Citations

131 Background: KRAS G12C mutations occur in 3%–4% of CRC cases and are associated with poor prognosis. In the phase 1/2 KRYSTAL-1 study (NCT03785249), at a median follow-up of 11.9 months (mo), Ada (irreversible inhibitor of KRAS G12C ) in combination with Cetux (anti-EGFR antibody) demonstrated promising clinical activity (objective response rate [ORR] of 34% per blinded independent central review [BICR] and 43% per investigator [INV]) and was well tolerated in patients (pts) with previously treated KRAS G12C -mutated mCRC. Based on these findings, Ada + Cetux was granted accelerated approval in the United States for these pts. Here, we present longer-term follow-up analyses from this study. Methods: Adults with previously treated KRAS G12C -mutated mCRC and ECOG performance status of 0 or 1 were treated with Ada (600 mg BID) in combination with Cetux (400 mg/m 2 followed by 250 mg/m 2 QW or 500 mg/m 2 Q2W) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, or death, in separate phase 1 and phase 2 cohorts. Primary endpoints were safety (phase 1) and ORR per BICR (phase 2). Secondary endpoints were duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety (phase 2). Results: A total of 94 pts received Ada + Cetux. The median number of prior lines of systemic therapy was 3 (range, 1–9); 23 pts (24%) had received ≥ 4 prior lines of systemic therapy. The most frequent sites of metastases at baseline were the lung (71%) and liver (64%). At a median follow-up of 20.4 mo, ORR per INV was 43% (95% CI 32–53) and all were partial responses; median DOR was 5.9 (95% CI 5.5–7.6) mo. Disease control rate per INV was 86% (95% CI 78–92). Median PFS per INV was 6.9 (95% CI 5.9–7.4) mo; 6- and 12-mo PFS rates were 61% and 19%, respectively. Median OS was 16.0 (95% CI 13.3–18.8) mo; 6- and 12-mo OS rates were 88% and 66%, respectively. Any-grade treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 100% of pts, 28% of which were grade 3/4. TRAEs led to discontinuation in 10% of pts. Efficacy analyses by BICR, subgroup analyses, and additional safety results will be presented. Conclusions: In heavily pretreated pts with KRAS G12C -mutated mCRC, Ada + Cetux continued to demonstrate clinically meaningful activity and tolerable safety with longer follow-up. These updated results are consistent with those from the primary analysis and constitute the longest duration of follow-up for dual KRAS G12C /EGFR blockade in this setting. Efficacy of second-line Ada + Cetux vs chemotherapy in KRAS G12C -mutated mCRC is being investigated in the phase 3 KRYSTAL-10 study (NCT04793958). Clinical trial information: NCT03785249 .

ObjectiveThe ADVOCATE trial demonstrated that treatment of active granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) with avacopan was noninferior in achieving remission at week 26 and superior for sustained remission at week 52 compared with a prednisone taper. This analysis of ADVOCATE evaluated the efficacy and safety of avacopan in patients with ear, nose, throat (ENT), or lung manifestations.MethodsThis post hoc analysis included patients enrolled in ADVOCATE with ENT or lung manifestations at baseline. Outcomes included remission at weeks 26 and 52, respiratory tract manifestations over time, relapse rate, glucocorticoid‐related toxicity, health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), and safety.ResultsADVOCATE included 144 patients with ENT manifestations (avacopan: n = 75, prednisone taper: n = 69) and 142 with lung manifestations (avacopan: n = 71, prednisone taper: n = 71). Among patients with ENT manifestations, remission was achieved at week 26 by 72.0% (avacopan group) and 71.0% (prednisone taper group) and was sustained at week 52 by 62.7% (avacopan) and 53.6% (prednisone taper). Among patients with lung manifestations, remission was achieved at week 26 by 73.2% (avacopan) and 66.2% (prednisone taper) and sustained at week 52 by 67.6% (avacopan) and 53.5% (prednisone taper). The relapse rate, glucocorticoid toxicity, and measures of HRQoL favored avacopan for both respiratory tract manifestation groups. Safety was comparable across treatment groups.ConclusionPatients with GPA or MPA with ENT or lung manifestations demonstrated similar responses to avacopan, reflecting results reported in the overall ADVOCATE trial population and supporting the administration of avacopan in these subgroups.

Purpose: To update the epidemiological patterns of facial nerve palsy (FNP) in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Methods: A retrospective chart review using the Rochester Epidemiology Project database was conducted. Patients aged ≥18 years receiving a diagnosis of FNP within the Rochester Epidemiology Project database from the years 2000 to 2010 were included in the study. Data collected included age, gender, cause of FNP, degree of paralysis, medical and/or surgical management, and outcomes. Overall incidence rates were determined using gender-specific population figures for Olmsted County. Incidence trends were compared with previous Rochester Epidemiology Project studies. Results: The most common cause for FNP was Bell palsy (70.3% of cases). The overall incidence rate for Bell palsy in Olmsted County from 2000 to 2010 was 39.9 (95% CI, 36.1–43.7) per 100,000 person-years. This is an absolute increase of 14.9 per 100,000 person-years and a 60% relative increase in Bell palsy compared with a previous study performed at Mayo Clinic using the Rochester Epidemiology Project database population data from 1968 to 1982. Patients were infrequently evaluated by an ophthalmologist (8.4% of cases), and surgical intervention to address ophthalmic sequelae was rare (1.7% of cases). Conclusions: The incidence of Bell palsy has increased dramatically over previous studies, which has occurred in the setting of declining herpes simplex virus type 1 seropositivity trends and increasing herpes zoster incidence in the United States. Few patients with FNP are referred to ophthalmologists, which may represent a gap in care for both acute and long-term ophthalmic sequelae.

Cancer immunotherapy—including immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT)—has become a standard, potentially curative treatment for a subset of advanced solid and liquid tumors. However, most patients with cancer do not benefit from the rapidly evolving improvements in the understanding of principal mechanisms determining cancer immune responsiveness (CIR); including patient-specific genetically determined and acquired factors, as well as intrinsic cancer cell biology. Though CIR is multifactorial, fundamental concepts are emerging that should be considered for the design of novel therapeutic strategies and related clinical studies. Recent advancements as well as novel approaches to address the limitations of current treatments are discussed here, with a specific focus on ICI and ACT.

ImportanceBlood culture (BC) use benchmarks in US hospitals have not been defined.ObjectiveTo characterize BC use in adult intensive care units (ICUs) and wards in US hospitals.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsA retrospective cross-sectional study of BC use in adult medical ICUs, medical-surgical ICUs, medical wards, and medical-surgical wards from acute care hospitals from the 4 US geographic regions was conducted. Critical access hospitals, less than 6 months of BC data, and non-US hospitals were excluded. The study included BC use data from September 1, 2019, to August 31, 2021. Data were analyzed from February 23 to July 14, 2024.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcome was BC use per 1000 patient-days. Adjusted means with 95% CIs were calculated using mixed-effects negative binomial regression models adjusted for unit type, hospital bed size, geographic region, seasonality, and state COVID-19 case load, with random intercepts accounting for clustering at unit and hospital levels. Secondary outcomes included blood culture positivity, single BCs, BC contamination, and minimum threshold for BC use where blood culture positivity would be optimized.ResultsA total of 362 327 blood cultures were analyzed from 27 medical ICUs, 35 medical-surgical ICUs, 121 medical wards, and 109 medical-surgical wards from 48 hospitals in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The adjusted mean BC use per 1000 patient-days was 273.1 (95% CI, 270.2-275.9) for medical ICUs, 146.0 (95% CI, 144.5-147.5) for medical-surgical ICUs, 80.3 (95% CI, 79.8-80.7) for medical wards, and 65.1 for medical-surgical wards. Blood culture use was significantly higher across all 4 unit types in hospitals with more than 500 beds compared with 500 or less beds and in the West-Midwest compared with other regions. Single blood culture and positive blood culture rates were below 10% across all 4 unit types. Of the 292 units, 97% had a mean BC contamination rate within 3% of the recommended threshold, and 51% were within 1%. The minimum BC use thresholds (ie, BC use below this number may represent undertesting) were 120 BCs per 1000 patient-days for medical ICUs, 80 BCs per 1000 patient-days for medical-surgical ICUs, and 30 BCs per 1000 patient-days for medical-surgical wards.Conclusions and RelevanceThe findings of this study suggest that blood culture positivity may help determine appropriate BC use for individual unit types.