This phase I trial aimed to assess the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and preliminary efficacy of a single dose of HR20013 (mixed formulation of fosrolapitant and palonosetron) plus dexamethasone in patients with malignant solid tumors.

Single-agent maintenance poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibition may represent an effective strategy in patients with advanced/metastatic endometrial cancer responding to platinum-based chemotherapy, including for molecular subtypes with suboptimal options. To explore this approach, we initiated the randomized phase IIb UTOLA trial (NCT03745950). Female patients without progression following front-line platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic endometrial cancer were randomized 2:1 to twice-daily maintenance oral olaparib 300 mg or placebo until progression or intolerance, stratified by p53 status, mismatch repair status, and response to initial chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary endpoints were PFS in subgroups, time to second progression or death, time to first and second subsequent therapy, objective response rate, overall survival, patient-reported outcomes, and safety. In the intention-to-treat population (n = 145), there was no PFS difference between olaparib and placebo (median 5.6 vs. 4.0 months, respectively; hazard ratio 0.94, 95% confidence interval 0.65-1.35; p = 0.74). However, intriguing numerical PFS effects were observed in exploratory analyses of pre-specified subgroups (p53-abnormal, complete response to initial chemotherapy, chromosomal instability). There was no overall survival difference between treatments. Grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 36% versus 10% of olaparib- versus placebo-treated patients and were consistent with the olaparib safety profile in other cancers. Maintenance olaparib did not improve PFS, but promising numerical effects in subsets of patients warrant prospective evaluation.

Data on long-term outcomes of antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) are still rare. We present 5-year post-treatment ophthalmological and paediatric outcomes of the prospective, multicentre, randomised, double-blinded, controlled pilot study CARE-ROP (Comparing Alternative Ranibizumab Dosages for Safety and Efficacy in Retinopathy of Prematurity).

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting is a common problem in patients undergoing chemotherapy, influencing quality of life (QoL) and daily activities. This study will investigate whether therapists' positive communication may strengthen positive treatment expectations and induce antiemetic effects during antiemetic treatment using standard care, sham acupuncture, or verum acupuncture, compared to neutral communication. It will also investigate whether a variety of patient, therapist and treatment components modify the treatment outcomes.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) show efficacy in treatment of several solid tumors, but microsatellite-stable rectal cancer is largely resistant. Radiotherapy may enhance tumor immunogenicity and thus may make the combination of radiotherapy and ICIs a promising strategy to treat rectal cancer. While anti-programmed cell death protein 1 antibodies in neoadjuvant regimens have been linked to higher complete response rates, the added benefit of including a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) inhibitor remains unclear.

Enfortumab vedotin (EV), a novel antibody-drug conjugate directed against Nectin-4, was explored in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in cohorts 3 and 4 of the open-label, multicohort, Phase 2 EV-202 study (NCT04225117).

This trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of anti-programmed cell death 1 antibody (SCT-I10A) and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody (SCT200) in patients with previously treated advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (trial registration number: NCT04229537).

Patients with ERBB2 (formerly HER2 or HER2/neu)-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) receiving trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), a new standard of care, may experience specific adverse events affecting their quality of life (QOL). Monitoring electronic patient-reported outcomes alongside vital signs may help improve their QOL through early detection and management of these symptoms.

Symptomatic drug treatment is generally used to treat various side effects associated with paclitaxel-carboplatin (TC) or TC plus bevacizumab (TC+Bev). However, this can lead to increased adverse effects from additional drugs. Immersive virtual reality (iVR) reduces pain and anxiety.

POD1UM-201, an open-label, single-arm, phase II multiregional study, evaluated efficacy and tolerability of retifanlimab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) in chemotherapy-naive patients with recurrent locally advanced or metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).

Options remain limited for patients requiring later lines of therapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) due to poor prognosis and potential toxicities. Therefore, trials of novel combinations of existing therapeutic candidates are warranted. Here, we report robust interim analysis results from the MORPHEUS-Lung study in immune checkpoint inhibitor (CPI)-exposed patients with non-squamous mNSCLC and without targetable gene mutations.

The phase II NEOMUN trial was conducted to investigate the therapeutic effect of preoperative programmed death receptor-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we report the final efficacy, safety, and long-term survival results.

BackgroundMicrobiome manipulation research is focused on developing techniques to modify the gut microbiome and augment responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) represents a potential strategy to overcome primary or acquired resistance to ICI. 20 patients with advanced melanoma were enrolled in a phase I multicenter trial to evaluate the safety and response to anti-PD1 combined with FMT using healthy donor stool as first-line treatment (MIMic, NCT03772899). Combination therapy was safe, and the objective response rate (ORR) was 65%. We now report survival data based on over 3 years of follow-up. Patients with advanced melanoma and treatment-naïve for advanced disease received a single FMT with healthy donor stool followed by standard anti-PD1 therapy. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were measured from the date of FMT to event. Radiographic response was measured using RECIST 1.1 criteria. Both median PFS (mPFS) and median OS (mOS) were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. Post hoc analyses assessed the impact of specific factors on survival outcomes. Minimum follow-up was 40 months from the date of FMT of the last patient, with the longest surviving patient in complete response at 62.2 months. At the time of data analysis, eight patients were alive and seven patients were without progression. No patients remain on anti-PD1 therapy. Only two patients received additional lines of therapy. The mPFS was 29.6 months and mOS 52.8 months. The 1, 2, and 3 years estimated survival rates were 95%, 74% and 53%, respectively. Post hoc analysis demonstrated significantly improved mPFS in responders and patients with FMT-specific toxicity. Combining first-line anti-PD1 therapy and oral FMT with healthy donor stool in this small cohort was safe and demonstrated an improvement in ORR, mPFS, and mOS, compared with randomized trials. Our sample size was small, and results were only hypothesis generating. The potential benefit of microbiome manipulation using oral FMT from healthy donors prior to ICI in patients with advanced melanoma will be evaluated in the ME.17 randomized phase 2 Canadian study (NCT06623461).

Rationale: Clever-1 is a multifunctional scavenger receptor that promotes immunosuppressive activity in macrophages, contributing to tumor immune evasion. Its high expression correlates with resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, and co-targeting Clever-1 with anti-PD-1 enhances therapeutic efficacy in refractory tumor models. The humanized anti-Clever-1 IgG4 antibody, bexmarilimab, is under clinical investigation for treating solid tumors (NCT03733990) and hematological malignancies (NCT05428969). Methods: To assess the impact of Clever-1 in cancer, we analyzed plasma samples from breast cancer patients (n=139) and bexmarilimab-treated clinical trial participants (n=193) using TRFIA-based ELISA to quantify secreted Clever-1 (sClever-1). A recombinant sClever-1 protein was produced and characterized biophysically. Functional assays, including flow cytometry, Western blotting, T cell activation, and Jurkat reporter systems, were used to assess interactions with T cells. Mechanistic studies involved extracellular vesicle isolation, pulldown assays, and mass spectrometry. Inhibitor studies and patient-derived tumor explants were used to evaluate the immunomodulatory impact of sClever-1 and its effect on anti-PD-1 responses. Results: sClever-1 was significantly enriched in the plasma of cancer patients and reduced following bexmarilimab treatment. Its release was induced by IFNγ/LPS via serine protease-dependent cleavage. The recombinant sClever-1 bound selectively to activated T cells via mannose-6-phosphate-mediated interaction with IGF2R, impairing TCR signaling and Th1 expansion. sClever-1 was also associated with macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles and contributed to T cell tolerance and reduced anti-PD-1 efficacy. In tumor explants, sClever-1 bound to activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and increased TGFβ secretion. Conclusions: These findings identify sClever-1 as a previously unrecognized, immunosuppressive mediator in cancer that operates independently of cellular Clever-1 expression. sClever-1 may serve as both a therapeutic target and biomarker to guide immunotherapy strategies.

Combination of HER2-targeted therapy and endocrine therapy offers a more tolerable alternative to HER2-targeted chemotherapy regimens for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-positive advanced breast cancer (ABC), but with compromised efficacy. The addition of cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6) inhibition may enhance the durability of anti-tumor responses, offering a potential chemotherapy-sparing alternative, although its role in the frontline setting remains uncertain. We performed a multicenter, single-arm, phase 2 clinical trial (PLEASURABLE) to assess the activity and safety of combining dalpiciclib with pyrotinib and endocrine therapy in patients receiving first- or second-line treatment for ER-positive and HER2-positive ABC.

Cryotherapy is an effective mucositis intervention for selected chemotherapy regimens, but reliance on ice chips has limited its applicability. Our objective was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of a reusable, self-contained, device as an alternative delivery mode.

Cancer immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) is a pivotal treatment for cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ICIs are often associated with adverse events (AEs), including immune-related AEs (irAEs). Bojungikki-tang (BJIKT), a traditional herbal medicine, has immunomodulatory properties and may alleviate fatigue and inflammation in patients with advanced cancer.In this multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial, we evaluated the safety and potential effects of BJIKT on fatigue, muscle loss, and immune response in patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing atezolizumab monotherapy.

To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of patient-directed behavioral-physical intervention (BPI) for acute hiccups after chemotherapy in cancer patients.

To compare the short-term (3-month) outcomes of intravitreal aflibercept injections versus intravitreal aflibercept combined with dexamethasone sodium phosphate in treating diabetic macular edema.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of statin therapy as an adjunctive treatment to anti-VEGF therapy in type 2 diabetic patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and clinically significant macular edema (CSME).