IMpassion031: Results from a phase III study of neoadjuvant atezolizumab + chemotherapy in early triple-negative breast cancer

Preferred neoadj regimens for patients (pts) with early-stage (e)TNBC include taxane + anthracycline–based therapy. IMpassion031 is a global, phase III, multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled study in pts with high-risk primary invasive eTNBC evaluating the efficacy and safety of neoadj atezolizumab (A) or placebo (P) with nab-paclitaxel (nP) followed by A or P with dose-dense doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide. Here, we report the primary analysis of IMpassion031. https://oncologypro.esmo.org/meeting-resources/esmo-virtual-congress-2020/impassion031-results-from-a-phase-iii-study-of-neoadjuvant-neoadj-atezolizumab-chemotherapy-in-early-triple-negative-breast-cancer-tnbc

First-line nivolumab + ipilimumab combined with 2 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy vs 4 cycles of chemo in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Patient-reported outcomes from CheckMate 9LA

CheckMate 9LA (NCT03215706), a phase III randomized study, met its primary endpoint of improved overall survival with NIVO 360 mg Q3W + IPI 1 mg/kg Q6W + 2 cycles of chemo (n = 361) vs 4 cycles of chemo (n = 358) in patients (pts) with treatment-naive, stage IV/recurrent NSCLC and no known sensitizing EGFR/ALK alterations. We present PROs from the study. https://oncologypro.esmo.org/meeting-resources/esmo-virtual-congress-2020/first-line-nivolumab-nivo-ipilimumab-ipi-combined-with-2-cycles-of-platinum-based-chemotherapy-chemo-vs-4-cycles-of-chemo-in-advanced-non-s

Current state of frontline immunotherapy options in the treatment of mNSCLC and the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on lung cancer management

Dr Luis Paz-Ares speaks about the latest developments on treating lung cancer that were presented at virtual ESMO 2020.

Clinical considerations of melanoma treatment in 2020

Professor Ascierto gave us some perspective that after long years of successful new treatment and treatment combinations with immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted agents in advanced melanoma and also in adjuvent setting, what do we achieved from the clinicans perspective in the last ten years.

Evolving treatment paradigms for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Dr. Ezra Cohen talking about the data coming out of ESMO on 2020 annual meeting with respect to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Nivolumab plus chemotherapy versus chemo as first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer/gastroesophageal junction cancer/esophageal adenocarcinoma: First results of the checkmate 649 study

Standard 1L chemo options for advanced or metastatic HER2-negative GC/GEJC result in poor overall survival (OS; median < 1 year). CheckMate 649 is the largest randomized, global phase III study of programmed death (PD)-1 inhibitor-based therapies in 1L GC/GEJC/EAC. We report OS at a pre-specified interim analysis and progression-free survival (PFS) at final analysis from the NIVO + chemo vs chemo arms in patients (pts) whose tumors expressed PD-ligand 1 (L1) combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 5. https://oncologypro.esmo.org/meeting-resources/esmo-virtual-congress-2020/nivolumab-nivo-plus-chemotherapy-chemo-versus-chemo-as-first-line-1l-treatment-for-advanced-gastric-cancer-gastroesophageal-junction-cancer

MONARCH-E trial: Abemaciclib reduces recurrence in HR+ high risk early breast cancer

The international phase 3 monarchE study included 5637 patients with HR+ HER2- early breast cancer with clinical and/or pathological risk factors putting them at high risk for relapse. After completing their primary treatment they were randomised on an open-label basis to abemaciclib (150mg twice daily for two years) plus endocrine therapy or endocrine therapy alone.

Triple negative breast cancer highlights in ESMO 2020

Summarized studies - IMpassion130 trial - ASCENT trial - IMpassion131 - IMpassion031

Overall survival results from SOLAR-1, a phase III study of alpelisib + fulvestrant for hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative advanced breast cancer

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway hyperactivation due to PIK3CA mutations contributes to poor survival in patients (pts) with HR+, HER2– ABC (Mosele 2020). In the phase III SOLAR-1 trial of pts with progression on/after aromatase inhibitor (AI), the PI3Kα inhibitor ALP together with FUL significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in the PIK3CA-mutant (mut) cohort (HR 0.65; 95% CI 0.50-0.85; P<0.001; median [m] PFS 11.0 mo with ALP + FUL vs 5.7 mo with placebo [PBO] + FUL), a population with poor prognosis. At final PFS analysis, the first interim OS results were immature.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Oncology Professionals: Initial Results of The ESMO Resilience Task Force Survey Collaboration

The impact of the COVID-19 (CV-19) pandemic on wellbeing has the potential for serious negative consequences on work, home life and patient care. The ESMO Resilience Task Force collaboration set out to investigate wellbeing in oncology over time since CV-19.

Estimation of European cancer burden for the year 2020

Up-to-date cancer burden indicators provide an important source of information for supporting political decision making, as well as for epidemiological research and the general public. Nevertheless, observed cancer incidence and mortality suffer from an inherent registration delay in the data production workflow. To overcome this, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in collaboration with the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer have computed estimates of cancer incidence and mortality, for the year 2020 and for European countries, in the framework of the European Cancer Information System (ECIS).

Adjuvant nivolumab (NIVO) vs ipilimumab (IPI) in resected stage III/IV melanoma: 4-y recurrence-free and overall survival (OS) results from CheckMate 238

NIVO has shown improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) vs IPI in patients (pts) with resected stage III/IV melanoma in the phase III CheckMate 238 study. Updated 48-mo RFS and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) and primary OS are presented.

An international randomized trial, comparing post-operative conformal radiotherapy to no PORT, in patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer and mediastinal N2 involvement. Primary end-point analysis of Lung ART NCT00410683

Adjuvant PORT has been controversial since publication of a meta-analysis showing PORT could be deleterious especially in pN0 pN1 pts. However, changes have taken place in the management of stage IIIAN2 NSCLC pts including use of adjuvant chemotherapy (CT), patients’ workup, quality of surgery and radiotherapy. Therefore the role of PORT warranted further investigations in high risk pts.

KEYNOTE-024 5-year OS update: first-line (1L) pembrolizumab (pembro) vs platinum-based chemotherapy (chemo) in patients (pts) with metastatic NSCLC and PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS) ≥50%

Superiority of 1L pembro monotherapy vs chemo in pts with metastatic NSCLC with PD-L1 TPS ≥50% and no sensitizing EGFR/ALK alterations was demonstrated in KEYNOTE-024 (NCT02142738). We report updated efficacy and safety from KEYNOTE-024 with 5 years follow-up.

Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy Versus Chemotherapy as First-Line Therapy in Patients With Advanced Esophageal Cancer: The Phase 3 KEYNOTE-590 Study

KEYNOTE-590 (NCT03189719) is a randomized, international, double-blind study of 1L pembrolizumab (pembro) + chemotherapy (chemo) vs chemo alone in patients (pts) with locally advanced/unresectable or metastatic adenocarcinoma or esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) or Siewert type 1 esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma (EGJ).

COVID-19 and cancer management

The study presented at the ESMO Virtual Congress 2020 highlights the extent to which COVID-19 has challenged the organisation and delivery of cancer care. Responses were obtained from oncology centres in 18 countries. Overall, 60.9% reported that clinical activity was reduced at the peak of the pandemic, while nearly two-thirds (64.2%) cited under-treatment as a major concern and 37% expected to see significant reductions in clinical trials this year.