Citations

ABSTRACT Melanoma in skin of color (SOC), defined as Fitzpatrick skin tones IV‐VI, presents unique epidemiologic, diagnostic, and therapeutic challenges compared to non‐Hispanic White (NHW). Although SOC patients have a lower incidence of melanoma, they experience higher melanoma‐specific fatality rates, which may be attributable to later‐stage diagnoses, differences in the distribution patterns of melanoma subtypes, and systemic barriers to care. SOC patients, particularly non‐Hispanic Black individuals, have a higher proportion of acral lentiginous and mucosal melanomas, which arise in non‐sun‐exposed areas, carry lower mutational burdens, and respond less favorably to immunotherapy and BRAF/MEK‐targeted therapies. These anatomic and biological differences contribute to delayed recognition and reduced treatment efficacy. Concurrently, the rising incidence of melanoma in situ across racial and ethnic groups without corresponding decreases in invasive disease or similarly increased mortality rates raises concern for overdiagnosis. Artificial intelligence‐based diagnostic tools show promise in NHW populations but are limited by the underrepresentation of SOC in training datasets and diminished positive predictive value in low‐prevalence populations. The estimated number needed to screen to prevent one melanoma death in SOC populations ranges from approximately 46,000 to 201,000, underscoring the challenge of melanoma screening in this group. Suggested solutions and improvements include expanding healthcare access through patient navigators, developing culturally tailored education programs focused on identifying early invasive disease, diversifying AI training datasets to include acral and mucosal melanoma, biobanking rare melanoma subtypes, and decentralizing clinical trials into community settings. A multifaceted approach is essential to addressing overdiagnosis and improving melanoma outcomes in the SOC populations. image

Abstract Varlilumab is a monoclonal antibody with agonistic activity on CD27. The efficacy of single-agent PD-1 inhibitors on aggressive B-cell non-Hodkin lymphoma is limited. Preclinical and phase 1 data suggest that Varlilumab is safe and may have synergistic activity with PD-1 inhibitors. In the DIAL study, we explored whether dual immunomodulatory therapy with Varlilumab and Nivolumab in patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B-NHL was safe and effective. We conducted a randomized phase II clinical trial on adult patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B-NHL. Patients were randomized to receive Nivolumab monotherapy in the control group and Varlilumab combined with Nivolumab in the experimental group. Crossover to the experimental group was allowed upon progression in the control group. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate based on the Lymphoma Response to Immunomodulatory Therapy Criteria (LYRIC). 54 patients underwent randomization, and 51 received assigned intervention and were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Objective response was observed in 6 out of 51 patients (ORR 12%). There were 4 responders (ORR 16%) in the Nivolumab group and 2 responders (ORR 7.6%) in the Nivolumab and Varlilumab combination group (p = 0.3). None of the 7 patients that crossed over to the experimental group responded to the addition of Varlilumab. The ORR of patients who were previously exposed to CAR-T cell therapy was 13% (5 out of 39) compared to 8.3% (1 out of 12) in the unexposed patients (p > 0.99). The rate of treatment emergent adverse events was similar between groups, and there was no fatal TEAE in the study. The addition of Varlilumab to Nivolumb did not improve outcomes in patients with aggressive B-NHL. Even though this trial was not designed to evaluate immunotherapy as a rescue therapy after CAR-T failure, most patients (76%) had previously received CAR-T therapy, and their outcomes were equally poor.

Abstract Enfortumab vedotin (EV), pembrolizumab, and EV plus pembrolizumab (EV/P) have rapidly reshaped the treatment landscape of advanced urothelial carcinoma, but toxicity increasingly determines treatment delivery, treatment continuity, and real-world benefit. As EV/P moves into broader clinical use, clinicians must distinguish adverse events related to antibody-drug conjugate exposure from immune-mediated toxicities and recognize syndromes in which both mechanisms may contribute. In this practical, mechanism-informed review, we synthesize pivotal trials, mature follow-up reports, and representative real-world cohorts describing the safety of EV monotherapy, pembrolizumab monotherapy, and EV/P in urothelial carcinoma. Because adverse-event reporting and ascertainment are heterogeneous across studies, including differences in preferred terms, composite categories, grading frameworks, and treatment-related versus all-cause reporting, we emphasize clinically interpretable patterns rather than pooled estimates. EV monotherapy is characterized by cutaneous toxicity, peripheral neuropathy, hyperglycemia, dysgeusia, and ocular events, including early epithelial/metabolic events and cumulative neuropathy. Pembrolizumab monotherapy has a lower overall high-grade toxicity burden but is defined by immune-mediated endocrinopathies, pneumonitis, hepatitis, colitis, and nephritis. Combination therapy produces a predictable overlap of these toxicity domains, creating diagnostic and management challenges for syndromes such as skin toxicity, diarrhea, fatigue, and pulmonary symptoms. We provide comparative visual toxicity signatures, regimen-specific summary tables, temporal toxicity mapping, and a pragmatic attribution framework that classifies events as EV-predominant, immune-predominant, overlap/indeterminate, or high-risk requiring initial interruption of both agents. This review aims to support bedside recognition, provisional attribution, early management, and safer implementation of EV/P in contemporary urothelial carcinoma practice.

Abstract Background and Objective Management of von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease is challenging due to multisystem involvement and limited systemic treatment options. Belzutifan has shown promising efficacy in clinical trials; however, real-world data remain limited. We aimed to evaluate its effectiveness and safety in a real-world cohort. Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 59 patients with VHL disease treated with belzutifan between August 2021 and January 2026. Objective response rates (ORR) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), central nervous system hemangioblastomas (CNS HB), and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET) were assessed by an independent radiologist. Retinal hemangioblastoma outcomes were evaluated through ophthalmology records by chart review. Results Median follow-up was 29 months. ORR was 27.6%, 39.6%, and 85.7% for RCC, CNS HB, and pNET, respectively. Among 13 patients with retinal hemangioblastomas (20 eyes), 17 eyes (85%) showed improvement. At data cutoff, 47 patients (79.6%) remained on treatment, while 12 (20.3%) discontinued (7 due to adverse events, 3 to disease progression, and 2 to other reasons). The most common adverse event was anemia (86.4%). Grade ≥3 events occurred in 10 patients (16.9%). The procedure rate per patient-year decreased from 0.35 in the 3 years prior to treatment to 0.08 during follow-up (Incidence Rate Ratio, 0.23; 95% CI, 0.12–0.47; P < 0.001) Conclusions Belzutifan demonstrated efficacy across VHL-associated lesions, with favorable safety profile. Most adverse events were grade 1–2. A reduction in procedure rate was observed after treatment initiation.

Aim: Despite advances with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-based regimens in the past decade, patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) face a poor prognosis with few approved options. Platinum-based chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin (TC) +/– ICI may be a feasible choice. Methods: We generated an IRB-approved, HIPAA-compliant retrospective database of patients at Mayo Clinic Cancer Center with mUC who started TC +/– ICI after disease progression on ICI from January 2018 through December 2024. Baseline demographics, clinicopathologic features, and treatment outcomes were extracted from the electronic health record. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate median duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: There were 32 patients who fit inclusion criteria, including 31 patients who had disease progression on ICI in the metastatic setting and 1 patient who developed metastatic disease on adjuvant nivolumab. Patients received a median of 4 cycles (range 1–14) of TC over median 12 weeks (range 3–53). Overall, 81% of patients received TC concurrently with an ICI, and 28% continued maintenance ICI after TC discontinuation (at the treating oncologist’s discretion due to adequate response or toxicity). The best objective response rate was 41% and disease control rate was 75%, with median DOR of 4.8 months (IQR 2.7–10.4), median PFS of 4.6 months (IQR 3.3–10.2), and median OS of 9.4 months (IQR 6.3–15.9). Some patients in this series had very durable responses with PFS > 12 months and OS > 24 months. TC +/– ICI was overall well tolerated with expected type and severity of adverse events. Conclusions: Strategies to overcome ICI resistance are needed, and TC +/– ICI after disease progression on an ICI shows promising tolerability and efficacy in this setting for patients with mUC. Our series was notable for some patients having a durable response. Validation in larger cohorts is warranted.

4559 Background: Baseline QOL has been linked to survival in mRCC therapy clinical trials (Cella, 2024); however, there is a paucity of prospectively collected real-world QOL data across front-line management strategies. We used data from ODYSSEY to examine the relationship between baseline QOL and early death. Methods: ODYSSEY is a multi-site, prospective observational study of 468 US pts with mRCC. Pts must have mRCC (any histology); have no prior systemic therapy (ST) or be within 3 months of starting ST; and follow up at a PCORnet study site. Exclusion criteria include treatment for cancer except mRCC. The primary objective is to determine patterns of change in QOL and symptom burden of pts with mRCC. Early death was defined as death within 12 months post-enrollment. All pts with non-missing FKSI-19 or FKSI-DRS at enrollment were included. Cumulative event probabilities as a function of time were stratified by either < or ≥ median QoL value and plotted as a step function vs time since enrollment to create cumulative event curves. To determine association between QoL at enrollment and early death, separate Cox proportional hazards models (unadjusted and adjusted) for time-to-first-event as a function of baseline QoL were fit. The adjusted model controlled for the following baseline covariates: IMDC risk (favorable vs intermediate or poor), histology (clear cell vs non). Results: As of 1/5/26, 468 pts were enrolled; 425 had non-missing FKSI-19 or FKSI-DRS at enrollment (329 immediate ST, 96 deferred ST [DST]). ST included 129 IO-IO, 108 IO-TKI, 92 Other. DST included 57 Active Surveillance, 22 Local Therapy Planned, 17 Other/Missing. 209 and 190 pts have < median FKSI-19 (score = 59) and FKSI-DRS (score = 29), respectively; 216 and 235 pts have ≥ median FKSI-19 and FKSI-DRS, respectively. Those below the median have lower rates of nephrectomy, worse IMDC risk and KPS, shorter time since RCC diagnosis, and higher rates of bone metastasis (all p<0.05). Cumulative event probabilities for death at 12 months are 21% and 7% in those < and ≥ median baseline FKSI-19, respectively; and 21% and 7% in those < and ≥ median baseline FKSI-DRS, respectively. For FKSI-19, the unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) for early death is 0.55 (95% CI: 0.43 – 0.70; p<0.001) and adjusted HR is 0.65 (0.49 – 0.85; p = 0.002) per 1 SD higher score. For FKSI-DRS, the unadjusted HR for early death is 0.57 (95% CI: 0.46 – 0.71; p<0.001) and adjusted HR is 0.66 (0.51 – 0.86; p =0.002) per 1 SD higher score (higher score indicates better QOL). Conclusions: Across management strategies in our ODYSSEY cohort of systemic therapy naïve mRCC patients, better baseline QOL was associated with better survival. This is to our knowledge the largest reported real world mRCC cohort with prospectively collected PROs. Future analyses will focus on association of outcomes with longitudinal PROs. Clinical trial information: NCT04919122 .

496 Background: Approximately 10% of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have an associated venous tumor thrombus (VTT), the presence of which impacts surgical management and increases perioperative risk. Historical systemic therapy regimens had limited success in downsizing VTT; however, the impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) on VTT shrinkage is unknown. Our primary objective is to assess VTT shrinkage comparing responses to ICI versus non-ICI regimens. Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients with RCC and VTT from 2006-2024 who received upfront systemic therapy. Patients were evaluated at tertiary referral centers across Mayo Clinic Rochester, Florida, and Arizona. Systemic therapies were categorized as ICI versus non-ICI regimens. VTT length was quantified by distance relative to the superior border of the renal vein ostium. The primary outcome was change in VTT length on serial imaging as measured by absolute length reduction (cm), RECIST version 1.1 criteria, and Mayo VTT level reclassification. Linear mixed-effect models (LMMs) identified associations with VTT shrinkage and clinicopathologic features. Results: A total of 108 patients with median age 65 years (IQR 57-71) were included, of whom 49 (45%) received ICI regimens. ICI regimens were associated with greater VTT shrinkage (1cm vs 0.1 cm, p=0.025), increased RECIST responses (51% vs 32%, p=0.046), and a higher rate downstaging per Mayo VTT level (33% vs 12%, p=0.008) compared to non-ICI regimens. On multivariable LMM analysis, ICI regimens remained more likely to result in VTT shrinkage compared to non-ICI regimens (-0.12 cm/month, 95% CI –0.24-0.00, p=0.046). Absence of abdominal lymphadenopathy was also associated with VTT shrinkage (-0.18cm/month, 95% CI -0.06- -0.30, p=0.004). Initial Mayo VTT level, IMDC risk, and number of metastatic sites were not associated with VTT shrinkage. Conclusions: Treatment with ICI-regimens resulted in VTT shrinkage and Mayo VTT level reduction. This is a particularly important area of exploration as radical nephrectomy and tumor thrombectomy carry up to a 40% risk of peri-operative major complications. These data support using ICI regimens for patients with RCC with VTT who are not candidates for upfront surgery and prioritizing ICI regimens in neoadjuvant clinical trials.