Toru Sugiyama

Nivolumab Versus Gemcitabine or Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin for Patients With Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer: Open-Label, Randomized Trial in Japan (NINJA)

PURPOSE This phase III, multicenter, randomized, open-label study investigated the efficacy and safety of nivolumab versus chemotherapy (gemcitabine [GEM] or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin [PLD]) in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eligible patients had platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer, received ≤ 1 regimen after diagnosis of resistance, and had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score of ≤ 1. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to nivolumab (240 mg once every 2 weeks [as one cycle]) or chemotherapy (GEM 1000 mg/m2 for 30 minutes [once on days 1, 8, and 15] followed by a week's rest [as one cycle], or PLD 50 mg/m2 once every 4 weeks [as one cycle]). The primary outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate, duration of response, and safety. RESULTS Patients (n = 316) were randomly assigned to nivolumab (n = 157) or GEM or PLD (n = 159) between October 2015 and December 2017. Median OS was 10.1 (95% CI, 8.3 to 14.1) and 12.1 (95% CI, 9.3 to 15.3) months with nivolumab and GEM or PLD, respectively (hazard ratio, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.8 to 1.3; P = .808). Median PFS was 2.0 (95% CI, 1.9 to 2.2) and 3.8 (95% CI, 3.6 to 4.2) months with nivolumab and GEM or PLD, respectively (hazard ratio, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 1.9; P = .002). There was no statistical difference in overall response rate between groups (7.6% v 13.2%; odds ratio, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.2 to 1.3; P = .191). Median duration of response was numerically longer with nivolumab than GEM or PLD (18.7 v 7.4 months). Fewer treatment-related adverse events were observed with nivolumab versus GEM or PLD (61.5% v 98.1%), with no additional or new safety risks. CONCLUSION Although well-tolerated, nivolumab did not improve OS and showed worse PFS compared with GEM or PLD in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Incidence of fistula occurrence in patients with cervical cancer treated with bevacizumab: data from real-world clinical practice

Abstract Background This study aimed to determine the incidence of pelvic fistulas in cervical cancer patients treated with bevacizumab in Japanese clinical practice. Methods A post-marketing surveillance (PMS) study was conducted between June 2016 and February 2018 to survey physicians who treated advanced or recurrent cervical cancer patients with bevacizumab (according to the product label). The clinical/treatment status of patients with pelvic fistulas was assessed in an additional retrospective case series study. Results 142 patients were included in the PMS study (median age 51 years; 66.9% squamous cell carcinoma; 66.2% recurrent cervical cancer; 64.1% previous radiotherapy). Patients received a median of seven bevacizumab doses. Six patients, all of whom had a history of pelvic irradiation, developed seven fistulas (4.2%; 95% confidence interval, 1.56–8.96), and five patients had also undergone pelvic surgery. The case series study of the patients who developed fistulas indicated that three patients had high cumulative bladder and rectal doses of radiation, and two of them had undergone salvage re-irradiation for pelvic recurrence. The other three patients underwent both radical hysterectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy, but did not receive an excessive radiation dose to the bladder or rectum. Conclusions This study found that the upper limit of the 95% confidence interval for pelvic fistula incidence did not exceed the incidence reported in the GOG 240 study. To ensure an adequate benefit-risk assessment of bevacizumab in cervical cancer patients, a comprehensive evaluation of prior treatment is essential and the possibility of unexpected fistulas, even after careful evaluation, should be considered.

Prognostic impact of lymphadenectomy in patients with advanced ovarian clear cell carcinoma: an ancillary analysis of the JGOG3017-A4 study

Abstract Background Systematic pelvic and aortic lymphadenectomy in stage IIB–IVB patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, undergoing complete abdominal macroscopic resection with normal lymph nodes, was revealed to have no prognostic significance for survival in the LION trial. However, the proportion of patients with ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) in the LION trial was only 2.2%, so the significance of systematic retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy in patients with OCCC remains unclear. Methods We conducted an ancillary analysis of 619 patients enrolled in a randomized phase III trial (JGOG 3017) in patients with OCCC. Of these, 89 were stage IIB to IVB, underwent a complete macroscopic resection, and had no grossly enlarged lymph nodes intraoperatively. Patients were divided into two groups: group A with lymphadenectomy and group B without lymphadenectomy. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to calculate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) and the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard model were used to compare the two groups. Results Among the 89 patients, 77 (86.5%) underwent a lymphadenectomy (group A), while 12 (13.5%) did not (group B). Three-year PFS were 62.3% in group A and 58.3% in group B ( p  = 0.7705). Three-year OS were 73.0% in group A and 65.6% in group B ( p  = 0.6346). No significant differences were observed between two groups. Conclusion This study did not demonstrate a definitive survival benefit from systematic lymphadenectomy in advanced OCCC patients with complete resection and clinically negative nodes. Given the small sample size, these results should be interpreted with caution and regarded as exploratory.

Niraparib in Japanese patients with heavily pretreated, homologous recombination-deficient ovarian cancer: final results of a multicenter phase 2 study

To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of niraparib in Japanese women with heavily pretreated ovarian cancer. This was the follow-up analysis of a phase 2, multicenter, open-label, single-arm study in Japanese women with homologous recombination-deficient, platinum-sensitive, relapsed, high-grade serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who had completed 3-4 lines of chemotherapy and were poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor naïve. Participants received niraparib (starting dose, 300 mg) once daily in continuous 28-day cycles until objective disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or consent withdrawal. The primary endpoint was confirmed objective response rate (ORR), as assessed using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. Safety evaluations included treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). 20 patients were enrolled in the study and included in both efficacy and safety analyses. Median total study duration was 759.5 days. Median dose intensity was 201.3 mg/day. Confirmed ORR was 60.0% (90% confidence interval [CI]=39.4-78.3); 2 patients had complete response and 10 patients had partial response. Median duration of response was 9.9 months (95% CI=3.9-26.9) and the disease control rate was 90.0% (95% CI=68.3-98.8). The most common TEAEs were anemia (n=15), nausea (n=12), and decreased platelet count (n=11). TEAEs leading to study drug dose reduction, interruption, or discontinuation were reported in 16 (80.0%), 15 (75.0%), and 2 patients (10.0%), respectively. The long-term efficacy and safety profile of niraparib was consistent with previous findings in the equivalent population in non-Japanese patients. No new safety signals were identified. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03759600.