Citations

Objectives To evaluate whether extracellular volume (ECV) fraction derived from contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (CT) is associated with recurrence risk in patients with treatment‐naïve high‐risk non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (HR‐NMIBC) receiving intravesical gemcitabine/docetaxel (Gem/Doce) therapy. Patients and Methods This retrospective cohort study, conducted at a tertiary referral centre, included 103 patients with HR‐NMIBC treated with intravesical Gem/Doce between 2012 and 2024. All patients underwent pre‐resection contrast‐enhanced CT with an equilibrium phase (~3 min post‐injection). Tumour ECV fraction (%) was calculated using the formula: ECV = (ΔHUtumour/ΔHUaorta) × (1 − haematocrit) × 100, where Δ Hounsfield units (HU) represents the change in attenuation between non‐contrast and equilibrium phases. Regions of interest were manually placed in the tumour and abdominal aorta, and haematocrit values obtained within ±10 days were used. Associations between clinical variables, ECV, and recurrence were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models, with discrimination assessed by Uno's C‐statistic. Results The median (interquartile range) follow‐up was 17 (10–25) months. High‐grade recurrence‐free survival (HG‐RFS) was 76% at 12 months and 69% at 24 months. CT‐derived ECV was the only variable significantly associated with HG‐RFS (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.03–1.08), demonstrating strong discrimination (C‐statistic, 0.81; P < 0.01). A 15% threshold offered the best sensitivity–specificity trade‐off (~70% each) for predicting HG‐RFS at 12 and 24 months. Patients with ECV ≤15% had markedly better HG‐RFS than those with ECV >15% at 24 months (88% vs 41%). Conclusions The CT‐derived ECV is a practical, first‐of‐its‐kind imaging biomarker associated with recurrence risk and useful for risk stratification in patients with HR‐NMIBC treated with intravesical Gem/Doce, a regimen increasingly used in the setting of global Bacillus Calmette‐Guérin shortages and intolerance. ECV can be rapidly quantified from routine contrast‐enhanced CT using standard picture archiving and communication system (PACS) tools, without additional imaging or proprietary software, making it a feasible metric for integration into risk‐adapted management pending large‐scale validation with extended follow‐up.

8534 Background: Immunotherapy (IO) has transformed treatment for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but not all patients (pts) benefit, underscoring the need for predictive biomarkers to guide IO versus chemotherapy (Ch). CheckMate 227 (CM227; NCT02477826) showed a survival benefit of first-line nivolumab plus ipilimumab (nivo+ipi) over Ch in stage IV NSCLC. CD8⁺ T cells are key mediators of antitumor immunity and are associated with IO benefit. We developed an artificial intelligence (AI)–based pipeline (VIGOR-CD8) that predicts spatial CD8⁺ immune signatures from routine baseline H&E whole-slide images using histopathology foundation model embeddings (H-Optimus-0) and virtual gene expression modeling (HE2Gene), and evaluated its ability to identify pts who do and do not derive IO benefit over Ch in CM227. Methods: 1,598 pts with advanced NSCLC were analyzed, including multi-institutional retrospective cohorts (n = 487; 65 for patch-level CD8⁺ prediction and overall survival (OS), 422 for patient-level OS) and a blinded CM227 validation subset (n = 1,111). For orthogonal validation, 86,470 H&E patches were co-registered with quantitative CD8⁺ immunofluorescence. H-Optimus-0 and HE2Gene immune-related embeddings were used to train a random forest classifier to predict patch-level CD8⁺ probability. Patch-level probabilities were aggregated into a patient-level CD8⁺ signature and dichotomized into biomarker-positive (B⁺) and biomarker-negative (B⁻) groups by the training-set median. Cox models assessed the impact of VIGOR-CD8 on OS. In CM227, prognostic and predictive utility were evaluated using treatment-specific analyses; investigators were blinded to outcomes, and models were trained on independent, non-overlapping cohorts. Results: VIGOR-CD8 was associated with longer OS in the testing cohort (n = 422; HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.53–0.87, p = 0.00163) and CM227 (n = 1,111; HR 0.8, 95% CI 0.67–0.96, p = 0.016), irrespective of treatment type and PD-L1 expression. Among pts with evaluable PD-L1, B⁺ pts treated with nivo+ipi had superior OS versus Ch (n = 617; HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.58–0.90, p = 0.003), while in B⁻ pts there was no significant OS difference between treatment arms (n = 130; HR 1.18, 95% CI 0.79–1.75, p = 0.436), supporting a predictive rather than purely prognostic role for VIGOR-CD8. Conclusions: An AI-derived CD8⁺ immune signature from routine baseline H&E slides was associated with favorable OS in CM227 and predicted differential benefit from nivo+ipi versus Ch. VIGOR-CD8 may help identify advanced NSCLC pts most likely to benefit from first-line dual IO, but further validation in independent and prospective trials is warranted.

7011 Background: Up to 40% of pts with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) will relapse or have refractory disease following 1L treatment (Tx) with SOC chemoimmunotherapy regimens R-CHOP or Pola-RCHP. High risk (HR) populations include those with International Prognostic Index (IPI) score 3–5 and IPI 1–2 with either ≥1 lesion ≥7 cm or baseline LDH >1.3×ULN. GOLCA is a potential, first-in-class, oral CELMoD designed for the Tx of lymphoma, with preferential distribution to lymphoid organs and enhanced activity in lymphoma cell lines. GOLCA induces rapid and deep degradation of Ikaros and Aiolos, leading to direct cell killing and immunomodulatory activity. GOLCA 0.4 mg + R-CHOP has shown promising safety, a ≥90% minimal residual disease (MRD) negativity rate, and durable efficacy (24-mo PFS, 79%) in 1L a-BCL (Nowakowski et al, ASH 2025, 476) and is being evaluated in the Phase (Ph) 3 study GOLSEEK-1 (NCT06356129). We report initial Ph1b results with GOLCA + Pola-RCHP in 1L a-BCL. Methods: Pts aged ≥18 y with ECOG PS ≤2, IPI 0–5 (Part 2A) or 2–5 (Part 2B), and newly diagnosed a-BCL with measurable tumorous disease were included. Pts were treated with GOLCA + Pola-RCHP for six 21-day (D) cycles or until disease progression/unacceptable toxicity/study withdrawal. In dose escalation, GOLCA was dosed at 0.2 and 0.4 mg D1–7. In dose expansion, pts were randomized 1:1 to Pola-RCHP + GOLCA 0.2 or 0.4 mg. Primary endpoint: safety; efficacy was a secondary endpoint. Results: At data cutoff, 57 pts were treated with GOLCA + Pola-RCHP (0.2 mg, n=28; 0.4 mg, n=29). Median age was 63 y. Most pts had HR disease (86%) and DLBCL not otherwise specified histology (84%). For known cell of origin (COO), 47% were germinal center B cell (GCB) and 39% non-GCB by Hans algorithm. Forty-seven pts (83%) completed Tx and 52 (91%) entered the follow-up (f/u) period. Grade 3/4 Tx-emergent adverse events occurred in 95% of pts, most frequently neutropenia (86%; an on-target side effect of GOLCA) and anemia (39%). Median relative dose intensity for GOLCA and Pola-RCHP components was >95%. At 15.5 mo median f/u, end of Tx (EOT) complete metabolic response (CMR) rate was 69% at 0.2 mg, 82% at 0.4 mg, and similar across COO subtypes. EOT CMR was consistent in HR pts (65% at 0.2 mg, 83% at 0.4 mg). The 12-mo DOR and PFS rates were 92% and 88% at 0.2 mg, and 96% and 96% at 0.4 mg. In pts with both pre-Tx and EOT ctDNA analysis, 65% and 83% at 0.2 and 0.4 mg achieved MRD negativity (PhasED-Seq) at EOT. Conclusions: GOLCA + Pola-RCHP demonstrated a predictable and manageable safety profile, and addition of GOLCA did not compromise median dose intensity of Pola-RCHP. GOLCA 0.4 mg + Pola-RCHP resulted in a high rate of durable CMRs, high rate of MRD negativity, and a promising 12-mo PFS rate. These data continue to show that GOLCA + SOC regimens R-CHOP and Pola-RCHP has potential to improve outcomes in 1L HR a-BCL. Clinical trial information: NCT04884035 .

3146 Background: The MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor BMS-986504 selectively binds to the PRMT5-MTA complex, a synthetic lethal target in MTAP -del cancer cells, while sparing MTAP –wild-type normal cells. In the phase 1 CA240-0007 study, BMS-986504 was well tolerated and had antitumor activity in pts with MTAP -del advanced solid tumors (ORR, 23%; median DOR, 10.5 mo). BMS-986504 also demonstrated dose-dependent reductions in plasma symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels, a PD biomarker of PRMT5 inhibition. Here, we report expanded PD and genomic analyses and initial results of exploratory proteomic analyses from CA240-0007. Methods: Pts with advanced, unresectable, or metastatic solid tumors with homozygous MTAP -del received BMS-986504 (50–800 mg) in 3-wk cycles. Analyses of SDMA levels and proteomic profiles from paired plasma samples (baseline and C2D1) were performed using mass spectrometry and SomaScan 11K, respectively. Tumor genomic information was extracted from local pathology reports. ORR was assessed per RECIST v1.1. Results: Among 78 pts with paired samples at data cutoff (22 Sept 2025; median f/u, 15.9 mo), dose-dependent reductions were seen in plasma SDMA levels, with the greatest reductions at 400 mg QD (median, 60.3%; n = 31) and 600 mg QD (median, 60.3%; n = 23). Proteomic pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated downregulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR, Myc target, cell cycle, and DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways with BMS-986504 on C2D1 (n = 87), consistent with the expected effect of PRMT5 inhibition; a trend toward deeper modulation of PRMT5-regulated pathways was observed at higher doses. No proteins at baseline (n = 94) were found to be significantly associated with ORR (false discovery rate > 0.05). Responses in clinically evaluable pts with NSCLC (n = 33) or PDAC (n = 35) were observed regardless of EGFR , KRAS , or TP53 status. In pts with NSCLC, STK11 and SMARCA4 alterations were numerically higher in nonresponders. No gene alterations were associated with response in PDAC, except GABRA6 alterations (n = 2, both responders). A trend toward higher ORRs was seen in pts with alterations in DDR genes ( CHEK2, FANCD2, XRCC4 , and/or MSH2 ), consistent with the role of PRMT5 in DDR via regulation of mRNA splicing. ctDNA analysis will be presented. Conclusions: BMS-986504 demonstrated robust dose-dependent PD effects in pts with advanced solid tumors in plasma SDMA and proteomic analyses. Downregulation of PRMT5-regulated pathways was observed with BMS-986504 treatment. Response was seen regardless of EGFR, KRAS , and TP53 alterations in NSCLC or PDAC, and DDR gene alterations were associated with improved response. These findings further support the MOA of BMS-986504 and its ongoing investigation in the phase 2/3 MountainTAP-9, -29, and -30 studies as a potential treatment option in pts with MTAP -del advanced solid tumors. Clinical trial information: NCT05245500 .

This secondary analysis of a nonrandomized clinical trial identifies which participant characteristics were associated with selection of centralized or remote trial engagement.

Abstract Aims To compare the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children with and without epilepsy using clinical diagnoses and chart review with research‐defined criteria and to examine sex ratios, age at ASD onset, and intellectual disability between groups. Method The Olmsted County birth cohort included 30 490 individuals, of whom 257 (0.84%) had epilepsy diagnosed before 19 years of age. The cohort was previously screened for ASD using three case definitions: research‐inclusive (ASD‐R I ), research‐narrow (ASD‐R N ), and clinically diagnosed ASD (ASD‐C). For those with ASD‐R I , we assessed sex, intellectual disability (IQ < 70), and age at ASD onset. Means and proportions are reported when available. Results ASD prevalence was significantly higher in participants with epilepsy across all definitions: ASD‐R I 21.4% versus 3.2%; ASD‐R N 14.0% versus 1.6%; and ASD‐C 7.9% versus 0.7%. Children with both epilepsy and ASD‐R I were more often female (38.2% vs 25.8%), had higher rates of intellectual disability (56.5% vs 15.4%), and met the ASD‐R I criteria at a younger age (mean 7 years 5 months vs 8 years 8 months). Interpretation Co‐occurring ASD and epilepsy are frequently associated with intellectual disability, earlier age at ASD diagnosis, and reduced male predominance.

Abstract Members of the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) family of ion channels have a nearly ubiquitous role in human physiology, tuning cell signaling to remarkably diverse physical and chemical stimuli. Although there is extensive structural data on TRP channels, a systematic and unbiased interrogation of structure-function relations in these proteins is required to fully elucidate their mechanisms of function. By focusing on a critical pore region of the TRPM8 channel, which is the main detector of cold and cooling agents in sensory neurons, we show how deep mutational scanning can be used in combination with the available structural data to understand how TRP channels respond to stimuli. We define a novel mechanism whereby the extracellular pore loop, which has only been resolved in structures representing desensitized states of the channel, plays an essential role in the response of TRPM8 to menthol or cold by coordinating the movement of the S6 helices that line and gate the pore, and the ion-selectivity filter that binds permeant cations. Moreover, our screen reveals sequence determinants along the S6 helices that explain how their architecture sustains gating and, together, provide strong support for a structural mechanism of TRPM8 pore opening in response to menthol and cold.

We report correlative circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analyses from TRANSFORM (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03575351 ) evaluating lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) versus standard of care (salvage immunochemotherapy, high-dose chemotherapy, autologous stem cell transplantation [ASCT]) in second-line large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). ctDNA association with efficacy was investigated at predefined time points (random assignment, day 43, day 64, and day 126 [3 months after liso-cel, approximately 2 months after ASCT]) for 136 patients using ultrasensitive PhasED-Seq. ctDNA clearance (measurable residual disease [MRD] neg ) predicted longer event-free survival (EFS) at all time points in both arms, with significantly more liso-cel–treated patients achieving MRD neg . Liso-cel demonstrated superior outcomes versus ASCT, including longer EFS, progression-free survival (PFS), and duration of response among patients in complete response (CR) and MRD neg . ctDNA re-emergence in patients with CR after ASCT confirmed its potential in predicting relapse. MRD neg remained significantly associated with EFS after adjusting for positron emission tomography (PET) response, while interaction testing revealed a significant interaction between PET status and treatment arm for EFS. Liso-cel achieved deeper, more durable molecular clearance by ctDNA, consistent with superior EFS and PFS versus ASCT for second-line LBCL treatment. ctDNA-MRD provided prognostic value beyond PET, supporting its role as a complementary biomarker for treatment response and relapse prediction.

Abstract Oncology Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), including Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Physician Assistants, and Clinical Pharmacists (CPs), play a vital role in delivering high-quality, patient-centered cancer care across the United States. Despite their widespread presence in oncology practices, APPs remain underutilized in cancer clinical research, representing a missed opportunity to expand trial access and improve patient outcomes. Clinical trials are essential to advancing oncology care, yet participation remains critically low among adult patients. Given Oncology APPs’ and CPs’ central role in cancer care delivery, their meaningful engagement in oncology clinical trial research is imperative as the standard of oncology care. This position article, with contributions from 5 professional societies, presents solutions and resources to barriers limiting APPs’ and CPs’ involvement in cancer clinical research, including gaps in education, role expectations, limited protected time, restrictive policies, insufficient financial support, and underrecognition of contributions. Integrating APPs and CPs more fully into the clinical research enterprise is essential to improving trial access, patient outcomes, closing equity gaps, and accelerating innovation in oncology care.

Abstract Background: In Part 2 of the phase 2 RELATIVITY-104 study of first-line nivolumab (NIVO) plus relatlimab (RELA) with platinum-doublet chemotherapy (PDCT) vs NIVO + PDCT in patients with metastatic NSCLC, NIVO + RELA + PDCT demonstrated improved clinical benefit, including overall survival, in the prespecified subgroup of tumor PD-L1 expression ≥ 1%, which was further enriched in NSQ tumor histology. Baseline lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) expression was associated with enriched efficacy for both NIVO + RELA + PDCT and NIVO + PDCT. In a comparative transcriptomic analysis, NSQ and squamous tumors demonstrated distinct immune signatures, with NSQ tumors exhibiting higher expression of LAG-3 ligands and greater enrichment for combination therapy benefit by PD-L1 expression. To further elucidate the mechanism of action of NIVO + RELA + PDCT, we report additional exploratory translational data in the PD-L1 ≥ 1% NSQ subgroup for Part 2 of RELATIVITY-104. Methods: Patients with untreated metastatic NSCLC were randomized 1:1 to NIVO 360 mg + RELA 360 mg + PDCT or NIVO 360 mg + PDCT Q3W. Exploratory endpoints included translational analyses in the PD-L1 ≥ 1% NSQ subgroup. Gene expression data from pretreatment tumor RNA sequencing were normalized and analyzed for associations with clinical outcomes. Pre- and on-treatment peripheral blood samples were collected for high-dimensional flow cytometry immunophenotyping using a validated 24-marker LAG-3-specific panel that used drug-tolerant, noncompeting clones for LAG-3, PD-1, and CTLA-4. Statistical associations between biomarkers and clinical outcomes were assessed using logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models. Data are from the May 2, 2025, database lock. Results: In the NIVO + RELA + PDCT arm, immune signatures demonstrated a significantly lower hazard ratio (HR) in the PD-L1 ≥ 1% NSQ subgroup, while stromal signatures demonstrated a significantly higher HR. T exhausted progenitor signature subsets, as well as ICOS+ CD4+ T cells, at baseline were shown to enrich for survival with NIVO + RELA + PDCT. Clinical benefit was observed across all baseline LAG-3 expression levels (&lt; 1% and ≥ 1%); however, on-treatment increases in LAG-3+ T cells were associated with longer progression-free survival and a higher objective response rate with NIVO + RELA + PDCT. In the NIVO + PDCT arm, increases in LAG-3 cell populations were associated with lower response. Conclusions: In the RELATIVITY-104 study, the on-treatment immune dynamics of LAG-3+ T cells correlated with the benefit of NIVO + RELA + PDCT vs NIVO + PDCT in patients with PD-L1 expression ≥ 1% and NSQ NSCLC. Immune signatures including progenitor T exhausted signatures associated with improved outcomes with NIVO + RELA + PDCT. These data support the mechanistic rationale for adding anti-LAG-3 to anti-PD-1 + PDCT in PD-L1 ≥ 1% NSQ NSCLC. Citation Format: Jaclyn Neely, Annie Yu, Nicolas Girard, Manuel Cobo-Dols, Mauricio Burotto, Luis Paz-Ares, Vamsidhar Velcheti, Martin Reck, Srijata Samanta, Anila Qureshi, Priyanka Kasbekar, Charlie Garnett-Benson. RELATIVITY-104 Part 2: translational analyses in the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) ≥ 1% and non-squamous (NSQ) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) subgroup [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2026; Part 2 (Late-Breaking, Clinical Trial, and Invited Abstracts); 2026 Apr 17-22; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2026;86(8_Suppl):Abstract nr LB418.