Dataset Information

Afatinib and Pembrolizumab for Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ALPHA Study): A Phase II Study with Biomarker Analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

EGFR pathway inhibition may promote anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) responses in preclinical models, but how EGFR inhibition affects tumor antigen presentation during anti-PD-1 monotherapy in humans remain unknown. We hypothesized that afatinib, an irreversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, would improve outcomes in patients treated with pembrolizumab for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by promoting antigen presentation and immune activation in the tumor microenvironment.

Patients and methods

The ALPHA study (NCT03695510) was a single-arm, Phase II study with Simon's 2-stage design. Afatinib and pembrolizumab were administered to patients with platinum-refractory, recurrent, or metastatic HNSCC. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR). The study applied gene expression analysis using a NanoString PanCancer Immune Profiling Panel and next-generation sequencing using FoundationOne CDx.

Results

From January 2019 to March 2020, the study enrolled 29 eligible patients. Common treatment-related adverse events were skin rash (75.9%), diarrhea (58.6%), and paronychia (44.8%). Twelve patients (41.4%) had an objective partial response to treatment. The median progression-free survival was 4.1 months, and the median overall survival was 8.9 months. In a paired tissue analysis, afatinib-pembrolizumab were found to upregulate genes involved in antigen presentation, immune activation, and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Unaltered methylthioadenosine phosphorylase and EGFR amplification may predict the clinical response to the therapy.

Conclusions

Afatinib may augment pembrolizumab therapy and improve the ORR in patients with HNSCC. Bioinformatics analysis suggested the enhancement of antigen presentation machinery in the tumor microenvironment.

SUBMITTER: Kao HF

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9306266 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Afatinib and Pembrolizumab for Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ALPHA Study): A Phase II Study with Biomarker Analysis.

Kao Hsiang-Fong HF Liao Bin-Chi BC Huang Yen-Lin YL Huang Huai-Cheng HC Chen Chun-Nan CN Chen Tseng-Cheng TC Hong Yuan-Jing YJ Chan Ching-Yi CY Chia Jean-San JS Hong Ruey-Long RL

Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research 20220401 8

<h4>Purpose</h4>EGFR pathway inhibition may promote anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) responses in preclinical models, but how EGFR inhibition affects tumor antigen presentation during anti-PD-1 monotherapy in humans remain unknown. We hypothesized that afatinib, an irreversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, would improve outcomes in patients treated with pembrolizumab for recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by promoting antigen presentation and immu ...[more]

PMID: 35046059

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Project description:Anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy is a standard of care in recurrent metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RMHNSCC). Vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have immunomodulatory properties and have offered promising results when combined with anti-PD-1 agents. We conducted a phase 2, multicenter, single-arm trial of pembrolizumab and cabozantinib in patients with RMHNSCC who had Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors v.1.1 measurable disease and no contraindications to either agent. We assessed the primary end points of tolerability and overall response rate to the combination with secondary end points of progression-free survival and overall survival and performed correlative studies with PDL-1 and combined positive score, CD8+ T cell infiltration and tumor mutational burden. A total of 50 patients were screened and 36 were enrolled with 33 evaluable for response. The primary end point was met, with 17 out of 33 patients having a partial response (52%) and 13 (39%) stable disease with an overall clinical benefit rate of 91%. Median and 1-year overall survival were 22.3 months (95% confidence interval (CI) = 11.7-32.9) and 68.4% (95% CI = 45.1%-83.5%), respectively. Median and 1-year progression-free survival were 14.6 months (95% CI = 8.2-19.6) and 54% (95% CI = 31.5%-72%), respectively. Grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events included increased aspartate aminotransferase (n = 2, 5.6%). In 16 patients (44.4%), the dose of cabozantinib was reduced to 20 mg daily. The overall response rate correlated positively with baseline CD8+ T cell infiltration. There was no observed correlation between tumor mutational burden and clinical outcome. Pembrolizumab and cabozantinib were well tolerated and showed promising clinical activity in patients with RMHNSCC. Further investigation of similar combinations are needed in RMHNSCC. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT03468218 .

Project description:BackgroundAfatinib is an oral, irreversible ErbB family blocker that has shown activity in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated lung cancer. We hypothesized that the agent would have greater antitumor activity compared with cetuximab in recurrent or metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients, whose disease has progressed after platinum-containing therapy.Patients and methodsAn open-label, randomized, phase II trial was conducted in 43 centers; 124 patients were randomized (1 : 1) to either afatinib (50 mg/day) or cetuximab (250 mg/m(2)/week) until disease progression or intolerable adverse events (AEs) (stage I), with optional crossover (stage II). The primary end point was tumor shrinkage before crossover assessed by investigator (IR) and independent central review (ICR).ResultsA total of 121 patients were treated (61 afatinib, 60 cetuximab) and 68 crossed over to stage II (32 and 36 respectively). In stage I, mean tumor shrinkage by IR/ICR was 10.4%/16.6% with afatinib and 5.4%/10.1% with cetuximab (P = 0.46/0.30). Objective response rate was 16.1%/8.1% with afatinib and 6.5%/9.7% with cetuximab (IR/ICR). Comparable disease control rates were observed with afatinib (50%) and cetuximab (56.5%) by IR; similar results were seen by ICR. Most common grade ≥3 drug-related AEs (DRAEs) were rash/acne (18% versus 8.3%), diarrhea (14.8% versus 0%), and stomatitis/mucositis (11.5% versus 0%) with afatinib and cetuximab, respectively. Patients with DRAEs leading to treatment discontinuation were 23% with afatinib and 5% with cetuximab. In stage II, disease control rate (IR/ICR) was 38.9%/33.3% with afatinib and 18.8%/18.8% with cetuximab.ConclusionAfatinib showed antitumor activity comparable to cetuximab in R/M HNSCC in this exploratory phase II trial, although more patients on afatinib discontinued treatment due to AEs. Sequential EGFR/ErbB treatment with afatinib and cetuximab provided sustained clinical benefit in patients after crossover, suggesting a lack of cross-resistance.

Project description:BackgroundIn the phase III LUX-Head & Neck 1 (LHN1) trial, afatinib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) versus methotrexate in recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients progressing on/after platinum-based therapy. This report evaluates afatinib efficacy and safety in prespecified subgroups of patients aged ≥65 and <65 years.Patients and methodsPatients were randomized (2:1) to 40 mg/day oral afatinib or 40 mg/m(2)/week intravenous methotrexate. PFS was the primary end point; overall survival (OS) was the key secondary end point. Other end points included: objective response rate (ORR), patient-reported outcomes, tumor shrinkage, and safety. Disease control rate (DCR) was also assessed.ResultsOf 483 randomized patients, 27% (83 afatinib; 45 methotrexate) were aged ≥65 years (older) and 73% (239 afatinib; 116 methotrexate) <65 years (younger) at study entry. Similar PFS benefit with afatinib versus methotrexate was observed in older {median 2.8 versus 2.3 months, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.68 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45-1.03], P = 0.061} and younger patients [2.6 versus 1.6 months, HR = 0.79 (0.62-1.01), P = 0.052]. In older and younger patients, the median OS with afatinib versus methotrexate was 7.3 versus 6.4 months [HR = 0.84 (0.54-1.31)] and 6.7 versus 6.2 months [HR = 0.98 (0.76-1.28)]. ORRs with afatinib versus methotrexate were 10.8% versus 6.7% and 10.0% versus 5.2%; DCRs were 53.0% versus 37.8% and 47.7% versus 38.8% in older and younger patients, respectively. In both subgroups, the most frequent treatment-related adverse events were rash/acne (73%-77%) and diarrhea (70%-80%) with afatinib, and stomatitis (43%) and fatigue (31%-34%) with methotrexate. Fewer treatment-related discontinuations were observed with afatinib (each subgroup 7% versus 16%). A trend toward improved time to deterioration of global health status, pain, and swallowing with afatinib was observed in both subgroups.ConclusionsAdvancing age (≥65 years) did not adversely affect clinical outcomes or safety with afatinib versus methotrexate in second-line R/M HNSCC patients.Clinical trial registrationNCT01345682 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Project description:PurposePembrolizumab and pembrolizumab-chemotherapy demonstrated efficacy in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in KEYNOTE-048. Post hoc analysis of long-term efficacy and progression-free survival on next-line therapy (PFS2) is presented.MethodsPatients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to pembrolizumab, pembrolizumab-chemotherapy, or cetuximab-chemotherapy. Efficacy was evaluated in programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 20, CPS ≥ 1, and total populations, with no multiplicity or alpha adjustment.ResultsThe median study follow-up was 45.0 months (interquartile range, 41.0-49.2; n = 882). At data cutoff (February 18, 2020), overall survival improved with pembrolizumab in the PD-L1 CPS ≥ 20 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.81) and CPS ≥ 1 populations (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.89) and was noninferior in the total population (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.97). Overall survival improved with pembrolizumab-chemotherapy in the PD-L1 CPS ≥ 20 (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.84), CPS ≥ 1 (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.78), and total (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.85) populations. The objective response rate on second-course pembrolizumab was 27.3% (3 of 11). PFS2 improved with pembrolizumab in the PD-L1 CPS ≥ 20 (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.84) and CPS ≥ 1 (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.95) populations and with pembrolizumab-chemotherapy in the PD-L1 CPS ≥ 20 (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.86), CPS ≥ 1 (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.55 to 0.81), and total (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.61 to 0.88) populations. PFS2 was similar after pembrolizumab and longer after pembrolizumab-chemotherapy on next-line taxanes and shorter after pembrolizumab and similar after pembrolizumab-chemotherapy on next-line nontaxanes.ConclusionWith a 4-year follow-up, first-line pembrolizumab and pembrolizumab-chemotherapy continued to demonstrate survival benefit versus cetuximab-chemotherapy in recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Patients responded well to subsequent treatment after pembrolizumab-based therapy.

Dataset Information

Afatinib and Pembrolizumab for Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ALPHA Study): A Phase II Study with Biomarker Analysis.

Purpose

Patients and methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Afatinib and Pembrolizumab for Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ALPHA Study): A Phase II Study with Biomarker Analysis.

Similar Datasets

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