Abstract 1492
Background
The efficacy of TACE is secondary to its dual ischaemic and cytotoxic effect, which promotes immunogenic tumor cell death. TACE may prime adaptive immunity and facilitate pembrolizumab (pembro; anti-PD1) in promoting tumour immune rejection and improve outcome in HCC. We designed this phase Ib study to evaluate safety, preliminary activity of TACE+pembrolizumab and explore mechanisms of efficacy.
Methods
Up to 32 patients (pts) with intermediate-stage HCC were planned to receive up to 2 rounds of conventional TACE followed by pembro 200 mg q3w 30 days post-TACE until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity for up to 1 year. Primary endpoint was safety with dose-limiting toxicities emerging from the combination being evaluated over a 21-days window from commencement of pembro. Secondary endpoints included PFS rates q12w. We explored tumour and host determinants of response in tissue, blood and stool samples to confirm the bioactivity of the combination.
Results
In cohort 1 (n = 6) patients were all of BCLC-B stage, 83% males, 16% HCV-positive, 50% ECOG PS 0, median age 62 years. Child-Pugh (CP) was A in 5 and B7 in 1 pt. Median tumour size was 4 cm, and median number of lesions was 2. All-grade adverse events potentially related to treatment (tx) occurred in 50% of pts including diarrhoea (n = 1, G3), skin rash (n = 2, G2), infusion reaction (n = 1, G2) and adrenal insufficiency (n = 1, G2). Pembro yielded no synergistic toxicity with TACE and no DLTs were reported. At data cut-off, tx was ongoing for 3 pts with a median duration of tx of 2.8 months. Of the 4 radiologically evaluable patients, 3 had stable disease on pembro, 1 had progressive disease. Cause of withdrawal included disease progression/death (n = 2) and worsening liver failure in the CP B7 pt, non tx-related (n = 1). Updated data from an expanded pt cohort will be shown and efficacy data will be correlated with T-cell responses to recognized tumor-associated antigens, tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte profiling and stool bacterial metagenomics.
Conclusions
The TACE+pembro combination had a tolerable safety profile with no evidence of synergistic toxicity. Alongside emerging efficacy data, this encourages the clinical development of the combination in CP A pts.
Clinical trial identification
NCT03397654.
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
Imperial College London.
Funding
Merck Sharp & Dohme.
Disclosure
D.J. Pinato: Research grant / Funding (self), Funder of the clinical study presented: MSD; Research grant / Funding (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: BMS; Honoraria (self): ViiV Healthcare; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses: Bayer. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
5612 - Evaluation of germ line mutational status among women with triple-negative breast cancer in Russia
Presenter: Elena Shagimardanova
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
4142 - Association of derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) with pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT)
Presenter: Alberto Ocaña
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
1733 - Competing nomogram for late-period breast cancer-specific death in patients with early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer
Presenter: Jianfei Fu
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
1978 - A Nomogram to Predict Pathologic Complete Response of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Based on Simple Blood Indicators
Presenter: Fanrong Zhang
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
3062 - Identification of GSTP1 transferred by extracellular vesicles responsible for adriamycin-resistance in breast cancer cells
Presenter: Sujin Yang
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
5274 - Expression of X-linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein (XIAP) and its Association with Clinicopathological Parameters in Invasive Breast Cancers
Presenter: Gayathri Devi
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
1324 - The prognostic significance of preoperative tumor marker (CEA, CA15-3) elevation in breast cancer patients
Presenter: Soo Youn Bae
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
4877 - Correlation of clinical and pathological features with the tumour microenvironment in DCIS. An institutional experience
Presenter: Ann Eapen
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
2471 - Correlation between radiologic complete response (rCR) in contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for early breast cancer and pathologic complete response and their impact in recurrence-free survival
Presenter: Ariadna Gasol Cudos
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract
2632 - Ring-like uptake appearance on dedicated breast positron emission tomography before chemotherapy predicts outcome of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer
Presenter: Norio Masumoto
Session: Poster Display session 2
Resources:
Abstract