tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Immune-related adverse events in patients treated with immunotherapy according to corticosteroid exposure.
Authors: Andres Meraz-Brenez, Alejandro Aranda-Gutierrez, Dhylan Jael Soliz, Diego Reyes-Vanegas, Hector Raul Gonzalez-Sanchez, Bertha Alejandra Martinez-Cannon, Haydee Cristina Verduzco-Aguirre
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e14709 Background: Patients with cancer require treatment with corticosteroids for multiple reasons, including prevention of chemotherapy-related side effects. Although corticosteroid use has been associated with lower efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in some studies, whether corticosteroid exposure affects the presence and severity of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) remains unclear. Methods: Retrospective single-center study of patients diagnosed with solid tumors treated with ICI. Eligible patients were those who received at least one cycle of ICI and had at least 1 month of follow-up post-ICI initiation. Patient data were extracted from electronic medical records. Comparisons between groups were made based on steroid exposure (defined as the administration of &gt;10 mg of prednisone or its equivalent for &gt;10 days within a 30-day period or at any point during ICI treatment, excluding steroid treatment for irAEs). Associations between variables were assessed using independent samples T-test, Chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: We included 135 patients (mean age 61 years, SD 13); 72 (54%) were male. Forty-two (31%) had been exposed to steroids (mean prednisone equivalent of 427 mg, SD 298). Most patients received ICI as palliative treatment for advanced disease (105/135; 78%), primarily as first-line therapy (79/105; 75%). Patients exposed to corticosteroids were more likely to have received ICI with chemotherapy (76% vs 1%, p&lt;0.001), were younger (56 vs. 63 years, p=0.009), more likely to be female (62% vs. 39, p=0.014), and had lower median Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (2 vs. 3, p=0.026). Steroid-exposed patients were more likely to have employed ICI in the neoadjuvant or adjuvant settings (36 vs. 16%, p=0.024) or as third or subsequent line therapy (26 vs. 8%, p=0.044). There were no statistically significant differences in the frequency of irAEs of any grade based on steroid exposure (31% vs 41%, p=0.252). However, patients who were exposed to steroids were significantly less likely to delay or suspend ICI (10% vs. 32%, p=0.005). No other parameters were associated with the rate or severity of irAEs. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that corticosteroid exposure does not increase the frequency of irAEs in patients treated with ICI, but it is associated with a reduced likelihood of discontinuing ICI due to irAEs. These observations suggest that corticosteroids may play a beneficial role in managing patients undergoing immunotherapy, particularly in sustaining treatment continuity despite irAEs. This study underscores the need for further investigation into optimal steroid use strategies to enhance patient outcomes with immunotherapy, especially in situations when they are commonly prescribed, such as premedication for chemotherapy.
Supplementary and evaluation of bibliometric analyses of liver metastases from gastric cancer- Letter to the Editor
Authors: Rui Tang, Fangzhen Lin, Yu Wei, Xiangdong Yang
Journal: International Journal of Surgery (2024)

aChengdu Anorectal Hospital, Chengdu 610016, People's Republic of China bThe Second Clinical Medical College, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, 330006 Nanchang, China Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article. Published online ■ ■ *Corresponding Author Address: Chengdu anorectal hospital, chengdu, sichuan CHINA. E-mail address: [email protected] (X. Yang). *Corresponding Author Address: . E-mail address: [email protected] (Y. Wei). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Combining the potency of a neoantigen-expressing DNA vector, an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, and an attenuated poxvirus in a personalized immunization platform: Preclinical studies of ODI-2001.
Authors: Pierre Marschall, Celia Matta, Cécile Hugel, Jessica Matta, Cedric Bogaert, François Ghiringhelli, Pascale Balducchi, Jean-Marc Limacher
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e14674 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have transformed cancer treatment. Their impressive effectiveness is crucially dependent on pre-existing neoepitope-specific immune responses. ODI-2001 aims at increasing the immune response against tumors by combining a DNA expressing multiple neoepitopes of the tumor, a MVA vaccinia virus as physiologic adjuvant and DNA carrier, and an anti-CTLA4 antibody as amplifier of the immune response. Methods: ODI-2001 was administered by repeated subcutaneous injections after tumor cells implantation in mice melanoma model B16F10 and colorectal cancer model CT26, and both before and after implantation in breast cancer model 4T1. In B16F10 model combination of ODI-2001 with anti-PD1 was assessed also. Neoepitopes were chosen from literature in B16F10 and CT26 models. In 4T1 model they were predicted using a dedicated neoepitope prediction algorithm (ImmunoEngine, myNEO, Gent, Belgium). Tumor volume and mice survival were assessed over time. Tumors were also analysed by immunofluorescence for immune cell infiltration. Each experiment received approval from the ethics committee for animals. Results: A significant improvement in survival was observed in mice treated with ODI-2001 in B16F10, and CT26 syngeneic mice models. In B16F10 the combination of ODI-2001 with anti-PD1 antibody demonstrated synergistic activity and a significant improvement in survival, while anti-PD1 alone or combined with anti-CTLA-4 failed to show any therapeutic effect (ODI-2001 + anti-PD1 vs. anti-CTLA-4 + anti-PD1 p&lt;0.01). ODI-2001 treatment was associated with tumor rejections in the three animal models. In 4T1 model the ImmunoEngine epitope prediction algorithm demonstrated an improved efficacy as compared to a set of neoepitopes chosen from the literature. In B16F10, following immunization with ODI-2001, an increased CD8 immune cell infiltration of the tumor was documented. ODI-2001 was well tolerated by the treated animals. Conclusions: These data demonstrate a significant antitumoral activity of ODI-2001 as a neoantigen immunization platform across different preclinical cancer models, both in monotherapy and combined with anti-PD1. ODI-2001 represents a promising option to induce de novo cancer-specific immune responses, potentially increasing the proportion of patients responding to immunotherapy treatments. Based on this preclinical program a phase I with ODI-2001 in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma is currently under preparation.
Multidisciplinary Management of Isocitrate Dehydrogenase–Mutated Gliomas in a Contemporary Molecularly Defined Era
Authors: Rupesh Kotecha, David Schiff, Arnab Chakravarti, Jessica L. Fleming, Paul D. Brown, Vinay K. Puduvalli, Michael A. Vogelbaum, Vinai Gondi, Marco Gallus, Hideho Okada, Minesh P. Mehta
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) genes, an early step in the ontogeny of lower-grade gliomas, induce global epigenetic changes characterized by a hypermethylation phenotype and are critical to tumor classification, treatment decision making, and estimation of patient prognosis. The introduction of IDH inhibitors to block the oncogenic neomorphic function of the mutated protein has resulted in new therapeutic options for these patients. To appreciate the implications of these recent IDH inhibitor results, it is important to juxtapose historical outcomes with chemoradiotherapy. Herein, we rationally evaluate recent IDH inhibitor data within historical precedents to guide contemporary decisions regarding the role of observation, maximal safe resection, adjuvant therapies, and the import of patient and tumor variables. The biological underpinnings of the IDH pathway and the mechanisms, impact, and limitations of IDH inhibitors, the actual magnitude of tumor regression and patient benefit, and emergence of resistance pathways are presented to guide future trial development. Management in the current, molecularly defined era will require careful patient selection and risk factor assessment, followed by an open dialog about the results of studies such as INDIGO, as well as mature data from legacy trials, and a discussion about risk-versus-benefit for the choice of treatment, with multidisciplinary decision making as an absolute prerequisite.
Cardiac Dysfunction Among Breast Cancer Survivors: Role of Cardiotoxic Therapy and Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Authors: Geoffrey Bostany, Yanjun Chen, Liton Francisco, Chen Dai, Qingrui Meng, Jessica Sparks, Min Sessions, Lisle Nabell, Erica Stringer-Reasor, Katia Khoury, Carrie Lenneman, Kimberly Keene, Saro Armenian, Wendy Landier, Smita Bhatia
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

PURPOSE Cardiac dysfunction is the leading cause of mortality among 10-year breast cancer survivors. Limited information regarding long-term risks of cardiac dysfunction after cardiotoxic therapy (anthracyclines, trastuzumab/pertuzumab, radiation) has precluded development of surveillance guidelines for the survivors. METHODS Patients with breast cancer who completed cardiotoxic therapy underwent echocardiographic screening every 2 years. New-onset cardiac dysfunction was defined as left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) &lt;50% after cardiotoxic therapy initiation and included early- and late-onset cardiac dysfunction. RESULTS We evaluated 2,808 echocardiograms in 829 breast cancer survivors; the median age at breast cancer diagnosis was 54.2 years (range, 20.3-86.3); the median follow-up was 8.6 years (1.8-39.8); 39.7% received anthracyclines, 16% received trastuzumab/pertuzumab, 6.2% received both anthracyclines and trastuzumab/pertuzumab, and 38.1% received radiation alone. The cumulative incidence of cardiac dysfunction increased from 1.8% at 2 years to 15.3% at 15 years from cardiotoxic therapy initiation. Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified the following risk factors: non-Hispanic Black race (hazard ratio [HR], 2.15 [95% CI], 1.37 to 3.38), cardiotoxic therapies (anthracyclines: HR, 2.35 [95% CI, 1.25 to 4.4]; anthracyclines and trastuzumab/pertuzumab: HR, 3.92 [95% CI, 1.74 to 8.85]; reference: left breast radiation alone), selective estrogen receptor modulators (HR, 2.0 [95% CI, 1.2 to 3.33]), and precancer hypertension (HR, 3.16 [95% CI, 1.63 to 6.1]). Late-onset cardiac dysfunction was most prevalent among anthracycline- and radiation-exposed patients; early-onset cardiac dysfunction was most prevalent among patients exposed to anthracyclines and trastuzumab/pertuzumab; equal prevalence of both early- and late-onset cardiac dysfunction was observed in trastuzumab-/pertuzumab-exposed patients. Adjusted longitudinal analyses revealed an annual decline in LVEF by 0.29% ( P = .009) over 20 years from breast cancer diagnosis. CONCLUSION These findings provide evidence to support echocardiographic surveillance for several years after cardiotoxic therapy and also suggest a need to examine the efficacy of management of cardiovascular risk factors to mitigate risk.
Impact of commonly prescribed medications on immune-related adverse events.
Authors: Daria Brinzevich, Virginia Falvello, Michael D Green, Alex Bryant
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e14704 Background: Commonly used medications may have immune modulating properties that affect the risk of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Methods: We identified 27,998 patients who received ICI from 2010 to 2023 in the national Veterans Affairs system, matched to 66,488 historical control patients treated with non-ICI systemic therapies. We extracted medication usage in the year before therapy start. We used propensity-weighted Cox regression analysis to assess the effect of each medication on severe irAE (treatment with prolonged course of high-dose steroids, adrenal insufficiency, or new insulin-dependent diabetes). To identify medication effects specific to ICI vs. other therapies, we report the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for each medication stratified by cohort (ICI vs. historical control) and the p-value for the interaction between each medication class and cohort. Results: Among ICI patients, 52% of patients were treated in the first line, 72% received ICI monotherapy, and 95% received PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors alone. The most common cancer types were NSCLC (46%), melanoma (10%), and liver cancer (8%). Among 15 medication classes, metformin, loop diuretics, and PPIs were associated with small, marginally statistically significant differences in toxicity among ICI patients, but similar associations were observed in historical control patients (p for interaction &gt;0.18; Table). After adjustment for multiple comparisons, no medication classes were associated with increased risk of severe irAE in ICI patients. Conclusions: Commonly prescribed medication classes have no significant effects on toxicity specific to ICI therapy. [Table: see text]
The timing of checkpoint inhibition in relation to stem cell transplantation increases the risk of inflammatory adverse events.
Authors: Krishnavathana Varatharajalu, Malek Shatila, Antonio Pizuorno Machado, Jay Sanjay Shah, Andres Caleb Urias Rivera, Sidra Naz, Stephen Glombicki, Eric Lu, Nicholas James Short, Anusha Thomas, Hao Chi Zhang, Yinghong Wang
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e14706 Background: Stem cell transplantation (SCT) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are both used to treat hematological malignancies. There may sometimes be an overlap in the patient’s exposure to both treatments. Theoretically, ICIs potentiate the graft-versus-tumor effect following SCT but may increase the risk of inflammatory adverse events (AEs). Conversely, immunosuppression following SCT may decrease the risk of immune-mediated AEs. We aim to explore the effect of immunotherapy on the risk and severity of inflammatory AEs following SCT. Methods: We performed a single-center, retrospective chart review including all patients with a hematological malignancy who were treated with immunotherapy and received SCT. Patients who did not receive immunosuppressive regimens after their transplant (e.g., autologous transplants) were excluded. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the timing of ICI: pre-SCT ICI (group 1) and post-SCT ICI (group 2). We gathered clinical data including patient demographics, post-SCT immunosuppressive regimens, and pre- and post-SCT inflammatory AEs. Results: 63 patients were included. Around 82% of patients in group 1 experienced a post-transplant AE compared to 50% in group 2 ( p = 0.014). These AEs occurred earlier in group 1 patients (median 57 days in group 1 vs. 195 in group 2; p = 0.007). Roughly 80% of the inflammatory conditions involved the gastrointestinal system. Severity and complication rates did not differ between groups, but gastrointestinal inflammation in group 1 was more likely to require immunosuppressive medication (75.7% and 37.8% requiring corticosteroids and selective immunosuppressive therapy, respectively, in group 1 patients vs. 33.3% and 0% in group 2 patients; p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: To our knowledge, our study is one of few exploring the impact of ICI timing in relation to SCT on the risk of post-SCT inflammatory AEs. Administration of immunotherapy prior to SCT may predispose patients to inflammatory AEs after SCT, which may occur earlier and last longer than if ICIs are started after SCT. Future studies are needed to further explore this phenomenon. [Table: see text]
Comparative efficacy of six programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitors in first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A retrospective cohort study.
Authors: Siyuan Chen, Yuhui Qin, Zhijuan Du, Yu Qiao, Yi Hu, Zhefeng Liu
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e14702 Background: All six programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors (nivolumab, pembrolizumab, sintilimab, tislelizumab, toripalimab, and camrelizumab) have been used as first-line therapy in Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the comparative efficacy of these different drugs remains unclear. Methods: Retrospective collection of patient data from the First, Third, and Fifth Medical Centers of the Chinese PLA General Hospital who received PD-1 inhibitors (monotherapy or combination therapy) from June 2015 to April 2023. Analysis of patient clinical characteristics, treatment response, and survival outcomes was conducted, with the primary endpoints being overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints include objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR). Results: 913 patients were included and divided into 6 groups: nivolumab (123, 13.5%), pembrolizumab (421, 46.1%), sintilimab (239, 26.1%), tislelizumab (64, 7.0%), toripalimab (39, 4.3%), and camrelizumab (27, 3.0%). Median PFS was 16.0, 16.1, 18.4, 16.9, 23.7, and 12.8 months, and median OS was 33.7, 36.1, 32.5, not reached, 30.9, and 46.0 months for the nivolumab, sintilimab, pembrolizumab, tislelizumab, toripalimab, and camrelizumab groups, respectively. PFS and OS did not differ among the different PD-1 inhibitor groups (all P&gt;0.05). There were differences in ORR among the different PD-1 inhibitors (P&lt;0.05), but no differences in DCR (P&gt;0.05). Conclusions: Nivolumab, pembrolizumab, sintilimab, tislelizumab, toripalimab, and camrelizumab exhibit similar efficacy in first-line treatment for patients with advanced NSCLC.
Comment on “Development and validation of a nomogram for pneumonia risk in burn patients with inhalation injury: A multicenter retrospective cohort study”
Authors: Peng Shao, Xilong Wang, Xumei Yang, Qiang Xiao, Xin Chen
Journal: International Journal of Surgery (2024)

Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510280, China Peng Shao, Xilong Wang Contributed equally to this work. Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article. Published online ■ ■ *Corresponding Author Address: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, 253 Industrial Avenue, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282, China. E-mail address: [email protected] (X. Chen). This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, which allows others to remix, tweak, and build upon the work, even for commercial purposes, as long as the author is credited and the new creations are licensed under the identical terms. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
Routine documentation of pre-treatment functional variables to predict survival in patients on immunotherapy.
Authors: Andrew Thomas Faucheux, Eric Olson, John Hunting, Heidi D. Klepin, Catherine A. Elko, Logan James Deyo, Thomas William Lycan
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2024)

e14701 Background: Medical providers often describe concerns about a patient’s functional status in routine clinical documentation (e.g., hard of hearing, recent falls, difficulty with home medication). These clinician-documented pretreatment functional variables (PFVs) may be predictive of outcomes among patients receiving immunotherapy. The goal of this retrospective study is to check for an association between the documentation of PFVs with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and the incidence of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Methods: We created a retrospective registry of all patients who received at least one dose of an immune checkpoint inhibitor for any indication between 2/1/2011 and 4/7/2022 at a comprehensive cancer center. The investigators created a validated REDCap registry; clinical research specialist at Vasta Global captured most data. PFVs were collected by review of routine clinical documentation 30 days before or after the first dose. Patients were stratified by their number of PFVs (0,1, or 2+) and by their age (≥ or &lt;65 years). PFVs assessed function, nutritional status and social support and were dichotomized to indicate impaired vs not with ten total categories. We used Cox proportional hazard modeling for survival analyses between the three PFV groups, calculated from the first dose of immunotherapy to disease progression, death, and last known follow-up controlling for age, BMI, smoking, and disease type with a two-sided alpha of 0.05. Results: From the overall cohort (n = 3,101), 35% had no PFVs, 32% had one PFV, and 32% had two or more PFVs; 52.5% were considered younger, and 47.5% geriatric-aged (≥65yo). PFVs were more common among the geriatric-aged population (mean 1.43 vs 0.89). The most common cancer types were lung cancer (45%), melanoma (14%), and kidney (6%). The most noted PFVs were visual impairment (26%), unintentional weight loss (22%), inability to walk a quarter block (17%), living alone (16%), and falls (14%). In the overall population, an increasing number of PFVs was associated with shorter OS. When stratified by age, the number of PFVs was associated with shorter progression-free survival (p &lt;0.01) and overall survival (p &lt;0.01) among the geriatric and non-geriatric populations (Table). There was no association between increasing PFVs and incidence of irAEs. Conclusions: Although often considered to be signs of aging, documentation of multiple PFVs was associated with worse OS and PFS among geriatric-aged and non-geriatric-aged populations. This study highlights the utility of routine clinical documentation on health status, including function, nutrition, and social support, to estimate survival regardless of chronologic age. [Table: see text]