Investigational New Drugs最新文献

Gliomas are a heterogeneous type of central nervous system tumor. The etiology of glioma formation remains elusive, with approximately 5% of gliomas being familial, underscoring the significance of understanding genetic susceptibility in glioma development. In this study, a dual germline PTCH2 mutation [Ser391*, Leu104Pro] was identified in a family with a history of glioma, and sequencing data from WES/SimcereDx Neuro-Onco 360 including 910 Chinese patients with glioma and 1666 patients with solid tumors were analyzed. A potential link between PTCH2 mutations and glioma development was observed in the Chinese population. Comprehensive analysis revealed that gliomas harboring dual PTCH2 mutations were segregated into two distinct clinical subtypes, indicating that the presence of PTCH2 is a novel genetic risk factor for glioma. These findings expand the genetic risk profile of glioma and offer promising avenues for the development of targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The results of this study emphasize the necessity for a comprehensive investigation into the genetic predisposition to gliomas, particularly in Asian populations, to achieve a better understanding of and management strategy for this complex disease.

Anamorelin, a highly selective ghrelin receptor agonist, enhances appetite and increases lean body mass in patients with cancer cachexia. However, the predictors of its therapeutic effectiveness are uncertain. This study aimed to investigate the association between the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), used for classifying the severity of cancer cachexia, the therapeutic effectiveness of anamorelin, and the feasibility of early treatment based on cancer types. A retrospective analysis included patients with gastric, pancreatic, colorectal, and non-small-cell lung cancer treated with anamorelin between May 2021 and July 2022. The endpoints were the response rate for increased appetite within 3 weeks of treatment initiation and the time to treatment failure (TTF) due to therapeutic failure of anamorelin. Multivariate logistic regression model and Fine and Gray's model were used for analysis. Of the 137 patients in this analysis, 51% of patients had a GPS of 0 or 1, and 49% of those had a GPS of 2. Patients with a GPS of 2 showed a lower response for increased appetite than those with a GPS of 0 or 1 (adjusted odds ratio 0.29 [95% CI 0.12-0.72], P = 0.007). Additionally, TTF was shorter in patients with a GPS of 2 with a GPS of 0 or 1 (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio 2.22 [95% CI 1.22-4.03], P = 0.009). Anamorelin could be more effective in improving appetite and prolonging the duration of treatment effect in patients with a GPS of 0 or 1 than those with a GPS of 2.

The impact of clinical stage on the effectiveness of osimertinib for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unexamined. We investigated osimertinib therapeutic efficacy variation between stage IVA or lower and stage IVB EGFR mutation-positive lung cancers, focusing on differences in pretreatment co-occurring genetic alterations in circulating tumor DNA. This was a secondary analysis of the ELUCIDATOR study, a multicenter prospective observational study in Japan that assessed the mechanisms underlying resistance to osimertinib as a first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with EGFR mutations. We compared the progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and pretreatment co-occurring genetic alterations detected in plasma between patients with stages IVA (n = 83) and IVB disease (n = 84). Multivariate analysis of PFS and OS revealed that stage IVB was associated with a poor prognosis (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-3.04, p < 0.001, HR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.45-3.90, p < 0.001, respectively). Pre-osimertinib treatment, significantly more TP53- (52.4% vs. 27.7%, p = 0.002), EGFR amplification- (58.3% vs. 23.2%, p < 0.001), and MET amplification-positive cases (22.6% vs. 7.2%, p = 0.008) were found among stage IVB than among stage IVA or lower cases. Patients with EGFR-positive NSCLC in stage IVB exhibited significantly shorter PFS and OS than those in earlier stages when treated with first-line osimertinib. The prevalence of baseline TP53 mutations, EGFR amplification, and MET amplification in plasma were significantly higher in stage IVB cases, implicating them in the worse outcomes of this group.

A novel molecular classification for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been established utilizing the transcription factors achaete-scute homologue 1 (ASCL1), neurogenic differentiation factor 1 (NeuroD1), POU class 2 homeobox 3 (POU2F3), and yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1). This classification was predicated on the transcription factors. Conversely, there is a paucity of information regarding the distribution of these markers in other subtypes of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors (PNET). Clinical and survival data for PNET patients were gathered from January 2008 to December 2020. Immunohistochemical analysis was employed to evaluate the expression. The relationship between YAP1 expression and outcomes in patients with pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) was examined. Data from low-grade PNET patients who had previously undergone immunotherapy were retrospectively gathered and analyzed. The ASCL1 positive rate was markedly elevated in SCLC (7.1% vs. 60%; P < 0.001) and LCNEC patients (7.1% vs. 38.5%; P = 0.034) compared to PC patients. The YAP1-positive rate was elevated in LCNEC compared to SCLC (43.6% vs. 20%, P = 0.028) and pulmonary carcinoid (PC) patients (43.6% vs. 21.4%; P = 0.021). The DLL3-positive rate in SCLC patients was greater than in SCLC and PC patients (37.1% vs. 23.1% vs. 0%; P = 0.028, P = 0.021). A significant level of tumor heterogeneity was noted, with SCLC and LCNEC patients exhibiting markedly higher heterogeneity than PC patients (65.7% vs. 56.3% vs. 21.4%; P = 0.005, P = 0.025). In patients with LCNEC, YAP1 positivity exhibited no correlation with PD-L1 expression (17.1% vs. 45.7%, P = 0.518). Tumor heterogeneity was also noted in transformed SCLC, with no significant differences in the expression levels of transcription factors between transformed and traditional SCLC. In 13 LCNEC patients with a history of ICI application, YAP1 exhibited no significant effect on PFS (P = 0.331) or OS (P = 0.17) in the subgroup analysis of LCNEC patients. Among the 14 patients with low-grade PNET who underwent immunotherapy, the disease control rate was 85.7%. Patients with high-grade PNET have high levels of expression of ASCL1 and DLL3, whereas patients with LCNEC have high levels of expression of YAP1. With regard to the transcription factor level, it was found that patients with SCLC and LCNEC had a much higher degree of tumor heterogeneity than those with PC. In patients with LCNEC who were receiving monotherapy of ICIs or chemotherapy in combination with ICIs, the expression of YAP1 did not appear to have any clear impact on the prognosis. This is due to the limited sample size of the study, which requires additional investigation. When compared to the expression of TFs in regular SCLC, the expression of TFs in converted SCLC is comparable.

Pancreatic cancer patients urgently need new treatments, and we explored the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with AL2846 and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer patients. This was a single-arm, single-center, open-label phase I/IIa study (NCT06278493). The dose-escalation phase was designed to evaluate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of AL2846 combined with gemcitabine. One or two dose levels were chosen for the dose-expansion phase. Treatment continued until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, patient withdrawal, or at the investigators' discretion. The primary study endpoint is to evaluate the safety and MTD of AL2846 combined with gemcitabine. The secondary endpoints included objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and disease control rate (DCR). Between August 2018 and July 2021, 33 pancreatic cancer patients were enrolled in the study. A total of 15 patients were enrolled in the dose-escalation phase, and the MTD was not determined. Eventually 90 mg and 120 mg of AL2846 were chosen for the dose-expansion phase, in which 11 patients (90 mg) and 7 patients (120 mg) were administered. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) of any grade were reported in 30 (90.91%) patients, and those of grade ≥ 3 were reported in 16 (48.48%) patients. The most frequently reported grade ≥ 3 TRAEs were thrombocytopenia (18.18%), neutropenia (12.12%), elevated γ-glutamyltransferase (6.06%), proteinuria (6.06%), and gastrointestinal hemorrhage (6.06%).The ORR was 6.06%, and the DCR was 72.73%. The median PFS was 3.71 months (95% CI: 3.38-4.11), and the median OS was 5.59 months (95% CI: 4.11-8.71). Gemcitabine and Al2846 combination therapy exhibited tolerable safety, but there was no improvement in efficacy over standard treatment. Further evaluation of this approach is still needed.

The understanding of pembrolizumab-induced Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) /toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) primarily derives from case reports, leaving specific clinical features largely unknown. This study aims to investigate the clinical characteristics associated with pembrolizumab-induced SJS/TEN and to encourage the judicious use of pembrolizumab. Retrieve reports on pembrolizumab induced SJS/TEN before September 30, 2024 for retrospective analysis. Twenty-four (57.1%) and 18 (42.9%) patients were enrolled, with a median age of 65 years (range 32, 81). The median time to onset of SJS/TEN was 15 days (range 2, 180), and the median cycle was 1 cycle (range 1, 9). The most prevalent skin symptoms included erythema (66.7%), rash (64.3%), bullae/blisters (50.0%), and epidermal detachment (42.9%). Skin biopsy findings primarily revealed epidermal necrosis (42.9%), keratinocyte necrosis (35.7%), subepidermal bulla/blister (19.0%), and perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration (47.6%). Following the cessation of the drug and subsequent treatment, 85.7% of patients showed symptom improvement, while 14.3% succumbed to the condition. SJS/TEN represents a rare but potentially fatal adverse reaction to pembrolizumab. Clinicians should consider SJS/TEN in patients presenting with fever, erythematous rash, or mucosal involvement. Timely identification and management of SJS/TEN can significantly reduce morbidity and mortality.

Thymomas and thymic carcinomas are the most prevalent tumors that develop in the thymus's epithelial tissue. Thymomas are malignant tumors that develop from the epithelial cells of the thymus and frequently include mixed populations of lymphocytes. In contrast, thymic carcinomas are also tumors of the thymic epithelium, but they are characterized by a lack of lymphocytes, exhibit more aggressive behavior, and are associated with a poorer prognosis. Surgical intervention is the primary approach for managing resectable cases, while advanced, unresectable tumors are treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. The recurrence of the disease can happen months to years after initial treatment. Some patients do benefit from biologic therapies, but there is still a significant need for new treatment options. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have proven safe and clinically effective, improving survival in various cancers. However, their use in thymic cancers is currently limited to treating recurrent thymic carcinoma due to potential immune toxicity risks. This manuscript reviews the current applications of immunotherapy for thymic epithelial tumors and discusses strategies to enhance safety and expand treatment options for patients with these cancers.

Antiangiogenic drugs may cause vascular normalization and correct hypoxia in tumors, shifting cells to mitochondrial respiration as the primary source of energy. In turn, the addition of an inhibitor of mitochondrial respiration to antiangiogenic therapy holds potential to induce synthetic lethality. This study evaluated the mitochondrial inhibitor ME-344 in combination with bevacizumab in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients were eligible if they had disease progression after standard therapies, adequate hematologic, hepatic and renal function, and no contraindications to bevacizumab. ME-344 was administered intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 and bevacizumab on days 1 and 15 of 28-day cycles until disease progression or intolerance. The primary efficacy endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) at week 16. In the 23 patients enrolled, the median age was 58 years, median number of prior lines of therapy was 4, and median interval from last therapy was 3 months. The most common adverse events (all grades/grade ≥ 3) were fatigue (48%/13%), abdominal pain (35%/4%), diarrhea (30%/4%) and constipation (30%/0%). No patient had an objective response; 9 patients (39%) achieved stable disease. The 16-week PFS was 30.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 12.2-51.3), the median PFS was 1.9 months (95% CI: 1.6-4.7), and the median overall survival was 6.7 months (95% CI: 3.4-not reached). ME-344 plus bevacizumab was well tolerated. Disease control was limited in this heavily pretreated patient population. Additional investigations in earlier lines are indicated, and extended-release ME-344 formulations may provide longer drug exposure to maximize benefit. (Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05824559. Registration date 22 March 2022).

Melanoma, one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, frequently metastasizes to the lung and bones. Tumor-associated macrophages play essential roles in melanoma metastasis but the underlying mechanism remains obscure. We previously demonstrated that specific knockout of Ddr2, a receptor tyrosine kinase, exacerbates systemic inflammation via modulating macrophage repolarization. To investigate whether myeloid Ddr2 regulates melanoma growth and metastasis, we injected B16BL6 melanoma cells into Ddr2^LysM (cKO) mice via subcutaneous neck, tail vein, and left ventricle, respectively. We found that the growth of melanoma cells in cKO mice was significantly retarded, as demonstrated by the subcutaneous transplantation tumor model. Unexpectedly, the melanoma metastasis to the lung or bone was significantly stimulated in cKO mice, indicating the complicated role of Ddr2 in macrophages in melanoma development. Furthermore, Ddr2 in macrophages regulated the migration of B16BL6 cells in the co-culture system. Bioinformatics analysis showed that Ddr2 expression correlates with improved prognostic outcomes in melanoma, and high expression of Ddr2 is protective in melanoma metastasis. Our results enrich the current knowledge of Ddr2 in tumor biology and indicate that more consideration should be taken when applying Ddr2 inhibition as a melanoma treatment strategy.

Psoriasis is an uncommon immune-mediated adverse event linked to nivolumab, and its clinical characteristics remain inadequately defined. This study aims to investigate the clinical features and patterns of nivolumab-induced psoriasis, providing insights for the identification and management of this condition. Case reports and case series of nivolumab related psoriasis were gathered by searching Chinese and English databases for retrospective analysis until June 30, 2024. A total of fifty-five patients (80.0% male) were included, with a median age of 65 years (range 41, 89). Among these, thirty-eight (69.1%) patients experienced new-onset psoriasis, while 17 (30.9%) patients exhibited exacerbation of pre-existing psoriasis. The median time to onset of psoriasis was 28 days (range 3, 360). The predominant clinical types identified were plaque psoriasis (65.5%), psoriatic arthritis (20.0%) and palmoplantar psoriasis (16.4%). Twenty-five (45.5%) patients discontinued nivolumab, whereas 19 (34.5%) patients continued the treatment. Following clinical intervention, 52 (94.5%) patients reported symptom improvement. It is crucial to closely monitor patients receiving nivolumab for the emergence of psoriasis to ensure timely identification and diagnosis. Those diagnosed with psoriasis should be provided with appropriate treatment, whether topical or systemic, tailored to their specific clinical circumstances.