Kang, Sandra

Background Preclinical studies showed metformin reduces exhaustion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and potentiates programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) blockade. We hypothesized that metformin with nivolumab would elicit potent antitumor and immune modulatory activity in metastatic microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC). We evaluated this hypothesis in a phase II study. Methods Nivolumab (480 mg) was administered intravenously every 4 weeks while metformin (1000 mg) was given orally, two times per day following a 14-day metformin only lead-in phase. Patients ≥18 years of age, with previously treated, stage IV MSS CRC, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0–1, having received no prior anti-PD-1 agent were eligible. The primary endpoint was overall response rate with secondary endpoints of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Correlative studies using paired pretreatment/on-treatment biopsies and peripheral blood evaluated a series of immune biomarkers in the tumor microenvironment and systemic circulation using ChipCytometry and flow cytometry. Results A total of 24 patients were enrolled, 6 patients were replaced per protocol, 18 patients had evaluable disease. Of the 18 evaluable patients, 11/18 (61%) were women and the median age was 58 (IQR 50–67). Two patients had stable disease, but no patients had objective response, hence the study was stopped for futility. Median OS and PFS was 5.2 months (95% CI (3.2 to 11.7)) and 2.3 months (95% CI (1.7 to 2.3)). Most common grade 3/4 toxicities: Anemia (n=2), diarrhea (n=2), and fever (n=2). Metformin alone failed to increase the infiltration of T-cell subsets in the tumor, but combined metformin and nivolumab increased percentages of tumor-infiltrating leukocytes (p=0.031). Dual treatment also increased Tim3+ levels in patient tissues and decreased naïve CD8+T cells (p=0.0475). Conclusions Nivolumab and metformin were well tolerated in patients with MSS CRC but had no evidence of efficacy. Correlative studies did not reveal an appreciable degree of immune modulation from metformin alone, but showed trends in tumorous T-cell infiltration as a result of dual metformin and PD-1 blockade despite progression in a majority of patients.

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.

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]