Presence of tertiary lymphoid structures and exhausted tissue-resident T cells determines clinical response to PD-1 blockade in renal cell carcinoma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) targeting the PD-1 pathway have transformed treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but mechanisms underlying therapeutic response remain largely unknown. Herein, we perform transcriptomic analysis on RCC biospecimens from 102 patients enrolled in a phase II clinical trial of frontline nivolumab (NCT03117309) to investigate determinants of response to anti-PD1 monotherapy. Through bulk analysis, we identify an enrichment of genes associated with tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in responding patients.

Phase II Trial of Risk-Enabled Therapy After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (RETAIN 1).

Purpose: Cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by cystectomy is the standard of care for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Mutations in DNA damage repair genes are associated with pathologic downstaging after NAC. We hypothesized that a combination of biomarker selection and clinical staging would identify patients for cystectomy-sparing active surveillance (AS).

Identification and Validation of Prognostic Model for Tumor Microenvironment-Associated Genes in Bladder Cancer Based on Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Data Sets.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the tumor microenvironment (TME) and cellular diversity in bladder cancer (BLCA) progression, leveraging single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data to identify potential prognostic biomarkers and construct a prognostic model for BLCA.

Methods: We analyzed scRNA-seq data of normal and tumor bladder cells from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to uncover crucial markers within the bladder TME. The study compared gene expression in normal versus tumor bladder cells, identifying differentially expressed genes.

Epacadostat plus pembrolizumab versus placebo plus pembrolizumab for advanced urothelial carcinoma: results from the randomized phase III ECHO-303/KEYNOTE-698 study.

Background: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) levels correlate with poor outcomes in urothelial carcinoma (UC). IDO1 and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are often co-expressed. Epacadostat is a potent and highly selective inhibitor of IDO1.

Correlative Analysis of ATM, RB1, ERCC2, and FANCC Mutations and Pathologic Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: Results from the SWOG S1314 Trial.

We previously reported that tumors harboring any one of four gene mutations (ATM, RB1, FANCC, or ERCC2) were likely to respond to neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy (NAC), resulting in cancer-free surgical specimens at the time of cystectomy (pT0). Here, we report our validation of this finding. Using the CARIS 592 Gene Panel (Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ, USA), we analyzed 105 pre-NAC tumor specimens from a large multicenter trial (S1314) of either neoadjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC), or dose-dense methotrexate, vinblastine, Adriamycin, and cisplatin (DDMVAC).

Urine Biopsy as Dynamic Biomarker to Enhance Clinical Staging of Bladder Cancer in Radical Cystectomy Candidates.

Purpose: There is significant interest in identifying complete responders to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) before radical cystectomy (RC) to potentially avoid removal of a pathologically benign bladder. However, clinical restaging after NAC is highly inaccurate. The objective of this study was to develop a next-generation sequencing-based molecular assay using urine to enhance clinical staging of patients with bladder cancer.

Role of Gut Microbiome in Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Urothelial Carcinoma: A Multi-institutional Prospective Cohort Evaluation.

Unlabelled: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is linked with clinical advantages in urothelial carcinoma for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Despite comprehensive research into the influence of tumor mutation expression profiles and clinicopathologic factors on chemotherapy response, the role of the gut microbiome (GM) in bladder cancer chemotherapy response remains poorly understood. This study examines the variance in the GM of patients with bladder cancer compared with healthy adults, and investigates GM compositional differences between patients who respond to chemotherapy versus those who exhibit residual disease.

Treatment-free survival outcomes from the phase II study of nivolumab and salvage nivolumab/ipilimumab in advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (HCRN GU16-260-Cohort A).

Background: As part of a partitioned survival analysis, treatment-free survival (TFS) can characterize the overall survival time patients spend between the cessation of immunotherapy and the start of subsequent therapy; both with and without toxicity. Significant TFS was reported for the nivolumab/ipilimumab arms of the CheckMate 067 and 214 trials for patients with advanced melanoma or renal cell carcinoma (aRCC), respectively, where immunotherapy was often halted for toxicity rather than a predefined treatment endpoint. We therefore sought to assess TFS in the HCRN GU16-260 trial, which was designed to reduce toxicity and cap immunotherapy duration.

Phase I LITESPARK-001 study of belzutifan for advanced solid tumors: Extended 41-month follow-up in the clear cell renal cell carcinoma cohort.

Background: Accumulation of the HIF-2α transcription factor is an oncogenic event implicated in the tumorigenesis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). In the phase I LITESPARK-001 study, the first-in-class HIF-2α inhibitor belzutifan demonstrated antitumor activity and an acceptable safety profile for pretreated patients with advanced ccRCC. Updated data with additional follow-up of > 40 months are presented.

LITESPARK-012: pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib with or without belzutifan or quavonlimab for advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Combination treatment with immunotherapy agents and/or vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors are a standard of care for patients with advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Novel therapeutic combinations that include the hypoxia-inducible factor 2α inhibitor belzutifan and the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 inhibitor quavonlimab are being investigated for their potential to further improve patient outcomes. This protocol describes the rationale and design of the randomized, phase III LITESPARK-012 study, which will evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib with or without belzutifan or quavonlimab as first-line treatment for advanced ccRCC.

A phase 1 study of nivolumab in combination with interferon-gamma for patients with advanced solid tumors.

This phase I, dose-escalation trial evaluates the safety of combining interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and nivolumab in patients with metastatic solid tumors. Twenty-six patients are treated in four cohorts assessing increasing doses of IFN-γ with nivolumab to evaluate the primary endpoint of safety and determine the recommended phase two dose (RP2D). Most common adverse events are low grade and associated with IFN-γ.

Pembrolizumab Plus Axitinib Versus Sunitinib as First-line Treatment of Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma: 43-month Follow-up of the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-426 Study.

Previous analyses of KEYNOTE-426, an open-label, phase 3 randomized study, showed superior efficacy of first-line pembrolizumab plus axitinib to sunitinib in advanced clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We report results of the final protocol-prespecified analysis of KEYNOTE-426. Patients received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously every 3 wk plus axitinib 5 mg orally twice daily or sunitinib 50 mg orally once daily (4 wk per 6-wk cycle).

Results From a Randomized Phase II Trial of Sunitinib and Gemcitabine or Sunitinib in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma with Sarcomatoid Features: ECOG-ACRIN E1808.

Introduction: Sarcomatoid renal cancer (sRCC) patients have poor outcomes. EA1808 evaluated sunitinib and gemcitabine (SG) and sunitinib alone (S) in sRCC in a randomized cooperative group phase II trial (NCT01164228).

Patients And Methods: Pts were aggregated 1:1 to SG (45 pts) or S (40 pts) using a 2-stage design.

Flutamide With or Without PROSTVAC in Non-metastatic Castration Resistant (M0) Prostate Cancer.

Background: Before 2018, there was no standard of care for non-metastatic (M0) castration resistant prostate cancer nmCRPC. Androgen receptor antagonists (ARAs) were commonly used sequentially nmCRPC.

Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized clinical trial comparing the ARA flutamide+/-PROSTVAC, a pox viral vaccine targeting PSA that includes T-cell co-stimulatory molecules.

Phase II study of nivolumab and salvage nivolumab/ipilimumab in treatment-naïve patients with advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (HCRN GU16-260-Cohort B).

Background: To determine the efficacy and toxicity of nivolumab monotherapy in treatment-naïve patients with non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC) and the efficacy of nivolumab/ipilimumab salvage therapy in patients with tumors unresponsive to initial nivolumab monotherapy.

Methods: Eligible patients with treatment-naïve nccRCC received nivolumab until progressive disease (PD), toxicity, or completion of 96 weeks of treatment (Part A). Patients with PD prior to, or stable disease (SD) at 48 weeks (prolonged SD) were potentially eligible to receive salvage nivolumab/ipilimumab (Part B).

A Phase II Trial of Guadecitabine plus Atezolizumab in Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Progressing after Initial Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy.

Purpose: On the basis of preclinical evidence of epigenetic contribution to sensitivity and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), we hypothesized that guadecitabine (hypomethylating agent) and atezolizumab [anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1)] together would potentiate a clinical response in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) unresponsive to initial immune checkpoint blockade therapy.

Patients And Methods: We designed a single arm phase II study (NCT03179943) with a safety run-in to identify the recommended phase II dose of the combination therapy of guadecitabine and atezolizumab. Patients with recurrent/advanced UC who had previously progressed on ICI therapy with programmed cell death protein 1 or PD-L1 targeting agents were eligible.

Patients' Perceptions Regarding the Relevance of Items Contained in the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Kidney Symptom Index-19.

Background: There is a lack of consensus regarding the optimal method of assessing health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) among patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). This study explored the perceived relevance of items that make up the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Kidney Symptom Index-19 (FKSI-19), as judged by patients with mRCC.

Methods: This was a multinational cross-sectional survey.