Long-term outcomes of pembrolizumab (pembro) in combination with gemcitabine (gem) and concurrent hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) as bladder sparing treatment for muscle-invasive urothelial cancer of the bladder (MIUC): A multicenter phase 2 trial.

Authors

null

Minas P. Economides

New York University, New York, NY

Minas P. Economides , Matthew I. Milowsky , Peter H. O'Donnell , Ajjai Shivaram Alva , Marisa Kollmeier , Tracy L Rose , Sean P. Pitroda , Jonathan E. Rosenberg , Tsivia Hochman , Judith D. Goldberg , Gary D. Steinberg , James Wysock , Peter Schiff , Nicholas J. Sanfilippo , Samir Taneja , David R Wise , Arjun Vasant Balar , William C. Huang , Scot Anthony Niglio

Organizations

New York University, New York, NY, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL, University of Michigan Rogel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, Department of Urology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, NY, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, NYU Medical Center-Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, NY, NYU Langone Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, NY, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, NYU Langone Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York, NY

Research Funding

Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company
Merck; pembrolizumab

Background: Trimodality therapy (TMT) is a standard treatment option for MIUC. We previously reported an early analysis of a phase II study of pembro added to standard TMT with maximal transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), hypofractionated RT and twice weekly gem (ASCO 2021). Herein we present updated follow up safety and efficacy results. Methods: In this multicenter phase 2 trial, patients (pts) with clinical T2-T4aN0M0 MIUC who were ineligible fpr or declined radical cystectomy, had ECOG PS 0/1 and eGFR≥30 cc/min were enrolled. Pts received pembro 200 mg IV x 1 followed by maximal TURBT and then whole bladder RT (52 Gy/20 fx) with twice weekly gem 27 mg/m2 and pembro Q3 wks x 3 treatments. Response was assessed every 12 weeks post-RT with CT/MRI, tumor bed biopsy and cytology. The primary endpoint was 2-yr bladder-intact disease-free survival (BIDFS; first of MIUC, regional or distant metastases, cystectomy or death). Our study had 85% power to detect a 20% absolute improvement in 2-yr BIDFS rate over 60% historical rate (Mak JCO 2014). Key secondary endpoints included safety, 12-week pathologic complete response (CR) rate, metastases-free survival (MFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Between 5/2016 and 6/2022, 54 pts (median age 74 years, 72% male, 83% Caucasian; clinical stage: 74% T2, 22% T3 and 4% T4) were enrolled at 5 institutions. PD-L1 status was available in 43 pts, and 21 pts (49%) had modified proportion score≥10. Forty-six (88%) pts completed all therapy. 1/54 (2%), 3/54 (6%), and 4/54 (7%) discontinued RT/Gem, Gem or Pembro, respectively, most commonly due to toxicity. 6 pts (11%) underwent salvage cystectomies. As of 6/2022, with a median FU of 23 months (1.6- 62.7) there were 12 (22%) tumor recurrences (3 MIUC, 5 locoregional, 4 distant). 4 pts (7%) had non-muscle invasive only recurrences. The efficacy outcomes are shown. 10 pts died during the study period (18%; 3 from disease progression, 1 from treatment toxicity and 6 from unrelated/unknown causes). There were no new safety signals in our updated analysis: 13 pts (24%) experienced 17 AEs that were Grade 3 or greater (cytopenias [n=7], colitis [n=5], cystitis [n=2], polyneuropathy, fatigue, hypokalemia [n=1, each]). Grade 3 or greater immune-related AEs included 2 pts with colitis, 1 pt with polyneuropathy and 1 pt with Grade 5 colonic perforation. Conclusions: TMT combined with pembro was well tolerated and continues to show promising early outcomes data. A large phase 3 trial is underway to further explore this treatment. Clinical trial information: NCT02621151.

ITT population (N=54)2-year % (95% CI)Median in months (95% CI)
BIDFS71 (56-82)47.4 (29.6-NR)
MFS78 (64-87)47.4 (47.4-NR)
OS83 (69-91)NR
12 week path CR rate80%NA

CI, confidence interval; ITT, intention to treat; NA, not applicable; NR, not reached.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2023 ASCO Annual Meeting

Session Type

Poster Discussion Session

Session Title

Genitourinary Cancer—Kidney and Bladder

Track

Genitourinary Cancer—Kidney and Bladder

Sub Track

Urothelial Cancer - Local-Regional Disease

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT02621151

Citation

J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr 4509)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.4509

Abstract #

4509

Poster Bd #

1

Abstract Disclosures