Citations

Since the first approval for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma more than a decade ago, immunotherapy has completely transformed the treatment landscape of this chemotherapy-resistant disease. Combination regimens including ICIs directed against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) with anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) agents or, more recently, anti-lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) agents, have gained regulatory approvals for the treatment of metastatic cutaneous melanoma, with long-term follow-up data suggesting the possibility of cure for some patients with advanced disease. In the resectable setting, adjuvant ICIs prolong recurrence-free survival and several are FDA-approved. Although not yet approved, neoadjuvant ICIs have also shown to improve event-free survival and remains an ongoing area of investigation. Other immunotherapy strategies, such as oncolytic virotherapy for injectable cutaneous melanoma, bispecific T-cell engager therapy for HLA-A*02:01 genotype-positive uveal melanoma, and lifileucel, an autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, for unresectable or metastatic melanoma are also available to patients. Despite the remarkable efficacy of these regimens for many patients with cutaneous melanoma, traditional immunotherapy biomarkers (ie, programmed death-ligand 1 expression, tumor mutational burden, T-cell infiltrate and/or microsatellite stability) have failed to reliably predict response. Furthermore, ICIs are associated with unique toxicity profiles, particularly for the highly active combination of anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 agents. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened a panel of experts to develop this clinical practice guideline on immunotherapy for the treatment of melanoma, including rare subtypes of the disease (eg, uveal, mucosal), with the goal of improving patient care by providing guidance to the oncology community. Drawing from published data and clinical experience, the Expert Panel developed evidence- and consensus-based recommendations for healthcare professionals using immunotherapy to treat melanoma, with topics including therapy selection in the advanced and perioperative settings, intratumoral immunotherapy, when to use immunotherapy for patients with BRAF V600-mutated disease, management of patients with brain metastases, evaluation of treatment response, special patient populations, patient education, quality of life, and survivorship, among others.

Purpose: Complex repetitive discharges (CRDs) are incompletely understood needle electromyography (EMG) waveforms seen in both myopathic and neurogenic disorders including radiculopathies. This study aimed to clarify the significance of CRDs in patients with radiculopathies. Methods: This case–control study randomly identified 100 patients with needle EMG evidence of radiculopathy demonstrating at least one CRD in the electrodiagnostically involved myotome between January 2017 and January 2022. These patients were compared with 100 randomly selected patients with EMG evidence of radiculopathy without CRDs controlled for sex, age at EMG testing, and affected nerve root segment. Patient clinical symptoms, neurologic examination, EMG features, and imaging were analyzed. A paired sample t-test for categorial data and χ2 test for nonparametric data were used for statistical analysis with significance defined as P < 0.05. Results: Patients with radiculopathies with CRDs had longer disease duration averaging 59 months (range 1–480) compared with patients with radiculopathies without CRDs averaging 26 months (range 1–192, P < 0.01). Clinical symptoms of paresthesias and weakness were both significantly more common in patients with radiculopathies with CRDs than those without CRDs (P < 0.01 and 0.01, respectively). Needle EMG demonstrated a greater average number of muscles with neurogenic motor unit potentials per radiculopathy in patients with radiculopathies with CRDs compared with those without CRDs. Imaging studies of patients with radiculopathies with CRDs were more likely to reveal evidence of nerve root compression (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The presence of CRDs in patients with radiculopathies is consistent with clinically more symptomatic radiculopathies and a longer duration of nerve root compromise.

Abstract Disclosure: B. Clarke: Advisory Board Member; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Takeda, Entera-Bio, Extend-Bio, Amolyt. Consulting Fee; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Takeda, Entera-Bio, Extend-Bio, Amolyt. Grant Recipient; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Takeda. Research Investigator; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Takeda. Other; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Takeda, Entera-Bio, Extend-Bio, Amolyt. A.A. Khan: Advisory Board Member; Self; Amgen Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ascendis Pharma, Takeda, Ultragenyx. Consulting Fee; Self; Amgen Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Amolyt, Ascendis Pharma, Ultragenyx. Grant Recipient; Self; Amolyt. Research Investigator; Self; Radius Health, Inc, Takeda, Ultragenyx, Amolyt, Ascendis Pharma, Chugai. Speaker; Self; Amgen Inc. Other; Self; Amgen Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ascendis Pharma, Takeda, Ultragenyx. M.R. Rubin: Research Investigator; Self; Chugai Pharma. P.E. Schwarz: Stock Owner; Self; Novo Nordisk, Genmab. T.J. Vokes: Consulting Fee; Self; Takeda, Ascendis Pharma. Research Investigator; Self; Ascendis Pharma, Radius Health, Inc. D.M. Shoback: Research Investigator; Self; Bone Health Tech. C. Gagnon: Advisory Board Member; Self; Novo Nordisk. Grant Recipient; Self; Shire, Takeda, Ascendis Pharma. Research Investigator; Self; Novo Nordisk. Other; Self; Amgen Inc. A. Palermo: Consulting Fee; Self; Theramex, Bruno, Farmaceutici, Amgen Inc. Grant Recipient; Self; Amgen Inc. Research Investigator; Self; Amgen Inc, Shire, Ascendis Pharma. Speaker; Self; UCB, Amgen Inc. L.G. Abbott: Advisory Board Member; Self; Ascendis. Research Investigator; Self; Takeda, Shire, Ascendis Pharma. Speaker; Self; Abbott Laboratories, Clarus. Other; Self; Ascendis. L.C. Hofbauer: Advisory Board Member; Self; Amgen Inc, UCB. Other; Self; Amgen Inc, UCB. L. Kohlmeier: Advisory Board Member; Self; Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ascendis Pharma. Research Investigator; Self; Ascendis Pharma. Speaker; Self; Amgen Inc, Radius Health, Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ascendis Pharma. Other; Self; Amgen Inc, Radius Health, Inc, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ascendis Pharma, MediMaps. F. Cetani: None. S. Phil: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. X. An: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. A.R. Smith: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. B. Lai: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. J. Le: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. J. Ukena: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. C. Sibley: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. A. Shu: Employee; Self; Ascendis Pharma. L. Rejnmark: Advisory Board Member; Self; Takeda, Amolyt. Research Investigator; Self; Takeda, Kyowa Kirin International, Ascendis Pharma, Calcilytix Therapeutics. Other; Self; Calcilytix Therapeutics. Objective: Evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of TransCon PTH as a potential hormone replacement therapy for hypoparathyroidism. Methods: PaTHway is a phase 3 trial of TransCon PTH with a placebo (PBO)-controlled 26-week blinded period and a 156-week open-label extension (OLE) period. Results through Week 52 (26 weeks blinded + 26 weeks OLE) are reported. Three-component efficacy endpoint: normal serum calcium (8.3-10.6 mg/dL) and independence from conventional therapy (≤600 mg/day of elemental calcium and no active vitamin D). Other endpoints: Hypoparathyroidism Patient Experience Scale (HPES); 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36); bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); bone turnover markers (BTM) procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (CTx). Safety was assessed by 24-hour urine calcium and reported treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Results: Of the 82 participants given study drug, 79 completed blinded treatment and entered the OLE, and 78 (59 TransCon PTH/TransCon PTH, 19 PBO/TransCon PTH) completed Week 52. Overall at Week 52, 81% (63/78) met the efficacy endpoint, 95% (74/78) achieved independence from conventional therapy, and none required active vitamin D. Mean albumin-adjusted serum calcium was within the normal range at all time points in the OLE (8.9 mg/dL at Week 52). Mean Week 52 HPES scores showed sustained improvement from baseline in disease-related symptoms and the impact of hypoparathyroidism on physical functioning and daily life. Mean Week 52 SF-36 physical functioning scores also remained above baseline. In the TransCon PTH/TransCon PTH group, mean BMD corrected Z-scores trended toward norms from baseline to Weeks 26 and 52:1.5, 0.7, 0.7 at the lumbar spine (L1-L4); 0.8, 0.3, 0.3 at femoral neck; 0.9, 0.5, 0.4 at total hip; and 0.3, 0.3, 0.3 at distal 1/3 radius; P1NP peaked at Week 26 and CTx at Week 12. Smaller incremental changes were seen in BMD and BTM from Weeks 26 to 52 than baseline to Week 26. In the PBO/TransCon PTH group, changes in BMD and BTM from Week 26 to 52 resembled those in the TransCon PTH/TransCon PTH group from baseline to Week 26. Mean 24-hour urine calcium excretion decreased from 376 mg/day at baseline to 195 mg/day at Week 52. Most TEAEs were mild or moderate and none led to discontinuation of the study drug or trial. Conclusions: At Week 52 of the PaTHway trial, TransCon PTH showed a similar sustained efficacy, safety, and tolerability profile to that of Week 26, demonstrating its potential as a hormone replacement therapy for adults with hypoparathyroidism. Indices of skeletal dynamics trended toward age- and sex-matched norms in the TransCon/TransCon PTH group. TransCon PTH treatment in the PBO/TransCon PTH group showed rapid improvement in all outcomes in the first 26 weeks of the OLE consistent with the pattern in the TransCon PTH group during the blinded period. Presentation: Saturday, June 17, 2023

Abstract Prior to the 1970s, blending food and liquids and putting them through an enteral access device (EAD) was the most common form of enteral nutrition (EN). However, in the 1970s, blenderized tube feedings (BTFs) became less popular due to the emergence of modern commercial enteral formulas (CEFs). Recently, a cultural shift toward consuming a natural diet, consisting of whole foods, has led to a resurgence in the use of BTF. The increasing use of BTF in a variety of patient care settings identifies a need for practice recommendations that provide guidance for nutrition professionals and patients. Members of the American Society for Parental and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Enteral Nutrition Committee identified salient clinical questions concerning BTF, conducted a comprehensive literature search, and subsequently developed practice recommendations pertaining to the use of BTF. This paper was approved by the ASPEN 2022–2023 Board of Directors.