A conserved pilin from uncultured gut bacterial clade TANB77 enhances cancer immunotherapy.

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has become a standard anti-cancer treatment, offering durable clinical benefits. However, the limited response rate of ICB necessitates biomarkers to predict and modulate the efficacy of the therapy. The gut microbiome's influence on ICB efficacy is of particular interest due to its modifiability through various interventions.

Clinical Impact of TP53 Mutations in Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Who Were Treated with Targeted Therapies or Immunotherapy.

Purpose: TP53 mutations are common in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We evaluated their clinical impact in patients treated with targeted agents or immunotherapy in the KCSG HN15-16 TRIUMPH trial.

Materials And Methods: We analyzed clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with TP53 mutations in the TRIUMPH trial, a multicenter, biomarker-driven umbrella trial in Korea.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by definitive local treatment in locally advanced sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare disease entity, comprising less than 5% of malignancies of the head and neck. While surgery is the primary treatment approach, neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies play crucial roles in enhancing the prognosis of patients undergoing treatment with the goal of cure. In this study, we aimed to explore the treatment outcomes of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with locally advanced sinonasal SCC.

Real-World Outcomes with Lurbinectedin in Second Line and Beyond for Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer in Korea.

Purpose: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for approximately 10-15% of all lung cancers and is characterized by a high recurrence rate, early metastasis, and poor prognosis. Before the FDA approved lurbinectedin for SCLC that progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy in 2020, topotecan was the sole second-line option associated with hematological toxicities and modest efficacy. Lurbinectedin received conditional approval in Korea in September 2022 for metastatic SCLC progression, with the same indications.

A phase 2 study of spartalizumab (PDR001) among patients with recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (KCSG HN18-17, K-MASTER project 12).

Unlabelled: Spartalizumab (PDR001) is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). We conducted a single-arm, phase 2 trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of spartalizumab in patients with refractory esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Patients with histologically confirmed ESCC who experienced disease progression after platinum-based chemotherapy received 300 mg of intravenous spartalizumab every three weeks until disease progression or occurrence of unacceptable toxicity.

Radiomics and PD-L1 expression predict immunotherapy benefits in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

To evaluate the performance of MRI-derived radiomic risk score (RRS) and PD-L1 expression to predict overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients with recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma receiving nivolumab therapy. Three hundred forty radiomic features from pretreatment MRI were used to construct the RRS. The integrated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (iAUC) was calculated to evaluate the performance of the RRS and PD-L1.

Analysis of Response and Progression Patterns of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Recurrent or Metastatic Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: A Post Hoc Analysis of Two KCSG Phase II Trials.

Purpose: In this study, we evaluated 66 patients diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) enrolled in two Korean Cancer Study Group trials to investigate the response and progression patterns in recurrent and/or metastatic ACC treated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGFR-TKIs).

Materials And Methods: We evaluated 66 patients diagnosed with ACC who were enrolled in the Korean Cancer Study Group trials. The tumor measurements, clinical data, treatment outcomes, and progression patterns of therapy were analyzed.

A Phase II Open-Label Randomized Clinical Trial of Preoperative Durvalumab or Durvalumab plus Tremelimumab in Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: Clinical implications of neoadjuvant immunotherapy in patients with locally advanced but resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain largely unexplored.

Patients And Methods: Patients with resectable HNSCC were randomized to receive a single dose of preoperative durvalumab (D) with or without tremelimumab (T) before resection, followed by postoperative (chemo)radiotherapy based on multidisciplinary discretion and 1-year D treatment. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered spatial distribution analysis of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and high-dimensional profiling of circulating immune cells tracked dynamic intratumoral and systemic immune responses.

Nivolumab Plus Chemotherapy in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Mutated Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer After Disease Progression on Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: Final Results of CheckMate 722.

Purpose: The phase III CheckMate 722 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02864251) evaluated nivolumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor ()-mutated metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after disease progression on EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Methods: Patients with disease progression after first- or second-generation EGFR TKI therapy (without T790M mutation) or osimertinib (with/without T790M mutation) were randomly assigned 1:1 to nivolumab (360 mg once every 3 weeks) plus platinum-doublet chemotherapy (once every 3 weeks) or platinum-doublet chemotherapy alone (once every 3 weeks) for four cycles.

Patient-Reported Health-Related Quality of Life in KEYNOTE-604: Pembrolizumab or Placebo Added to Etoposide and Platinum as First-Line Therapy for Extensive-Stage SCLC.

Introduction: In the phase 3 KEYNOTE-604 study (NCT03066778), pembrolizumab plus etoposide and platinum chemotherapy (EP) significantly ( = 0.0023) improved progression-free survival versus placebo plus EP in previously untreated extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC). We present health-related quality of life (HRQoL) results from KEYNOTE-604.

Feasibility of UTE-MRI-based radiomics model for prediction of histopathologic subtype of lung adenocarcinoma: in comparison with CT-based radiomics model.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of the UTE-MRI radiomic model in predicting the micropapillary and/or solid (MP/S) patterns of surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively enrolled 74 lesions from 71 patients who underwent UTE-MRI and CT before curative surgery for early lung adenocarcinoma. For conventional radiologic analysis, we analyzed the longest lesion diameter and lesion characteristics at both UTE-MRI and CT.

Usefulness of bronchial washing fluid for detection of EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer.

Introduction: The implementation of bronchial washing fluid (BWF) as a diagnostic specimen may complement the low diagnostic yields of plasma in detecting EGFR mutation (mEGFR) in non-small cell lung cancer. However, the diagnostic value of BWF in detecting mEGFR has yet to be clarified.

Materials And Methods: From March 2021 to August 2022, patients with histologically confirmed NSCLC with matched tumor tissue, BWF, and/or plasma samples were enrolled.

A Phase I Study of the Pan-Notch Inhibitor CB-103 for Patients with Advanced Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma and Other Tumors.

Purpose: CB-103 selectively inhibits the CSL-NICD (Notch intracellular domain) interaction leading to transcriptional downregulation of oncogenic Notch pathway activation. This dose-escalation/expansion study aimed to determine safety, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity.

Experimental Design: Patients ≥18 years of age with selected advanced solid tumors [namely, adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC)] and hematologic malignancies were eligible.

Aggressive Local Ablative Radiotherapy Mitigates Progression Risk in Oligometastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the role of local ablative radiotherapy (LART) in oligometastatic/oligoprogressive lung adenocarcinoma.

Materials And Methods: Patients (n=176) with oligometastatic lung adenocarcinoma treated with LART were identified, and those treated with LART at the initial diagnosis of synchronous oligometastatic disease (OMD group) or treated with LART when they presented with repeat oligoprogression (OPD group) were included.

Results: In the OMD group (n=54), the 1- and 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) were 50.

Prognostic value of baseline and early treatment response of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, C-reactive protein, and lactate dehydrogenase in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing immunotherapy.

Background: Not all non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients will benefit from immune checkpoint therapy and use of these medications carry serious autoimmune adverse effects. Therefore, biomarkers are needed to better identify patients who will benefit from its use. Here, the correlation of overall survival (OS) with baseline and early treatment period serum biomarker responses was evaluated in patients with NSCLC undergoing immunotherapy.

Safety and tolerability of first-line durvalumab with tremelimumab and chemotherapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Advanced or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is associated with poor prognosis; new first-line systemic treatment options are needed. Combining immuno-oncology therapies with standard chemotherapy may represent a promising approach for the treatment of solid tumors. Results from a Phase Ib study evaluating durvalumab with tremelimumab and chemotherapy in patients with advanced or metastatic ESCC are reported.

A Phase II Trial of Nintedanib in Patients with Metastatic or Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: In-Depth Analysis of Nintedanib Arm from the KCSG HN 15-16 TRIUMPH Trial.

Purpose: Precision oncology approach for recurrent and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is necessary due to its dismal prognosis. We performed a genomic profile-based umbrella trial of patients with platinum-refractory HNSCC (KCSG-TRIUMPH). Here, we present an in-depth report of the the nintedanib arm (arm 3) of the current trial.

Early Circulating Tumor DNA Dynamics and Efficacy of Lorlatinib in Patients With Treatment-Naive, Advanced, ALK-Positive NSCLC.

Introduction: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has been used as a biomarker for prognostication and response to treatment. Here, we evaluate ctDNA as a potential biomarker for response to lorlatinib, a third-generation ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor in patients with treatment-naive, advanced, ALK-positive NSCLC in the ongoing phase 3 CROWN study (NCT03052608).

Methods: Molecular responses were calculated using mean variant allele frequency (VAF), longitudinal mean change in VAF (dVAF), and ratio to baseline.