Background: For patients with resected stage III colon cancer, 6 months of adjuvant fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy has been the standard of care. The IDEA collaboration aimed to evaluate whether 3 months of adjuvant chemotherapy was noninferior to 6 months. Despite failing to meet its primary endpoint, the subgroup analyses demonstrated noninferiority based on regimen and treatment duration when a risk-stratified approach was used. Patients and Methods: To evaluate the impact of the results of the IDEA collaboration, we evaluated adjuvant chemotherapy prescribing practice patterns, including planned adjuvant treatment regimen and duration from January 1, 2016, to January 31, 2021. The time period was selected to evaluate chemotherapy prescribing patterns prior to the abstract presentation of the IDEA collaboration in June 2017 and after full manuscript publication in March 2018. Results: A total of 399 patients with stage III colon cancer who received adjuvant chemotherapy were included in the analysis. A significant increasing trend for use of 3 months of adjuvant chemotherapy was observed after presentation of the IDEA abstract (P<.001). A significant change in CAPOX (capecitabine/oxaliplatin) prescribing was also observed, increasing from 14% of patients prior to presentation of the IDEA abstract to 48% after presentation (P<.001). Comparing 3 months of CAPOX with 6 months of FOLFOX (fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin), 3 months of CAPOX use also steadily increased over time (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.28; 95% CI, 1.20–1.37; P<.001). Among subgroups of interest, no differences in adoption of CAPOX were observed. The adoption of 3 months of CAPOX was similar in patients with low-risk cancer (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.17–1.37) and those with high-risk cancer (aOR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.16–1.47). Conclusions: Despite the IDEA collaboration failing to demonstrate noninferiority of 3 months’ duration of adjuvant therapy compared with 6 months, the findings have influenced practice prescribing patterns, favoring CAPOX and a shorter duration of planned adjuvant treatment.
Changes in prescribing patterns in stage III colon cancer (CC) since the IDEA collaboration.
92 Background: Since the publication of the MOSAIC trial, stage III CC has been treated with a six-month (mo) regimen of FOLFOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) or CAPOX (capecitabine and oxaliplatin). Recently, the IDEA collaboration challenged this practice by demonstrating that the 3-year rate of disease-free survival (DFS) was non-inferior to 6mo of treatment (Rx) when given for low risk CC (83.1 vs. 83.3%) and resulted in significantly lower rates of grade 2 and higher neuropathy. In high risk (T4, N2) patients (pts) the DFS of 3mo of CAPOX was equivocal to 6mo (64.1 vs. 64.0%), while 3mo of FOLFOX was inferior to 6mo (61.5 vs. 64.7%). We hypothesized that trends in prescribing would favor shorter courses of Rx with a preference towards CAPOX given its efficacy across both high and low risk CC. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of stage III CC pts from 4 institutions. We evaluated prescribing patterns of 3mo or 6mo of Rx and CAPOX vs. FOLFOX over a period of 5 years from Jan 2016 to Jan 2021, a time period that traverses before and after the release of IDEA. Logistic and multinomial logistic regression models, with a linear time trend, were used to estimate the percentage of pts receiving CAPOX vs. FOLFOX and the combination of Rx and duration, respectively, while adjusting for baseline characteristics. The prescribing patterns in important subgroups were examined by incorporating the interaction term in the models. Results: A total of 366 pts met inclusion criteria. From 2016-2021, there was a significant increase per quarter in patients treated with CAPOX when compared to FOLFOX (OR 1.16 95% CI 1.11 – 1.21, p <.001). Prior to IDEA, 78.3% of pts received 6mo FOLFOX and 7.4% received 3mo CAPOX. Two years after IDEA, only 17.3% of pts were on 6mo FOLFOX compared to 67.5% of pts on 3mo CAPOX (Table). At present, high risk pts are more likely to receive 6mo FOLFOX (47.8%) than 3mo of FOLFOX (3.9%), 3mo CAPOX (25.8%), or 6mo CAPOX (22.4%). Low risk pts are more likely to receive 3mo of CAPOX (67.9%) than other Rx. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that since IDEA, physician practice has significantly changed in favor of CAPOX and shorter courses of Rx. The use of CAPOX has significantly increased overall, presumably due to its efficacy across all risk groups and relatively reduced toxicity.[Table: see text]
Mismatch Repair (MMR) Gene Alteration and BRAF V600E Mutation Are Potential Predictive Biomarkers of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in MMR-Deficient Colorectal Cancer
Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is highly effective in metastatic mismatch repair-deficient (MMR-D) colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we evaluated molecular and clinical predictors of ICI response in MMR-D CRC. Materials and Methods Patient databases at four cancer institutions were queried. The Fisher exact test was performed to test the association of clinical and molecular markers. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and compared by the log-rank test. Twelve- and 24-month PFS rates were compared by the Z test. Results A total of 60 patients with CRC with MMR-D/microsatellite instability-high who previously received ICIs were identified. Patients with liver metastasis had a lower overall response rate as compared with other sites of metastasis (36.4% vs. 68.7%; p = .081). Patients with MLH1/PMS2 loss had worse 1-year and 2-year PFS rates compared with patients with MSH2/MSH6 loss (84.2% vs. 57.8% and 78.2% vs. 54.2%, respectively; p < .001). There were improved 1-year and 2-year PFS rates in patients with wild-type BRAF when compared with patients with BRAF V600E mutation (73.3% vs. 40%, and 73.3% vs. 26.7%; respectively; p < .001). Patients aged >65 had significantly worse PFS rates as compared with patients aged ≤65 (p < .001). Conclusion BRAF V600E mutation, MLH1 and/or PMS2 loss, as well as age >65 years and liver metastasis, may be predictive of duration of ICI response in patients with MMR-D CRC. Larger cohorts are needed to confirm our findings. Implications for Practice The results of this study reveal clinically important biomarkers that potentially predict immune checkpoint inhibitor response in patients with mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer.
Clinical and molecular markers of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) response in dMMR colorectal cancer (CRC) patients (pts).
225 Background: ICIs induce durable responses in dMMR CRC patients. However, clinical and molecular biomarkers of response to ICIs have not been well-established. In this study, we investigated impact of specific MMR gene loss, BRAF V600E mutation and clinical characteristics of pts on clinical outcomes of ICIs. Methods: Pts were eligible if they had confirmed dMMR CRC by IHC or MSI-H by PCR and received ICIs between 01/01/2012 and 05/01/2019 at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Mayo Clinic, Vanderbilt or Stanford University. Due to the functional dependency, the groups were categorized as protein loss of MLH1+PMS2 vs MSH2+MSH6. Log-rank test, Cox hazard model and Fisher’s exact test were used for survival outcomes, the best response and the distribution of variables among the subgroups. Results: A total of 66 pts with dMMR CRC were identified and BRAF status was available for 41 pts. ORRs in MLH1+PMS2 and MSH2+MSH6 groups were 72.9% and 56.5% respectively (P = 0.189). At 2 years, PFS rates were 55.6% and 78.2% for MLH1+PMS2 and MSH2+MSH6 groups respectively (P < 0.001). Pts with BRAF V600E mutations had significantly worse outcomes as compared to pts with wild-type BRAF (2-year PFS rate of 35.0% and 73.3% respectively; P < 0.001). Notably pts < 65 had better 2-year disease control rates when compared to > 65 (71.1% and 41.5% respectively; P < 0.001). We also observed worse 2-year PFS rates in pts with liver metastases (P = 0.014). CRC side and tumor volume did not impact 2-year PFS rates in our cohort. Conclusions: Our data suggest that pts with loss of function in MSH2+MSH6 may have better 2 year-PFS rates compared pts with MLH1+PMS2 even though ORR favored MLH1+PMS2 group suggesting that ORR may not reflect the durability of ICI response in dMMR CRC patients. Consistently, pts with BRAF V600E mutation which is associated with MLH1 promoter methylation had significantly worse 2-year PFS rates. Overall, our findings suggest that BRAFV600E mutation, the affected MMR proteins, pt age, and site of metastasis may impact durability of ICI response in dMMR CRC patients.
Analysis of age, tumor-sidedness, and mismatch repair (MMR) genes with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in MMR-deficient (dMMR) colorectal cancer (CRC) patients (pts): A multi-institutional study.
e15029 Background: ICIs induce durable responses in dMMR CRC pts with overall response rates (ORR) of 30-50%. Even though the loss of expression of any MMR gene predicts ICIs response, it is unknown if ORRs are similar across all MMR genes (MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6). In this study, we analyzed the impact of each specific MMR gene loss and clinical characteristics of pts with best response to ICIs. Methods: Pts were eligible if they had confirmed dMMR CRC by IHC or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) by PCR, and received ICIs between 01/01/2012 and 10/01/2018 at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Mayo Clinic or Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Due to the pattern of frequent concurrent loss and functional dependency, the groups were categorized as MLH1 ±PMS2 vs. MSH2 ±MSH6. Cox proportional hazard model and Fisher’s exact test were used for the best response and the distribution of variable among the subgroups. Results: A total of 45 pts with dMMR CRC were identified. ORRs in MLH1 ±PMS2 and MSH2 ±MSH6 groups were 68% and 57.1% respectively without statistical difference (Table). Pts with age < 50 and 50-65 years old had better ORRs compared to pts with age >65 (58.3%, 85.7% and 42.1% respectively, P=0.036). Left-sided tumors had a trend toward higher ORRs compared to right-sided tumors (83.3% vs 51.5% P=0.086). Gender and BRAF status were not predictors of response. BRAF mutations were more common in right-sided tumors (29.6% vs 11.1% respectively) and in older patients. Conclusions: Our data suggest that MSI-H CRC pts aged 50-65 treated with ICIs, have improved ORR compared to pts > 65; pts with left-sided tumors have a trend toward improved ORR compared to those with right sided tumors. [Table: see text]