Purpose: Pembrolizumab demonstrated efficacy in PD-L1–positive [combined positive score (CPS) ≥1] advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer in the first-, second-, and third-line setting in KEYNOTE-062, KEYNOTE-061, and KEYNOTE-059, respectively. To better delineate the specificity of CPS as a predictor of clinical outcomes, we analyzed pembrolizumab efficacy in patients with CPS ≥ 10 in these trials. Patients and Methods: Included were patients with CPS ≥ 10 tumors from KEYNOTE-059 cohort 1 (pembrolizumab, n = 46; post hoc), KEYNOTE-061 (pembrolizumab, n = 53; chemotherapy, n = 55; post hoc), and KEYNOTE-062 (pembrolizumab, n = 92; chemotherapy, n = 90; primary). Efficacy outcomes were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and duration of response (DOR). Results: In KEYNOTE-059, median follow-up was 6 months, median OS was 8 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.8–11.1], ORR was 17%, and median (range) DOR was 21 months (3+ to 35+). In KEYNOTE-061, median follow-up was 9 months, median OS (pembrolizumab vs. chemotherapy) was 10 versus 8 months (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.41–1.02), median PFS was 3 months versus 3 months (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.56–1.33), ORR was 25% versus 9%, and median (range) DOR was not reached (4 to 26+ months) versus 7 months (3–7). In KEYNOTE-062, median follow-up was 11 months, median OS (pembrolizumab vs. chemotherapy) was 17 months versus 11 months (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.49–0.97), median PFS was 3 months versus 6 months (HR, 1.09, 95% CI; 0.79–1.49), ORR was 25% versus 38%, and median (range) DOR was 19 months (1+ to 34+) versus 7 months (2+ to 30+). Conclusions: This comprehensive analysis showed consistent improvements toward more favorable clinical outcomes with pembrolizumab across lines of therapy in patients with CPS ≥ 10 G/GEJ cancer.

Background: Nivolumab + chemotherapy is now a standard of care for HER2-negative, previously untreated, unresectable or recurrent gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer (advanced gastric cancer), but long-term follow-up data of clinical trials are limited. Methods: ATTRACTON-4 was a phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Patients were randomized to either nivolumab or placebo, both combined with the physician’s choice of SOX (oral S-1 [tegafur–gimeracil–oteracil potassium] + oxaliplatin) or CAPOX (capecitabine + oxaliplatin). We report the primary endpoints—centrally assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS)—and landmark analyses of OS among patients alive using 3-year follow-up data. Results: At the cutoff date (May 10, 2021), 17/359 patients in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group and 6/358 in the placebo + chemotherapy group were continuing study treatment. PFS (centrally assessed) was longer in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group (median 10.94 vs. 8.48 months; hazard ratio [HR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55–0.82). Although OS did not differ between the two groups (median 17.45 vs. 17.15 months; HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.75–1.05), the landmark analysis of OS, calculating HRs at each landmark time point (every month), was getting numerically better in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group over time. Approximately 80% of patients who achieved complete response in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group were alive at 3 years. No new safety signals or major late-onset select treatment-related adverse events were observed for nivolumab + chemotherapy. Conclusion: This 3-year follow-up of ATTRACTION-4 confirmed the long-term clinical benefit and manageable safety of nivolumab + chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated advanced gastric cancer. Trial registration: NCT02746796

The global, randomized NAPOLI‐1 phase 3 trial reported a survival benefit with liposomal irinotecan (nal‐IRI) plus 5‐fluorouracil/leucovorin (nal‐IRI+5‐FU/LV) in patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) after previous gemcitabine‐based therapy. Median overall survival (OS) with nal‐IRI+5‐FU/LV was 6.1 vs 4.2 months with 5‐FU/LV alone (unstratified hazard ratio [HR] = 0.67, P = .012). Herein, we report efficacy and safety results from a post‐hoc subgroup analysis of Asian patients treated at Asian centers. Primary study endpoint was OS; secondary endpoints included progression‐free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety. Patients receiving nal‐IRI+5‐FU/LV (n = 34) had significantly longer median OS versus 5‐FU/LV (n = 35) (8.9 vs 3.7 months; unstratified HR = 0.51, P = .025). Patients had significantly increased median PFS with nal‐IRI+5‐FU/LV versus 5‐FU/LV (4.0 vs 1.4; unstratified HR = 0.48, P = .011), and increased ORR (8.8% vs 0; P = .114). nal‐IRI monotherapy (n = 50) numerically improved efficacy endpoints versus 5‐FU/LV (n = 48): median OS was 5.8 versus 4.3 months (HR = 0.83, P = .423) and median PFS was 2.8 versus 1.4 months (HR = 0.69, P = .155). Grade ≥3 neutropenia was reported more frequently with nal‐IRI+5‐FU/LV versus 5‐FU/LV (54.5% vs 3.4%), and incidence of grade ≥3 diarrhea was comparable between the two arms (3.0% vs 6.9%). This subgroup analysis confirms nal‐IRI+5‐FU/LV as an efficacious treatment option that improves survival in Asian patients with mPDAC that progressed after gemcitabine‐based therapy, with a safety profile agreeing with previous findings. The nal‐IRI+5‐FU/LV regimen should represent a new standard of care for these patients in Asia. (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01494506)

Anthracycline and taxane are classes of drugs that are frequently used in the adjuvant and palliative settings of metastatic breast cancer (MBC); however, treatment failure occurs in most cases. Limited data demonstrated favorable response in MBC after previous taxane-based treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Lipo-Dox®) used as part of a combination salvage therapy for patients with MBC whose tumors progressed during or after taxane-based treatment. Patients with MBC who failed to respond to previous taxane-based treatments were recruited. Treatment with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (40 mg/m2), cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m2), and 5-fluorouracil (500 mg/m2) was administered every 3 weeks. Tumor response to treatment was determined by using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumor criteria version 1.0, and left ventricular ejection fraction was measured before and after treatment using echocardiography. Each patient was followed for 30 days after the last dose of study medication or until resolution/stabilization of any drug-related adverse event. Forty-five patients were recruited. As of December 2012, the median follow-up duration was 29.8 months, the overall response rate was 41.9 %, the median progression-free survival was 8.2 months, and the median overall survival was 36.6 months for all treated patients. Grade 3/4 neutropenia, leucopenia, and neutropenic fever were observed in 14 %, 9 %, and 1 % of the cycles, respectively. Other non-hematologic adverse effects were mild to moderate and were manageable. No decrease in left ventricular ejection function was noted. This regimen of combined of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and 5-fluorouracil exhibited a promising overall response rate, progression-free survival rate, and overall survival rate, with a safe cardiac toxicity profile and manageable adverse effects. This regimen could be considered as a treatment option for patients with MBC whose tumors progressed during or after taxane-based treatment.