Back to Authors

Ballman, Karla V.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4492-0357

Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic

Citations 198

Safety and efficacy of the ShangRing for early infant male circumcision in the routine clinical setting
Calderon, Lina Posada , Ho, Kaylee, Barone, Mark A. , Awori, Quentin , Ouma, Daniel, Oketch, Jairus, Christensen, Alice, Hellar, Augustino , Makokha, Maende, Isangu, Alphonce, Salim, Robert, Lija, Jackson, Gray, Ronald H. , Kiboneka, Stephen, Anok, Aggrey , Kigozi, Godfrey , Nakabuye, Regina, Ddamulira, Charles, Odiya, Silas, Goldstein, Marc , Li, Philip S. , Lee, Richard K. , Posada Calderon, Lina , Basourakos, Spyridon P. , Hellar, Augustino , Ballman, Karla V.

BMJ Global Health | September 25, 2025 | Volume: 10 | Issue: 9 | Pages: e017903

10.1136/bmjgh-2024-017903 Get It

Introduction Male circumcision (MC) has been shown to decrease transmission of HIV and is a critical strategy to decrease its incidence in countries with high rates of heterosexually transmitted HIV. Early infant MC (EIMC), with single-use MC devices, could increase rates of MC in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective was to determine the safety, efficacy and satisfaction of ShangRing EIMC in resource-constrained environments. Methods Healthy male infants aged 1–60 days underwent ShangRing EIMC performed by non-physician clinicians in 14 sites in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. The primary outcomes were the safety and efficacy of ShangRing EIMC. Secondary outcomes were pain related to the procedure, wound healing and parental satisfaction. Male infants were assessed at discharge and on postoperative days 7 and 28 for wound healing and complications. This trial is registered with Clinical.Trials.gov, NCT03338699 , and is complete. Results From the 1697 participants enrolled from February to November 2020, 1691 (99.6%) underwent ShangRing EIMC. Median duration of the procedure was 10 min (IQR 6–13). The mean Neonatal Infant Pain Scale 20 min postprocedure was 0.3 (SD 0.8), indicating no pain. At the time of discharge, 1679 (99.0%) participants had a normal-appearing wound and 1574 (93.1%) demonstrated complete wound healing at 28 days. A total of 17 (1.0%) AEs were reported, most related to bleeding. A total of 1635 (99.1%) of parents were satisfied with the appearance of the circumcised penis at 28 days. Conclusion ShangRing EIMC is a simple and successful MC method that non-physician clinicians can perform safely, with low AE rate, satisfactory wound healing and high satisfaction rate among parents. This indicates that the ShangRing EIMC can be considered a long-term strategic approach to accelerate the scale-up of MC in Sub-Saharan Africa. Trial registration number NCT03338699 .
Impact of a Weight Loss Intervention on 1-Year Weight Change in Women With Stage II/III Breast Cancer
Ligibel, Jennifer A. , McCall, Linda, Goodwin, Pamela J. , Bernstein, Vanessa , Delahanty, Linda M. , Hahn, Olwen, Hopkins, Judith O. , Irwin, Melinda L. , Minasian, Lori M. , Nebeling, Linda , Neuhouser, Marian L., Paskett, Electra D., Spears, Patricia A. , Stearns, Vered, Thomson, Cynthia A. , Weiss, Anna , White, Julia , Wadden, Thomas A., Hudis, Clifford A. , Ballman, Karla V. , Alfano, Catherine M. , Crane, Tracy E. , Frank, Elizabeth S. , Hershman, Dawn L. , Mayer, Erica L. , Paskett, Electra D. , Winer, Eric P. , Partridge, Ann H. , Carey, Lisa A.

JAMA Oncology | August 21, 2025 | Volume: 11 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 1194

10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.2738 Get It

Importance Obesity is associated with a higher risk of recurrence, mortality, comorbidities, treatment-related adverse effects, and poor quality of life in patients with breast cancer. Scalable interventions are needed to promote weight loss in this population. Objective To evaluate the impact of a remotely delivered weight loss intervention (WLI) on weight change at 1 year in patients with breast cancer and obesity and to explore factors associated with weight change. Design, Setting, and Participants The Breast Cancer Weight Loss trial is a phase 3, randomized clinical trial evaluating the impact of a telephone-based WLI on invasive disease–free survival and other outcomes in women with obesity and early breast cancer at 637 sites across the US and Canada. Participants were enrolled to the study between August 2016 and February 2021. Participants included women with stage II to III, ERBB2 -negative breast cancer and a body mass index (BMI) of 27 or higher. Interventions Participants were randomized to a 2-year, telephone-based WLI plus health education or health education alone control group. Main Outcome and Measures The primary end point for this prespecified secondary analysis was weight change at 1 year. Weight was measured at baseline and 1 year, and changes in weight were compared between groups. Weight change was evaluated with a linear mixed-effects model including treatment group, weight over time, a time-by-group interaction, menopausal status, race and ethnicity, and hormone receptor status. Results A total of 3180 women with breast cancer and BMI of 27 and higher were included in the study; 1591 were randomized to the WLI and 1589 to the control group. At baseline, the mean (SD) age of participants was 53.4 (10.6), and the mean (SD) BMI was 34.4 (5.6). The racial and ethnic breakdown included 406 (12.8%) Black, 231 (7.3%) Hispanic or Latino, 2906 (91.4%) non-Hispanic, and 2555 (80.3%) White participants. WLI participants lost a mean of 4.3 kg (95% CI 3.9-4.6 kg), or 4.7% (95% CI, 4.3%-5.0%) of baseline body weight at 1 year vs control participants, who gained 0.9 kg (95% CI, 0.5-1.3 kg), or 1.0% (95% CI 0.1%-1.4%) of baseline body weight ( P < .001). Participants randomized to WLI experienced significant weight loss (vs control group participants) across demographic and tumor factors. WLI effect differed significantly by menopausal status, with postmenopausal participants having greater weight loss than premenopausal participants, and by race and ethnicity, with Black and Hispanic participants having less weight loss compared to other races and ethnicities. Conclusions and Relevance In this secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial, a telephone-based WLI induced significant weight loss in patients with breast cancer with overweight and obesity across demographic and treatment factors. Further follow-up of the Breast Cancer Weight Loss trial will evaluate whether the WLI improves disease outcomes. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02750826
ETCTN 10563: A phase I study of peposertib and liposomal doxorubicin for advanced or metastatic leiomyosarcoma and other sarcomas.
Schuetze, Scott M. , Chen, Alice P. , Jonczak, Emily , Tine, Brian Andrew Van, Gore, Steven , Fletcher, Jonathan A., Haddox, Candace L. , Ballman, Karla V. , Nassif, Elise F. , Burgess, Melissa , Cavalcante, Ludimila , George, Suzanne

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

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.tps11585 Get It

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.
SARC044: A phase II trial of bezuclastinib in combination with sunitinib in patients with GIST who progressed on sunitinib monotherapy.
Bialick, Steven , Jacene, Heather A. , Shah, Hina, Okuno, Scott H. , Fletcher, Jonathan A. , Wagner, Andrew J. , Haddox, Candace L. , Ballman, Karla V. , Mehren, Margaret von , Heinrich, Michael C. , Crompton, Brian D.

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

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.tps11579 Get It

TPS11579 Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are commonly driven by mutations in the receptor tyrosine kinase KIT . Resistance to approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) arises from additional KIT mutations in the ATP-binding pocket (AP) and activation loop (AL). No single approved TKI broadly suppresses all resistant clones, and overlapping VEGFR inhibition and toxicity limits TKI combinations. The type I TKI bezuclastinib (“BEZ,” CGT9486) inhibits KIT AL resistance mutations, does not inhibit VEGFR, and has complimentary activity with sunitinib (“SUN,” inhibitor of KIT AP resistance mutations). The first-in-human study (PLX121-01) and ongoing Peak trial (NCT05208047) evaluated BEZ+SUN showing promising safety and efficacy in GIST. SARC044 investigates BEZ+SUN in patients (pts) with SUN-resistant, KIT-mutant GIST, and correlatives aim to determine mechanisms of response and resistance (NCT06208748). Methods: SARC044 is a multi-center, open label, single-arm phase II trial enrolling up to 40 adult pts with KIT exon 9 or 11-mutant GIST resistant to imatinib and SUN. After TKI washout (baseline, “b/l”), pts initiate BEZ 600 mg daily for 2 weeks, then add SUN 37.5 mg daily, taking both drugs continuously (28-day cycles) until mRECISTv1.1 progression or unmanageable toxicity. Response evaluations (RE) are performed every 8 weeks (wk) through 15 months (mo) on study, then every 12 wk. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is collected at b/l, cycle 1 day 15 (C1D15), C2D1, C3D1, and progression. Targeted exome sequencing (TES) of ctDNA will track primary/resistant KIT mutation dynamics across therapy. 18 FDG PET/CTs are performed in 20 pts at b/l, C1D15, and C2D1, which guide a biopsy of a resistant tumor. TES, allele-specific and long-read PCR (to detect AP+AL mutation phasing), and immunoblotting (evaluating KIT pathway activation) will be performed on tissue. EORTC QLQ-C30 surveys collect pt-reported outcomes (PRO) at b/l, on treatment, and at progression. The primary endpoint is median progression-free survival (mPFS) and secondary endpoints include overall survival at 1 and 2 years, clinical benefit rate at 16 wk, adverse event rate, PRO, and KIT mutation profile in ctDNA and tissue. 35 evaluable pts achieves 83% power (p<0.05, one-sided) in a one-sample log-rank test to detect a mPFS of 6.5 mo vs 4 mo (historic control). Expected accrual is 12 mo across 4 sites in the United States with ~36 mo to study completion. Clinical trial information: NCT06208748 .
Proposed changes to the pathologic staging for colon cancer (CC): AJCC Colon Cancer Expert Panel (AJCCCCEP).
Chang, George J. , Pederson, Levi , Asare, Elliot A. , Cohen, Romain , Palis, Bryan E., Shi, Chanjuan , Steele, Scott, Goldberg, Richard M. , Cohen, Romain , Shi, Qian , Jin, Zhaohui , Meyerhardt, Jeffrey A. , André, Thierry , Tie, Jeanne , Dixon, Jesse G. , Ballman, Karla V. , Yothers, Greg , Ma, Zeliang , Alberts, Steven R. , Washington, Mary Kay , Taı̈eb, Julien

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 3520-3520

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.3520 Get It

3520 Background: Recent analyses highlight nonhierarchical outcomes using the 8 th Edition AJCC staging system for CC. For instance, the 5-year survival rate for stages I and IIIa patients (pts) closely align. Additionally, tumor deposits (TDs) have been established as significant prognostic indicators. The AJCCCCEP commissioned this study to develop an updated pathological staging system for CC focused specifically on pts without distant metastasis (M0), while retaining the existing stage IV classification. Methods: Individual patient data (IPD) from pts diagnosed with cc (2010- 2017) in the NCDB were divided into training (70%) and internal validation (30%) datasets. External validation used IPD from clinical trials. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Risk classification development for M0 pts incorporated ungrouped data on pathologic T categories, the number of involved regional lymph nodes (LN+), and TD counts. Recursive partitioning and regression tree analyses were applied to construct hierarchical staging levels. Pre-specified criteria required survival probabilities to be consecutive and show clear separations using Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimates with pairwise log-rank test P of < 0.005 for the training and < 0.05 for validation analyses. Results: Data from 281,997 pts (median age 67 years, 50% male, 81% white, 55% T3, 19% T4, 44% N+, 26% M+, and 11% with ≥1 TD) were analyzed, with a median follow-up of 7.3 years. The updated staging system (Table) met pre-specified criteria, with all observed pairwise P < 0.0001 in the development and internal validation sets. KM OS curves displayed a hierarchical separation across all sub-levels after the 1 st year of diagnosis. Consistent results were seen in pts treated with adjuvant chemotherapy in 4 trials (all pair-wise P < 0.0001). Conclusions: The proposed pathological staging system for M0 pts fulfills pre-specified criteria for hierarchical risk stratification, validated both internally and externally, and provides an evidence-based update. Pending review process, the AJCCCCEP will recommend that these changes be made to the Version 9 staging protocol for colon cancer to improve prognostication for CC pts. Stage T, # of LN+, # of TD M % of pts 1y OS (CI), % 3y OS (CI), % 5y OS (CI), % I T1, 0, 0 0 5 96 (95-97) 91 (90-92) 84 (83-86) IIa T2, 0, 0 0 10 95 (94-95) 88 (88-89) 80 (79-81) IIb T1, 0, 1+T1, 1+, 0T2, 0, 1+T2, 1-4, 0T3, 0, 0 0 27 93 (92-93) 84 (84-85) 75 (75-76) IIIa T1, 1+, 1+T2, 1-4, 1+T2, 5+, 0T3, 0, 1+T3, 1-4, 0 0 14 92 (91-92) 80 (80-81) 71 (70-72) IIIb T2, 5+, 1+T3, 1-4, 1+T3, 5+, 0T4a, 0-4, 0T4b, 0-2, 0 0 13 86 (86-87) 69 (68-70) 58 (57-59) IIIc T3, 5+, 1+T4a, 0-4, 1+T4a, 5+, anyT4b, 0-2, 1+T4b, 3+, any 0 5 78 (77-80) 53 (51-54) 40 (38-41) IVa Any 1a 19 59 (58-60) 28 (28-29) 17 (16-18) IVb Any 1b 7 43 (42-44) 14 (13-14) 6 (6-7) CI: 95% confidence internal; Peritoneum involvement data were not available before 2018 in NCDB. Thus, IVa/b were based on 7 th Edition.
Intervention adherence, engagement and tool utilization in the breast cancer weight loss (BWEL) trial by race and ethnicity (Alliance A011401).
Odai-Afotey, Ashley, McCall, Linda, Bernstein, Vanessa , Delahanty, Linda M. , Hopkins, Judith O. , Spears, Patricia A. , Stearns, Vered, Weiss, Anna, White, Julia , Ligibel, Jennifer A. , Odai-Afotey, Ashley A , Ballman, Karla V. , Cao, Chao , Goodwin, Pamela J. , Hershman, Dawn L. , Mayer, Erica L. , Paskett, Electra D. , Wadden, Thomas A. , Winer, Eric P. , Carey, Lisa A. , Partridge, Ann H.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 1586-1586

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.1586 Get It

1586 Background: Black and Hispanic breast cancer (BC) survivors have a higher prevalence of obesity and experience less success with weight loss interventions (WLI) than White BC survivors. The BWEL trial (Alliance A011401; NCT02750826) is a phase III randomized trial evaluating the impact of a 2-year telephone-based WLI on invasive disease-free survival in participants (pts) with stage II-III HER2-negative BC and a BMI ≥ 27 kg/m 2 . At 12-months, the WLI induced significant weight loss across demographic factors, including race and ethnicity. However, Black and Hispanic pts lost less weight and completed fewer calls than White pts. Here, we evaluate intervention adherence, engagement and tool utilization in BWEL pts by race and ethnicity. Methods: BWEL randomized pts to a WLI plus health education (HE) or HE alone. WLI pts received semi-structured telephone-based health coaching, delivered in English or Spanish, and received an activity monitor and wireless scale. Pts self-reported race and ethnicity. Mean values for call duration, call density (time to complete the initial 12-week intensive intervention phase), intervention attrition, and frequency of Fitbit use and weight tracking over 12-months were compared by race and ethnicity, comparing least squares means with Tukey-Kramer adjustment for multiple comparisons with adjusted p-values. Results: Of 3181 pts randomized to the study between 08/2016 and 02/2021, 1591 pts were allocated to the WLI arm. 80.5% of pts were White, 12.8% Black, and 7.1% Hispanic. Average BMI was 34.5 (±5.7) kg/m2. Compared to White pts, Black pts had fewer days of Fitbit usage (113.6 vs. 159.8, p<0.0001) and weight tracking (77.9 vs. 135.6 days, p< 0.0001). Hispanic pts had fewer days of Fitbit usage (108.8 vs. 154.9, p= 0.001) and weight tracking (87 vs. 129.5 days, p=0.0002) compared to non-Hispanic pts. There were no differences in attrition rate, average call duration, or call density by race or ethnicity. Conclusions: In a phase III WLI trial, engagement with tools designed to support weight loss was significantly lower in Black and Hispanic pts. Future work is needed to explore ways to enhance engagement and improve weight loss outcomes for racial and ethnic minority pts. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, UG1CA189823; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org . Clinical trial information: NCT02750826 . Measure of engagement Race Ethnicity WhiteN=1281 BlackN=204 p-value Non-HispanicN=1459 HispanicN=113 p-value Withdrew from intervention n (%) 58 (4.5%) 13 (6.4%) 0.56 70 (4.8%) 6 (5.3%) 0.51 Call Duration (min)Mean (SD) 34.5 (7.6) 34.6 (9.1) 0.99 34.6 (7.8) 33.3 (7.9) 0.25 Call density(weeks)Mean (SD) 14.2 (7.2) 14.2 (8.8) 0.99 14.2 (7.3) 14.2 (9.7) 0.99 Days of Fitbit UseMean (SD) 159.8 (132.2) 113.6 (124.7) < 0.0001 154.9 (131.8) 108.8 (125.7) 0.001 Days of weight trackingMean (SD) 135.6 (109.5) 77.9 (87.5) < 0.0001 129.5 (108.8) 87 (96.5) 0.0002
Association of lifestyle factors and pathological characteristics in patients with early breast cancer and overweight/obesity: Results from the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial.
Sposetti, Caterina , McCall, Linda, Weiss, Anna , Thomson, Cynthia A. , Hahn, Olwen, Minasian, Lori M. , Nebeling, Linda , Hopkins, Judith O. , Bernstein, Vanessa , Stearns, Vered, White, Julia , Ligibel, Jennifer A. , Ballman, Karla V. , Goodwin, Pamela J. , Hershman, Dawn L. , Paskett, Electra D. , Mayer, Erica L. , Winer, Eric P. , Partridge, Ann H. , Carey, Lisa A.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 561-561

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.561 Get It

561 Background: Obesity and other lifestyle factors are associated with breast cancer (BC) risk and outcomes. These relationships appear to vary in pre- vs postmenopausal women. Here we explore associations between pathological features, diet quality and physical activity (PA) in patients (pts) with BC enrolled in the BWEL (Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology A011401) trial, stratifying for menopausal status. Methods: BWEL is a phase III trial evaluating the impact of a weight loss intervention on disease outcomes in 3180 pts with stage II-III HER2– BC and body mass index ≥27 kg/m 2 . The first 542 BWEL pts underwent assessment of PA (7-Day PA Recall) and diet (24-hour Diet Recall) at enrollment. Healthy Eating Index 2020 (HEI) score (0-100, higher value = healthier diet) and minutes/week (min/wk) of moderate/vigorous PA (MVPA) were calculated. Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expression level (%) were abstracted from pathology reports. Analyses of links between HEI score, MVPA min/wk, % ER/PR, stratified by menopausal status, were conducted using t-tests; differential associations by menopausal status used linear regression models with interaction term. Results: In 523 pts with available pathology data, 76.5% had ER/PR+ BC, 56.2% were postmenopausal. Median HEI score was 50.1 (range 18.1-96.4), median MVPA min/wk was 0 (range 0-630), median time from diagnosis to enrollment was 10.0 months (range 2.4-13.1). In postmenopausal pts, higher diet quality was linked to increased % ER and PR (HEI above vs below median, mean % ER 78.0 vs 66.1, p=0.012; mean % PR 57.7 vs 43.1, p=0.004). The relationship between HEI score and % ER/PR differed significantly by menopausal status (interaction term of menopausal status and % ER: p=0.006; and % PR: p=0.012); there were no significant associations between HEI scores and % ER/PR in premenopausal pts. There were no significant associations between PA and % ER/PR. Conclusions: Healthier diet was associated with higher % ER and PR in postmenopausal pts with BC, but no relationship was seen in premenopausal pts. These data suggest that lifestyle factors may influence BC pathologic features related to outcomes in older women. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, UG1CA189823, U24CA196171, https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org . Clinical trial information: NCT02750826 . % ER mean (SD) p value % PR mean (SD) p value Post-Menopausal HEI* score≤50.1 [n=134]>50.1 [n=156] 66.1 (43.3)78.0 (36.8) 0.012 43.1 (41.8)57.7 (41.0) 0.004 MVPA † min/wk0 [n=147]≥1 [n=147] 74.5 (39.3)70.3 (41.2) 0.37 50.0 (41.8)53.0 (42.0) 0.41 Pre-Menopausal HEI* score≤50.1 [n=124]>50.1 [n=103] 70.5 (38.5)65.5 (43.0) 0.15 53.5 (41.1)49.1 (43.0) 0.43 MVPA † min/wk0 [n=112]≥1 [n=113] 66.3 (41.0)66.3 (41.2) 0.99 49.5 (41.4)52.6 (42.7) 0.59 *Healthy Eating Index. † Moderate/Vigorous Physical Activity.
Ipilimumab and nivolumab in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mccRCC) treated on the phase 3 PDIGREE (Alliance A031704) trial: Results from Step 1 analysis.
Zhang, Tian , Moon, Helen , Matrana, Marc , Alter, Robert , Tripathi, Abhishek , Yang, Yuanquan , McKay, Rana R. , Kilari, Deepak , Vaishampayan, Ulka N. , Tan, Alan W.C. , George, Daniel J. , Vaishampayan, Ulka , Ballman, Karla V. , McGregor, Bradley A. , Emamekhoo, Hamid , Lam, Elaine T. , Cole, Suzanne , Rose, Tracy L. , Berg, Stephanie , Tan, Alan, Morris, Michael J. , George, Daniel J. , Choueiri, Toni K.

Journal of Clinical Oncology | May 28, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 16_suppl | Pages: 4516-4516

10.1200/jco.2025.43.16_suppl.4516 Get It

4516 Background: Ipilimumab/nivolumab (ipi/nivo) is a standard of care first-line treatment (tx) for patients (pts) with mccRCC; however, ideal timing of subsequent immunotherapy txs are not well defined. We performed an analysis of patients initially treated with ipi/nivo and subsequent cohort assignments on PDIGREE (A031704). Methods: The PDIGREE trial treated pts with IMDC intermediate/poor risk mccRCC with first-line ipi/nivo (Step 1) at NCTN sites (categorized as academic (A), academic regional (R), and community (C)). Subsequent management was based on iRECIST responses at 12 weeks: pts with complete response (CR) received 1-year nivo maintenance; pts with progressive disease (PD) received cabozantinib (cabo) monotherapy, pts with non-CR/non-PD were randomized to nivo with or without cabo (for primary endpoint of overall survival [OS], target sample size was 1175). Enrollment was held when the randomized sample target was reached. Pts with unresolved toxicity at week 22 were managed off protocol. Step 1 pt demographics, assignments into Step 2, and adverse event (AE) data are presented. Descriptive statistics were used, and cohorts were compared using a chi-square test. These data were released with DSMB approval and do not inform the primary OS endpoint (1EP). Results: From May 2019 to May 2024, 1111 pts were enrolled and treated with ipi/nivo. Pt characteristics included median age 64.0 years (range 29.0-86.0); 819 (73.7%) males; White (85.1%), Hispanic (10.4%), Black (4.2%), and American Indian/Native Hawaiian (1.3%); 849 (76.8%) intermediate risk/257 (23.2%) poor risk; 458 (41.2%) at Academic, 113 (10.2%) at Regional, and 540 (48.6%) at Community centers; and 603 (54.3%) with de novo metastases. 364 pts (33%) stopped tx in Step 1: 160 (44%) for AEs, 46 (13%) for PD/clinical PD/suspected PD, 42 (12%) withdrawals, 39 (11%) alternative txs, 37 (10%) deaths on the study, 12 (3%) other complicating disease, 8 (2%) MD decision and 19 (5%) other reasons. Of the 37 deaths, 15 (1.4%) grade 5 SAEs were reported, 6 of which were due to PD. Of 747 (67%) pts registered to Step 2 at 3 months, 9 (1.2%) achieved CR, and 141 (18.9%) pts were assigned to the PD cohort. 597 pts (80%) were randomized for the 1EP, notable with fewer pts with poor risk [(21 vs 27%, p = 0.01] and bone metastases [24.5% vs 34.2%, p = 0.0007] compared to Step 1 pts who discontinued tx. Gr 3/4 tx-related AEs in 314/1093 (29%) evaluable pts included diarrhea/colitis (8%), transaminase elevation (3%), rash (2%), adrenal insufficiency (2%), fatigue (2%), and hypophysitis (1%). Conclusions: The PDIGREE trial enrolled a representative US-based population with mccRCC. Step 1 pt characteristics and associated outcomes with induction ipi/nivo reveal new insights into the tolerability and tx response of 1L ipi/nivo. Clinical trial information: NCT03793166 .
Adjuvant Dose-Dense Chemotherapy in Hormone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer
Metzger, Otto , Ballman, Karla V. , Campbell, Jordan D., Liu, Minetta C. , Ligibel, Jennifer A. , Watson, Mark A. , Chen, Eveline , Du, Lili, Carey, Lisa A. , Kirshner, Jeffrey, Muss, Hyman B. , Hudis, Clifford A. , Metzger Filho, Otto , Ballman, Karla , Campbell, Jordan, Liu, Minetta , Ligibel, Jennifer A , Watson, Mark , Du, Lili , Stover, Daniel G , Carey, Lisa A , Partridge, Ann H , Muss, Hyman , Hudis, Clifford , Winer, Eric , Norton, Larry , Symmans, W Fraser , Stover, Daniel G. , Partridge, Ann H. , Winer, Eric P. , Norton, Larry , Symmans, W. Fraser

Journal of Clinical Oncology | January 2, 2025 | Volume: 43 | Issue: 10 | Pages: 1229-1239

10.1200/jco-24-01875 Get It

PURPOSE In light of evolving evidence that some patients with node-positive estrogen receptor–positive (ER+) disease may receive less benefit from chemotherapy, this study reports 12-year outcomes of the C9741 trial overall, and by the sensitivity to endocrine therapy (SET2,3) test index, a biomarker measuring endocrine transcriptional activity, to identify patients most likely to benefit from dose-dense chemotherapy. METHODS In all, 1,973 patients were randomly assigned to dose-dense versus conventional chemotherapy. Hazard ratios (HRs) for prognosis and for predictive interaction with chemotherapy schedule were estimated from Cox models of long-term disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). SET2,3 was tested on the 682 banked RNA samples from ER+ cancers. RESULTS Dose-dense chemotherapy improved DFS in the overall study population by 23% (HR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.66 to 0.90]) and OS by 20% (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95]); the benefits of dose-dense therapy were seen for ER+ and ER-negative subsets, without significant interaction between treatment arm and ER status. Low SET2,3 status was highly prognostic, but also predicted improved outcomes from dose-dense chemotherapy (interaction P = .0998 for DFS; 0.027 for OS), independent of menopausal status. Specifically, low endocrine transcriptional activity predicted benefit from dose-dense chemotherapy, whereas tumor burden and proliferation-driven signatures for molecular subtype classification did not. CONCLUSION At 12-year follow-up, C9741 confirmed the sustained long-term benefit of adjuvant dose-dense chemotherapy for node-positive breast cancer. SET2,3 identified patients with ER+ breast cancer who benefited from dose-dense chemotherapy, and specifically, this benefit was predicted by low endocrine activity in the cancer, rather than tumor burden, molecular subtype, or menopausal status.
Efficacy of Adding Veliparib to Temozolomide for Patients With MGMT -Methylated Glioblastoma
Kizilbash, Sani H. , Friday, Bret B., Butowski, Nicholas , Mohile, Nimish, Battiste, James , Campian, Jian , Mashru, Sandeep H., Jaeckle, Kurt A. , O’Brien, Barbara , Kabat, Brian, Laack, Nadia L., Hu, Leland , Kumthekar, Priya , Anderson, S. Keith , Dixon, Jesse G. , Kabat, Brian F, Kaufmann, Timothy, Kizilbash, Sani H , Sarkaria, Jann N. , Ballman, Karla V. , Sulman, Erik P. , Giannini, Caterina , Piccioni, David Eric , Drappatz, Jan , Kaufmann, Timothy J. , Ellingson, Benjamin M. , Galanis, Evanthia

JAMA Oncology | October 31, 2024 | Volume: 10 | Issue: 12 | Pages: 1637

10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.4361 Get It

Importance The prognosis for patients with glioblastoma is poor following standard therapy with surgical resection, radiation, temozolomide, and tumor-treating fields. Objectives To evaluate the combination of veliparib and temozolomide in glioblastoma based on preclinical data demonstrating significant chemosensitizing effects of the polyadenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase 1/2 inhibitor veliparib when combined with temozolomide. Design, Setting, and Participants Patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma with MGMT promoter hypermethylation who had completed concomitant radiation and temozolomide were enrolled between December 15, 2014, and December 15, 2018, in this Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology trial. The data for this analysis were locked on April 21, 2023. Interventions Patients were randomized and treated with standard adjuvant temozolomide (150-200 mg/m 2 orally, days 1-5) combined with either placebo or veliparib (40 mg orally, twice daily, days 1-7) for 6 cycles. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point for the phase 3 portion of the trial was overall survival (OS). Results There were 322 patients randomized during the phase 2 accrual period and an additional 125 patients randomized to complete the phase 3 accrual, for a total of 447 patients in the final phase 3 analysis. The median (range) age for patients was 60 (20-85) years and 190 patients (42.5%) were female. The median OS was 24.8 months (90% CI, 22.6-27.7) for the placebo arm and 28.1 months (90% CI, 24.3-33.3) for the veliparib arm ( P = .17). The difference in survival did not meet the prespecified efficacy end point. However, there was a separation of the survival curves that favored the veliparib arm over 24 to 48 months of follow-up. The experimental combination was well tolerated with an acceptable elevation in grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxic effects. Conclusions and Relevance This trial found that adding veliparib to adjuvant temozolomide did not significantly extend OS in patients with newly diagnosed, MGMT -hypermethylated glioblastoma. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02152982