Lavinia Spain

Management of toxicities of immune checkpoint inhibitors

Immune checkpoint inhibition with the anti-CTLA-4 antibody ipilimumab and the anti-PD-1 antibodies nivolumab and pembrolizumab has improved survival in metastatic melanoma, lung cancer and renal cancer. Use of these agents holds promise in other malignancies. The augmented immune response enabled by these agents has led to a particular group of side effects called immune-related adverse events (irAEs). The main irAEs include diarrhea, colitis, hepatitis, skin toxicities and endocrinopathies such as hypophysitis and thyroid dysfunction. The anti-PD-1 antibodies have a different toxicity profile to ipilimumab with fewer high grade events. This article identifies the rates of common and uncommon irAEs associated with each immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICPI) and their timing of onset, focusing mainly on the experience in melanoma and lung cancer. An approach to management for each class of irAE is provided.

Serum lactate dehydrogenase as an early marker for outcome in patients treated with anti-PD-1 therapy in metastatic melanoma

Background:Treatment with programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) antibodies is associated with high response rates in patients with advanced melanoma. Reliable markers for early response and outcome are still sparse.Methods:We evaluated 66 consecutive patients with advanced/metastatic melanoma treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab between 2013 and 2014. The main objectives of this study were to investigate whether, first, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) at baseline (normal vs above the upper limit of normal) correlates with overall survival (OS), and, second, whether the change of LDH during treatment predicts response before the first scan and OS in patients with an elevated baseline LDH.Results:After a median follow-up of 9 months, patients with an elevated baseline LDH (N=34) had a significantly shorter OS compared with patients with normal LDH (N=32; 6-month OS: 60.8% vs 81.6% and 12-month OS: 44.2% vs 71.5% (log-rank P=0.0292). In those 34 patients with elevated baseline LDH, the relative change during treatment was significantly associated with an objective response on the first scan: the 11 (32%) patients with partial remission had a mean reduction of −27.3% from elevated baseline LDH. In contrast, patients with progressive disease (N=15) had a mean increase of +39%. Patients with a relative increase over 10% from elevated baseline LDH had a significantly shorter OS compared with patients with ⩽10% change (4.3 vs 15.7 months, log-rank P<0.00623).Conclusions:LDH could be a useful marker at baseline and during treatment to predict early response or progression in patients with advanced melanoma who receive anti-PD-1 therapy.

Acute renal allograft rejection after immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy for metastatic melanoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as ipilimumab and nivolumab improve survival in patients with advanced melanoma and are increasingly available to clinicians for use in the clinic. Their safety in organ transplant recipients is not well defined but published case reports describing treatment with ipilimumab have not been complicated by graft rejection. No cases of anti-programmed cell death protein 1 administration are reported in this group. We describe a case of acute graft rejection in a kidney transplant recipient after treatment with nivolumab, after progression on ipilimumab. Potential factors increasing the risk of graft rejection in this case are discussed, in particular the contribution of nivolumab.

Neurotoxicity from immune-checkpoint inhibition in the treatment of melanoma: a single centre experience and review of the literature

Background: Treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPi) has greatly improved survival for patients with advanced melanoma in recent years. Anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD1 antibodies have been approved following large Phase III trials. Immunerelated neurological toxicity of varying severity has been reported in the literature. The cumulative incidence of neurotoxicity among ipilimumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab is reported as< 1% in published clinical trials. We aimed to identify the incidence of neurotoxicity in our institution across anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD-1 antibodies, including the combination of ipilimumab with nivolumab. We also review the existing literature and propose an investigation and management algorithm. Methods: All patients with advanced melanoma treated with ipilimumab, nivolumab, pembrolizumab or the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab (ipi_nivo), managed at the Royal Marsden Hospital between September 2010 and December 2015, including patients on (published) clinical trials were included. Medical records for each patient were reviewed and information on neurotoxicity recorded. A systematic search strategy was performed to collate existing reports of neurological toxicity. Results: In total, 413 immunotherapy treatment episodes in 352 patients were included, with median follow-up of 26.7 months. Ten cases of neurotoxicity were recorded, affecting 2.8% of patients overall, ranging from grade 1 to 4, affecting both central and peripheral nervous systems. A rate of 14% was noted with ipi_nivo. Three of five patients commenced on corticosteroids responded to these. Six patients had made a full recovery at the time of reporting. A favorable radiological response was found in 7 of the 10 cases. Unusual presentations are described in detail. Conclusions: Neurological toxicity is not uncommon, and may be more frequent in patients treated with combination ipinivo. Patterns of presentation and response to treatment are varied. A prompt and considered approach is required to optimize outcomes in this group of patients.

Thyroid abnormalities following the use of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 and programmed death receptor protein-1 inhibitors in the treatment of melanoma

Checkpoint inhibitors are emerging as important cancer therapies but are associated with a high rate of immune side effects, including endocrinopathy.

Tracking Cancer Evolution Reveals Constrained Routes to Metastases: TRACERx Renal

Summary Clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) exhibits a broad range of metastatic phenotypes that have not been systematically studied to date. Here, we analyzed 575 primary and 335 metastatic biopsies across 100 patients with metastatic ccRCC, including two cases sampledat post-mortem. Metastatic competence was afforded by chromosome complexity, and we identify 9p loss as a highly selected event driving metastasis and ccRCC-related mortality (p = 0.0014). Distinct patterns of metastatic dissemination were observed, including rapid progression to multiple tissue sites seeded by primary tumors of monoclonal structure. By contrast, we observed attenuated progression in cases characterized by high primary tumor heterogeneity, with metastatic competence acquired gradually and initial progression to solitary metastasis. Finally, we observed early divergence of primitive ancestral clones and protracted latency of up to two decades as a feature of pancreatic metastases.

Combination immune checkpoint blockade with ipilimumab and nivolumab in the management of advanced melanoma

ABSTRACT Introduction: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of advanced melanoma has evolved beyond monotherapies such as ipilimumab and nivolumab to combination strategies involving both. This combination approach results in response rates around 60% and superior progression-free survival compared with ipilimumab monotherapy (median 11.5 versus 2.9 months). Areas covered: A comprehensive literature search was undertaken including search terms of ‘ipilimumab and nivolumab’ and ‘combination immune checkpoint therapy’. Relevant information contained in abstracts and conference presentations was included. This article summarizes the mechanism of action, efficacy and safety of combination ipilimumab and nivolumab across Phase I, II and III clinical trials. It also describes the place of combination therapy in the current market of advanced melanoma treatment options. Expert Opinion: Efficacy for the combination approach is seen across a wide array of subgroups and occurs regardless of BRAF mutation status. Counterbalancing the apparent advantages, combination ipilimumab with nivolumab is associated with a high rate (55%) of grade 3/4 adverse events leading to discontinuation in a third of those treated. Most of these are manageable and do not appear to compromise durability of response. Overall survival information is currently immature but appears promising.

Deterministic Evolutionary Trajectories Influence Primary Tumor Growth: TRACERx Renal

Summary The evolutionary features of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) have not been systematically studied to date. We analyzed 1,206 primary tumor regions from 101 patients recruited into the multi-center prospective study, TRACERx Renal. We observe up to 30 driver events per tumor and show that subclonal diversification is associated with known prognostic parameters. By resolving the patterns of driver event ordering, co-occurrence, and mutual exclusivity at clone level, we show the deterministic nature of clonal evolution. ccRCC can be grouped into seven evolutionary subtypes, ranging from tumors characterized by early fixation of multiple mutational and copy number drivers and rapid metastases to highly branched tumors with >10 subclonal drivers and extensive parallel evolution associated with attenuated progression. We identify genetic diversity and chromosomal complexity as determinants of patient outcome. Our insights reconcile the variable clinical behavior of ccRCC and suggest evolutionary potential as a biomarker for both intervention and surveillance.

Timing the Landmark Events in the Evolution of Clear Cell Renal Cell Cancer: TRACERx Renal

Summary Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is characterized by near-universal loss of the short arm of chromosome 3, deleting several tumor suppressor genes. We analyzed whole genomes from 95 biopsies across 33 patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. We find hotspots of point mutations in the 5′ UTR of TERT, targeting a MYC-MAX-MAD1 repressor associated with telomere lengthening. The most common structural abnormality generates simultaneous 3p loss and 5q gain (36% patients), typically through chromothripsis. This event occurs in childhood or adolescence, generally as the initiating event that precedes emergence of the tumor’s most recent common ancestor by years to decades. Similar genomic changes drive inherited ccRCC. Modeling differences in age incidence between inherited and sporadic cancers suggests that the number of cells with 3p loss capable of initiating sporadic tumors is no more than a few hundred. Early development of ccRCC follows well-defined evolutionary trajectories, offering opportunity for early intervention.

Combination dabrafenib and trametinib in the management of advanced melanoma with BRAFV600 mutations

ABSTRACT Introduction: In the 40–50% of advanced melanoma patients with tumors harboring BRAF V600E and V600 K mutations, BRAF inhibitors such as dabrafenib are a highly effective treatment. However, most patients develop resistance after several months on treatment. The addition of a MEK inhibitor, such as trametinib, to BRAF inhibition mitigates one key pathway of resistance, further increasing response rates and improving survival. Areas covered: This article summarizes the mechanism of action of the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib, its evolution through Phase I, II and III clinical trials and discusses its current use in the management of patients with advanced melanoma. Expert opinion: Combination therapy with dabrafenib and trametinib improves response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival when compared to dabrafenib or vemurafenib alone. The addition of trametinib to dabrafenib changes the adverse event profile, making hyperkeratosis and cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas less common but side effects such as fever and nausea more common. How dabrafenib/trametinib is best sequenced with other effective treatments such as immune checkpoint blockade remains uncertain.