Angiogenesis-related factors associated with nivolumab efficacy in patients with advanced gastric cancer after refractory or intolerant to ramucirumab-based therapy.

Authors

null

Yuki Matsubara

Department of Clinical Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan

Yuki Matsubara , Hideaki Bando , Takatsugu Ogata , Taiko Nakazawa , Kyoko Kato , Kazuki Nozawa , Yukiya Narita , Kazunori Honda , Toshiki Masuishi , Shigenori Kadowaki , Masashi Ando , Masahiro Tajika , Kei Muro , Hiromichi Ebi

Organizations

Department of Clinical Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan, Department of Clinical Oncology, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Department of Endoscopy, Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan, Division of Molecular Therapeutics, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute/ Precision Medicine Center, Aichi Cancer Center, Nagoya, Japan

Research Funding

No funding received
None

Background: Nivolumab (Nivo) is a standard therapy after ramucirumab (RAM)-based second-line chemotherapy in patients (pts) with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). However, the relationship between angiogenesis-related factors and the efficacies of immune-checkpoint inhibitors after anti-angiogenic chemotherapy is unclear. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated pts with AGCs who received Nivo after RAM-based second-line chemotherapy at a single institution from Nov 2017 to Aug 2019. Clinical benefit of Nivo was defined as CR, PR, or >4 months of SD and non-CR/non-PD. In addition, preserved serum samples at time points of pre-RAM, pre-Nivo, and post-Nivo (within 12 weeks from the start of Nivo) were analyzed by using the designated panel, containing vascular endothelial growth factor-A/D (VEGF-A/D), placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1/2/3 (sVEGFR-1/2/3), Interleukin-6/8 (IL-6/8), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1), soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1), angiopoietin-2, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), interferon gamma (INF-γ), osteopontin (OPN), soluble neuropilin-1, and thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2). We investigated the association between angiogenesis-related factors and clinical outcomes with Nivo. Results: We evaluated 167 samples from 58 pts, including 10 pts (17.2%) exhibiting clinical benefit. Characteristics of pts were as follows: median age, 68; male, 74%; PS, 0/1-2, 17/83%; HER2 positive, 16%; prior gastrectomy, 40%; histology, intestinal/diffuse, 16/84%; disease status, metastatic/recurrent, 69/31%; lung metasstasis, 14%; liver metasstasis, 26%; peritoneum metastasis, 67%; lymph node metastasis, 31%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of Nivo were 1.7 and 6.2 months, respectively, with a median follow-up of 5.0 months. There were no correlations between pre-Nivo levels of angiogenesis-related factors and clinical benefit; however, the median post-Nivo/pre-Nivo VEGF-A ratio was significantly lower in pts with clinical benefit than in those without clinical benefit (0.44 versus 0.94, p = 0.008). By multivariate analysis using characteristics of pts and data from pre-Nivo samples, VEGF-A above the median level of 1400 pg/mL and sVCAM-1 below the median level of 1640000 pg/mL were independent prognostic factors for poor PFS (hazard ratio, 1.90, p = 0.033) and OS (hazard ratio, 2.02, p = 0.037), respectively. Conclusions: Our study suggests that rapid decline of serum VEGF-A level after Nivo and higher VEGF-A before Nivo were respectively associated with the clinical benefit of Nivo and poor survival in pts with AGC treated with Nivo after RAM-based second-line chemotherapy.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2021 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session: Esophageal and Gastric Cancer

Track

Esophageal and Gastric Cancer

Sub Track

Translational Research

Citation

J Clin Oncol 39, 2021 (suppl 3; abstr 234)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2021.39.3_suppl.234

Abstract #

234

Poster Bd #

Online Only

Abstract Disclosures