WU-KONG1B (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03974022) is a multinational phase II, dose-randomized study to assess the antitumor efficacy of sunvozertinib in pretreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations (exon20ins).

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations (EGFR Exon 20ins) are the third most common mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and are associated with a poorer prognosis and resistance to conventional EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. This subpopulation analysis of the open-label phase 3 trial (PAPILLION) evaluates the efficacy and safety of amivantamab-chemotherapy versus chemotherapy among Japanese patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC with EGFR Exon 20ins mutation (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04538664). Patients were randomized 1:1 to either intravenous amivantamab plus carboplatin/pemetrexed chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) by blinded independent central review; the secondary endpoints included objective response rate, duration of response, PFS after first subsequent therapy, overall survival, and safety. The overall population (n = 308) included 34 Japanese patients (amivantamab-chemotherapy, n = 19; chemotherapy, n = 15). Median PFS was 15.5 (95% CI 8.0, NE) months with amivantamab-chemotherapy compared with 5.6 (95% CI 3.0, 7.0) months (HR = 0.22 [0.09, 0.53]) for chemotherapy alone. Improvements in secondary endpoints were also greater in the amivantamab-chemotherapy arm than the chemotherapy arm. The predominant adverse events associated with amivantamab-chemotherapy were reversible hematologic and EGFR-related toxic effects; 2 of 19 patients discontinued all study agents due to treatment-emergent adverse events. Efficacy and safety results in this Japanese subpopulation were consistent with those in the overall population and support the first-line use of amivantamab-chemotherapy in this setting. Early identification of patients with EGFR Exon 20ins mutations, preferably with more sensitive next-generation sequencing-based methods, is important to ensure appropriate patient access to amivantamab-chemotherapy. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04538664.

The PORTEC-3 trial investigated the benefit of chemoradiotherapy versus pelvic radiotherapy alone for women with high-risk endometrial cancer. We present the preplanned long-term analysis of the randomised PORTEC-3 trial with a post-hoc analysis including molecular classification of the tumours.

Advances in molecular understanding and diagnostic precision of glioblastoma enable the identification of key genetic alterations in a timely manner and, in principle, allow treatments with targeted compounds based on molecular markers. Here we report the results of the phase 1/2 umbrella trial NCT Neuro Master Match (N2M2), which evaluated targeted treatments in 228 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma without O6-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase promoter hypermethylation. Stratification for treatment was conducted by a trial-specific molecular tumor board across five subtrials, each evaluating a targeted therapy-alectinib, idasanutlin, palbociclib, vismodegib or temsirolimus-selected according to the best-matching molecular alteration. Patients without matching alterations were randomized between subtrials without strong biomarkers using atezolizumab and asunercept, and the standard of care (SOC), temozolomide. All received radiotherapy. The primary endpoints were dose-limiting toxicities (phase 1) and progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS-6; phase 2). Secondary endpoints included safety and tolerability, as well as overall survival (OS). The subtrials for alectinib and vismodegib did not open as they did not have matching patients. The idasanutlin subtrial (n = 9) was terminated early at the discretion of the manufacturing company. The temsirolimus subtrial (n = 46) demonstrated a PFS-6 of 39.1% and median OS of 15.4 months in patients with activated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling compared to a PFS-6 at 18.5% in the SOC group (n = 54), meeting the primary endpoint. The atezolizumab (n = 42), asunercept (n = 26) and palbociclib (n = 41) subtrials did not meet the primary endpoint for efficacy. The safety signals of N2M2 match prior experiences with the drugs in quality and quantity; no relevant negative interaction with the parallel radiotherapy was noted. The results of the N2M2 trial support further investigation of temsirolimus in addition to radiotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma with activated mTOR signaling. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03158389 .

CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) improve outcome in patients with advanced estrogen receptor-positive, HER2- breast cancer. The phase 3 SONIA trial compared the addition of CDK4/6i to first- versus second-line endocrine therapy for time to disease progression after second-line treatment (progression-free survival after two lines of treatment (PFS2)), as well as for secondary outcomes overall survival, PFS after one line of treatment (PFS1), health-related quality of life (HRQOL), toxicity and cost-effectiveness. No significant difference in PFS2 was observed; however, on an individual patient level this may be different. Using prespecified circulating tumor DNA analyses, we performed an exploratory study to evaluate whether pretreatment circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) levels in plasma can identify patients that benefit from CDK4/6i during their first-line treatment. Cell free DNA before start of first-line treatment from 409 female patients participating in SONIA was analyzed with the modified fast aneuploidy screening test-sequencing system. This assay yields a genome-wide aneuploidy score, indicative of ctDNA levels. Cox proportional hazard analyses for PFS1 and PFS2 were performed separately for the ctDNA high group (aneuploidy score ≥ 5) and the ctDNA low group (aneuploidy score < 5). In total, 141 of the 409 included patients had a high genome-wide aneuploidy score at baseline. PFS2 in the first- compared to the second-line CDK4/6i strategy showed hazard ratios of 0.58 (95% confidence interval 0.38-0.88) and 1.36 (95% confidence interval 0.95-1.96) in the high and low aneuploidy group, respectively. A significant interaction was demonstrated between treatment strategy and aneuploidy score for PFS2 (P = 0.004). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that pretreatment ctDNA levels can be used to identify patients that benefit from first-line CDK4/6i treatment. ClinicalTrials.gov registration: NCT03425838 .

The optimal regimen and chemotherapy intensity are still under investigation for neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The CinClare trial has demonstrated improved pathologic complete response (pCR) with the addition of irinotecan to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) guided by uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) genotype in LARC. Here, we report the 5-year follow-up outcomes of the CinClare study.

The phase 3 study Quizartinib With Standard of Care Chemotherapy and as Continuation Therapy in Patients With Newly Diagnosed FLT3-ITD (+) Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) (QuANTUM-First; NCT02668653) demonstrated improved overall survival (OS) in newly diagnosed patients with FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) internal tandem duplication-positive AML treated with the FLT3 inhibitor quizartinib over placebo, leading to the approval of quizartinib in this population.

This study investigated prognostic biomarkers in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), with a focus on tumors related to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and potential molecular effects of tobacco smoking, as smokers with HPV+ OPSCC often have poorer outcomes.

The therapeutic efficacy and mode of combining immunotherapy with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in proficient mismatch repair (pMMR)/microsatellite stable (MSS) locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) remain uncertain.

The Women Informed to Screen Depending On Measures of risk (WISDOM) Study is the first prospective, population-wide application of personalized breast cancer screening. We aim to demonstrate the feasibility of the study's novel use of polygenic risk scores (PRSs) to tailor screening, evaluate our strategy for adapting PRSs to diverse populations, and quantify the impact of incorporating PRS on the study's screening recommendations.

Patients with RAS wild-type (WT), left-sided metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), negatively hyperselected for anti-EGFR resistance alterations, benefit most from anti-EGFR-based first-line treatment. The predictive impact of these stratification parameters on maintenance strategy efficacy is unclear.

The efficacy, safety and ideal treatment duration of an adjuvant epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) for patients with resected EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were not known until 2014, when this study was initiated. In this phase 3 ICTAN trial (GASTO1002, NCT01996098), patients with completely resected, EGFR-mutated, stage II-IIIA NSCLC after adjuvant chemotherapy were assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive icotinib (125 mg, three times daily) for 12 months, to receive icotinib for 6 months, or to undergo observation. The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS). This trial was terminated early. A total of 251 patients were randomized. Adjuvant icotinib for 12 months significantly improved DFS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-0.61; P < 0.001) and overall survival (OS; HR: 0.55, 95% CI, 0.32-0.96; P = 0.032) compared with observation. Adjuvant icotinib of 6 months also significantly improved DFS (HR: 0.41, 95% CI, 0.27-0.62; P < 0.001) and OS (HR: 0.56, 95% CI, 0.32-0.98; P = 0.038) compared with observation. Adjuvant icotinib for 12 months did not improve DFS (HR: 0.97; P = 0.89) or OS (HR: 1.00; P = 0.99) compared with 6 months of this drug. Rates of adverse events of grade 3 or higher were 8.3%, 6.0% and 2.4% for the 12-month icotinib, 6-month icotinib, and observation groups, respectively. Adjuvant icotinib for 12 months or 6 months following adjuvant chemotherapy improved DFS and OS compared with observation in patients with resected EGFR-mutated stage II-IIIA NSCLC with a manageable safety profile, supporting it as a potential treatment option.

Single-agent maintenance poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition may represent an effective strategy in patients with advanced/metastatic endometrial cancer responding to platinum-based chemotherapy, including for molecular subtypes with suboptimal options. To explore this approach, we initiated the randomized phase IIb UTOLA trial (NCT03745950). Female patients without progression following front-line platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic endometrial cancer were randomized 2:1 to twice-daily maintenance oral olaparib 300 mg or placebo until progression or intolerance, stratified by p53 status, mismatch repair status, and response to initial chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints were PFS in subgroups, time to second progression or death, time to first and second subsequent therapy, objective response rate, overall survival, patient-reported outcomes, and safety. In the intention-to-treat population (n = 145), there was no PFS difference between olaparib and placebo (median 5.6 vs. 4.0 months, respectively; hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.65-1.35; p = 0.74). However, intriguing numerical PFS effects were observed in exploratory analyses of pre-specified subgroups (p53-abnormal, complete response to initial chemotherapy, chromosomal instability). There was no overall survival difference between treatments. Grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 36% versus 10% of olaparib- versus placebo-treated patients and were consistent with the olaparib safety profile in other cancers. Maintenance olaparib did not improve PFS, but promising numerical effects in subsets of patients warrant prospective evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Tumor-informed circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) analysis allows for the sensitive detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) and has the potential to enhance patient stratification for adjuvant chemotherapy. We hypothesize that intensifying adjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer patients with postoperative MRD positivity may reduce recurrence and improve survival outcomes. METHODS: This multi-center platform trial (NCT05534087) consists of a prospective observational study (Part 1) and an interventional randomized trial (Part 2). In Part 1, approximately 1,200 patients with colon cancer will be screened for MRD at 3–6 weeks postoperatively using a tumor-informed, hybrid-capture-based ctDNA MRD assay that tracks up to 100 patient-specific somatic variants identified through tumor whole-exome sequencing. Key eligibility criteria includes: age ≥ 19 years, ≤ 6 weeks post-curative resection, pathological diagnosis of colon adenocarcinoma, stage III or stage II with high-risk features requiring adjuvant chemotherapy with FOLFOX/CAPOX, and no macroscopic residual disease. All patients in Part 1 will complete 3 months of standard adjuvant FOLFOX/CAPOX while awaiting MRD results. Patients with MRD positivity will be screened for the Part 2 clinical trial following the completion of the initial 3 months of treatment titled “Randomized Controlled Phase III Trial of Treatment Intensification in Stage II–III Colon Cancer Patients with Positive MRD after Curative Resection.” MRD-negative patients are managed at the investigator’s discretion. Part 2 investigates the superiority of an experimental arm (modified FOLFIRINOX for 3 months) compared to a control arm (FOLFOX/CAPOX for 3 months). The primary endpoint of the Part 2 randomized trial is the 3-year disease-free survival (DFS), while secondary endpoints include the 5-year overall survival, 5-year DFS, treatment-related adverse events, treatment compliance, and patient-reported outcomes. A total of 236 patients will be enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 ratio, assuming a hazard ratio of 0.64, 80% power, a two-sided alpha of 0.05, and a 10% dropout rate. DISCUSSION: This trial will evaluate the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy intensification in colon cancer patients who are MRD-positive after curative surgery. This will enable a personalized adjuvant chemotherapy strategy based on postoperative MRD assessment in colon cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05534087. Clinical Research Information Service: KCT0007644.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) represents a group of aggressive hematological malignancies characterized by unfavorable prognosis, urging the need for innovative therapeutic strategies. LEF1 is a member of the lymphoid enhancer factor (LEF)/T-cell factor family of DNA-binding transcription factors, known for their interaction with nuclear β-catenin in the context of the Wnt signaling pathway. Although the implication of LEF1 in colon cancer is well documented, its clinical relevance and functional consequences remain elusive in T-ALL. In this study, we provide valuable insights into the prevalence and significance of LEF1 alterations in a comprehensive cohort of 474 pediatric and adult patients with T-ALL enrolled in the FRALLE-2000 (French group for childhood ALL) and GRAALL 2003-2005 (Group for Research on Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) trials, respectively. LEF1 alterations were detected in 63 cases (13%), including 9 point mutations (14.3%), 18 large deletions (28.6%), and, strikingly, 36 focal deletions (57.1%), which emerge as the most recurrent subtype. LEF1-altered cases were associated with increased central nervous system involvement and improved initial treatment response. Importantly, we unveil the existence of a previously undescribed dominant-negative LEF1 isoform resulting from focal deletions of the exons 2-3. This novel truncated protein, previously unreported in the literature, is associated with the disruption of the Wnt pathway and T-cell receptor signaling, which can be exploited as a therapeutic strategy to enhance chemosensitivity in LEF1-deleted T-ALL cases. The trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00222027 (GRAALL 2003) and #NCT00327678 (GRAALL 2005); FRALLE2000T protocol (FRALLE-2000).

Circulating tumor cells (CTC) are biomarkers associated with poor prognosis and treatment resistance in hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC). This analysis evaluates the prognostic role of baseline CTC enumeration and its interaction with treatment regimens in patients progressing on CDK4/6 inhibitors.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved inavolisib with palbociclib and fulvestrant for adults with endocrine-resistant, PIK3CA-mutated, hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer (MBC), as detected by an FDA-approved test, FoundationOne Liquid CDx assay, after recurrence on or after completing adjuvant endocrine therapy.

Women with a family history of breast cancer at an early age (≤50 years) have an increased risk of breast cancer themselves.

Functional high-risk (FHR) multiple myeloma (MM) is defined as an unexpected, early relapse (ER) of disease in the absence of baseline molecular or clinical risk factors (RF), making FHR MM inherently dependent on which RFs were assessed at diagnosis, and what treatment patients received. To establish the true incidence of FHR, we analyzed uniformly treated, transplant-eligible patients from the Myeloma-XI (MyXI) trial that had been profiled for the International Myeloma Society and Working Group (IMS/IMWG) defined high-risk cytogenetic aberrations (HRCA), and the SKY92 gene expression HR signature (GEP-HR). A total of 135 MyXI patients were studied, with a median follow-up of 88 months; 25 (18.5%) experienced ER, defined as relapse <18 months from maintenance randomization post-autologous stem-cell transplantation. Hereof, 15 (60%) were IMS/IMWG-HR at diagnosis, of whom 8 were also GEP-HR. Another 6 patients were GEP-HR only and would have been missed by IMS/IMWG-HR. Among 4 patients with IMS/IMWG- and GEP-standard risk, 2 had isolated HR markers at diagnosis, leaving only 2 patients (8% of ER; 1.5% of all) truly meeting all FHR-criteria. Combined IMS/IMWG-HR and GEP-HR profiling identified 84% of ER, and differentiated long-term outcome across all 135 patients: co-occurring IMS/IMWG and GEP-HR was associated with very short overall survival compared to the absence of both (HR = 13.1; 95% CI, 6.5-26.1, P < .0001), followed by GEP-HR only (HR = 5.1; 95% CI, 2.4-11.1, P < .0001) and IMS/IMWG-HR only (HR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.6-6.2, P = .0007). Our results support more comprehensive baseline diagnostic profiling to identify those at risk of ER upfront. The trials were registered at the ISRCTN Registry as ISRCTN49407852 and at clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT01554852.

This analysis evaluated the influence of tissue and liquid biopsy concordance on outcomes in patients enrolled in the ROME trial.