PURPOSE Patients with progressive or recurrent meningiomas have limited systemic therapy options. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) inhibition has a synthetic lethal relationship with NF2 loss. Given the predominance of NF2 mutations in meningiomas, we evaluated the efficacy of GSK2256098, a FAK inhibitor, as part of the first genomically driven phase II study in recurrent or progressive grade 1-3 meningiomas. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients whose tumors screened positively for NF2 mutations were treated with GSK2256098, 750 mg orally twice daily, until progressive disease. Efficacy was evaluated using two coprimary end points: progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS6) and response rate by Macdonald criteria, where PFS6 was evaluated separately within grade-based subgroups: grade 1 versus 2/3 meningiomas. Per study design, the FAK inhibitor would be considered promising in this patient population if either end point met the corresponding decision criteria for efficacy. RESULTS Of 322 patients screened for all mutation cohorts of the study, 36 eligible and evaluable patients with NF2 mutations were enrolled and treated: 12 grade 1 and 24 grade 2/3 patients. Across all grades, one patient had a partial response and 24 had stable disease as their best response to treatment. In grade 1 patients, the observed PFS6 rate was 83% (10/12 patients; 95% CI, 52 to 98). In grade 2/3 patients, the observed PFS6 rate was 33% (8/24 patients; 95% CI, 16 to 55). The study met the PFS6 efficacy end point both for the grade 1 and the grade 2/3 cohorts. Treatment was well tolerated; seven patients had a maximum grade 3 adverse event that was at least possibly related to treatment with no grade 4 or 5 events. CONCLUSION GSK2256098 was well tolerated and resulted in an improved PFS6 rate in patients with recurrent or progressive NF2-mutated meningiomas, compared with historical controls. The criteria for promising activity were met, and FAK inhibition warrants further evaluation for this patient population.
Mayo normative studies: A conditional normative model for longitudinal change on the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and preliminary validation in preclinical Alzheimer's disease
Abstract Introduction The aim of this study was to develop a conditional normative model for Rey's Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) that accounts for practice effects. Methods In our normative sample, robust conditional norms were derived from 1001 cognitively unimpaired (CU) adults ages 50 to 89 who completed the AVLT up to eight times. Linear mixed‐effects models adjusted for baseline performance, prior test exposures, time, demographics, and interaction terms. In our preliminary validation, mean performance on conditional and typical normative scores across two to four completed follow‐up tests in preclinical Alzheimer's disease participants at baseline with positive amyloid and tau positron emission ( n = 27 CU amyloid [A]+tau[T]+) was compared to biomarker negative individuals ( n = 269 CU A–T–). Results AVLT performance using typical norms did not differ across A+T+ and A–T– groups. Conditional norms z‐scores were lower in the A+T+ relative to the A–T– group for 30‐minute recall ( P = .033) and sum of trials ( P = .030). Discussion Conditional normative methods that account for practice effects show promise for identifying longitudinal cognitive decline.
Phase I/randomized phase II trial of TRC105 plus bevacizumab versus bevacizumab in recurrent glioblastoma: North Central Cancer Treatment Group N1174 (Alliance)
Abstract Background Patients with glioblastoma (GBM) have a poor prognosis and limited effective treatment options. Bevacizumab has been approved for treatment of recurrent GBM, but there is questionable survival benefit. Based on preclinical and early clinical data indicating that CD105 upregulation may represent a mechanism of resistance to bevacizumab, we hypothesized that combining bevacizumab with the anti-CD105 antibody TRC105 may improve efficacy in recurrent GBM. Methods Phase I dose-escalation/comparative randomized phase II trial in patients with GBM. During phase I, the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of TRC105 in combination with bevacizumab was determined. In phase II, patients were randomized 1:1 to TRC105 and bevacizumab or bevacizumab monotherapy. Patients received TRC105 (10 mg/kg) weekly and bevacizumab (10 mg/kg) every 2 weeks. Efficacy, as assessed by progression-free survival (PFS), was the primary endpoint; safety, quality of life, and correlative outcomes were also evaluated. Results In total, 15 patients were enrolled in phase I and 101 in phase II; 52 patients were randomized to TRC105 with bevacizumab and 49 to bevacizumab monotherapy. The MTD was determined to be 10 mg/kg TRC105 weekly plus bevacizumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks. An increased occurrence of grade ≥3 adverse events was seen in the combination arm, including higher incidences of anemia. Median PFS was similar in both treatment arms: 2.9 months for combination versus 3.2 months for bevacizumab monotherapy (HR = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.75–1.78, P = .51). Quality of life scores were similar for both treatment arms. Conclusions TRC105 in combination with bevacizumab was well tolerated in patients with recurrent GBM, but no difference in efficacy was observed compared to bevacizumab monotherapy.
CTNI-53. RADIATION TREATMENT VOLUMES BEFORE AND AFTER BRAF/MEK THERAPY IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED PAPILLARY CRANIOPHARYNGIOMAS: A CORRELATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ALLIANCE A071601 PHASE II TRIAL
Abstract PURPOSE Standard of care for craniopharyngiomas is surgery with or without radiotherapy (RT). Cohort A of Alliance A071601 evaluated the efficacy of BRAF/MEK inhibition with vemurafenib/cobimetinib in patients with previously untreated papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCP), which carry the BRAF V600E mutation. Cohort B is currently enrolling patients with recurrence after RT. In a correlative analysis, we examined changes in RT volumes after BRAF/MEK therapy in Cohort A. METHODS Previously unirradiated patients with BRAF-mutated PCP were treated with vemurafenib/cobimetinib. Sixteen patients had scans available before starting vemurafenib/cobimetinib (“pre-therapy”) and after completing therapy (“post-therapy”). Two patients went off study treatment after 8 and 9 days due to side-effects and were excluded for this analysis. Gross target volumes (GTV) were contoured on pre-therapy and post-therapy scans. On post-therapy scans, an additional target comprising gross disease and at-risk regions for microscopic residual disease (GTV-micro) was defined and considered the treatment volume. Clinical target volume (CTV) was a 5-mm uniform expansion on pre-therapy GTV and post-therapy GTV-micro. Volumes were independently reviewed by two radiation oncologists. Changes in volumes from pre- versus post-therapy were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULTS In 14 patients evaluated, 57% were female and median age at enrollment was 49.5 years (range 33-83). Median time on treatment was 8.9 months (range 4.0-18.0). Median GTV pre-therapy was 3.8 mL (range 0.2-23.4) versus 0.3 mL (range 0.0-3.2) post-therapy (p=0.0001) and 1.7 mL (range 0.1-8.0) post-therapy GTV-micro (p=0.0001). Median CTV pre-therapy was 13.7 mL (range 2.8-51.8) versus 9.1 mL (range 2.2-27.5) post-therapy (p=0.0001). All tumors abutted the optic chiasm pre-therapy, only 6 did post-therapy. CONCLUSIONS Vemurafenib/cobimetinib resulted in smaller RT volumes. BRAF/MEK inhibitors could reduce RT volumes and spare dose to surrounding normal structures. Enrollment to Cohort B of Alliance A071601 should be considered for patients with recurrent tumors after RT. SUPPORT https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org
Randomized Phase II Study of PET Response–Adapted Combined Modality Therapy for Esophageal Cancer: Mature Results of the CALGB 80803 (Alliance) Trial
PURPOSE To evaluate the use of early assessment of chemotherapy responsiveness by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to tailor therapy in patients with esophageal and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma. METHODS After baseline PET, patients were randomly assigned to an induction chemotherapy regimen: modified oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil (FOLFOX) or carboplatin-paclitaxel (CP). Repeat PET was performed after induction; change in maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) from baseline was assessed. PET nonresponders (< 35% decrease in SUV) crossed over to the alternative chemotherapy during chemoradiation (50.4 Gy/28 fractions). PET responders (≥ 35% decrease in SUV) continued on the same chemotherapy during chemoradiation. Patients underwent surgery at 6 weeks postchemoradiation. Primary end point was pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in nonresponders after switching chemotherapy. RESULTS Two hundred forty-one eligible patients received Protocol treatment, of whom 225 had an evaluable repeat PET. The pCR rates for PET nonresponders after induction FOLFOX who crossed over to CP (n = 39) or after induction CP who changed to FOLFOX (n = 50) was 18.0% (95% CI, 7.5 to 33.5) and 20% (95% CI, 10 to 33.7), respectively. The pCR rate in responders who received induction FOLFOX was 40.3% (95% CI, 28.9 to 52.5) and 14.1% (95% CI, 6.6 to 25.0) in responders to CP. With a median follow-up of 5.2 years, median overall survival was 48.8 months (95% CI, 33.2 months to not estimable) for PET responders and 27.4 months (95% CI, 19.4 months to not estimable) for nonresponders. For induction FOLFOX patients who were PET responders, median survival was not reached. CONCLUSION Early response assessment using PET imaging as a biomarker to individualize therapy for patients with esophageal and esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma was effective, improving pCR rates in PET nonresponders. PET responders to induction FOLFOX who continued on FOLFOX during chemoradiation achieved a promising 5-year overall survival of 53%.
Alliance A071601: Phase II trial of BRAF/MEK inhibition in newly diagnosed papillary craniopharyngiomas.
2000 Background: Craniopharyngiomas, a rare brain tumor along the pituitary-hypothalamic axis, can cause significant clinical sequelae. Surgery and radiation, the only effective treatments, can cause significant morbidity. Genetic analysis of craniopharyngiomas revealed that 95% of papillary craniopharyngiomas (PCP) have BRAF V600E mutations (Brastianos et al. Nature Genetics 2014). We evaluated the efficacy of BRAF/MEK inhibition in patients (pts) with previously untreated PCP. Methods: Eligible pts without prior radiation whose PCP screened positively for BRAF mutations were treated with oral vemurafenib/cobimetinib in 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint of response rate (RR) based on centrally determined volumetric data was evaluated in 16 pts, where a partial response was defined as >20% decrease in volume. This single arm, Simon two-stage phase 2 trial had 89% power to detect a true RR of at least 30% (vs. the null RR 5%; alpha=0.04). In this design, 3 or more observed volumetric responses in 16 evaluable pts would be considered promising activity. Results: In the 16 pts evaluated, 56% were female, and the median age was 49.5 years. Median follow-up was 22 months (95% CI: 16-26.5) and median number of treatment cycles was 8. Three patients progressed after therapy was discontinued and none have died. Based on volumetric response criteria, 14 of 15 pts with volumetric data available for central review had response to therapy (93%; 95% CI: 68% to 99.8%). Of 16 patients evaluable based on local review, 15 had response to therapy (93.75%; 95% CI: 70% to 99.8%). The median tumor reduction was -83% (range: -52% to -99%). The one nonresponder received 2 days of treatment before coming off therapy due to toxicity. Median progression-free survival was not reached. Grade 3 toxicities at least possibly related to treatment occurred in 12 pts (rash in 6 pts). Grade 4 toxicities were observed in two pts: hyperglycemia (n=1) and increased CPK (n=1). Three pts discontinued treatment for adverse events. Conclusions: Vemurafenib/cobimetinib resulted in an objective response in all pts who received 1 or more cycles of therapy. Our study indicates that BRAF/MEK inhibitors could be a powerful tool in the treatment of previously untreated PCP and warrants further evaluation in larger studies. A second arm of this study is enrolling pts with progressive PCP after prior radiotherapy. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882; U24CA196171, U10CA180868 (NRG); Genentech; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org. Clinical trial information: NCT03224767.
Alliance A151804: Establishment of a national biorepository to advance studies of immune-related adverse events.
TPS3154 Background: Immune-related Adverse Events (irAEs) are rare but serious sequelae of treatment with immuno-oncology (IO) therapeutics. These therapeutics, including monoclonal antibodies targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), have had transformative effects on outcomes for patients (pts) with advanced cancers. Although most pts tolerate the therapies well, a few experience irAEs ranging in severity up to life-threatening. These irAEs involve diverse organs including the heart, kidney, liver and lung, and gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, central and peripheral nervous systems. Because of the relatively low incidence and wide variety of irAEs due to various immunotherapies for multiple tumor types, establishment of an efficient centralized repository for acquisition and organized distribution of well-annotated biospecimens is vital for translational studies that improve understanding of the molecular pathogenesis and treatment of these significant toxicities. Methods: This multi-institutional study is open at sites across the National Clinical Trial Network to pts who received ≥ 1 IO therapeutics (e.g., CTLA-4, PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor) and experienced 1) ≥ 1 serious (grade 3–5) adverse events that are likely immune-related, 2) rare infection or 3) tumor hyperprogression. IrAEs of interest include myocarditis, colitis, hepatitis, nephritis, myositis, pneumonitis, meningitis/encephalitis, dermatitis, endocrinopathies and neuropathy. Pts may be on an NCTN or non-NCTN IO trial or be receiving standard-of-care therapy. Registration must occur ≤ 72 hours after confirmation of the irAE event. Clinical data are collected at registration, 1 month after registration and for up to 1 year. Biospecimens (tumor blocks, biopsies of inflammatory tissues used to establish irAE diagnosis, and serial blood samples for isolation of plasma, serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cells) are collected at 1-2 timepoints. Stool samples are collected from pts experiencing colitis. Imaging data are collected for pts with hyperprogression or pneumonitis. Goal accrual is 240 pts. Biospecimens and data will be made available to investigators following future submission and approval of proposals. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, U24CA196171; U10CA180820 (ECOG-ACRIN); U10CA180888 (SWOG); U10CA180868 (NRG); https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org; Clinical trial information: NCT04242095 .
Alliance A071701: Genomically guided treatment trial in brain metastases.
TPS2573 Background: Brain metastases, most commonly derived from melanoma, lung and breast cancers, are the most common brain tumor, with approximately 200,000 cases diagnosed annually in the United States. Median survival is on the order of months. For patients with clinically symptomatic brain metastases, approximately half succumb due to intracranial progression. In preclinical work, we demonstrated that brain metastases and primary tumors are often genetically distinct with frequent alterations in the CDK and PI3K pathway (Brastianos, Carter et al. Cancer Discovery 2015). Methods: We are currently accruing to a prospective multi-arm phase II study of CDK, PI3K/mTOR, and NTRK/ROS1 inhibitors in patients with brain metastases harboring alterations associated with sensitivity to these inhibitors (abemaciclib, paxalisib and entrectinib), respectively. Patients with new, recurrent or progressive brain metastases are eligible for this trial. Previously obtained tissue from brain metastases and extracranial sites (primary or extracranial metastases) are screened for the presence of these alterations, and if present in both tumor sites, patients will receive the appropriate corresponding targeted treatment. Screening is carried out with the SNaPshot NGS assay, which is a fully validated clinical test designed and developed at the MGH Center for Integrated Diagnostics. The primary endpoint of response rate (RR) in the central nervous system as per RANO criteria will be evaluated separately for each inhibitor, stratified by histology within each arm. There will be 21 evaluable patients assigned to each of the CDK and PI3K inhibitor and tumor type cohorts (breast, lung and other) and 10 patients assigned to the NTRK/ROS1 inhibitor cohort (lung) for a total of 136 evaluable patients. Although current systemic therapy for brain metastases is often ineffective, we hypothesize that targeted therapies will demonstrate efficacy in patients harboring the appropriate mutations. This study represents a novel individualized therapeutic approach in brain metastases, a disease with a critical need for effective therapy. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org ; Genentech, Kazia Therapeutics Limited, Eli Lilly; Clinical trial information: NCT03994796 .
Alliance A071401: Phase II trial of FAK inhibition in meningiomas with somatic NF2 mutations.
2502 Background: Patients with progressive or recurrent meningiomas have limited treatment options. Clinical trials of systemic therapies for meningiomas have failed to demonstrate benefit. FAK inhibition has a synthetic lethal relationship with NF2 loss. Given the predominance of NF2 mutations in meningiomas, we evaluated the efficacy of GSK2256098, a FAK inhibitor, as part of the first genomically-driven phase II study in recurrent or progressive grade I-III meningiomas. Methods: Eligible patients (pts) whose tumors screened positively for NF2 mutations were treated with GSK2256098 750mg po bid until progressive disease in 2 separate cohorts: grade I or II/III meningiomas. Two co-primary endpoints were used: progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS6) and response rate (RR) by Macdonald criteria; per study design, the trial would be declared positive if either endpoint was met. RR was evaluated across the overall cohort; PFS6 was evaluated within each subgroup. Historical benchmark data was obtained from Kaley et al. Neuro Oncol 2014. In the grade I group, 12 evaluable pts provided >79% power to detect a PFS6 rate >65% (vs. null hypothesis of 25%; alpha=0.014). In the grade II/III group, 24 evaluable pts provided >85% power to detect a PFS6 >41.5% (vs. null 15%; alpha=0.02). The threshold for promising results for PFS6 was: 7+/12(grade I) and 8+/24(grade II/III) pts. For RR, 36 evaluable pts provided >94% power to detect RR >20% (vs. null 2.5%; alpha= 0.012). Results: Of 322 pts screened for all mutation cohorts of the study, 36 eligible and evaluable pts with NF2 mutations were enrolled. Across all grades, one pt had a partial response and 24 had stable disease as best response to treatment. In Grade I pts, the observed PFS6 rate was 83% (10/12 pts; 95% CI: 52-98%). In Grade II/III pts, the observed PFS6 rate was 33% (8/24 pts; 95% CI: 16-55%). The study met PFS6 efficacy endpoint both for the Grade I and the Grade II/III cohorts. Treatment was well tolerated. Only 7 patients had a maximum grade-3 adverse event that was at least possibly related to treatment; toxicities across these pts included: proteinuria (2), rash (1), pain (1), ALT (1), AST (1), cholecystitis (1), hypertriglyceridemia (1), apraxia (1), and lymphopenia (1) with no grade 4 or 5 events. Conclusions: GSK2256098 had excellent tolerability andresulted in an improved PFS6 rate in pts with recurrent or progressive NF2-mutated meningiomas. Trial endpoint was met. FAK inhibition warrants further evaluation in this patient population. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882; https://acknowledgments.alliancefound.org Clinical trial information: NCT02523014 .
A phase 1 and randomized, placebo‐controlled phase 2 trial of bevacizumab plus dasatinib in patients with recurrent glioblastoma: Alliance/North Central Cancer Treatment Group N0872
BackgroundSrc signaling is markedly upregulated in patients with invasive glioblastoma (GBM) after the administration of bevacizumab. The Src family kinase inhibitor dasatinib has been found to effectively block bevacizumab‐induced glioma invasion in preclinical models, which led to the hypothesis that combining bevacizumab with dasatinib could increase bevacizumab efficacy in patients with recurrent GBM.MethodsAfter the completion of the phase 1 component, the phase 2 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00892177) randomized patients with recurrent GBM 2:1 to receive 100 mg of oral dasatinib twice daily (arm A) or placebo (arm B) on days 1 to 14 of each 14‐day cycle combined with 10 mg/kg of intravenous bevacizumab on day 1 of each 14‐day cycle. The primary endpoint was 6‐month progression‐free survival (PFS6).ResultsIn the 121 evaluable patients, the PFS6 rate was numerically, but not statistically, higher in arm A versus arm B (28.9% [95% CI, 19.5%‐40.0%] vs 18.4% [95% CI, 7.7%‐34.4%]; P = .22). Similarly, there was no significant difference in the median overall survival noted between the treatment arms (7.3 months and 7.7 months, respectively; P = .93). The objective response rate was 15.7% in arm A and 26.3% in arm B (P = .52), but with a significantly longer duration in patients treated on arm A (16.3 months vs 2 months). The incidence of grade ≥3 toxicity was comparable between treatment arms, with hematologic toxicities occurring more frequently in arm A versus arm B (15.7% vs 7.9%) (adverse events were assessed as per the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [version 4.0]). Correlative tissue analysis demonstrated an association between pSRC/LYN signaling in patient tumors and outcome.ConclusionsDespite upregulation of Src signaling in patients with GBM, the combination of bevacizumab with dasatinib did not appear to significantly improve the outcomes of patients with recurrent GBM compared with bevacizumab alone.