had RCD-II. CD30 expression ranged from 10% to 100%, nine cases having 100% positivity. EPI was high-risk in 4 pts (29%), intermediate-risk in 6 pts (43%), and low-risk in 4 pts (29%). Preliminary results by investigator assessment show an overall response rate following completion of the induction of 79% (11/14) with 64% (9/14) achieving a complete response. 3 pts had primary progressive disease (all had high-risk EPI), of which 2 died of the lymphoma. The 11 responding pts, still in response before intensification, underwent HDT-ASCT. 2 pts died of septic shock during HDT-ASCT. With a median follow-up of 2.1 years, there was no relapse and the 2-year PFS and OS for all pts were 63% and 68%, respectively. The incidence of AEs was consistent with the known safety profiles of BV-CHP regimen. Conclusions EATL-001 is the first prospective phase 2 study dedicated to EATL. BV-CHP was well tolerated and induced high response rates, allowing the majority of patients to be transplanted. This novel therapeutic approach shows promising efficacy compared to historical controls. Disclosures Sibon: Takeda: Consultancy; Roche: Consultancy; Janssen: Consultancy; Abbvie: Consultancy; iQone: Consultancy. Cartron: Roche, Celgene-BMS: Consultancy; Danofi, Gilead, Novartis, Jansen, Roche, Celgene-BMS, Abbvie, Takeda: Honoraria. Morschhauser: Incyte: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Chugai: Honoraria; AstraZenenca: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genentech, Inc.: Consultancy; Janssen: Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Epizyme: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; BMS: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Genmab: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Servier: Consultancy. Hermine: Takeda: Consultancy. OffLabel Disclosure: Brentuximab vedotin is not approved in Europe for EATL.