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P. Mitchell



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    O02 - NSCLC - Combined Modality Therapy I (ID 111)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Oral Abstract Session
    • Track: Combined Modality
    • Presentations: 1
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      O02.01 - Geographic differences in the combined-modality treatment of stage III unresectable non-small cell lung cancer: Results from a global phase III trial of tecemotide (L-BLP25) (ID 2712)

      10:30 - 10:40  |  Author(s): P. Mitchell

      • Abstract
      • Presentation
      • Slides

      Background
      Chemo-radiotherapy (chemo/RT) is the standard of care for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but little is known about differences in clinical practice between regions of the world. The START trial is a global phase III trial of the MUC1-specific cancer immunotherapy tecemotide (L-BLP25), for which key efficacy and safety results have been reported previously. Here we report regional differences in diagnostic procedures and treatment of stage III NSCLC prior to enrolment in START.

      Methods
      The START trial recruited patients (performance status 0/1) with unresectable stage III NSCLC who had not progressed within 28–84 days of completing ≥2 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy with concurrent or sequential radiotherapy (≥50 Gy). Baseline characteristics, diagnostic procedures and the initial chemo/RT administered of those recruited were compared between centers in different regions.

      Results
      From Jan 2007 to Nov 2011, 1513 patients were recruited at >250 centers in 33 countries: Western Europe 40.3%, Eastern Europe 26.0%, North America 21.8%, Latin America 5.7%, Asia 3.4%, Australia 2.8%. The majority of patients (92.1%) were Caucasian and median age was 61 years. Overall, 6.3% of patients were never-smokers with little inter-regional variation except for Asia (31.4%). The proportion of current smokers upon entry into the trial was highest in Eastern Europe (36.3%) and lowest in Australia (11.6%). Median tobacco consumption by region ranged from 36.2 (Eastern Europe) to 53.6 (Latin America) pack-years. The proportion of patients considered for the START trial who received concurrent rather than sequential chemo/RT varied widely between regions and was highest in North America and Australia, lower in Western Europe, Latin America and Asia, and lowest in Eastern Europe. There were also substantial variations in the diagnostic procedures between the regions, although pathological confirmation of N-status was infrequent in all regions. Detailed results by region for the time from diagnosis to randomization, duration of chemo- and radiotherapy, and chemotherapy agents used will be presented.

      Proportion of patients (%) with:
      Use of concurrent chemo/RT N-status determined with PET or PET/CT N-status determined with mediastinoscopy
      Australia (n=43) 100 74.4 2.3
      North America (n=330) 92.7 37.9 18.5
      Asia (n=51) 66.7 21.5 2.0
      Latin America (n=86) 65.1 7.0 5.8
      Western Europe (n=609) 67.2 32.2 6.9
      Eastern Europe (n=394) 28.9 7.3 3.6

      Conclusion
      Baseline data from the START trial suggest substantial variations in the management of unresectable stage III NSCLC between different regions of the world. While recruited patients from North American and Australian centers mostly received concurrent chemo/RT in accordance with current recommendations, a substantial proportion of patients in Europe, Latin America and Asia received sequential chemo/RT. More frequent use of concurrent chemo/RT as the recommended standard of care should be made across geographic regions.

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    P1.06 - Poster Session 1 - Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers (ID 161)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Biology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P1.06-034 - MET expression, copy number and oncogenic mutations in early stage NSCLC (ID 2424)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): P. Mitchell

      • Abstract

      Background
      The MET receptor tyrosine kinase and its ligand are associated with the malignant phenotype. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) MET expression increases with disease stage and is involved in de novo and acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Despite this, in early stage NSCLC, conflicting data series have reported MET expression and copy number to be prognostic in some studies but not others[1,2]. We investigated a large cohort of patients who underwent curative surgical resection at our institution to determine whether MET receptor or gene amplification was prognostic.

      Methods
      Tissue Microarrays (TMAs) were constructed using 1mm cores of FFPE primary NSCLC tissues in triplicate. TMAs were stained with the MET SP44 clone and a H-score calculated based on % cells stained and intensity; (%cellsx1)+(%cellsx2)+(%cellsx3) with a minimum of 0 and maximum of 300. The mean of triplicate values was calculated. MET gene amplification was detected using Ventana’s MET DNP probe with ultraView SISH DNP silver detection, performed on Ventana’s XT autostainer. DNA was isolated and subjected to mutational profiling using Sequenom’s LungCarta panel.

      Results
      Data for 508 patients, 352 (69%) male, were available for analysis including 329 pathological node negative (pN0), 67 pN1, 104 pN2 and 8 patients with resected primaries and solitary brain metastases (M1). Most patients were smokers with only 33 (6%) non-smokers. The median MET H-score was 100 and consistent across N0, N1 and N2 patients, although was higher in M1 patients. Median H-scores were significantly higher in adenocarcinoma compared to squamous cell carcinoma (140 vs 91.5, p<0.0001). Increased MET expression (H-score>100) was seen in 227 (45%) patients. High quality DNA was isolated in 443/508 (87%) of samples. The commonest mutations were in KRAS (21%), TP53 (10%), EGFR (5%), PIK3CA (4%) MET (3%) and NRF2 (3%). No mutation was found in 44% of samples. EGFR and KRAS mutations were associated with significantly higher MET expression, whereas TP53 was associated with significantly lower expression (Chi square p=0.0005). These differences may reflect the higher rates of adenocarcinoma in both EGFR and KRAS mutated tumours. Increased MET copy number by SISH was only observed in 6 samples. MET expression was not associated with cancer specific survival across all stages. In tumours harbouring mutations and in wild type tumours, there were no significant differences in survival according to MET expression.

      Conclusion
      Although increased MET expression was associated with both KRAS and EGFR mutations, it was not prognostic in this large cohort of resected NSCLC. MET expression may be both predictive and prognostic in advanced NSCLC, but its role in early stage NSCLC is unclear. References: 1. Dziadziuszko R, et al. Correlation between MET Gene Copy Number by Silver In Situ Hybridization and Protein Expression by Immunohistochemistry in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer. Journal of Thoracic Oncology. 2012 Feb;7(2):340–7. 2. Cappuzzo F, et al. Increased MET gene copy number negatively affects survival of surgically resected non-small-cell lung cancer patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2009 Apr 1;27(10):1667–74.

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    P1.12 - Poster Session 1 - NSCLC Early Stage (ID 203)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P1.12-018 - Overall Survival and Smoking Status in Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (ID 2662)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): P. Mitchell

      • Abstract

      Background
      Although the carcinogenic effects of cigarette smoking are important in the pathogenesis of lung carcinoma, the impact of quantitative smoking history on survival in resectable tumours has not been well described. Using a comprehensive database in which smoking was quantitatively documented, we analysed the impact of increasing number of pack years of smoking on stage, histology, mutation status and overall survival in an Australian population. We focused on patients without nodal involvement (N0) as they were less likely to have received neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy.

      Methods
      Data was extracted from a large single institution database containing information on patients who underwent curative resection of non-small cell lung cancer from 1992 to 2012. Cigarette smoking history was documented in pack years. DNA was isolated and analysed using Sequenom’s LungCarta panel which interrogates 214 mutations in 26 genes. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square tests and the Kaplan Meier method for survival.

      Results
      Information on pack year smoking status was available for 470 patients, 70% of whom were male. This included 311 (66%) pathological N0 (pN0), 64 (14%) pN1 and 95 (20%) pN2. Smoking history ranged between 0 (never smokers N=32, 7%) and 180 pack years, with a median of 45 and mean of 48. Patients were divided into quartiles based on their smoking history: never- and < 10 pack year smokers (N=43; 9%), 11-25 pack years (N=74; 16%), 26-50 pack years (N=180; 38%) and >50 pack years (N=173; 37%). Adequate DNA was isolated in 425 samples. Frequencies of mutations were as follows: KRAS 21%, TP53 10%, EGFR 5%, PIK3CA 4%; other mutations occurred at lower frequencies. In 44% no mutation was found. Increased pack year history of smoking was not associated with overall survival. In the pN0 wild type population, no association with smoking and survival was seen. In the pN0 mutation group (Figure 1) those with a <25 pack year history had significantly better overall survival than heavier smokers (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.92). Figure 1: Overall Survival by smoking status in pN0 tumours with a mutationFigure 1

      Conclusion
      Smoking status was not associated with overall survival across the entire cohort. In patients whose tumour harboured a mutation, increased smoking was associated with a less favourable mutation profile including in KRAS, TP53 and PIK3CA. In patients with pN0 disease a significant difference in overall survival was observed favouring light smokers. The presence of mutations in association with heavy smoking negatively impacts overall survival.

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    P2.09 - Poster Session 2 - Combined Modality (ID 213)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Combined Modality
    • Presentations: 1
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      P2.09-007 - Comparison of toxicity and outcomes of concurrent radiotherapy with carboplatin/paclitaxel and cisplatin/etoposide in stage III non-small cell lung cancer (ID 1497)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): P. Mitchell

      • Abstract

      Background
      Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has become the standard of care for patients with unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The comparative merits of two widely used regimens: carboplatin/paclitaxel (PC) and cisplatin/etoposide (PE), each given with concurrent radiotherapy, remain largely undefined.

      Methods
      Records for consecutive patients with stage III NSCLC treated with PC or PE and ≥60Gy chest radiotherapy between 2000-2011 were reviewed for outcomes and toxicity. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox modeling with the Wald test. Comparison across groups was done using the student t and chi-squared tests.

      Results
      75 (PC: 44, PE: 31) patients were analyzed. PC patients were older (median 71 vs 63 years; p=0.0006). Other characteristics were comparable between groups. With PE, there was significantly increased grade ≥3 neutropenia (39% vs 14%, p=0.024) and thrombocytopenia (10% vs 0%, p=0.039). Radiation pneumonitis was more common with PC (66% vs 38%, p=0.033). Five treatment related deaths occurred (PC: 3 vs PE: 2, p=1.000). With a median follow up of 51.6 months, there were no significant differences in relapse free survival (median PC 12.0 vs PE 11.5 months, p=0.700) or overall survival (median PC 20.7 vs PE 13.7 months; p=0.989). In multivariate analyses, no factors predicted for improved survival for either regimen. Table 1: Non-hematological and hematological adverse events, by grade (CTCAE 4.0)

      Adverse events PC (n = 44) PE (n = 31)
      n (%) n P~χ2~
      Esophagitis 1 2 3 4 3 (7) 19 (43) 10 (23) 5 (11) 5 (16) 7 (23) 10 (32) 1 (3) 0.151
      Pneumonitis 1 2 3 4 5 21 (48) 6 (14) 0 (0) 1 (2) 1 (2) 4 (13) 6 (19) 1 (3) 1 (3) 0 (0) 0.033
      Neuropathy 1 2 1 (2) 1 (2) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0.485
      Nephropathy 1 2 3 3 (7) 0 (0) 0 (0) 4 (13) 0 (0) 1 (3) 0.314
      Nausea/vomiting 1 2 3 7 (16) 8 (18) 0 (0) 7 (23) 2 (6) 1 (3) 0.291
      Chest infection 1 2 3 4 5 1 (2) 1 (2) 11 (25) 1 (2) 1 (2) 0 (0) 3 (10) 5 (16) 2 (6) 1 (3) 0.534
      Neutropenia 1 2 3 4 4 (9) 5 (11) 6 (14) 0 (0) 2 (6) 0 (0) 8 (26) 4 (13) 0.024
      Febrile neutropenia 3 4 5 (11) 0 (0) 5 (16) 1 (3) 0.394
      Anemia 1 2 3 4 12 (27) 5 (11) 1 (2) 0 (0) 10 (32) 9 (29) 0 (0) 1 (3) 0.117
      Thrombocytopenia 1 2 3 1 (2) 3 (7) 0 (0) 4(13) 1 (3) 3 (10) 0.039
      Treatment-related deaths 3 (7) 2 (6) 1.000

      Conclusion
      PC was more likely to be used in elderly patients. Despite this, PC resulted in significantly less hematological toxicity but achieved similar survival outcomes as PE. PC is an acceptable CCRT regimen, especially in older patients with multiple comorbidities.

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    P3.10 - Poster Session 3 - Chemotherapy (ID 210)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P3.10-034 - Is loss of MGMT a therapeutic target in lung cancer? (ID 2118)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): P. Mitchell

      • Abstract

      Background
      MGMT is a DNA repair protein which removes alkylating DNA adducts from the O[6] position of guanine. Expression of MGMT is often silenced by promoter methylation in human cancers. MGMT methylation is a predictive marker for prolonged survival in glioblastoma patients treated with an alkylating agent, temozolomide. As MGMT methylation has been found in lung cancers, there is an increasing interest on the clinical utility of temozomolide in the treatment of human cancers. However, it is essential to use appropriate quantitative or semi-quantitative method methods to definitively establish the methylation status of the tumour.

      Methods
      We critically assessed MGMT methylation status in 6 lung cancer cell lines and 56 lung tumours using three different methodologies. We first assessed the MGMT methylation pattern using methylation sensitive – high resolution melting (MS-HRM). The methylation status at each CpG dinucleotide was assessed bisulfite pyrosequencing of methylated clones. The level of MGMT methylation was quantified using quantitative methylation specific PCR.

      Results
      MGMT methylation was found in 3 lung cancer cell lines by MS-HRM. The melting profiles of all methylated samples were indicative of heterogeneous methylation pattern by melting curve analysis. To examine the methylation status at each CpG sites of individual template, two MGMT methylated lung cell lines (H1666 and H69) were further tested by limiting dilution analysis and bisulfite pyrosequencing. The number and site of methylated CpG dinucleotides greatly varied in each template, confirming the heterogeneous methylation pattern in both cell lines. In 56 lung tumours, heterogeneous MGMT methylation was detected in seven samples (13%) by MS-HRM. The level of MGMT methylation was then estimated. 17 lung tumours, including the 7 MS-HRM positives and 10 additional tumours, were positive. However, the methylated level in all of the methylated samples was low, ranging from below 1% (12 samples) and up to 12%.

      Conclusion
      The level of MGMT promoter in lung cancer is difficult to estimate. Ideally clonal analysis should be used to estimate the proportion of methylated alleles. Alternatively, methylation profiling using MS-HRM followed by pyrosequencing can be used to identify tumours showing significant levels of methylation. If MGMT methylation is found only in a small proportion of tumour cells, it is unlikely to be a useful target for therapy. Overcalling of MGMT methylated tumours may provide the explanation for the lack of survival benefit with temozolomide treatment in MGMT-methylated lung cancer patients in a recent phase II clinical trial (NCT00423150). This indicates that incorporation of immunohistochemistry for the MGMT protein should also be part of the assessment of the MGMT status of lung cancer.

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    P3.11 - Poster Session 3 - NSCLC Novel Therapies (ID 211)

    • Event: WCLC 2013
    • Type: Poster Session
    • Track: Medical Oncology
    • Presentations: 1
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      P3.11-039 - Exploration of patient health status as measured by the generic preference-based questionnaire EQ-5D alongside the START trial of tecemotide (L-BLP25) in non-small cell lung cancer (ID 2744)

      09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): P. Mitchell

      • Abstract

      Background
      Tecemotide (L-BLP25) is a mucin 1 (MUC1) antigen-specific cancer immunotherapy investigated in patients not progressing after primary chemo-radiotherapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the phase III START study. The objective of this analysis was to explore patients’ health status alongside the study.

      Methods
      From January 2007 to November 2011, 1513 patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC that did not progress after chemo-radiotherapy (platinum-based chemotherapy and ≥50 Gy) were randomized (2:1; double-blind) to tecemotide (806 μg lipopeptide) or placebo SC weekly x 8 then Q6 weeks until disease progression or withdrawal. The analysis population (n=1239) was defined prospectively to account for a clinical hold of the study. The impact on patient health status was assessed as an exploratory endpoint using the EuroQoL 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), a widely used generic preference-based questionnaire covering 5 dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression). EQ-5D index score can be calculated for which perfect health is given a value of 1 and death a value of 0. EQ-5D was collected at baseline, weeks 2, 5 and 8 and then every 6 weeks until end of treatment (EOT) visit (i.e. at time of disease progression), the EOT visit and every 12 weeks afterwards. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was carried out to explore the change of EQ-5D index score over time in the overall population for patients on treatment. The change of EQ-5D to EOT visit was also estimated. Change of EQ-5D index score was explored using all data (i.e. collected both before and after EOT visit) using a linear growth curve model, with random intercept and slope, considering time as a continuous variable.

      Results
      EQ-5D compliance rates (percentage of patients still in the study who completed the questionnaire) were consistently above 85% for all visits of the treatment period in both treatment arms. Mean baseline EQ-5D score was 0.79 (sd=0.19) for both tecemotide and placebo arms. The results from ANCOVA on the overall population did not show any significant difference between the two arms during the treatment phase. Change in the EQ-5D index score from baseline to EOT visit was –0.102 (95%CI: –0.134, –0.071) for tecemotide and –0.136 (95%CI: –0.177, –0.095) for placebo. The linear growth model including the EQ-5D assessments before and after EOT showed that the EQ-5D index score decreased significantly over time in both treatment arms, but that the decrease was slightly slower in the tecemotide than in the placebo arm: –0.0076 per month in tecemotide patients vs. –0.01 in placebo (p=0.0498).

      Conclusion
      During treatment, there was no statistical difference in health status with tecemotide vs. placebo. This supports the good tolerability profile of tecemotide, with a lack of significant toxicity as compared to placebo. Disease progression was associated with a notable deterioration of patient health status, regardless of the treatment. Considering data from both before and after disease progression, patients’ health status appeared to worsen slightly over time, at a slower rate for patients treated with tecemotide.