Schuetze, Scott M.

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Vaginal Cancer outline the recommended diagnostic workup, staging considerations, and treatment options for this rare malignancy. Because vaginal cancer is uncommon and shares many biologic and clinical characteristics with cervical cancer, several management recommendations, particularly systemic therapy, are extrapolated from evidence and practices established for cervical cancer. This guideline excerpt summarizes key components of management, including diagnostic evaluation and workup, principles of staging, pathology considerations, radiation therapy principles, and primary treatment recommendations for both early-stage and advanced disease. It also details approaches to manage relapses, including locoregional recurrence and distant metastases, and provides an in-depth overview of systemic therapy recommendations for vaginal cancer.

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Cervical Cancer provide diagnostic workup, staging, and various treatment recommendations for cervical cancer based on clinical and surgical staging. This selection from the NCCN Guidelines for cervical cancer specifically focuses on diagnosis and workup, principles of staging and surgery, and primary treatment recommendations for early-stage and advanced disease and provides a detailed overview of systemic therapy recommendations for cervical cancer.

The NCCN Guidelines for Uterine Neoplasms provide recommendations for diagnostic workup, clinical staging, and treatment options for patients with endometrial cancer and uterine sarcoma. The NCCN Cervical Uterine Panel meets at least annually to review comments from reviewers within their institutions; examine relevant new data from publications, abstracts, and recent FDA approvals; and reevaluate and update recommendations. These NCCN Guidelines Insights summarize the panel’s deliberations on the new FIGO 2023 staging system and updates on the new systemic therapy recommendations for the management of endometrial cancer.

TPS11585 Background: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) with genomic complexity are often aggressive but may be sensitive to further genotoxic stress. Leiomyosarcoma (LMS), a common STS, frequently harbors genomic complexity and DNA damage response (DDR) dysregulation. Preclinical data showed hyper-dependency on DNA-PK-mediated non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) DDR, and low-dose liposomal doxorubicin (LD-LPD) synergized with the DNA-PK inhibitor peposertib to inhibit tumor growth in LMS models. We hypothesize that a low, sensitizing dose of LPD enhances DNA damage and safely synergizes with peposertib in LMS and other genomically complex STS. Methods: This phase 1, open label, multicenter dose escalation and dose expansion study (NCT05711615) evaluates LD-LPD given intravenously (IV) on day 1 of 28-day cycles with peposertib given orally (PO) twice daily (BID) continuously (Table). Up to 18 patients (pts) over 18 years-old with advanced or unresectable LMS, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, myxofibrosarcoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, and synovial sarcoma, ECOG performance status ≤2, who received ≥1 prior line of systemic therapy (including anthracycline ≤300 mg/m 2 ) are eligible for dose escalation. Dose expansion will include 12 pts with LMS. The primary objective is to determine the recommended phase 2 dose of LPD+peposertib based on the dose limiting toxicity rate. The Bayesian Optimal Interval (BOIN) design will inform dose escalation decisions. Secondary endpoints for the expansion cohort include adverse event rate, progression-free survival, and objective response rate per RECIST v1.1. Potential predictive biomarkers and changes in DDR biomarkers will be evaluated on biopsies during screening and at cycle 1 day 7. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) collected at baseline (dose escalation and dose expansion), on treatment and at progression (dose expansion) will be correlated with disease activity and response. This trial activated on 8-May-2023 through the Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN) and is enrolling at select sites in the United States. Dose escalation is ongoing as of January 2025. Clinical trial information: NCT05711615 . Planned dose levels for dose escalation. Dose Escalation Schedule Dose Level Dose Liposomal doxorubicin Peposertib (tablet) -1 10 mg/m 2 IV 50 mg PO BID 0* 10 mg/m 2 IV 100 mg PO BID +1 10 mg/m 2 IV 150 mg PO BID +2 10 mg/m 2 IV 200 mg PO BID +3 15 mg/m 2 IV 200 mg PO BID +4 20 mg/m 2 IV 200 mg PO BID *Starting dose.

3046 Background: Prior work has shown that detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) at time of diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is associated with lower likelihood of objective response and patients with detectable ctDNA after two cycles of chemotherapy have worse survival. However, because ctDNA exists at much lower concentrations in plasma compared to cell-free DNA of non-tumor origin, the sensitivity of these prognostic measures to tumor signals remains unclear. With increasing evidence of ctDNA fragments being shorter than the background non-tumor cell-free DNA, we sought to test whether restricting our analysis to smaller fragment sizes would improve detection of ctDNA in LMS. Methods: Plasma was serially collected from patients with LMS undergoing chemotherapy. Cell-free DNA extracted from these samples was profiled by ultra-low-passage whole-genome sequencing (ULPWGS). Copy number alterations were identified and used to detect ctDNA using the ichorCNA algorithm before and after restricting the dataset to fragments of 90-150bp (short). We compared detectability of ctDNA via ichorCNA between analyses using all sequencing data and those using data restricted to short fragments. Results: From 28 patients, 126 plasma samples were profiled. The median fragment length of cell-free DNA was 240bp (IQR 142-349) for patients with LMS, compared to 307bp (IQR 171-465, p < 0.001) in samples collected from healthy controls. Short fragments made up 19.48% of LMS libraries at diagnosis when ctDNA levels were highest, 15.27% of all LMS samples, and 12.96% of libraries from healthy controls. While ctDNA was detectable by ULPWGS in 17% of all samples, detection increased to 40% when analyzed using only short cell-free DNA fragments (p < 0.0001). The proportion of diagnostic samples with detectable ctDNA was nominally higher when analyzed by short fragments (39% vs. 64% with 90-150bp size restriction, p = 0.1078, n = 28) and was significantly higher in samples collected after two cycles of chemotherapy (5% vs. 40% with 90-150bp size restriction, p = 0.0197, n = 20). Increases in ctDNA detectability with fragment size restriction were also observed in each of localized and metastatic subgroups (metastatic: 16% without restriction, 38% with restriction, n = 97, p = 0.0012; localized: 17% vs. 45%, n = 39, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that detection of ctDNA is improved by analyzing short fragments of cell-free DNA in samples collected from patients with LMS. These findings represent a potential to increase the sensitivity of an affordable, low-coverage liquid biopsy assay and may enhance the prognostic value of ctDNA detection in these patients. Further study of the association between ctDNA detection and outcome is needed to fully validate the impact of fragment size restricted analysis of cell-free DNA samples in patients with LMS and is currently ongoing in a prospective study.

Abstract Purpose: Soft-tissue sarcomas are rare malignancies with poor prognosis and limited systemic treatment options. We conducted a phase II study to assess the efficacy and safety of trabectedin and olaparib in patients with advanced disease. Patients and Methods: Patients with soft-tissue sarcoma who received ≥1 prior therapy were recruited into two cohorts. Cohort 1 included leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma; cohort 2 included other histologies. All patients received trabectedin (1.1 mg/m2 24-hour infusion every 21 days) and olaparib (150 mg twice daily continuously). The study was conducted using a Simon minimax two-stage design with a primary endpoint of objective response (OR) rate per RECIST 1.1. Results: Twenty-nine (cohort 1, 16; cohort 2, 13) patients enrolled; one patient in cohort 2 was not evaluable. There were no confirmed ORs in cohort 1; the best response was stable disease in 12 (75%) patients and progressive disease in four (25%). Two partial responses were observed in cohort 2 (n = 12). The most common adverse events were fatigue (75%), neutropenia (75%), anemia (68%), and thrombocytopenia (68%). The median progression-free survival and overall survival for all patients were 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 3.3–8.2) and 13.2 months (95% confidence interval, 10.3–20.9), respectively. Next-generation sequencing of 17 tumors revealed multiple abnormalities, most commonly in TP53, RB1, and ATRX. Conclusions: Trabectedin plus olaparib conferred high rates of toxicity and failed to demonstrate ORs in leiomyosarcoma and liposarcoma. Preliminary evidence of clinical benefit in two patients in cohort 2 suggests potential value of either or both drugs in other sarcomas.

11514 Background: The role of immunotherapy remains uncertain in most sarcomas. We recently showed significant antitumor benefit for cabozantinib (C) with N in AS previously treated with a taxane. Since chemotherapy-immunotherapy combinations may synergize, and paclitaxel remains a standard of care option for advanced AS, we hypothesized that P+N would be more effective than P alone. Methods: We report Arm 1 (P+N) and Arm 2 (P) of this open label, multi-arm, phase II study. Pts all had locally advanced/metastatic AS, and no prior taxane (including adjuvant) or checkpoint inhibitor prior to entry. Pts were randomized 1:1 (stratified scalp/face vs other) to receive P 80 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15 every 4 weeks (wks), with (Arm 1) or without (Arm 2) N (480 mg intravenously every 4 wks). A pt could remain on study beyond disease progression (PD), after the initial 12 wk evaluation (4 wk confirmatory scan required), but responses were censored at 12 wks. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) comparing P+N to P, with an assumed improvement from a median of 4 to 7 months with N added to P (power = 85.3%, alpha = 0.148, and one interim analysis (Wieand rule) for futility planned after 30 events). Secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), adverse events (AEs), overall survival (OS), and pt reported outcomes (PRO). At PD, Arm 2 (P) pts were permitted to receive C+N. Results: 62 evaluable pts (P+N = 30, P = 32 pts) were balanced for age, race, ECOG PS 0 vs. 1, site of disease (including radiation related vs. not), while P+N had more females (60%) and P had more males (63%). Median PFS for P+N was 7.2 mo (5.3-17 mo), and 8.3 mo (4.0-18 mo) for P (hazard ratio (HR) 1.01 (95%CI: 0.55-1.9), p = 0.96). Median PFS for scalp/face was 16 mo (95%CI: 10-NR) for P+N and 8.3 mo (95%CI: 3.7-NR) for P. Median PFS for all others was 5.5 mo (95%CI 4.3-16) for P+N, and 6.0 mo (95%CI 4.1-NR) for P. Median OS was 18 mo (13-NR) in P+N, and 23 mo (15-NR) in P (HR 1.3 (95%CI: 0.63-2.7), p = 0.48). Overall confirmed ORR: P+N = 33% (10/30 pts, with 4 partial responses (PR) and 6 complete responses (CR) with scalp/face ORR = 73%, all others ORR = 11%). Overall ORR for P = 34% (11/32 pts, with 7 PR and 4 CR, with scalp/face ORR = 38%, all others ORR = 26%). Grade 3-4 AEs regardless of attribution occurred in 57% of P+N, and 44% of P, most commonly ( > 10%) fatigue, AST increase, and dyspnea for P+N (n = 3 each), and anemia (n = 4) for P. Conclusions: P alone can be an effective therapy in a subset of pts with AS. The combination of P+N failed to demonstrate improvement in median PFS over P alone, but may show benefit in scalp/face AS. OS trended better with P alone. No new safety signals were observed. The impact of weekly steroid premedication prior to P+N on these outcomes remains to be determined. PRO and exploratory analyses are ongoing. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, U24 CA196171; NCT04339738. https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org . Clinical trial information: NCT04339738 .

11504 Background: Surgery & radiation therapy (RT) yield high local control rates for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of the extremity and limb girdle. However, patients (pts) with high-grade stage III STS are at significant risk for developing metastasis. Median survival for pts with metastatic STS is < 2 years. SARC028 (NCT02301039) evaluated the efficacy of pembrolizumab (pembro) for metastatic STS, showing 20% and 8.7% response rates in undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) and pleomorphic/dedifferentiated liposarcoma (LPS), respectively. We hypothesized that neoadjuvant pembro with concurrent RT followed by surgery and adjuvant pembro for stage III UPS, including myxofibrosarcoma, or LPS would stimulate an anti-tumor immune response to eliminate micrometastatic disease & improve disease-free survival (DFS). SU2C-SARC032 (NCT03092323) is a multi-institutional, international, randomized phase 2 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of adding pembro to standard of care (SOC) RT & surgery for pts with stage III UPS or LPS. Methods: Pts aged > 12 yo with stage III (FNCLCC grade 2 or 3) UPS or LPS of the extremity and limb girdle were enrolled. Pts were randomized (1:1, stratified by grade) to neoadjuvant RT (50 Gy/25 fx) then surgery (SOC arm) or neoadjuvant pembro and RT then surgery & adjuvant pembro (EXP arm). Pembro was given 200 mg IV Q3 wk for 3 doses (before, during & after RT) & up to 14 adjuvant cycles. The primary endpoint was 2-yr DFS. Secondary endpoints included local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant disease-free survival (DDFS), & overall survival (OS). Target enrollment of 126 evaluable patients (max 144 total) provided 80% power (1-sided α = 0.05) to distinguish between a null hypothesis of 50% 2-yr DFS rate & alternative hypothesis of 75% 2-yr DFS rate by log-rank test, with initial analysis at 45 DFS events. Cox models were stratified by grade; primary analysis was a one-sided stratified log-rank test. Results: Between July 2017-November 2023, 143 patients were enrolled, predominantly with UPS (85%) & grade 3 (64%) histology. Median follow-up for alive patients is 24.1 mo. DFS in the EXP arm is significantly higher than the SOC arm (p = 0.023; HR 0.57, 90% CI: 0.35, 0.91). Estimated 2-yr DFS is 53% (90% CI: 43, 66%) for SOC vs 70% (90% CI: 61, 81%) for EXP arm. Currently, there is no statistically significant difference in LRFS (HR 0.55, 95% CI: 0.21, 1.42), DDFS (HR 0.57, 95% CI: 0.32, 1.01), or OS (HR 0.39, 95% CI: 0.14, 1.12). Pts with grade 3 sarcomas had improved DFS with pembro (HR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.89), but no difference in DFS was observed in grade 2 tumors (HR 1.21, 95% CI: 0.35, 4.18). The proportion of patients with grade 3+ adverse events was significantly higher in EXP (52%) vs SOC arm (26%) (p = 0.002). Conclusions: Theaddition of neoadjuvant & adjuvant pembro to RT and surgery significantly improves DFS for pts with stage III UPS and LPS of the extremity and limb girdle. Clinical trial information: NCT03092323 .

Abstract Purpose: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular cancer with pathogenic TAZ–CAMTA1 (calmodulinbinding transcription activator 1) operating as an oncogenic driver through activation of the MAPK pathway. Trametinib is an inhibitor of MEK, a critical kinase in the MAPK pathway. We sought to evaluate the effect of trametinib in patients with EHE. Patients and Methods: A phase 2 trial of trametinib was conducted in patients with locally advanced or metastatic EHE. Eligibility requirements included evidence of tumor progression or presence of EHE-related pain requiring opiates for management before enrollment. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) as per RECIST1.1 in cases with TAZ– CAMTA1 confirmed by fusion-FISH. Secondary objectives were to estimate ORR for all patients, median progression-free survival (PFS), 2-year overall survival (OS) rate, patient safety, and change in patient-reported global health and pain scores per PROMIS questionnaires. Results: 44 patients enrolled and 42 started trametinib. TAZ– CAMTA1 was detected in 27 tumor samples. TheORRwas 3.7%[95% confidence interval (CI), 0.094–19.0], median PFS was 10.4 months (95%CI, 7.1–NA), and 2-year OS rate was 33.3%(95%CI, 19.1–58.2) in the target population. Median pain intensity and interference scores improved significantly after 4 weeks of trametinib in patients using opiates. Common adverse events related to trametinib were rash, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea/constipation, alopecia, and edema; one grade 5 ARDS/pneumonitis was related to trametinib. Conclusions: Trametinib was associated with reduction in EHE-related pain and median PFS of more than 6 months, providing palliative benefit in patients with advanced EHE, but the trial did not meet the ORR goal. See related commentary by Van Tine and Haarberg, p. 4552

11563 Background: Afami-cel is an autologous, T-cell receptor (TCR) T-cell therapy to treat human leukocyte antigen (HLA) A*02–eligible patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors positive for the cancer testis antigen melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4). The efficacy and safety of afami-cel in pretreated pts with advanced/metastatic synovial sarcoma or myxoid/round cell liposarcoma are being evaluated in the Phase 2, two-cohort, open-label, SPEARHEAD-1 (NCT04044768) trial. Here we report interim overall survival (OS) data in the pts with advanced synovial sarcoma in Cohort 1. Methods: Pts who were HLA-A*02 positive with advanced synovial sarcoma (with evidence of clinical/radiological progression) positive for MAGE-A4 received afami-cel after lymphodepleting chemotherapy containing fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. The primary endpoint was overall response rate per RECIST v1.1 by independent review. Secondary endpoints included OS and progression-free survival (PFS), estimated utilizing the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: As of August 29, 2022, 44 pts with synovial sarcoma received afami-cel (2.68–9.99×109 transduced T-cells) in Cohort 1. The median age was 41 years (range: 19–73 years), 50% of pts were female, 89% of pts were white, 96% of pts were typed as HLA-A*02:01P, and median tumor MAGE-A4 expression H-score was 257 (132–300). Pts were heavily pre-treated with a median of 3 prior lines of therapy (range: 1–12). The median follow-up time at the data cut-off was 20.8 months. Median PFS was 3.8 months (95% CI: 2.8, 5.8) and 4.1 months (95% CI: 2.8, 6.9) by independent and investigator review, respectively. Median OS by independent review was 15.4 months (95% CI: 10.9, not estimable) with 52% of pts censored at the data cut-off. The 12-month OS probability was 60% and 24-month OS probability was 40%. Twenty-one pts received additional therapy during long term follow up (systemic therapy, n = 20; radiation, n = 6; other, n = 4). In the 17 pts who had a RECIST response by independent review, the median OS was not reached, the 12-month OS probability was 90%, and 24-month OS probability was 60%. Conclusions: Pts with advanced synovial sarcoma treated with afami-cel in SPEARHEAD-1 had encouraging survival, especially those pts with a RECIST response. Clinical trial information: NCT04044768 .