Journal

New England Journal of Medicine

Papers (33)

Doxorubicin–Trabectedin with Trabectedin Maintenance in Leiomyosarcoma

The addition of trabectedin to doxorubicin, followed by trabectedin maintenance, may have superior efficacy to doxorubicin alone as first-line treatment in patients with advanced leiomyosarcoma. We conducted a phase 3 trial involving patients with metastatic or unresectable leiomyosarcoma who had not received chemotherapy previously. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either single-agent doxorubicin (six cycles) or doxorubicin plus trabectedin (six cycles), with continued trabectedin as maintenance therapy in patients in the doxorubicin-trabectedin group who did not have disease progression. Surgery to resect residual disease was allowed in each group after six cycles of therapy. Analyses of progression-free survival (primary end point) and overall survival (secondary end point) were adjusted for two stratification factors: tumor origin site (uterine vs. soft tissue) and disease stage (locally advanced vs. metastatic). The primary end-point results were reported previously. A total of 150 patients underwent randomization. At a median follow-up of 55 months (interquartile range, 49 to 63), a total of 107 patients had died (47 in the doxorubicin-trabectedin group and 60 in the doxorubicin group). The median overall survival was longer in the doxorubicin-trabectedin group (33 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 26 to 48) than in the doxorubicin group (24 months; 95% CI, 19 to 31); the adjusted hazard ratio for death was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.44 to 0.95). In a finding consistent with earlier reports, progression-free survival was longer in the doxorubicin-trabectedin group (12 months; 95% CI, 10 to 16) than in the doxorubicin group (6 months; 95% CI, 4 to 7); the adjusted hazard ratio for progression or death was 0.37 (95% CI, 0.26 to 0.53). The incidence of adverse events and the percentage of patients with dose reductions were higher with doxorubicin plus trabectedin than with doxorubicin alone. Combination therapy with doxorubicin and trabectedin induction, followed by trabectedin maintenance, was associated with improved overall survival and progression-free survival, as compared with doxorubicin alone, among patients with metastatic or surgically unresectable uterine or soft-tissue leiomyosarcoma. (Funded by PharmaMar and others; LMS04 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02997358.).

Tisotumab Vedotin as Second- or Third-Line Therapy for Recurrent Cervical Cancer

Recurrent cervical cancer is a life-threatening disease, with limited treatment options available when disease progression occurs after first-line combination therapy. We conducted a phase 3, multinational, open-label trial of tisotumab vedotin as second- or third-line therapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer. Patients were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive tisotumab vedotin monotherapy (2.0 mg per kilogram of body weight every 3 weeks) or the investigator's choice of chemotherapy (topotecan, vinorelbine, gemcitabine, irinotecan, or pemetrexed). The primary end point was overall survival. A total of 502 patients underwent randomization (253 were assigned to the tisotumab vedotin group and 249 to the chemotherapy group); the groups were similar with respect to demographic and disease characteristics. The median overall survival was significantly longer in the tisotumab vedotin group than in the chemotherapy group (11.5 months [95% confidence interval {CI}, 9.8 to 14.9] vs. 9.5 months [95% CI, 7.9 to 10.7]), results that represented a 30% lower risk of death with tisotumab vedotin than with chemotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.89; two-sided P = 0.004). The median progression-free survival was 4.2 months (95% CI, 4.0 to 4.4) with tisotumab vedotin and 2.9 months (95% CI, 2.6 to 3.1) with chemotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.82; two-sided P<0.001). The confirmed objective response rate was 17.8% in the tisotumab vedotin group and 5.2% in the chemotherapy group (odds ratio, 4.0; 95% CI, 2.1 to 7.6; two-sided P<0.001). A total of 98.4% of patients in the tisotumab vedotin group and 99.2% in the chemotherapy group had at least one adverse event that occurred during the treatment period (defined as the period from day 1 of dose 1 until 30 days after the last dose); grade 3 or greater events occurred in 52.0% and 62.3%, respectively. A total of 14.8% of patients stopped tisotumab vedotin treatment because of toxic effects. In patients with recurrent cervical cancer, second- or third-line treatment with tisotumab vedotin resulted in significantly greater efficacy than chemotherapy. (Funded by Genmab and Seagen [acquired by Pfizer]; innovaTV 301 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04697628.).

Randomized Trial of Cytoreductive Surgery for Relapsed Ovarian Cancer

Treatment for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer has been mainly based on systemic therapy. The role of secondary cytoreductive surgery is unclear. We randomly assigned patients with recurrent ovarian cancer who had a first relapse after a platinum-free interval (an interval during which no platinum-based chemotherapy was used) of 6 months or more to undergo secondary cytoreductive surgery and then receive platinum-based chemotherapy or to receive platinum-based chemotherapy alone. Patients were eligible if they presented with a positive Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie (AGO) score, defined as an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance-status score of 0 (on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater disability), ascites of less than 500 ml, and complete resection at initial surgery. A positive AGO score is used to identify patients in whom a complete resection might be achieved. The primary end point was overall survival. We also assessed quality of life and prognostic factors for survival. A total of 407 patients underwent randomization: 206 were assigned to cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy, and 201 to chemotherapy alone. A complete resection was achieved in 75.5% of the patients in the surgery group who underwent the procedure. The median overall survival was 53.7 months in the surgery group and 46.0 months in the no-surgery group (hazard ratio for death, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.59 to 0.96; P = 0.02). Patients with a complete resection had the most favorable outcome, with a median overall survival of 61.9 months. A benefit from surgery was seen in all analyses in subgroups according to prognostic factors. Quality-of-life measures through 1 year of follow-up did not differ between the two groups, and we observed no perioperative mortality within 30 days after surgery. In women with recurrent ovarian cancer, cytoreductive surgery followed by chemotherapy resulted in longer overall survival than chemotherapy alone. (Funded by the AGO Study Group and others; DESKTOP III ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01166737.).

Pembrolizumab for Persistent, Recurrent, or Metastatic Cervical Cancer

Pembrolizumab has efficacy in programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive metastatic or unresectable cervical cancer that has progressed during chemotherapy. We assessed the relative benefit of adding pembrolizumab to chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab. In a double-blind, phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer in a 1:1 ratio to receive pembrolizumab (200 mg) or placebo every 3 weeks for up to 35 cycles plus platinum-based chemotherapy and, per investigator discretion, bevacizumab. The dual primary end points were progression-free survival and overall survival, each tested sequentially in patients with a PD-L1 combined positive score of 1 or more, in the intention-to-treat population, and in patients with a PD-L1 combined positive score of 10 or more. The combined positive score is defined as the number of PD-L1-staining cells divided by the total number of viable tumor cells, multiplied by 100. All results are from the protocol-specified first interim analysis. In 548 patients with a PD-L1 combined positive score of 1 or more, median progression-free survival was 10.4 months in the pembrolizumab group and 8.2 months in the placebo group (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50 to 0.77; P<0.001). In 617 patients in the intention-to-treat population, progression-free survival was 10.4 months and 8.2 months, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.79; P<0.001). In 317 patients with a PD-L1 combined positive score of 10 or more, progression-free survival was 10.4 months and 8.1 months, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.77; P<0.001). Overall survival at 24 months was 53.0% in the pembrolizumab group and 41.7% in the placebo group (hazard ratio for death, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.81; P<0.001), 50.4% and 40.4% (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.84; P<0.001), and 54.4% and 44.6% (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.84; P = 0.001), respectively. The most common grade 3 to 5 adverse events were anemia (30.3% in the pembrolizumab group and 26.9% in the placebo group) and neutropenia (12.4% and 9.7%, respectively). Progression-free and overall survival were significantly longer with pembrolizumab than with placebo among patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer who were also receiving chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab. (Funded by Merck Sharp and Dohme; KEYNOTE-826 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03635567.).

HPV Vaccination and the Risk of Invasive Cervical Cancer

The efficacy and effectiveness of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing high-grade cervical lesions have been shown. However, data to inform the relationship between quadrivalent HPV vaccination and the subsequent risk of invasive cervical cancer are lacking. We used nationwide Swedish demographic and health registers to follow an open population of 1,672,983 girls and women who were 10 to 30 years of age from 2006 through 2017. We assessed the association between HPV vaccination and the risk of invasive cervical cancer, controlling for age at follow-up, calendar year, county of residence, and parental characteristics, including education, household income, mother's country of birth, and maternal disease history. During the study period, we evaluated girls and women for cervical cancer until their 31st birthday. Cervical cancer was diagnosed in 19 women who had received the quadrivalent HPV vaccine and in 538 women who had not received the vaccine. The cumulative incidence of cervical cancer was 47 cases per 100,000 persons among women who had been vaccinated and 94 cases per 100,000 persons among those who had not been vaccinated. After adjustment for age at follow-up, the incidence rate ratio for the comparison of the vaccinated population with the unvaccinated population was 0.51 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32 to 0.82). After additional adjustment for other covariates, the incidence rate ratio was 0.37 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.57). After adjustment for all covariates, the incidence rate ratio was 0.12 (95% CI, 0.00 to 0.34) among women who had been vaccinated before the age of 17 years and 0.47 (95% CI, 0.27 to 0.75) among women who had been vaccinated at the age of 17 to 30 years. Among Swedish girls and women 10 to 30 years old, quadrivalent HPV vaccination was associated with a substantially reduced risk of invasive cervical cancer at the population level. (Funded by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research and others.).

Survival with Cemiplimab in Recurrent Cervical Cancer

Patients with recurrent cervical cancer have a poor prognosis. Cemiplimab, the fully human programmed cell death 1 (PD-1)-blocking antibody approved to treat lung and skin cancers, has been shown to have preliminary clinical activity in this population. In this phase 3 trial, we enrolled patients who had disease progression after first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy, regardless of their programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) status. Women were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive cemiplimab (350 mg every 3 weeks) or the investigator's choice of single-agent chemotherapy. The primary end point was overall survival. Progression-free survival and safety were also assessed. A total of 608 women were enrolled (304 in each group). In the overall trial population, median overall survival was longer in the cemiplimab group than in the chemotherapy group (12.0 months vs. 8.5 months; hazard ratio for death, 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 0.84; two-sided P<0.001). The overall survival benefit was consistent in both histologic subgroups (squamous-cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma [including adenosquamous carcinoma]). Progression-free survival was also longer in the cemiplimab group than in the chemotherapy group in the overall population (hazard ratio for disease progression or death, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.89; two-sided P<0.001). In the overall population, an objective response occurred in 16.4% (95% CI, 12.5 to 21.1) of the patients in the cemiplimab group, as compared with 6.3% (95% CI, 3.8 to 9.6) in the chemotherapy group. An objective response occurred in 18% (95% CI, 11 to 28) of the cemiplimab-treated patients with PD-L1 expression greater than or equal to 1% and in 11% (95% CI, 4 to 25) of those with PD-L1 expression of less than 1%. Overall, grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 45.0% of the patients who received cemiplimab and in 53.4% of those who received chemotherapy. Survival was significantly longer with cemiplimab than with single-agent chemotherapy among patients with recurrent cervical cancer after first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy. (Funded by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi; EMPOWER-Cervical 1/GOG-3016/ENGOT-cx9 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03257267.).

Lenvatinib plus Pembrolizumab for Advanced Endometrial Cancer

Standard therapy for advanced endometrial cancer after failure of platinum-based chemotherapy remains unclear. In this phase 3 trial, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, patients with advanced endometrial cancer who had previously received at least one platinum-based chemotherapy regimen to receive either lenvatinib (20 mg, administered orally once daily) plus pembrolizumab (200 mg, administered intravenously every 3 weeks) or chemotherapy of the treating physician's choice (doxorubicin at 60 mg per square meter of body-surface area, administered intravenously every 3 weeks, or paclitaxel at 80 mg per square meter, administered intravenously weekly [with a cycle of 3 weeks on and 1 week off]). The two primary end points were progression-free survival as assessed on blinded independent central review according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1, and overall survival. The end points were evaluated in patients with mismatch repair-proficient (pMMR) disease and in all patients. Safety was also assessed. A total of 827 patients (697 with pMMR disease and 130 with mismatch repair-deficient disease) were randomly assigned to receive lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (411 patients) or chemotherapy (416 patients). The median progression-free survival was longer with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab than with chemotherapy (pMMR population: 6.6 vs. 3.8 months; hazard ratio for progression or death, 0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50 to 0.72; P<0.001; overall: 7.2 vs. 3.8 months; hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.66; P<0.001). The median overall survival was longer with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab than with chemotherapy (pMMR population: 17.4 vs. 12.0 months; hazard ratio for death, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.84; P<0.001; overall: 18.3 vs. 11.4 months; hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.75; P<0.001). Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 88.9% of the patients who received lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab and in 72.7% of those who received chemotherapy. Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab led to significantly longer progression-free survival and overall survival than chemotherapy among patients with advanced endometrial cancer. (Funded by Eisai and Merck Sharp and Dohme [a subsidiary of Merck]; Study 309-KEYNOTE-775 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03517449.).

Sentinel-Lymph-Node Biopsy Alone or with Lymphadenectomy in Cervical Cancer

Limited data are available on survival outcomes after sentinel-lymph-node biopsy alone as compared with lymphadenectomy in cervical cancer. In this multicenter, randomized, noninferiority trial, we enrolled patients with cervical cancer that was stage IA1 (with lymphovascular invasion), IA2, IB1, or IIA1 according to 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics criteria. Sentinel-lymph-node biopsy was performed at the time of surgery and was followed by examination of frozen sections. Patients who had negative sentinel lymph nodes were intraoperatively assigned in a 1:1 ratio not to undergo pelvic lymphadenectomy (the biopsy-only group) or to undergo lymphadenectomy (the lymphadenectomy group). All the patients underwent hysterectomy, and adjuvant therapy was provided according to a unified protocol. The primary end point was disease-free survival at 3 years, with a prespecified noninferiority margin of 5 percentage points in the upper limit of the confidence interval for the difference between the lymphadenectomy group and the biopsy-only group. Secondary end points included retroperitoneal nodal recurrence, cancer-specific survival, and surgical complications. A total of 838 patients underwent randomization: 420 patients were assigned to the biopsy-only group and 418 to the lymphadenectomy group. The median follow-up was 62.8 months. The 3-year disease-free survival was 94.6% in the lymphadenectomy group and 96.9% in the biopsy-only group (difference, -2.3 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -5.0 to 0.5; P<0.001 for noninferiority); the 3-year cancer-specific survival was 99.2% in the biopsy-only group and 97.8% in the lymphadenectomy group (hazard ratio for death from cancer in competing-risks analysis, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.95). Retroperitoneal nodal recurrences occurred in no patients in the biopsy-only group and in 9 patients (2.2%) in the lymphadenectomy group. The biopsy-only group had a lower incidence of lymphocyst than the lymphadenectomy group (8.3% vs. 22.0%; P<0.001), as well as a lower incidence of lymphedema (5.2% vs. 19.1%; P<0.001), paresthesia (4.0% vs. 8.4%; P = 0.009), and pain (2.6% vs. 7.9%; P = 0.001). In patients with early-stage cervical cancer, sentinel-lymph-node biopsy alone was noninferior to lymphadenectomy with respect to disease-free survival and was associated with fewer complications. (Funded by Guangzhou Municipal Science and Technology and others; PHENIX ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02642471.).

Bevacizumab and Erlotinib in Hereditary and Sporadic Papillary Kidney Cancer

Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal-cell cancer (HLRCC) is an inherited disorder characterized by germline pathogenic variants in the gene encoding fumarate hydratase and an increased risk of papillary renal-cell carcinoma. No effective therapy is known for patients with advanced HLRCC-associated papillary renal-cell carcinoma, and most patients die from progressive disease. In this open-label, phase 2 study, we evaluated the efficacy of bevacizumab (10 mg per kilogram of body weight every 2 weeks) and erlotinib (150 mg once daily) in patients with advanced HLRCC-associated or sporadic papillary renal-cell carcinoma. The primary end point was overall response; secondary end points included progression-free and overall survival. A total of 43 patients with HLRCC-associated papillary renal-cell carcinoma and 40 patients with sporadic papillary renal-cell carcinoma were enrolled. A confirmed response occurred in 31 patients (72%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 57 to 83) with HLRCC-associated papillary renal-cell carcinoma; the median progression-free survival was 21.1 months (95% CI, 15.6 to 26.6), and the median overall survival was 44.6 months (95% CI, 32.7 to could not be estimated). A confirmed response occurred in 14 patients (35%; 95% CI, 22 to 51) with sporadic papillary renal-cell carcinoma, with a median progression-free survival of 8.9 months (95% CI, 5.5 to 18.3) and a median overall survival of 18.2 months (95% CI, 12.6 to 29.3). The most common treatment-related adverse events were acneiform rash (93%), diarrhea (89%), and proteinuria (78%). The most common treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or higher were hypertension (34%) and proteinuria (17%). The combination of bevacizumab and erlotinib showed antitumor activity in patients with HLRCC-associated or sporadic papillary renal-cell carcinoma. Toxic effects were those known to be associated with this combination. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01130519.).

Mirvetuximab Soravtansine in FRα-Positive, Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

Mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx (MIRV), a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate targeting folate receptor α (FRα), is approved for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in the United States. We conducted a phase 3, global, confirmatory, open-label, randomized, controlled trial to compare the efficacy and safety of MIRV with the investigator's choice of chemotherapy in the treatment of platinum-resistant, high-grade serous ovarian cancer. Participants who had previously received one to three lines of therapy and had high FRα tumor expression (≥75% of cells with ≥2+ staining intensity) were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive MIRV (6 mg per kilogram of adjusted ideal body weight every 3 weeks) or chemotherapy (paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, or topotecan). The primary end point was investigator-assessed progression-free survival; key secondary analytic end points included objective response, overall survival, and participant-reported outcomes. A total of 453 participants underwent randomization; 227 were assigned to the MIRV group and 226 to the chemotherapy group. The median progression-free survival was 5.62 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.34 to 5.95) with MIRV and 3.98 months (95% CI, 2.86 to 4.47) with chemotherapy (P<0.001). An objective response occurred in 42.3% of the participants in the MIRV group and in 15.9% of those in the chemotherapy group (odds ratio, 3.81; 95% CI, 2.44 to 5.94; P<0.001). Overall survival was significantly longer with MIRV than with chemotherapy (median, 16.46 months vs. 12.75 months; hazard ratio for death, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.89; P = 0.005). During the treatment period, fewer adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred with MIRV than with chemotherapy (41.7% vs. 54.1%), as did serious adverse events of any grade (23.9% vs. 32.9%) and events leading to discontinuation (9.2% vs. 15.9%). Among participants with platinum-resistant, FRα-positive ovarian cancer, treatment with MIRV showed a significant benefit over chemotherapy with respect to progression-free and overall survival and objective response. (Funded by ImmunoGen; MIRASOL ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04209855.).

Dostarlimab for Primary Advanced or Recurrent Endometrial Cancer

Dostarlimab is an immune-checkpoint inhibitor that targets the programmed cell death 1 receptor. The combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy may have synergistic effects in the treatment of endometrial cancer. We conducted a phase 3, global, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Eligible patients with primary advanced stage III or IV or first recurrent endometrial cancer were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either dostarlimab (500 mg) or placebo, plus carboplatin (area under the concentration-time curve, 5 mg per milliliter per minute) and paclitaxel (175 mg per square meter of body-surface area), every 3 weeks (six cycles), followed by dostarlimab (1000 mg) or placebo every 6 weeks for up to 3 years. The primary end points were progression-free survival as assessed by the investigator according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST), version 1.1, and overall survival. Safety was also assessed. Of the 494 patients who underwent randomization, 118 (23.9%) had mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR), microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors. In the dMMR-MSI-H population, estimated progression-free survival at 24 months was 61.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 46.3 to 73.4) in the dostarlimab group and 15.7% (95% CI, 7.2 to 27.0) in the placebo group (hazard ratio for progression or death, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.16 to 0.50; P<0.001). In the overall population, progression-free survival at 24 months was 36.1% (95% CI, 29.3 to 42.9) in the dostarlimab group and 18.1% (95% CI, 13.0 to 23.9) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.80; P<0.001). Overall survival at 24 months was 71.3% (95% CI, 64.5 to 77.1) with dostarlimab and 56.0% (95% CI, 48.9 to 62.5) with placebo (hazard ratio for death, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.87). The most common adverse events that occurred or worsened during treatment were nausea (53.9% of the patients in the dostarlimab group and 45.9% of those in the placebo group), alopecia (53.5% and 50.0%), and fatigue (51.9% and 54.5%). Severe and serious adverse events were more frequent in the dostarlimab group than in the placebo group. Dostarlimab plus carboplatin-paclitaxel significantly increased progression-free survival among patients with primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, with a substantial benefit in the dMMR-MSI-H population. (Funded by GSK; RUBY ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03981796.).

Publisher

Massachusetts Medical Society

ISSN

0028-4793