Abstract 4985
Background
Nivolumab is an established treatment for recurrent/metastatic (RM) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients (pts) failing platinum-based treatment. However, knowledge about safety and activity data are limited to pts enrolled into clinical trial leading to drug approval.
Methods
We conducted a single-arm, open-label, multicentre prospective phase IIIb clinical trial with nivolumab 240 mg in subjects with RM HNSCC. Primary objective was to assess the incidence of high-grade (CTCAE v 4.03 grade 3 or higher), treatment-related (TR), selected adverse events (AE); secondary objectives were to characterize the outcome of all AE in terms of duration, time to event onset, and event resolution. Moreover, we assessed Overall Response Rate (ORR), OS and PFS and we analysed in an exploratory way clinical and biomolecular factors associated with improved outcome. A subgroup analysis was also performed in 20 pts to define baseline immunologic profiles and their changes along the treatment.
Results
We enrolled 127 pts with the following characteristics: male (82%), age higher than 65 years (43%), with primary cancer in oral cavity (33%), oropharynx (31%), larynx (24%), hypopharynx (8%) or other sites (4%). Performance status was 0 in 34% and 1 in 63% pts; 27% of the pts had received 2 or more systemic lines of therapy before. Grade 3-4 TR AE happened in 11% of the pts (anemia 2%, pneumonitis and encephalitis 1%), while all-grade TR AE were 40% (fatigue 20%, hypothyroidism 8%, anemia and pruritus 6%). Median duration of grade 3-4 TR AE was 10 days (4-22) and of grade 1-2 TR AE 63 days (1-336). Median OS and PFS were 7 months (5-NR) and 2 months (1.5-2.5) and ORR 12%. Pts experiencing any TR AE had an improved OS; HR 0.459 (0.254-0.827, p = 0.0096). Analyses of stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) status and PD-L1 status (clone 28-8 Agilent) are ongoing.
Conclusions
In this phase IIIb trial, nivolumab confirmed the safety and efficacy profile of the registration trial. Experiencing any grade TR AE revealed to be a favorable prognostic factor, as possible expression of effective immune response.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
GONO group.
Funding
Bristol Myers-Squibb.
Disclosure
P. Bossi: Advisory / Consultancy: AstraZeneca; Advisory / Consultancy: BMS; Advisory / Consultancy: Angelini; Advisory / Consultancy: MSD; Advisory / Consultancy: Merck Serono; Advisory / Consultancy: Voluntis. M.C. Merlano: Honoraria (self), consultancy or A.B.: Bristol M.S.; Honoraria (self), consultancy or A.B.: Merck S.D.; Honoraria (self), consultancy or A.B.: Merck; Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Stocks: Glaxo SK; Research grant / Funding (institution), Support for clinical trials: Merck. M.G. Ghi: Honoraria (self), Advisory role: BMS; Honoraria (self), Advisory role: MSD; Honoraria (self), Advisory role: Merck Serono. G. Rinaldi: Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (self), Speaker and PI in clinical Trial: Novartis; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Speaker and PI in clinical Trial: BMS; Research grant / Funding (self), PI in clinical Trial: MSD. F. Morelli: Honoraria (self): Pfizer; Honoraria (self): Roche; Honoraria (self): BMS. A. Farnesi: Honoraria (self), speaker: Bayer; Honoraria (self), speaker: Novartis. D. Galizia: Honoraria (self), public speaker: BMS; Honoraria (self), congress travel costs coverage: Merck; Honoraria (self), congress travel costs coverage: Roche; Honoraria (self), congress travel costs coverage: Angelini. L.F. Licitra: Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses, Speaker: BMS; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Speaker: Eisai; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses, Speaker: MSD; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses, Speaker: Merck-Serono; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Speaker: Boehringer Ingelheim; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Speaker: Novartis; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Speaker: AstraZeneca; Honoraria (self), Research grant / Funding (institution), Speaker: Roche; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses, Speaker: Bayer; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses, Speaker: Debiopharm; Honoraria (self), Travel / Accommodation / Expenses, Speaker: Sobi; Honoraria (self), For teaching in medical meetings: Incyte Biosciences Italy srl; Honoraria (self), Expert opinion in advisory board meetings: Doxa Pharma srl; Honoraria (self), For public speaking in medical meetings: Amgen; Honoraria (self), Expert opinion in advisory board meetings: Nanobiotics Sa; Honoraria (self), For public speaking in medical meetings and/or expert opinion in advisory boards: GSK; Research grant / Funding (institution), Founds to my Institution for a clinical trial (2016-2017): Celgene International; Research grant / Funding (institution), Founds to my Institution for 2 clinical trials (2014-2018): Exelixis Inc.; Research grant / Funding (institution), Founds to my Institution for a clinical trial (2014-2015): Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.; Research grant / Funding (institution), Founds to my Institution for a clinical trial (2017): IRX Therapeutics, Inc.; Research grant / Funding (institution), Founds to my Institution for a clinical trial (2016): Medpace Inc.; Research grant / Funding (institution), Founds to my Institution for a clinical trial (2014): Pfizer; Travel / Accommodation / Expenses, Travel coverage for medical meetings: Stilema, AccMed, Aiocc, Aiom. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
2888 - Development and validation a nomogram based on pathological microscopic features to predict survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and guide treatment decision
Presenter: Kuiyuan Liu
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3607 - Deep learning in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study of 3D convolutional neural networks on magnetic resonance imaging
Presenter: Meng Yun Qiang
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5848 - Combined androgen blockade in patients with advanced androgen receptor–positive salivary gland carcinoma: Exploratory biomarker analyses
Presenter: Chihiro Fushimi
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4484 - Classification of esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) based on chromosome (chr) arm gain and loss (CNA) in the setting of a hypomutated genomic landscape
Presenter: Russell Madison
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
5753 - Trastuzumab plus docetaxel in patients with advanced HER2–positive salivary duct carcinoma: Exploratory biomarker analyses
Presenter: Hideaki Takahashi
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3373 - Development and characterization of salivary gland cancer organoid cultures
Presenter: Wim Boxtel
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3118 - A parent-of-origin effect of the RB1 mutations in retinoblastoma with low penetrance and variable expressivity
Presenter: Ekaterina Alekseeva
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
4512 - The humanistic burden reported by patients diagnosed with Recurrent/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (R/M SCCHN) in Europe
Presenter: Prianka Singh
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3961 - Concurrent Chemotherapy and External Radiation Therapy: An Open Label Non-Inferiority Phase III Randomized Controlled Trial of Weekly versus Three Weekly Cisplatin and Radical Radiotherapy in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: CONCERT trial
Presenter: ATUL SHARMA
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract
3973 - A randomized phase II study on the OPTimization of IMmunotherapy in squamous carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) – OPTIM (AIO-KHT-0117)
Presenter: Viktor Grünwald
Session: Poster Display session 3
Resources:
Abstract