Citations

Abstract Chronic inflammation is a well-established carcinogenic pathway for colorectal cancer (CRC), but the role of inflammation in CRC prognosis is not well understood. Since cytokines are central in extensive biological networks to regulate inflammation, it is of great importance to investigate inflammatory cytokines and CRC survival. Among an NCI-sponsored adjuvant chemotherapy trial for patients with stage III colon cancer conducted between 2010 and 2015 (CALGB/SWOG 80702), we collected serum samples from 1,498 participants at a median of 1.6 months (interquartile [IQR]: 1.3-1.9 months) after surgery. IL-6, TNFR2, and hsCRP were assayed as biomarkers of chronic inflammation and were categorized into quintiles. The primary outcome was disease-free survival, defined as time from randomization to recurrence or death from any cause. Secondary outcomes included overall survival and time to recurrence. We estimated the associations of inflammatory biomarkers with survival using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Of 1,498 participants (median follow-up: 5.9 years), mean age was 61.3 years, 82.2% were White, 55.5% were male, and 387 experienced recurrence or death. Medians (IQRs) of biomarkers were 2.6mg/L (1.2-5.6mg/L) for IL-6, 2.9×103pg/mL (2.3-3.6×103pg/mL) for TNFR2, and 2.6mg/L (1.2-5.6mg/L) for hsCRP. Compared to the lowest quintile (Q1), the highest quintile (Q5) in inflammatory biomarkers was significantly associated with worse disease-free survival (hazard ratios were 1.52 [95% CI, 1.08-2.15] for IL-6, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.22-2.54] for TNFR2, and 1.66 [95% CI, 1.17-2.35] for hsCRP). Similar patterns were observed for overall survival and time to recurrence. Our findings suggest that higher levels of inflammation after diagnosis were significantly associated with worse survival among those with stage III colon cancer, and reducing inflammation may be considered as a potential intervention to improve CRC survival. ‬‬ Associations of Inflammatory Biomarkers with Survival after Adjustment for Clinicopathologic Factors Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 P for Trend Disease-free survival IL-6 1.00 1.14 (0.80-1.62) 1.37 (0.97-1.94) 1.44 (1.02-2.03) 1.52 (1.08-2.15) 0.02 TNFR2 1.00 1.21 (0.84-1.74) 1.43 (0.99-2.05) 1.56 (1.09-2.25) 1.76 (1.22-2.54) 0.002 hsCRP 1.00 1.34 (0.95-1.90) 1.62 (1.15-2.29) 1.26 (0.88-1.80) 1.66 (1.17-2.35) 0.04 Overall survival IL-6 1.00 1.44 (0.91-2.29) 1.56 (0.98-2.48) 1.48 (0.93-2.34) 1.68 (1.07-2.65) 0.09 TNFR2 1.00 1.57 (0.94-2.63) 1.88 (1.13-3.13) 1.92 (1.15-3.20) 2.31 (1.39-3.84) 0.003 hsCRP 1.00 1.27 (0.81-2.00) 1.72 (1.11-2.65) 1.22 (0.77-1.92) 1.73 (1.12-2.69) 0.06 Time to recurrence IL-6 1.00 1.34 (0.92-1.95) 1.48 (1.01-2.16) 1.55 (1.06-2.27) 1.54 (1.05-2.26) 0.07 TNFR2 1.00 1.14 (0.78-1.67) 1.28 (0.87-1.87) 1.48 (1.01-2.16) 1.54 (1.04-2.27) 0.02 hsCRP 1.00 1.27 (0.87-1.83) 1.64 (1.14-2.36) 1.21 (0.82-1.77) 1.55 (1.07-2.26) 0.12 Citation Format: En Cheng, Shi Qian, Anthony F. Shields, Elizabeth M. Cespedes Feliciano, Andrew B. Nixon, Ardaman P. Shergill, Katherine A. Guthrie, Felix Couture, Philip Kuebler, Pankaj Kumar, Dequincy Lewis, Benjamin Tan, Eileen M. O'Reilly, Justin C. Brown, Philip A. Philip, Bette J. Caan, Jeffrey A. Meyerhardt. Associations of inflammatory biomarkers with survival among patients with stage III colon cancer (CALGB/SWOG 80702 [Alliance]) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 682.

Importance Although isotretinoin may rarely be associated with laboratory abnormalities such as hypertriglyceridemia, the optimal approach to laboratory monitoring is uncertain, and there is wide variation in clinical practice. Objective To establish a consensus for isotretinoin laboratory monitoring among a diverse, international cohort of clinical and research experts in acne. Design, Setting, and Participants Using a modified electronic Delphi process, 4 rounds of anonymous electronic surveys were administered from 2021 to 2022. For laboratory tests reaching consensus (≥70% agreement) for inclusion, questions regarding more time-specific monitoring throughout isotretinoin therapy were asked in subsequent rounds. The participants were international board-certified dermatologist acne experts who were selected on a voluntary basis based on involvement in acne-related professional organizations and research. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome measured was whether participants could reach consensus on key isotretinoin laboratory monitoring parameters. Results The 22 participants from 5 continents had a mean (SD) time in practice of 23.7 (11.6) years and represented a variety of practice settings. Throughout the 4-round study, participation rates ranged from 90% to 100%. Consensus was achieved for the following: check alanine aminotransferase within a month prior to initiation (89.5%) and at peak dose (89.5%) but not monthly (76.2%) or after treatment completion (73.7%); check triglycerides within a month prior to initiation (89.5%) and at peak dose (78.9%) but not monthly (84.2%) or after treatment completion (73.7%); do not check complete blood cell count or basic metabolic panel parameters at any point during isotretinoin treatment (all >70%); do not check gamma-glutamyl transferase (78.9%), bilirubin (81.0%), albumin (72.7%), total protein (72.7%), low-density lipoprotein (73.7%), high-density lipoprotein (73.7%), or C-reactive protein (77.3%). Conclusions and Relevance This Delphi study identified a core set of laboratory tests that should be evaluated prior to and during treatment with isotretinoin. These results provide valuable data to guide clinical practice and clinical guideline development to optimize laboratory monitoring in patients treated with isotretinoin.

Background: Patients with advanced emphysema experience breathlessness due to impaired respiratory mechanics and diaphragm dysfunction. Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is a minimally invasive bronchoscopic procedure done to reduce hyperinflation and air trapping, promoting atelectasis in the targeted lobe and allowing improved respiratory mechanics. Real-world data on safety and complications outside of clinical trials of BLVR are limited. Methods: We queried the US Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) Manufacturers and User Device Experience database from May 2019 to June 2020 for reports involving BLVR with endobronchial valve (EBV) placement. Events were reviewed for data analysis. Results: We identified 124 cases of complications during BLVR with EBV implantation. The most-reported complication was pneumothorax (110/124, 89%), all of which required chest tube placement. A total of 54 of these cases (54/110, 49%) were complicated by persistent air leak requiring additional interventions. Repeat bronchoscopy was needed to remove the valves in 28 patients, 12 were discharged with a Heimlich valve, and 10 had an additional pleural catheter placed. The other complications of BLVR with EBV placement included respiratory failure (6/124, 5%), pneumonia (4/124, 3%), hemoptysis (2/124, 1.6%), valve migration (1/124, 1%), and pleural effusion (1/124, 1%). A total of 14 deaths were reported during that year. Conclusion: Pneumothorax is the most-reported complication for BLVR with EBV placement, and in 65% of cases, pneumothorax is managed without removing valves. Importantly, 14 deaths were reported during that timeframe. Further studies are needed to estimate the true magnitude of the complications associated with BLVR.

e17036 Background: Elevated serum CGA is associated with an intrinsic or treatment-related neuroendocrine differentiation in men with mCRPC. We previously demonstrated that elevated serum CGA was negatively associated with OS in men with mCRPC. Fluctuations in serum CGA during mCRPC therapy is not well known. We analyzed the impact of (i) rising serum CGA and (ii) baseline CGA/PSA ratio during treatment to identify associations with AA therapy. Methods: Between June 2013 and August 2015, 92 men with mCRPC were enrolled in a prospective trial (“PROMOTE”; NCT#01953640) with uniform serum processing performed prior to initiating abiraterone acetate/prednisone (AA/P) and serially after 12 weeks of AA/P treatments. Serum CGA was measured using a homogenous automated immunofluorescent assay. Patients (pts) receiving proton pump inhibitors or with abnormal renal function were excluded due to possible false elevations of serum CGA (n = 21 excluded). All patients underwent a composite response assessment at 12-weeks with imaging/PSA/QOL questionnaires. Kaplan Meier estimates, and Cox Regression models were used to calculate association with time-to-treatment failure (TTF) analyses, defined as time from treatment initiation to AA/P discontinuation based on disease progression (BlueSky Statistics, Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Of the 71 eligible pts, 67/71 had paired baseline and 12-week CGA and 70/71 pts had a baseline and a 12-week PSA available. The median baseline CGA was 83.0ng/ml (range: 53.0 - 127.0 ng/ml), median baseline PSA was 14.4 ng/ml (range: 6.4-40.2 ng/ml), and the median TTF was 10 months (range: 6-25 months). The median CGA after 12 weeks of AA/P was 98.0 ng/ml (58.0 -148.0 ng/ml) and we observed a CGA rise in 41/67 (61.2%) pts. An increase in chromogranin was associated with a lower risk of treatment failure (HR: 0.52, p = 0.0181). The median CGA/PSA ratio was 7.8 (2.6 -16.0). An elevated pretreatment CGA/PSA ratio above the median was associated with a lower risk of treatment failure (HR: 0.54 p value = 0.0185). Conclusions: We show that an increasing chromogranin on AA/P and an elevated baseline CGA/PSA in pts with mCRPC were associated with a favorable response to AA/P. Further studies are needed to assess if rising CGA during therapy reflects neuroendocrine differentiation and may indicate a sign of treatment effect targeting the androgen susceptible cells. Clinical trial information: NCT#01953640.

TPS5107 Background: Despite a growing number of treatment options for first line mCRPC, approximately 40% of patients (pts) have radiographic progression within the first year. Androgen receptor (AR) signaling inhibition increases genomic instability with double-strand DNA breaks & co-inhibition of AR & PARP induces synthetic lethality in multiple preclinical models. Homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene aberrations do not appear to be necessary for this synergy as demonstrated in a ph 3 clinical trial of abiraterone & olaparib where this combination improved radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) in HRR-wild-type pts compared with abiraterone alone. A ph 1b trial has since shown that enzalutamide plus rucaparib has acceptable safety profile & no significant drug-drug interactions (S-DDI). Methods: CASPAR/A031902 (NCT04455750) is a ph 3 study in which 984 pts will be randomized 1:1 to enzalutamide plus rucaparib or placebo. HRR gene aberration is not required for enrollment. All pts will undergo next-generation targeted-exome sequencing from archival tumor tissue (new biopsy only required if no archival tissue available). Treatment will be continued until disease progression & crossover is not allowed. Key eligibility criteria are age ≥ 18 years, ECOG PS 0-2, biopsy-proven prostate adenocarcinoma, progressive (PSA or radiographic) disease per Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 guidelines, measurable or nonmeasurable disease per RECIST 1.1, no prior treatment for mCRPC (prior docetaxel, abiraterone, darolutamide, or apalutamide in non-mCRPC setting is allowed), no significant uncontrolled comorbidity, & no medications with S-DDI with enzalutamide/rucaparib. Hierarchical co-primary endpoints are rPFS & overall survival (OS). The OS analysis will be undertaken as a primary endpoint if the rPFS endpoint is met. For a one-sided logrank test with a type 1 error rate equal to 0.025, the study has 90% power to detect a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.71 in rPFS (median rPFS of 15 & 21 months in control & combination arms, respectively) & 80% power to detect an HR of 0.80 in OS (median OS of 32 & 40 months, respectively). Key secondary endpoints are rPFS & OS in pts with vs without pathogenic BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 alterations; & differences in adverse events & quality of life (QOL) outcomes between the treatment arms. QOL assessments include Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Prostate (FACT-P), Brief Pain Inventory Short Form (BPI-SF) & EQ-5D-5L. A key correlative endpoint is the sensitivity of ctDNA-based testing for alterations in HRR genes. Enrollment to CASPAR began in July 2021 & the study is available for participation to all US-NCTN sites with a projected enrollment of 3 years. Support: U10CA180821, U10CA180882, U24CA196171; U10CA180888. Clinical trial information: NCT04455750.

4146 Background: Targeting focal adhesion kinase (FAK) renders checkpoint immunotherapy effective in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) mouse models. Defactinib is a highly potent oral FAK inhibitor shown to have a tolerable safety profile. We evaluated the safety and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) of defactinib in combination with pembrolizumab and gemcitabine for PDAC patients. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, open-label, phase I study with dose escalation and expansion phases. In 3x3 dose escalation, patients with refractory solid tumors were treated at five escalating dose levels of defactinib and gemcitabine to identify a RP2D. In expansion phase, patients with metastatic PDAC who progressed on frontline treatment (refractory cohort) or had treatment response or stable disease (SD) on standard gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel (maintenance cohort) were treated at RP2D. Pre- and post-treatment tumor biopsies were performed to evaluate changes in tumor immunity. Results: The triple drug combination was well-tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities. Among 17 treated patients with refractory PDAC, the disease control rate (DCR) was 58.8% with one partial response (PR) and nine SDs and the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 4.2 months and 9.1 months, respectively. Among the evaluable patients in the maintenance cohort, DCR was 63.6% with one PR and six SD. Three patients with SD came off study due to treatment- or disease-related complications. The median PFS and OS were 5.0 months and 8.3 months, respectively. Conclusions: The combination of defactinib, pembrolizumab, and gemcitabine was well-tolerated, had promising preliminary efficacy, and showed increased infiltrative T lymphocytes in post-treatment tumor biopsies. Incorporation of a more potent chemotherapy backbone should be considered to achieve better clinical response in future trial design. Clinical trial information: NCT02546531.

3601 Background: Two cfDNA assays are FDA-approved for use in advanced cancer pts across solid tumors. While several NCCN guidelines recommend cfDNA as a valid and useful method for molecular testing, the utility varies by cancer type. Despite the growing number of molecular alterations pertinent to first-line treatment in mCRC, current guidelines offer little guidance on the use of cfDNA in mCRC. Here we assess the ability of cfDNA to detect guideline-relevant actionable biomarkers informative for first-line therapy selection and beyond in patients with mCRC. Methods: We queried consecutive samples from advanced cancer pts with a diagnosis of CRC who underwent testing via a commercially available cfDNA assay (Guardant360) from September 2018 to January 2022. Validation and content of this assay has been previously described. To enrich for less heavily treated pts, we limited analysis to those whose first cfDNA test was done during the study period and only included the pt’s first test. The maximum variant allele fraction (maxVAF) for each test was used as a proxy for tumor shed and was compared between cancers with a Mann-Whitney test. The frequency of suspected germline alterations was assessed only in pts who received testing via a panel version with expanded mismatch repair (MMR) gene coverage. Tissue frequencies for select biomarkers were obtained from the MSK-IMPACT Clinical Sequencing Cohort in cBioPortal. Results: In total, 14,345 pts with mCRC received their first cfDNA test during the study period, with 92% of pts (13,190) having >1 cfDNA alteration detected. Median age was 62 and 44% of pts were female. The frequencies of key biomarkers are listed in Table 1. The median maxVAF was 5.6%, compared to 2.5% and 1.8% for pts with advanced gastric and NSCLC, respectively (p = < 0.0001 for both). The average turnaround time (TAT) for tests was 7 calendar days. Conclusions: cfDNA results from pts with mCRC demonstrated detection of biomarkers essential to first-line treatment decisions at a frequency comparable to what has been reported via tissue genotyping. mCRC pts had significantly higher tumor shed compared to other cancer types with guidelines that recommend cfDNA as an option for molecular testing, suggesting a potential gap in coverage. Tissue availability in mCRC does not guarantee comprehensive testing is completed quickly (compared to the 7-day TAT seen for cfDNA here), making it an attractive alternative strategy for first-line therapy selection in mCRC. [Table: see text]

2648 Background: To characterize the safety and tolerability of PY314, an immunosuppressive macrophage depleting antibody, as a single agent and in combination with pembrolizumab in subjects with advanced refractory solid tumors including subject’s refractory to checkpoint inhibitors if approved for that indication. Methods: Two were evaluated in subjects with advanced solid tumors, single agent PY314 and PY314 in combination with 200 mg of pembrolizumab using a 3+3 dose escalation study design. Dosing was intravenous and administered once every 3-weeks, a defined cycle. Disease assessment by RECIST 1.1 was performed every 6 weeks. Each stratum included 4 dose levels of PY314 (1, 3, 10, and 20 mg/kg). Pharmacokinetics were evaluated at specified time points. Archival tumor tissue was analyzed for TREM2 expression by immunohistochemistry. Based on preclinical evaluation of TREM2 expression, HR+ HER2- and triple negative breast cancer, colorectal cancer, renal cell cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and gynecologic cancers were studied. Results: 28 subjects (median age 60 years [range 26-76], 22 females and 6 ) with an ECOG PS <2 were enrolled and all, but one was (1 subject withdrew consent after dosing). 15 subjects were treated with single agent PY314 and 13 were treated with the combination. No infusion-related reactions, dose limiting toxicities, suspected unexpected serious adverse reactions or high-grade treatment related adverse events (TRAEs) that resulted in treatment discontinuance was seen. 12 subjects experienced at least one TRAE, and in all but one subject, these were low grade. One subject experienced a treatment-related immune system disorder. serious adverse events, all unrelated to treatment. TREM2 expression in archival tumor ranged from 0.0-20%. PY314 pharmacokinetics were linear, dose proportional, unaffected by concomitant pembrolizumab and with a half-life of 8-9 days. Best radiographic response was stable disease seen in 11 subjects (39.3%) ranging in duration from 9-42 weeks. 6 subjects with stable disease have progressed and 5 remain on treatment. Conclusions: PY314 was well tolerated and has an excellent safety profile both as a single agent and in combination with pembrolizumab. A recommended dose for expansion was derived and enrollment in five prespecified cancers is ongoing. Clinical trial information: 04691375.

Abstract Background The AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a central regulator of energy homeostasis, with deregulation leading to cancer and other diseases. However, how this pathway is dysregulated in cancer has not been well clarified. Methods Using a tandem affinity purification/mass‐spec technique and biochemical analyses, we identified tumor protein D52 (TPD52) as an AMPKα‐interacting molecule. To explore the biological effects of TPD52 in cancers, we conducted biochemical and metabolic assays in vitro and in vivo with cancer cells and TPD52 transgenic mice. Finally, we assessed the clinical significance of TPD52 expression in breast cancer patients using bioinformatics techniques. Results TPD52, initially identified to be overexpressed in many human cancers, was found to form a stable complex with AMPK in cancer cells. TPD52 directly interacts with AMPKα and inhibits AMPKα kinase activity in vitro and in vivo. In TPD52 transgenic mice, overexpression of TPD52 leads to AMPK inhibition and multiple metabolic defects. Clinically, high TPD52 expression predicts poor survival of breast cancer patients. Conclusion The findings revealed that TPD52 is a novel regulator of energy stress‐induced AMPK activation and cell metabolism. These results shed new light on AMPK regulation and understanding of the etiology of cancers with TPD52 overexpression.

Background: Cellular redox control is maintained by generation of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species balanced by activation of antioxidative pathways. Disruption of redox balance leads to oxidative stress, a central causative event in numerous diseases including heart failure. Redox control in the heart exposed to hemodynamic stress, however, remains to be fully elucidated. Methods: Pressure overload was triggered by transverse aortic constriction in mice. Transcriptomic and metabolomic regulations were evaluated by RNA-sequencing and metabolomics, respectively. Stable isotope tracer labeling experiments were conducted to determine metabolic flux in vitro. Neonatal rat ventricular myocytes and H9c2 cells were used to examine molecular mechanisms. Results: We show that production of cardiomyocyte NADPH, a key factor in redox regulation, is decreased in pressure overload-induced heart failure. As a consequence, the level of reduced glutathione is downregulated, a change associated with fibrosis and cardiomyopathy. We report that the pentose phosphate pathway and mitochondrial serine/glycine/folate metabolic signaling, 2 NADPH-generating pathways in the cytosol and mitochondria, respectively, are induced by transverse aortic constriction. We identify ATF4 (activating transcription factor 4) as an upstream transcription factor controlling the expression of multiple enzymes in these 2 pathways. Consistently, joint pathway analysis of transcriptomic and metabolomic data reveal that ATF4 preferably controls oxidative stress and redox-related pathways. Overexpression of ATF4 in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes increases NADPH-producing enzymes‚ whereas silencing of ATF4 decreases their expression. Further, stable isotope tracer experiments reveal that ATF4 overexpression augments metabolic flux within these 2 pathways. In vivo, cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of ATF4 exacerbates cardiomyopathy in the setting of transverse aortic constriction and accelerates heart failure development, attributable, at least in part, to an inability to increase the expression of NADPH-generating enzymes. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that ATF4 plays a critical role in the heart under conditions of hemodynamic stress by governing both cytosolic and mitochondrial production of NADPH.