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Tawfiq, Reema

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic in Florida

Citations 16

Utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) scribes (AIS) by the hematology and oncology (HemOnc) workforce: Characterizing adoption patterns, barriers, and clinical gaps.
Correia, Guilherme Sacchi de Camargo, Tawfiq, Reema, Singhi, Eric K. , Rhinehart, Dena, Marrone, Kristen A., Badar, Talha, Jillella, Anand P., Gosain, Rahul , Gosain, Rohit , Flora, Douglas B., Moustafa, Magda, Manochakian, Rami , Tawfiq, Reema, Rhinehart, Dena P. , Warrier, Govind , Marrone, Kristen A., Badar, Talha , Flora, Douglas B.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.e13677 Get It

e13677 Background: The development of AI led to the emergence of tools such as AIS, which have been increasingly adopted in medicine. However, formal evaluation of barriers and clinical care gaps in HemOnc is limited, particularly regarding treatment plan complexities and toxicity documentation. Methods: Structured investigator-developed surveys about AIS availability, adoption, benefits, and challenges were developed on Qualtrics and approved by the IRB. HemOnc faculty physicians (FP), advanced practice providers (APP), and trainees (HOT) were surveyed between 11/14/25-1/16/26. Surveys were distributed in the USA via email, social media (on X), and ASCO myConnection. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Results: 132 participants responded to the survey: 55 FP (42%), 14 APP (11%), and 63 HOT (48%). 80% of them reported having AIS at their institutions, and 54% of those reported using these tools in their clinical practice. Among FP and APP, 72% practiced in academic settings, 14% in community, and 13% in hybrid centers. Among those not using AIS, identified barriers were issues with note formatting (56%), lack of training (25%), and concerns that the note content is incorrect or inadequate (25%). 60% are willing to use AIS if note formatting matched their preference, and 42% would try it if contents better reflected the patient encounter. Table 1 details the proportion of encounters using AIS, the portion of documentation it was used for, and the perceived challenges with these tools. Among AIS users, the average satisfaction score was 5.3 on a 7 point scale, corresponding to participants being somewhat satisfied. Participants agreed slightly that AIS had reduced their feeling of work-related burnout, with an average score of 3.6 on a 5 point scale. Overall, participants felt neutral about how well-suited AIS are for HemOnc, with an average score of 4.0 on a 7 point scale. Conclusions: Despite AIS being widely available, 46% of the surveyed HemOnc workforce do not use them in clinical practice. Those who do reported decreased time spent on documentation outside work hours and a slight reduction in the feeling of burnout. Formatting issues and record integration remain barriers, with substantial concerns about AIS not adequately describing HemOnc treatment plans. To bridge the last mile of integration into HemOnc, partnership between AIS developers and the clinical workforce is essential to meet clinical needs, while prioritizing patient safety and data privacy. FP + APP % HOT % Patient encounters where AIS is used 62 44 Used AIS for the subjective portion of note 68 96 Used AIS for the assessment/plan portions of note 40 25 AIS decreased the time on clinical documentation outside work hours 96 93 AIS note formatting needs improvement 68 57 Issues integrating AIS and outside records 46 71 AIS note contents about the plan are suboptimal 32 61
Escape to learn: A team-based gamified educational experience for hematology/oncology fellows.
Wolf, Emily, Tawfiq, Reema, Herrigel, Dana, Wysokinska, Ewa , Abdelhakeem, Ahmed, Abdel-Razeq, Nayef Hikmat, Adeoye, Oluwatayo , Aldapt, Mahmood, Arya, Yajur , Batra, Nitya, Elantably, Dina, Griswold, Hannah, Kamatham, Saivaishnavi , Kim, Joseph B, Mahadevia, Himil, Syal, Arshi , Tawfiq, Reema, Herrigel, Dana J., Abdelhakeem, Ahmed, Aldapt, Mahmood, Elantably, Dina, Gupta, Kush , Kuhlman, Justin J. , Mahadevia, Himil , Wiest, Nathaniel E. , Manochakian, Rami

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 9021-9021

10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.9021 Get It

9021 Background: An escape room is a team-based activity in which participants collaborate to solve puzzles within a fixed time limit and escape. Prior studies demonstrate high learner satisfaction and improved teamwork and communication with medical education escape rooms. To date, no published reports describe an escape room designed specifically for hematology/oncology (hem/onc) fellows. As part of Hem/Onc Curriculum, we designed and implemented a hem/onc-focused escape room and evaluated learner satisfaction and perceived learning impact. Methods: The escape room was designed using evidence-based learning science principles (Table 1). Teams worked to solve sequential puzzles, centered on a patient case, addressing key hem/onc concepts, including transfusion medicine, peripheral blood smears, lymphoma classification, and coagulation disorders. Each solved puzzle revealed additional patient laboratory and pathology data. Successful completion required teams to diagnose the patient and select appropriate treatment. Following the activity, teams participated in a facilitator-led debrief focused on team dynamics, communication, and problem solving. Teams observed each other and shared feedback. A larger group debrief co-led by chief fellows and faculty reviewed learning objectives and key takeaways. Learner outcomes were assessed using a post-activity survey evaluating satisfaction, engagement, and impact on learning. Results: Eighteen learners participated, including 14 hem/onc fellows, 1 APP hem/onc fellow, and 3 internal medicine residents. Three of four teams escaped within 1 hour (mean completion time, 52 minutes). All participants provided positive verbal feedback. Fifteen learners completed the post-activity survey, and all respondents reported satisfaction with the activity and would recommend it for future fellows. One-word descriptors included “engaging,” “fun,” and “challenging.” Most respondents (93.3%) agreed that the activity reinforced key hem/onc concepts and improved confidence in clinical problem-solving. All learners felt the activity supported learning, and 93.3% reported that collaboration enhanced the learning experience. Participants identified team-based problem solving, clinical application, and interactive puzzles as the most effective components. Conclusions: A hem/onc escape room resulted in high learner satisfaction and reinforced hem/onc knowledge and clinical problem-solving. This feasible, fun, and innovative activity complements traditional fellowship education by leveraging adult learning principles through gamified, team-based learning and should be incorporated into training programs’ curriculum. Learning science principles applied in a hem/onc escape room. Active Learning Belonging Contrasting Cases Debriefing Deliberate Practice Elaboration Generation Listening and Sharing Reward Worked Examples
Real-world outcomes comparing the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists in patients with endometrial cancer and comorbid obesity: A propensity score matched analysis from a global federated health research network.
Arya, Yajur , Syal, Arshi , Jones, Colton, Mahadevia, Himil, Palma, Angimar Uriepero, Tawfiq, Reema, Hew, Trevanne Rose Matthews, Mahadevia, Himil , Tawfiq, Reema, Hew, Trevanne Matthews

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 27, 2026 | Volume: 44 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 5543-5543

10.1200/jco.2026.44.16_suppl.5543 Get It

5543 Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Emerging evidence suggests that these agents may have potential anti-tumor activity as GLP-1 signaling may influence pathways involved in cell proliferation and inflammation. Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy, and obesity represents a well-established, modifiable risk factor that may adversely affect oncologic outcomes through chronic inflammation and metabolic dysregulation. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of GLP-1 receptor agonists on outcomes among patients with endometrial cancer and comorbid obesity. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network, covering January 2000 to December 2025, encompassing data from 168 global healthcare organizations. Patients aged 18 and above with endometrial cancer and comorbid obesity were identified and then stratified into two groups based on treatment with GLP1 agonists or not. The two groups were then propensity-matched based on age, ethnicity, medical comorbidities, and stage of cancer. Outcomes were assessed for five years from treatment initiation and included overall mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke; development of peritoneal, lymph node, and visceral metastases; sepsis, pancreatitis, and ED visits. Time-to-event analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: After propensity matching, 6352 patients were included in each cohort with balanced baseline characteristics. Our analysis found that patients with endometrial cancer and comorbid obesity who received GLP-1 agonists had a significantly lower risk of overall mortality (Hazard Ratio [HR]: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.39-0.51, p-value <0.001), development of peritoneal metastases (Risk Difference [RD]: -2.16%, 95% CI: -2.74% to -1.58%, p-value <0.001), nodal metastases (RD: -0.41%, 95% CI: -0.72% to -0.09%, p-value =0.01), visceral metastases (RD: -3.76%, 95% CI: -4.60% to -2.93%, p-value =0.01), and sepsis with and without shock (RD: -1.42%, 95% CI: -2.14% to -0.70%, p-value <0.001) compared to patients who did not receive GLP-1 agonists. There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of MI, ischemic stroke, ED visits, and pancreatitis between the two cohorts. Conclusions: In this large real-world analysis, patients with endometrial cancer and comorbid obesity who received GLP-1 agonists had lower rates of overall mortality; peritoneal, lymph node, and visceral metastases, and sepsis with or without shock. Additional longitudinal cohort studies are imperative to explore the associations between these agents and inform clinical practice guidelines in this patient population.
Hypomethylating agent with venetoclax versus hypomethylating agent alone in frontline management of myelodysplastic syndrome - impact of subgroups on clinical outcomes
Ball, Somedeb , Haddadin, Michael , Feld, Jonathan , Cohen‐Nowak, Adam , Hawkins, Hayley, Shukla, Asmita, Tan, Virginia, Dulak, Dominika, Tawfiq, Reema, Dworkin, Emily , Feng, Amber , Foucar, Charles , Shallis, Rory M. , Im, Annie , Winer, Eric S. , Murthy, Guru Subramanian Guru , Abaza, Yasmin , Abboud, Ramzi , Balasubramanian, Suresh , Kishtagari, Ashwin , Guerra, Veronica , Weiss, Julian J , Gonzalez‐Lugo, Jesus D. , Dhakal, Prajwal , Leonard, Jessica T , Badar, Talha , Patel, Shyam A. , Lin, Chenyu , Patel, Anand , Atallah, Ehab , Komrokji, Rami S.

Blood | December 4, 2025 | Volume: 146 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 239-239

10.1182/blood-2025-239 Get It

Abstract Background: Hypomethylating agent (HMA) with venetoclax (VEN) is used in clinical practice for frontline management of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) based on encouraging data from phase 1 clinical trial (Garcia JS et al. Blood 2025). While the randomized clinical trial (VERONA-NCT04401748) did not show a survival benefit of azacitidine-VEN, the study had important differences such as exclusion of therapy related MDS and being conducted in several non-academic US centers. To better understand the impact of this regimen and its effects in subgroups, we conducted a real-world analysis of frontline MDS patients treated mainly at academic medical centers with HMA-VEN and compared to HMA monotherapy. Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective study of 19 US academic medical centers. We included contemporary cohorts of adults (age≥18 years) with MDS (intermediate, high or very high risk by IPSS-R) who were treated outside of clinical trials with either upfront combination of HMA-VEN or HMA monotherapy. Data on patient-related, disease-related and treatment-related variables were collected through chart review. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline characteristics. Overall survival (OS) and event free survival (EFS: progression, leukemic transformation, death as events) analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier method. Determinants of outcomes were analyzed using multivariable regression models. All analyses were conducted at a significance level of p&lt;0.05. Results: Among 1198 patients with intermediate, high or very-high risk MDS, 313 patients received upfront VEN in combination with HMA [HMA-VEN] and 885 patients received HMA monotherapy. Median age was 70 (63-76) years and majority of patients had MDS with excess blasts-1 (34% overall, HMA-VEN=26%, HMA=37%) or MDS with excess-blasts-2 (41% overall, HMA-VEN=60%, HMA=34%). Disease risk by IPSS-R was intermediate (29% overall, HMA-VEN=18%, HMA=33%), high (30% overall, HMA-VEN=31%, HMA=30%) or very-high risk (41% overall, HMA-VEN=51%, HMA=37%, p&lt;0.001). Therapy related MDS (t-MDS) was seen in 27% of patients (HMA-VEN=33%, HMA=25%, p=0.004), 34% had TP53 mutation (HMA-VEN=40%, HMA=32%, p=0.005) and 33% underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) (HMA-VEN=42%, HMA=30%, p&lt;0.001). The most common mutations detected at baseline included TP53 (34%), ASXL1 (22%), DNMT3A (16%), RUNX1 (16%), TET2 (14%), SRSF2 (13%), and U2AF1 (11%). The response rate by IWG 2006 criteria was significantly higher with HMA-VEN than HMA monotherapy (overall 81% vs 39%, CR: 17% vs 9.6%; marrow CR: 56% vs 14%, p&lt;0.001). In multivariable analysis accounting for upfront treatment, AHSCT, genomic mutations, baseline bone marrow blasts and t-MDS, patients treated with HMA-VEN in the upfront setting had significantly improved EFS (median EFS 10.7 vs. 7.8 mon, HR 0.83, 95%CI 0.72-0.96, p=0.01) and OS (median OS 22.4 vs. 18.1 mon, HR 0.79, 95%CI 0.64-0.97, p=0.02). In addition, TP53 mutation status (OS: HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.57-2.26, p&lt;0.001, EFS: HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.23-1.65, p&lt;0.001), subsequent AHSCT (OS: HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.27-0.41, p&lt;0.001; EFS: HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.40-0.54, p&lt;0.001), and therapy related MDS (OS: HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.00-1.44, p=0.04, EFS: HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.96-1.27, p=0.2) were significant predictors on multivariable analysis. When separately investigated in subgroups, an OS benefit of HMA-VEN over HMA was seen in patients undergoing subsequent AHSCT (median OS 40.6 vs. 30 mon, p=0.05), bone marrow blast 10-19% (median OS 25.1 vs. 17.4 mon, P=0.01), de novo MDS (median OS 30 vs. 20.1 mon, P=0.003) and absence of TP53 mutation (median OS 34.9 mon vs. 23.1 mon, p=0.004). The benefit of HMA-VEN over HMA was also seen across molecular mutations including presence of ASXL1 mutation (median OS 35.2 vs 20.9 mon, p=0.03). Conclusions: In this large multicenter retrospective analysis from US academic medical centers, we found that HMA-VEN therapy significantly improved OS in certain subsets of high risk MDS including patients with 10-19% blasts, denovo MDS, subsequent AHSCT and those without TP53 mutation. While our analysis is limited by its retrospective design, prospectively exploring subgroups of MDS patients who could benefit from HMA-VEN therapy is needed.
Breaking barriers for patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases: Insight into the impact of immunotherapy on survival and survival disparities.
Tawfiq, Reema, Hochwald, Alexander , Correia, Guilherme Sacchi de Camargo, Lou, Yanyan , Kuhlman, Justin J. , Manochakian, Rami , Zhao, Yujie

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 8545-8545

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.8545 Get It

8545 Background: Brain metastases (BM) correlate with poor prognosis, occurring in 10% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (pts) at diagnosis and up to 40% over the disease course. Immunotherapy (IO) with or without chemotherapy has become the new standard of care for stage IV NSCLC. However, the survival benefit of IO in pts with BM remains unclear as most studies are limited to small sample sizes or highly selected pts with asymptomatic or treated BMs. This study represents the largest real-world data analysis evaluating the survival benefits of IO in stage IV NSCLC pts with BM. Methods: Demographics, clinical features, and survival were analyzed in stage IV NSCLC pts with BM from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2014-2020. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling assessed factors impacting mortality. Results: Of 204,249 pts with stage IV NSCLC, 30% had BM. The mean age was 68 years, with 54% male. Most pts were White (82%), followed by Black (12%) and Asian (3.1%). Government insurance covered 70% of pts, and 26% had private insurance. Adenocarcinoma was the predominant histology (62%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (20%). Liver and bone metastases were observed in 19% and 42% of pts, respectively. Among pts with BM, 18% received immunotherapy, 53% received chemotherapy, 66% received whole-brain radiation, and 18% received limited-brain radiation. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that pts receiving IO had a 46% lower mortality risk compared to not receiving IO (HR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.51–0.56, p < 0.001), demonstrating the independent benefit of IO in pts with BM, regardless of brain radiation or chemotherapy. Females had a lower mortality risk than males (HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.85–0.91, p < 0.001). Asian (HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.64–0.79), Hispanic (HR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.65–0.89), and Black pts (HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.84–0.93) had improved survival as compared to White. Pts with private insurance have lower mortality risk (HR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90–0.98), compared to lack of insurance (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.08–1.31). SCC was linked to worse survival (HR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.22–1.35). Conclusions: IO significantly improves survival in pts with NSCLC with BM, regardless of brain radiation therapy or chemotherapy. However, survival disparities based on histology, insurance status, and demographic factors persist, highlighting the need for more equitable treatment strategies.
Applying learning science principles (LSP) through a simulation session (SIM) for oncology trainees (OT) about fertility preservation (FP) in patients (pts) with cancer and treatment (tx) of pregnant pts (TPP) with cancer.
Pai, Tanmayi , Correia, Guilherme Sacchi de Camargo, Wysokinska, Ewa , Abdel-Razeq, Nayef Hikmat, Adeoye, Oluwatayo , Aldapt, Mahmood B, Kamatham, Saivaishnavi , Tawfiq, Reema, Wolf, Emily, Rao, Rohit , Tan, Winston, Ventro, Sandra, Abdelhakeem, Ahmed , Baidoun, Firas , Elantably, Dina , Gupta, Kush , Mosalem, Osama , Wiest, Nathaniel E. , Iqbal, Madiha , Tan, Winston, Manochakian, Rami

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 9029-9029

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.9029 Get It

9029 Background: Addressing guideline concordant FP and TPP with cancer is challenging, especially for OT. SIM, a well-known education tool, has not been traditionally used to teach these topics. As part of the hematology/oncology fellowship curriculum, we designed a SIM applying LSP to bridge this educational gap. Methods: Applying LSP of contrasting cases, elaboration, feedback, generation and just-in-time telling, chief OTs and faculty designed a SIM with 3 clinical scenarios (CS) and 3 standardized pts (SP): FP for a female pt hospitalized for acute lymphoblastic leukemia tx, FP for a male pt in clinic for germ cell tumor tx, and breast cancer tx for a pregnant pt in 2 nd trimester. OT received written educational materials (WEM) and attended a lecture 1 week and 1 day pre SIM, respectively. OT were split into 2 groups; 1 started in the FP CS and 1 in the TPP CS, and then they switched. To reduce cognitive overload, each OT participated in 1 of 2 FP CS: half in the female FP CS and half in the male. Faculty and chiefs led debriefing sessions after all CS. The FP debrief ended with a special “learner as a teacher” part, where OT who attended the female CS taught those from the male CS about their topic and vice versa. The SIM concluded with "take-home" points. Pre (after having WEM) and post SIM anonymous surveys and verbal feedback assessed OT comfort, perceptions, and knowledge. Results: A 3 hour SIM with 14 OT and 5 faculty was completed successfully. SIM ended with all OT verbally sharing a learning point and positive feedback. All OT filled pre and post SIM surveys. Pre SIM, 17% reported having prior FP education, and 42% had prior TPP education. However, only 8% and 25% felt adequately prepared for FP and TPP discussions, respectively. Post SIM survey showed major improvement in comfort and knowledge about FP and TPP (see table 1). 75% of OT favored a combination of SIM and learning by teaching over other SIM formats. 83% supported having a TPP lecture before SIM. 100% reported satisfaction with FP and TPP SIM’s quality and wanted similar activities in the future. 92% were satisfied with the learner as a teacher tool. 100% felt education about FP and TPP with cancer should be part of fellowship training. Moral/cultural concerns were discussed as possible challenges in FP education. Conclusions: The application of LSP through SIM significantly increased OTs’ comfort discussing FP and TPP with cancer, and objectively enhanced their knowledge on these topics compared to after reading WEM. The SIM was largely perceived as a successful activity to educate about challenging topics and should become part of fellowship curriculum. Pre SIM % Post SIM % Comfortable addressing FP 17 92 Comfortable addressing TPP 8 100 Correct answers about female FP 63 83 Correct answers about male FP 67 94 Correct answers about TPP with cancer 68 98
Assessment of survival and role of chemotherapy in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma: Insights from SEER Database (2000–2021).
Correia, Guilherme Sacchi de Camargo, Wolf, Emily, Tawfiq, Reema, Li, Shenduo , Lou, Yanyan , Zhao, Yujie , Kuhlman, Justin J. , Rao, Sarika , Manochakian, Rami

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e16610 Get It

e16610 Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare malignancy with an incidence of 1-2 per million per year. The optimal treatment remains unclear as does the benefit of chemotherapy (chemo) in patients (pts) with resectable ACC. Methods: The SEER database (2000–2021) was used to identify ACC pts > 18 years. Variables of interest included age, race, household income, rural-urban classification, stage, chemo, radiation therapy (RT), and surgery. Statistical analyses were conducted using ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis, and Kaplan-Meier methods to compare survival outcomes according to variables of interest. Results: Of the 2,598 pts identified, 1,564 (60%) were female. The majority of pts (85%) were white, followed by black (9%). Most pts (87%) resided in metropolitan areas. Pts with localized, regional, or distant metastatic disease comprised 25%, 17% and 36% of the group, respectively. 40% of pts underwent radical or total surgical removal of the primary site disease while 9%, 2%, and 1% underwent partial surgical removal, excision, or debulking surgery, respectively, and 30% did not undergo surgery. 34% of pts received chemo and 8% received RT. The median overall survival (mOS) for the entire cohort was 15 months (m) (95% CI: 14–17 m). No significant differences in OS were observed among pts of different races or household incomes. Distant metastatic disease was significantly associated with worse mortality when compared with regional or localized diseases (mOS: 5 m vs. 20 m vs 60.6 m, respectively, p < 0.001). Surgical intervention of any kind was associated with longer survival when compared to those who did not undergo surgery (18 m vs. 3 m, HR 0.33, p < 0.0001). Among the 971 pts with distant metastatic disease, pts who received chemo had a superior mOS compared to those who did not receive chemo or with unknown chemo status (8 m vs. 2 m, p < 0.0001). This OS advantage remained significant even after excluding pts who underwent surgery (5 m vs. 2 m, p < 0.0001). While chemo was also associated with longer mOS (29 m vs. 27 m, p < 0.0001) in localized disease, this survival advantage was not present in pts with localized disease managed with surgery (27 m vs. 27 m, p = 0.061). Although chemo was associated with numerically longer mOS in pts with regional disease, the difference was not significant. Conclusions: ACC with distant metastatic disease carries a poor prognosis yet demonstrates superior survival in pts who receive chemo. Surgery is associated with better survival outcomes, but there is no additive benefit from chemo in those with localized disease managed with surgical resection.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in thymic epithelial tumors (TET): A real world assessment of efficacy and toxicity.
Correia, Guilherme Sacchi de Camargo, Tawfiq, Reema, Lou, Yanyan , Zhao, Yujie , Li, Shenduo , Ernani, Vinicius , Parikh, Kaushal , Manochakian, Rami

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: No page available

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.e20141 Get It

e20141 Background: TET are rare and challenging entities in clinical practice. Prospective trials in thymoma and thymic carcinoma (TC) are scarce. Limited number of small trials investigated the role of ICI in TET, and showed some clinical efficacy, but also with immune related adverse events (irAE). Guidelines list ICI as a treatment option in the 2 nd line, although no FDA approval was granted. Aside from the small trials, there is limited real world data about the efficacy and toxicity of ICI in TET. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of the medical records of all patients (pts) with TET who were treated with ICI between 3/25/2011 and 11/30/2024 at 5 Mayo Clinic sites. We collected data about baseline characteristics, diagnosis, irAE, and outcomes. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate median progression free survival (mPFS), and hazard ratio (HR) with Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: 30 pts were included, 28 diagnosed with TC, and 2 with malignant thymoma. 70% of pts were male. Median age at time of diagnosis was 61 years (range: 15 to 82), and median ECOG at the time of diagnosis was 0. 29 pts received Pembrolizumab, and one received Durvalumab. Prior to ICI, 86.67% of patients received chemotherapy. 70% of pts discontinued ICI use, 60% due to progression, and 10% due to irAE. Overall response rate (ORR) was 23.33%, with 3.33% complete response, and 20% partial response. Disease control rate (DCR) was 63.33%. The mPFS was 10.13 months. At the time of analysis 60% of pts were still alive. 40% of patients had irAE. While the two patients with thymoma experienced irAE, only 33.33% of those with TC had these events. 26.67% of pts had thyroiditis. Pancreatitis, pneumonitis, dermatitis, and encephalitis each occurred in 3.33% of pts. The median time to irAE onset was 75 days. 25% of irAE were grade 1, 66.67% grade 2, 0% grade 3, and 8.33% grade 4, represented by the case of encephalitis. Resolution of irAE occurred in 33.33% of cases. When stratified according to the occurrence of irAE, the mPFS was the same in both groups, with or without irAE, being 10.13 months, HR=0.99 (95% CI 0.39 – 2.54). Conclusions: In this real-world cohort of pts with TET, efficacy of ICI matched what has been previously reported, with similar ORR and DCR, but with longer mPFS. However, irAE incidence was higher, but with less grade 3/4 events. Differently than what has been suggested in other diseases, irAE occurrence did not correlate with better outcomes. These results validate the role of ICI in the treatment of TET, especially TC. Nonetheless, improving patient selection, and developing other therapeutic strategies, including combinations of ICI and other drugs, for these malignancies remain essential. Importantly, the high incidence of irAE indicates that future investigations must also focus on safety of interventions and supportive care in TET.
Clinical Utilization and Outcomes of Hypomethylating Agents and Venetoclax in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome - a Multicenter Retrospective Analysis
Ball, Somedeb , Feld, Jonathan , Haddadin, Michael , Hawkins, Hayley, Guerra, Veronica , Dworkin, Emily , Tawfiq, Reema, Dulak, Dominika, Feng, Amber , Cotte, Christina , Cohen‐Nowak, Adam , Shukla, Asmita, Winer, Eric S. , Foucar, Charles , Shallis, Rory M. , Im, Annie , Szabo, Aniko, Murthy, Guru Subramanian Guru , Abboud, Ramzi , Patel, Shyam A. , Kishtagari, Ashwin , Balasubramanian, Suresh , Abaza, Yasmin , Lin, Chenyu , Badar, Talha , Patel, Anand , Atallah, Ehab

Blood | December 6, 2024 | Volume: 144 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 3206-3206

10.1182/blood-2024-211623 Get It

Background: Hypomethylating agents (HMA) with venetoclax (VEN) have shown encouraging clinical efficacy in single arm clinical trials for patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (Garcia JS et al. ASH 2023, Zeidan AM et al. Am J Hematol. 2023). Many centers have started utilizing HMA-VEN in the clinical management of MDS due to unmet need, pending results of the ongoing phase 3 randomized clinical trial (VERONA) using this combination. However, real world studies with large sample size investigating the use of these agents in MDS, practice patterns and clinical outcomes are lacking. Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective study of 13 US academic medical centers. We included contemporary cohorts of adults (age≥18 years) with MDS who were treated with upfront combination of HMA-VEN, upfront HMA monotherapy, or VEN added after inadequate response or progression on HMA (post-HMA failure VEN). Outcomes analyzed includes clinical response, adverse events (AE) of interest, dose administration and survival. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline characteristics. Overall survival and event free survival (EFS: progression, leukemic transformation, death as events) analysis was conducted using Kaplan-Meier method. Determinants of outcomes were analyzed using multivariable regression models. All analyses were conducted at a significance level of p&lt;0.05. Results: Among 454 patients included, 258 patients received VEN in combination with HMA [upfront HMA-VEN (n=175), post-HMA failure VEN (n=83)] and 196 patients received HMA monotherapy. Median age was 69 (59-77) years and majority of patients had MDS with excess blasts (75%), high risk (31.9%) or very-high (41.8%) risk disease by IPSS-R, 23.7% had therapy related disease, 33% had deletion17p or TP53 mutation and 40.9% underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. VEN was predominantly started in outpatient setting (78.6%) with tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) prophylaxis and VEN doses ranged from 70-400mg, adjusted for concomitant antifungal drugs. Incidence of TLS was minimal (No TLS- 92.9%, lab-only TLS 6.2%, 1 pt with clinical TLS). Neutropenic fever was the main AE noted [upfront VEN-HMA (34.2%), HMA monotherapy (22.5%), post-HMA VEN (44.5%)]. In the upfront setting, response rate was significantly higher with HMA-VEN than HMA monotherapy (CR: 33% vs 12%; marrow CR: 40% vs 27%, p&lt;.001). VEN given in the post HMA failure setting also resulted in encouraging response rates (CR 10%, marrow CR 32%). After adjusting for covariates in multivariable analysis, patients treated with HMA-VEN in the upfront setting had significantly improved event free survival as compared to HMA monotherapy (HR 0.59, HR 0.44-0.78, p&lt;0.01), but overall survival did not reach statistical significance (overall survival HR 0.77, 95%CI 0.57-1.04, p=0.08). Conclusions: In this large multicenter retrospective analysis from US academic medical centers, we found that VEN in combination with HMA resulted in encouraging clinical outcomes and was effectively administered in the outpatient setting with minimal TLS. Infection risk management and supportive measures would be important to improve the ability to use this treatment widely, pending results of the ongoing phase 3 randomized clinical trial. Updated results with additional variables will be available at the main meeting.
Association of Sex, Race and Ethnicity with Clinical Characteristics and Survival Outcomes of Mantle Cell Lymphoma: A National Cancer Database Study
Wang, Jacqueline , Tawfiq, Reema, Okcu, Izel, Ruan, Jia , Martin, Peter , Nowakowski, Grzegorz S. , Wang, Jacqueline F , Tawfiq, Reema K , Okcu, Izel , Zhou, Jihao , Tun, Han W. , Muñoz, Javier , Paludo, Jonas , Moustafa, Muhamad Alhaj , Hwang, Steven R. , Diefenbach, Catherine , Habermann, Thomas M. , Witzig, Thomas E. , Wang, Yucai

Blood | December 5, 2024 | Volume: 144 | Issue: Supplement 1 | Pages: 1637-1637

10.1182/blood-2024-204268 Get It

Background Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is more common in males, with a male to female ratio of approximately 3:1. However, it is unclear whether disease characteristics and survival outcomes differ by sex. Additionally, the impact of race and ethnicity in MCL is understudied due to underrepresentation of minorities in clinical studies and trials. In this study, we utilized the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to examine patient and disease characteristics and survival outcomes of MCL by sex, race and ethnicity. Methods Patients diagnosed with MCL in 2004-2020 were identified from NCDB. Patient and disease characteristics were compared between groups using Chi-squared tests. Overall survival (OS) analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model. Results A total of 35,135 patients was included. The median follow-up was 83.0 months (95% CI 81.9-84.1). 24,980 (71.1%) patients were male and 10,155 (28.9%) were female. Females had more elderly (age ≥65: 65.9% vs 59.0%; p&lt;0.001), lower Charlson-Deyo Score (CDS ≥2: 7.0% vs 8.6%; p&lt;0.001) and fewer stage III-IV diagnoses (80.5% vs 82.6%; p&lt;0.001). Females were less likely to receive upfront treatment (80.7% vs 85.3%; p&lt;0.001), treatment at academic centers (36.8% vs 40.9%; p&lt;0.001) or transplant (11.0% vs 13.7%; p&lt;0.001). Compared to males, females were more likely to live in metropolitan areas (83.7% vs 81.6%; p&lt;0.001), had similar incomes, had more Medicare (60.4% vs 53.1%) and fewer private insurance (33.2% vs 38.6%; p&lt;0.001). Female patients had better OS, with a median OS of 76.0 (95% CI 72.4-79.6) vs 67.8 months (95% CI 65.9-69.6; p&lt;0.001). In the multivariable Cox model adjusting for age, race, ethnicity, CDS, stage, upfront treatment (vs surveillance or no treatment), facility (academic vs nonacademic), transplant, residence (metropolitan vs urban or rural) and insurance, female sex remained associated with superior OS (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.793-0.890; p&lt;0.001). For race, 32,399 (92.2%) patients were White, 1,465 (4.2%) were Black, 942 (2.7%) were others and 329 (0.9%) were unknown. Compared to White patients, Black patients had fewer elderly (52.9% vs 61.7%; p&lt;0.001), higher CDS (≥2: 11.4% vs 7.9%; p&lt;0.001), similar stage III-IV (80.7% vs 82.1%; p=0.276) and upfront treatment (84.7% vs 84.0%; p=0.074), were more likely to be treated at academic centers (50.6% vs 38.9%; p&lt;0.001), were less likely to receive transplant (11.1% vs 13.0%; p=0.042), were more likely to live in metropolitan areas (91.0% vs 81.5%; p&lt;0.001), had lower income, had more uninsured (4.4% vs 2.0%) and Medicaid (9.8% vs 3.7%) and fewer Medicare (47.4% vs 56.0%; p&lt;0.001). Black and White patients had similar OS, with a median of 67.9 (95% CI 57.5-78.2) vs 69.6 months (95% CI 67.8 vs 71.3; p=0.697). In the multivariable Cox model, Black vs White race was not associated with OS (HR 1.086, 95% CI 0.952-1.240; p=0.219). For ethnicity, 31,717 (90.3%) patients were non-Hispanic, 1,894 (5.4%) were Hispanic and 1,534 (4.3%) were unknown. Hispanics had fewer elderly (51.3% vs 61.5%; p&lt;0.001), lower CDS (≥2: 6.4% vs 8.2%; p=0.018), similar stage III-IV (81.2% vs 82.1%; p=0.467), were more likely to receive upfront treatment (86.0% vs 83.9%; p&lt;0.001), more likely to be treated at academic centers (49.9% vs 39.5%; p&lt;0.001), equally likely to receive transplant (13.0% vs 13.1%; p=0.943), more likely to live in metropolitan areas (95.4% vs 81.6%; p&lt;0.001), had lower income, had more uninsured (9.6% vs 1.8%) and Medicaid (15.2% vs 9.6%) and fewer Medicare (40.3% vs 55.9%; p&lt;0.001). Hispanics had better OS, with a median OS of 84.4 (95% CI 71.7-97.1) vs 70.5 months (95% CI 68.7-72.2; p&lt;0.001). However, in the multivariable Cox model, Hispanic ethnicity was not associated with OS (HR 0.952, 95% CI 0.839-1.080; p=0.448). Conclusion This study is the first of its scale to demonstrate that female MCL patients have superior survival outcomes compared to males. It also demonstrated that neither Black race nor Hispanic ethnicity appears to be associated with worse survival outcomes. Despite its size, the NCDB is limited in the treatment information and disease characteristics it provides, including MIPI score, Ki-67, blastoid/pleomorphic morphology, and TP53 status. Thus, additional real-world dataset studies are needed to gain a deeper understanding of potential differences in sex, race and ethnicity with regards to disease characteristics and survival outcomes.