Citations

TPS5127 Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) ± androgen receptor pathway inhibitor therapy is a primary treatment for metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, but is noncurative and has significant toxicities when used long-term. In patients with OMPC for whom delaying ADT is appropriate, metastasis-directed therapy such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has been shown to provide local disease control. However, many patients do not experience a complete prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and develop poly-metastatic disease. [ 177 Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 ( 177 Lu-PSMA-617) is a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radioligand therapy with demonstrated efficacy and a manageable safety profile in patients with PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in the VISION and PSMAfore trials. PSMA-DC (NCT05939414) is an ongoing, international, randomized phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 versus observation after SBRT in delaying castration and disease progression in patients with PSMA-positive OMPC. Methods: Eligible patients have histologically confirmed prostate cancer, biochemical recurrence post-definitive treatment, OMPC with ≤ 5 PSMA-positive metastatic lesions including ≥ 1 distant metastasis on PSMA PET/CT scans (all must be amenable to SBRT), PSA doubling time < 10 months and non-castration testosterone levels (> 100 ng/dL). Exclusion criteria include distant metastasis by conventional imaging (CI; CT/MRI and bone scans) at screening, prior ADT (except adjuvant ADT completed > 12 months before randomization), or other systemic therapy for metastatic prostate cancer. Patients (N = ~450) will be randomized 2:1 to 177 Lu-PSMA-617 or observation and will receive SBRT to all metastatic lesions within 14 days, completed within 3 weeks. Patients will then receive either intravenous 177 Lu-PSMA-617 (7.4 GBq/6 weeks; 4 cycles), starting 7–21 days after SBRT, or undergo observation only. Additional SBRT for new lesions is allowed. ADT is allowed after a metastasis-free survival (MFS) event by CI confirmed by blinded independent review committee (BIRC). Safety follow-up will occur 42 days after the last 177 Lu-PSMA-617 dose and at the week 24 visit for the observational arm. Long-term follow-up for the 177 Lu-PSMA-617 arm will include safety assessments every ~32 weeks. The primary endpoint is MFS by CI as assessed by BIRC using RECIST v1.1, or death. To provide 90% power to detect a hazard ratio of 0.6, 187 MFS events are required. The key secondary endpoint is time to next hormonal therapy. Additional secondary endpoints include time to PSA progression, radiographic progression-free survival, symptomatic progression, patient-reported health-related quality of life, overall survival and safety. Shore et al. PSMA-delay castration (DC): an open-label, multicenter, randomized phase 3 study of [ 177 Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 versus observation in patients with metachronous PSMA-positive oligometastatic prostate cancer (OMPC). J Urol 2025;213 (5S2_suppl):e28. https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/01.JU.0001110444.53548.eb . Reused with permission; ©American Urological Association, 2025. This abstract previously presented at 2025 AUA Annual Meeting. Clinical trial information: NCT05939414 .

TPS4632 Background: There is currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment for intermediate-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (IR NMIBC), defined as recurrence of low-grade (LG) Ta within 1 year, solitary LG Ta > 3 cm, multifocal LG Ta, high-grade (HG) Ta (≤3 cm), and/or LG T1. Nadofaragene firadenovec-vncg is the first FDA-approved intravesical nonreplicating gene therapy for treating high-risk BCG-unresponsive NMIBC with carcinoma in situ (CIS) ± papillary tumors. In a nonrandomized, multicenter, open-label, repeat-dose, phase 3 study, 53.4% of participants (55/103) with CIS ± HG Ta/T1 achieved complete response 3 months after the first instillation. Nadofaragene firadenovec was well tolerated, with no grade 4/5 study drug-related AEs. Because maintenance treatment with nadofaragene firadenovec following tumor resection may improve clinical outcomes in patients with IR NMIBC, the ABLE-32 open-label randomized study is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of nadofaragene firadenovec administered every 3 months versus observation in participants with IR NMIBC. Methods: This phase 3 study includes approximately 100 global sites with 454 anticipated participants. Adults aged ≥18 years, diagnosed with new or recurrent IR NMIBC, and having undergone transurethral resection of bladder tumor within 60 days prior to randomization are eligible. Participants will be randomly assigned 1:1 to receive nadofaragene firadenovec or continue observation. The nadofaragene firadenovec group will receive quarterly doses unless disease recurs or progresses. The observation group will be followed quarterly and may receive nadofaragene firadenovec if IR NMIBC recurs within 24 months. All participants will be evaluated for recurrence and progression using cytology, cystoscopy, and for-cause biopsy for up to 5 years. The primary endpoint is recurrence-free survival (RFS), from randomization to first documented recurrence, progression, or death. Secondary endpoints include RFS at 12 and 24 months and safety. Exploratory endpoints include effect on potential biomarkers and health-related quality of life. Final results are expected in 2031. Clinical trial information: NCT06510374 .

e20011 Background: The therapeutic landscape of lung cancer is rapidly evolving, presenting oncologists with the challenge of staying updated amidst an overwhelming influx of data. Clinical decision support (CDS) tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs), may help bridge this gap. Evaluating the accuracy of LLMs in complex, real-world oncology scenarios is crucial to understanding their potential. Methods: Twenty-five de-identified lung cancer cases from the fellows’ clinic at Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, were analyzed. Two LLMs, GPT-4 (OpenAI) and Claude Opus (Anthropic), were assessed using advanced prompting techniques like persona-based and chain-of-thought prompting. Five board-certified lung cancer oncologists from NCI-designated centers evaluated LLM-generated responses based on accuracy, treatment recommendation comprehensiveness, and supportive care planning, using a 1–5 scale. Novel insights, the presence of fabricated information, and harmful recommendations were flagged as binary outcomes. Oncologists were blinded to the LLM source and actual treatment decisions. Results: Table 1 presents patient characteristics. GPT-4 achieved an average accuracy score of 4.2 (95% CI, 3.9–4.4), with 3.7 for comprehensiveness of medical/surgical treatment recommendations and 3.7 for supportive care planning. Six responses (32%) were flagged as potentially harmful, and two (8%) contained inaccuracies. Sixteen GPT-4 responses (64%) were rated trustworthy as a CDS tool. Claude Opus had an average accuracy score of 3.6 (95% CI, 3.1–4.1), scoring 3.6 for treatment recommendation comprehensiveness and 3.5 for supportive care planning. Nine responses (36%) were flagged for potential harm, and five (20%) included inaccuracies. Eleven Claude responses (44%) were deemed trustworthy. Significant differences were observed in accuracy (p=0.04) and trustworthiness (p=0.03) between models using McNemar's test. Other factors showed no statistical significance. Conclusions: GPT-4 outperformed Claude Opus in accuracy and trustworthiness, but both models demonstrated limitations, including harmful recommendations and inaccuracies. These findings highlight the need for improved LLM refinement before routine use as CDS tools in lung cancer treatment. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics. Category subcategory Number Median Age (range)- Yr 65 (26-78) Female 7 Male 18 Histology Adenocarcinoma 10 Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) 7 Small Cell Carcinoma 6 Poorly Differentiated 2 Total 25 Stage NSCLC Stage 3 7 NSCLC Stage 4 13 Small Cell limited stage 3 Small Cell Extensive Stage 2

Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) is recognized as an inflammatory biomarker, often elevated in COVID-19 pneumonia alongside other biomarkers. Understanding its association with severe outcomes and comparing its predictive ability with other biomarkers is crucial for clinical management. Objectives: This retrospective multicenter observational study aimed to investigate the association between PCT levels and adverse outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Additionally, it sought to compare the predictive performance of various biomarkers. Design: The study analyzed data from the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Viral Infection and Respiratory Illness Universal Study (VIRUS) registry, comprising COVID-19 patients hospitalized across multiple Mayo Clinic sites between March 2020 and June 2022. Methods: A total of 7851 adult COVID-19 patients were included. Patients were categorized into 6 groups based on the worst WHO ordinal scale. Multivariate models were constructed using peak biomarker levels within 72 hours of admission, adjusted for confounders. Results: Elevated PCT levels were independently associated with increased odds of adverse outcomes, including ICU admission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.32, 95%CI 1.27-1.38), IMV requirement (aOR 1.35, 95%CI: 1.28-1.42), and in-hospital mortality (aOR 1.30, 95%CI: 1.22-1.37). A 3.48-fold increase in IMV requirement and 3.55 times increase in in-hospital mortality were noted with peak PCT ⩾ 0.25 ng/ml. Similar associations were observed with other biomarkers like NLR (AUC 0.730), CRP, IL-6, LDH (AUC 0.800), and D-dimer (AUC 0.719). Models incorporating NLR, LDH, D-dimer, and PCT demonstrated the highest predictive accuracy, with a combined model exhibiting an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.826 (95%CI 0.803-0.849). Conclusions: Higher PCT levels were significantly linked to worse outcomes in COVID-19 patients, emphasizing its potential as a prognostic marker. Biomarker-based predictive models, particularly those including PCT, showed promising utility for risk assessment and clinical decision-making. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings on a larger scale.

Abstract Rationale: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a heterogeneous, rare genetic disorder characterized by dysfunctional motile cilia. PCD pulmonary manifestations include impaired airway mucociliary clearance, mucus obstruction, recurrent infection, and bronchiectasis (BE). Notably, thoracic imaging studies indicate that alveolar atelectasis is more prevalent in children with PCD than in age-matched children with cystic fibrosis (CF). However, morphologic and molecular analyses of the site of initiation and progression of PCD airway disease and relationships to PCD alveolar disease have not been reported. In this study, we analyzed region-specific morphologic and molecular characterizations of airway epithelia and alveolar regions in PCD lungs excised at transplantation to address these questions. Methods: Nine PCD lungs and seven non-diseased control lungs were included in the morphometric studies. Bronchi and proximal and distal bronchioles were defined using unique morphologic structures, and distal airway secretory cell (DASC) markers were used to differentiate between proximal and distal bronchioles. Morphologic characteristics of airway epithelia and luminal mucus were quantitated by histology, immunohistochemistry, and RNA in situ hybridization. Spatial transcriptomic technologies (GeoMx) characterized region-specific transcript expression in three airway epithelial regions (bronchi, proximal bronchioles, and distal bronchioles), intraluminal mucus plugs, and alveolar regions of PCD compared to control lungs. Finally, pulmonary function data from a cohort of PCD subjects were analyzed to investigate correlations between alveolar morphologic findings and alveolar gas exchange function, i.e. diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO). Results: PCD bronchi and proximal bronchioles exhibited ectasia, characterized by increased MUC5AC and MUC5B-producing cells, mucus plugs containing MUC5AC and MUC5B mucins infiltrated by neutrophils, and epithelial gene signatures associated with ectasia. In contrast, PCD distal bronchioles were not ectatic and exhibited MUC5B-dominant DASCs, mucus plugs containing selectively MUC5B mucin infiltrated by mixture of neutrophils and macrophages, and gene signatures suggestive of impaired ciliogenesis. Molecular analysis revealed upregulation of pathways associated with muco-inflammation, antimicrobial defense, and the innate immune system routinely in PCD airway epithelia. IL-1β gene signatures were observed in both PCD airway and alveolar epithelia, whereas interferon-stimulated gene signatures were restricted to airway epithelia. Transcriptomic and morphologic analyses suggested that PCD alveolar disease was initiated by distal bronchiolar obstruction, associated with chronic microatelectasis, progressive loss of alveolar epithelial type 2 (AT2) cells, and eventual non-resolving fibrosis. A significant percentage (28%) of people with PCD exhibited reduced DLCO. Conclusions: PCD airway disease is manifest by distinct profiles of proximal vs distal bronchiolar disease associated with microatelectatic and fibrotic alveolar disease.

Abstract Rationale: Adverse social determinants of health (SDOH) are common in COPD and associated with increased mortality. However, cause-specific mortality is understudied. We evaluated associations of neighborhood-level SDOH with all-cause and cause-specific mortality among individuals with or at-risk for COPD. Methods: SPIROMICS is an ongoing, multi-center, longitudinal observational study of individuals across the US with current or former personal smoking histories (≥20 pack-years), with or without spirometrically-defined COPD. We established geocoded neighborhood-level SDOH at baseline using 2010 census tract data, including specifically, area deprivation index (ADI) (range 0-100, 100 = most disadvantaged), poverty level (percentage of households below the poverty line), poor food access (&gt;1/3 of residents with no access to fresh food stores within 1 mile in urban areas and 10 miles in rural areas), and food desert (low income plus poor food access). We ascertained all-cause and cause-specific mortality through 12/31/2021 using the National Death Index. Using Cox proportional hazards models, we evaluated the risk of all-cause mortality for each SDOH. We utilized competing-risk regression models to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, COPD (a subset of respiratory), and neoplastic causes of death individually with each SDOH. Models were adjusted for demographics, smoking status, pack-years, BMI categories, coronary heart disease, FEV1% predicted and study site. Effect modification by lung function was assessed using multiplicative interactions between SDOH and FEV1% predicted. Results: Among 2977 participants, mean ADI was 40.1±27.8. Within a participant's neighborhood, on average 10.4±10.4% of households were below the poverty line, 933 (31.3%) had poor food access, and 220 (7.4%) resided in a food desert. During a median follow-up of 7.8 years (IQR 5.6-9.2), 744 (25.0%) participants died, most commonly from respiratory causes including COPD. Neither ADI nor neighborhood poverty level were associated with all-cause mortality or any specific cause of death (Table). Despite lack of associations between food access and mortality (Table), individuals residing in a food desert had elevated risks of all-cause (HR: 1.36 [95%CI: 1.03-1.79]) and cardiovascular (HR: 2.62 [95%CI: 1.5-4.35]) deaths. There was no significant effect modification by lung function. Conclusions: In a large cohort of individuals with personal smoking histories, with or without COPD, living in a food desert was associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. However, neighborhood poverty level and food access, the two components of food desert, were not independently associated with mortality, suggesting the association of multimodal SDOH variables with mortality in this population.

Abstract Rationale: MUC5B and MUC5AC are neighboring genes on chromosome 11p15 that encode the two predominant mucins secreted in the respiratory airways. Increased airway mucin concentrations and an imbalance between these two mucins drive COPD symptoms and the development of airflow obstruction or COPD, but the epigenomic regulation of this loci has not been characterized in the airways. Methods: We isolated DNA from bronchial airway brushings of 72 participants with &gt;20 pack-years smoking history from the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS). 36 participants had GOLD-based moderate-to-severe COPD (FEV1/FVC&lt;0.70, FEV1&lt;80%) and 36 were without or with mild COPD. We used the Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip Array to assess proportion of DNA methylation (β) spanning 689,937 CpG sites. We evaluated proportional DNA methylation (β) at 96 CpG loci within a 103kB region using matrixQTL for cis-expression quantitative trait methylation (eQTM: 10kB flanks relative to MUC5AC/MUC5B) integrating bulk RNA-seq data and mQTL models integrating gene sequencing data to identify DNA variation associated with proportion eQTM methylation. Models included age, sex, BMI, clinical site, current smoking vs past smoking, total pack-years, three ancestral components of ancestry, chipset, and position. Results: We identified a top eQTM, cg00524486, marginally associated with MUC5B expression (coefficient estimate=8.75, punadjusted=0.0014, pFDR=0.065, Figure 1B). This eQTM was associated with CT scan parametric response mapping-based functional small airways disease (PRM-fSAD, beta coefficient[β]=3.64, p=0.011). We tested for DNA variation associated with methylation of this top eQTM which identified two methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL: rs885454 [β=0.044, minor allele frequency[MAF]=0.09, pFDR=0.01], rs868902 [β=0.020, MAF=0.43, pFDR=0.08, Figure 1A) associated with cg00524486 methylation, of which the more frequent mQTL, rs868902, was marginally associated with PRM-fSAD (p=0.07) in the larger SPIROMICS cohort with MUC5B DNA sequencing data. Conclusions: This preliminary multi-omic study of the lower airway epithelium demonstrates that the expression of MUC5B is epigenetically regulated by neighboring CpG probe methylation (eQTM) represented by DNA variation (mQTL). These studies require further confirmation in a larger dataset of airway samples and support a role for epigenetic variation as a biologic contributor and biomarker of early COPD pathogenesis.

Abstract Rationale: Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have different clinical trajectories, some with minimal symptom burden, others experiencing recurrent exacerbations, the most severe of which require hospitalization. Existing diagnostics, including spirometry and symptom assessments, lack the precision to identify high-risk patients who may benefit from timely preventive therapies. Nuclear cell-free DNA (ncfDNA) is a well-established marker of systemic tissue injury, implicated in amplifying inflammation by triggering type 1 interferon release by activating DNA-sensing pathways. Because COPD is accompanied by inflammation and tissue injury systemically, we hypothesized that ncfDNA is associated with increased risk of severe exacerbations requiring hospitalization. Methods: Design: We utilized baseline plasma samples randomly selected from 672 individuals with COPD from the Subpopulations and Intermediate Outcomes Measures in COPD Study (SPIROMICS) cohort, which prospectively collected exacerbation numbers and type. The primary endpoint was exacerbation requiring hospitalization. Secondary endpoints included total number of exacerbations (defined as use of oral steroids, antibiotics, or healthcare utilization) and severe exacerbations (defined as requiring emergency room care or hospitalization). Measure: We measured plasma ncfDNA using digital droplet PCR. Analysis: We assessed the association of ncfDNA with exacerbation outcomes using negative binomial regression or Cox regression, adjusting for age, percent post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), supplemental oxygen use, and smoking status. Results: In total, 57% (n=383) of COPD participants experienced exacerbations, 29% (n=197) at least one severe, and 22% (n=145) requiring hospitalization, the latter at a median of 622 days from enrollment (IQR=287-997). Higher ncfDNA levels at enrollment correlated with measures of COPD severity, including baseline FEV1 (beta = -0.12, 95% CI -0.18 to -0.049, p &lt;0.001). Higher ncfDNA associated with increased risk of COPD exacerbation requiring hospitalization (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.40, 95% CI 1.12-1.75, p =0.003) and severe exacerbations (IRR 1.36, 95% CI 1.11-1.67, p=0.002) and a trend towards total exacerbations (IRR 1.11, 95% CI 0.98-1.26, p= 0.09). The primary outcome, risk of time-to-first hospitalization, correlated significantly with higher ncfDNA with hazard ratio (HR) 1.23, 95% CI 1.01-1.49, p=0.037. Conclusion: These results suggest that ncfDNA may serve as a predictor for severe and hospitalization-associated COPD exacerbations. To better understand the relationship between ncfDNA and COPD pathophysiology, follow-up studies should explore longitudinal trends and cfDNA tissue sources, and their link to COPD exacerbations.

The NCCN Guidelines for Multiple Myeloma (MM) provide recommendations for diagnosis, initial workup, treatment, follow-up, and supportive care for patients with MM. These NCCN Guidelines Insights highlight the important updates and changes specific to systemic therapy for patients with newly diagnosed as well as previously treated MM included in Version 1.2025 of the NCCN Guidelines for MM.

Abstract The complementarity and clinical utility of combining liquid biopsies and radiomic image analysis has not been demonstrated. ctDNA minimal residual disease after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is highly prognostic, but on-treatment biomarkers are needed to enable response-adapted therapies. In this study, we analyzed 418 patients with NSCLC undergoing CRT to develop and validate a novel dynamic risk model that accurately predicts ultimate progression-free survival during treatment. We optimize tissue-free variant calling from plasma samples to facilitate ctDNA monitoring and demonstrate the importance of accounting for persistent clonal hematopoiesis variants. We show that mid-CRT ctDNA concentration is prognostic for disease progression and integrate additional pre-CRT risk factors, including radiomics, into a combined model that improves outcome prediction. Our results suggest that tumor features, radiomics, and mid-CRT ctDNA analysis are complementary and can identify patients at high and low risk of progression to potentially enable response-adapted therapies. Significance: This study demonstrates that combining tumor features, radiomics, and ctDNA analysis improves outcome prediction in NSCLC treated with CRT therapy. Our integrated model could enable personalized and response-adapted therapies to reduce toxicity and improve outcomes in patients. See related commentary by Anagnostou and Aggarwal, p. 1534