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Diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) and follicular lymphoma (FL) are the most common subtypes of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas in adults. Histologic transformation of FL to DLBCL (TFL) occurs in approximately 15% of patients and is generally associated with a poor clinical outcome. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors have shown promising results in the treatment of relapsed/refractory FL. CAR T-cell therapy (axicabtagene ciloleucel and tisagenlecleucel) has emerged as a novel treatment option for relapsed/refractory DLBCL and TFL. These NCCN Guidelines Insights highlight important updates to the NCCN Guidelines for B-Cell Lymphomas regarding the treatment of TFL and relapsed/refractory FL and DLBCL.

Background: The goal of this study was to explore the value of adding neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) or adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with different risks of treatment failure. Patients and Methods: A total of 2,263 eligible patients with stage III–IVb NPC treated with CCRT ± NACT or ACT were included in this retrospective study. Distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS), overall survival, and progression-free survival were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and differences were compared using the log-rank test. Results: Patients in the low-risk group (stage N0–1 disease and Epstein-Barr virus [EBV] DNA <4,000 copies/mL) who received NACT followed by CCRT achieved significantly better 5-year DMFS than those treated with CCRT alone (96.2% vs 91.3%; P= .008). Multivariate analyses also demonstrated that additional NACT was the only independent prognostic factor for DMFS (hazard ratio, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.22–0.80; P=.009). In both the intermediate-risk group (stage N0–1 disease and EBV DNA ≥4,000 copies/mL and stage N2–3 disease and EBV DNA <4,000 copies/mL) and the high-risk group (stage N2–3 disease and EBV DNA ≥4,000 copies/mL), comparison of NACT or ACT + CCRT versus CCRT alone indicated no significantly better survival for all end points. Conclusions: The addition of NACT to CCRT could reduce distant failure in patients with low risk of treatment failure.

Background: Breast cancer subtype is a key determinant in treatment decision-making, and also effects survival outcome. In this population-based study, in-depth analyses were performed to examine the impact that breast cancer subtype and receipt of guideline-concordant adjuvant systemic therapy (AST) have on survival using a population-based cancer registry’s data. Methods: Women aged ≥20 years with microscopically confirmed stage I–III breast cancer diagnosed in 2011 were identified from the Louisiana Tumor Registry. Breast cancer subtypes were categorized based on hormone receptor (HR) and HER2 status. Guideline-concordant treatment was defined using the NCCN Guidelines for Breast Cancer. Logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with guideline-concordant AST receipt. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were generated to compare survival among subtypes by AST receipt status, and a semiparametric additive hazard model was used to verify the factors impacting survival outcome. Results: Of 2,214 eligible patients, most (70.8%) were HR+/HER2– followed by HR–/HER2– (14.4%), and 78.6% received guideline-concordant AST. Compared with patients with the HR+/HER2+ subtype, women with other subtypes were more likely to be guideline-concordant after adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables. Women with the HR–/HER2+ or HR–/HER2– subtype had a higher risk of any-cause and breast cancer–specific death than those with the HR+/HER2+ subtype. Those who did not receive AST had an additional adjusted hazard of 0.0191 (P=.0001) in overall survival and 0.0126 (P=.0011) in cause-specific survival compared with those who received AST. Conclusions: Most patients received guideline-concordant AST, except for those with the HR+/HER2+ subtype. Patients receiving guideline-adherent adjuvant therapy had better survival outcomes across all breast cancer subtypes.

The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is rapidly expanding to the treatment of many cancer types, both in the metastatic setting and as an adjuvant to other therapies. Clinical trials using ICIs have largely excluded patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases due to concerns for increased toxicity. However, emerging evidence shows that ICIs may be considered in some patients with autoimmunity. This review discusses the commonalities between clinical autoimmune diseases and ICI-induced immunotherapy-related adverse events, and summarizes the existing case series that describes patients with solid tumors who have a preexisting autoimmune disease. This review also discusses which patients with autoimmunity could be considered reasonable candidates for ICI therapy.

Management of advanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is challenging and overall survival is poor. Progress in the development of new therapeutic options for metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) has been slow; hence, to date, there are no approved second-line agents in this setting. Although the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors has significantly improved overall survival in a variety of malignancies, there has not been a clinically important impact in CCA. This report presents a 66-year-old patient with chemotherapy-refractory iCCA who experienced a prolonged response to immunotherapy. Tumor genome profiling revealed a high tumor mutation burden of 17 mutations per megabase in the absence of microsatellite instability. He was started on immunotherapy with nivolumab and has experienced an ongoing response for 16 months without clinical symptoms and only minimal radiologic disease.

Background: This study assessed uptake of the Oncotype DX 21-gene assay over time and characterized which sociodemographic and clinical factors are associated with test uptake among women with lymph node−positive (LN+), hormone receptor−positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. Methods: Invasive breast cancer cases diagnosed in 2010 through 2013 were included from a SEER database linked to 21-gene assay results performed at Genomic Health’s Clinical Laboratory. Factors associated with 21-gene assay uptake were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: Uptake of the 21-gene assay increased over time and differed by race, socioeconomic status (SES), and age. In the multivariable model, when clinical and SES variables were controlled for, racial differences in test uptake were no longer observed. Private insurance status was associated with higher odds of 21-gene assay uptake (Medicaid vs private insurance: adjusted odds ratio, 0.86; P=.02), and high area-level SES was associated with an increased odds of uptake (quintile 5 vs 1: adjusted odds ratio, 1.6; P<.001). Demographic factors such as age and marital status influenced test uptake, and use varied greatly by geographic region. Uptake of the 21-gene assay increased over time and preceded the assay’s inclusion in the NCCN Guidelines for LN+ breast cancer. Differences in uptake by race, SES, and age have persisted over time. However, when clinical and SES variables were controlled for, racial differences in assay uptake were no longer observed. Socioeconomic variables, such as health insurance type and area-level SES, were associated with assay uptake. Conclusions: Future research should continue to document practice patterns related to the 21-gene assay. Given variation in testing associated with area-level SES, insurance coverage, and geographic region, interventions to understand and reduce differential uptake are needed to ensure equitable access to this genomic test.