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Figure S2 shows the ROC curve analysis of progression prediction according to the HPV ctDNA level at baseline. (AUC was 0.646 (95% CI 0.49 to 0.802) and 2940 copies/ml was determined as the ctDNA cut-off level for comparison. Sensitivity and specificity of the cut-off were 67% and 70% respectively).

Purpose:Human papillomavirus (HPV) is found in 90% of squamous cell carcinomas of the anal canal (SCCA). We investigated the clinical validity of HPV circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection in patients enrolled in the Epitopes-HPV02 trial that demonstrated the efficacy of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU as first-line chemotherapy in advanced SCCA.Experimental Design:According to the protocol, serum samples were collected before chemotherapy and on completion of chemotherapy. HPV16 ctDNA was quantified by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and correlated with prospectively registered patient characteristics and outcomes. A landmark was set at the time of chemotherapy completion for postchemotherapy progression-free survival (PFS) analyses.Results:Among 57 patients with HPV16-related advanced SCCA, HPV ctDNA was detected in 91.1% (95% confidence interval, 81.1–96.2) of baseline samples. Baseline HPV ctDNA levels were not associated with any patient characteristics; baseline ctDNA level below the cutoff obtained by AUC (area under the curve) was associated with a longer PFS (HR = 2.1; P = 0.04). Among the 36 patients who completed 5 months of chemotherapy, residual HPV ctDNA was detected after chemotherapy in 38.9% of patients. Residual HPV ctDNA detected at chemotherapy completion was associated with shorter postchemotherapy PFS (median PFS 3.4 months vs. not reached; HR = 5.5; P < 0.001) and a reduction of 1-year overall survival rate (OR = 7.0; P = 0.02).Conclusions:This prospective study in advanced SCCA demonstrated a significant prognostic impact of HPV ctDNA level before first-line chemotherapy and HPV ctDNA negativity after chemotherapy completion. With a limited cost and short turnaround, this assay is a promising tool to optimize the therapeutic management of SCCA.See related commentary by Morris, p. 2030

Supplementary materials and figures

Squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) is a rare disease often diagnosed at a localised stage. For locally advanced recurrence or metastatic disease, DCF (docetaxel, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil) demonstrated high efficacy and became one of the standard regimens. However, there is no standard of care in the second line.In the Epitopes-HPV01 and Epitopes-HPV02 prospective trials, 115 patients with advanced SCCA were treated with a DCF regimen in the first line. In these studies, second-line data were registered per protocol.After a median follow-up of40 months, at progression, 73 patients received a second-line (L2) treatment. In this L2 population, median overall survival (mOS) was 13.5 months (95%CI 9.4-19.8), and median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 5.7 months (3.4-7.3) in L2. Fourteen patients presented an oligometastatic progression and were treated with an ablative treatment (surgery or radiotherapy); mOS was 48.3 months (NE-NE), and mPFS was 31.3 months (23.2-NE). Fifty-nine patients received a systemic treatment (chemotherapy or immunotherapy); mOS was 11 months (8.4-15.4) and mPFS was 4.9 months (3.3-7). The most frequent chemotherapy regimens were the reintroduction of DCF, paclitaxel, FOLFIRI and mitomycin plus fluoropyrimidine. No significant difference was observed between regimens (p = 0.26). Six patients received anti-PD1/L1-based immunotherapy.Second-line treatments are effective in patients with SCCA. Ablative treatment is feasible and is probably the best option for patients with oligometastatic progression. If this is not possible, systemic therapy by an anti-PD1/L1 immunotherapy or chemotherapy can be recommended. Reintroduction of DCF, paclitaxel, FOLFIRI or mitomycin-C plus fluoropyrimidine are possible options.

Palbociclib (Ibrance™) has been marketed since 2015 for patients with metastatic hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. We report here the case of a patient who presented with a posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) during treatment with this new targeted therapy. The 67-year-old woman presented prodromal headaches followed by occurrences of two episodes of generalized convulsive seizures. The brain MRI revealed a bilateral, globally symmetrical, sub-cortical parietooccipital fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) hypersignal of the white matter. The patient recovered after palbociclib discontinuation with no further neurological signs. A follow-up MRI performed one month upon palbociclib discontinuation showed a decrease in the FLAIR signal abnormalities. Altogether, the clinical presentation was consistent with PRES. This case report aims to encourage physicians whom patients are treated with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors to cautiously monitor symptoms suggesting PRES in contexts known to promote its occurrence such as that of arterial hypertension, immunosuppression, and/or autoimmune disease. PRES should be considered in the event of seizure, headache, and/or visual disturbances.

International audience; Introduction: for localized T1N0 squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) standard radiotherapy (RT) may result in overtreatment and alternative strategies are debated. Methods: T1N0M0 SCCA treated between 2015 and 2020 by local excision (LE) or RT were analyzed from the French prospective FFCD ANABASE cohort. Treatment strategies, recurrence-free and colostomy-free survivals (RFS, CFS) and prognostic factors were reported. Results: among 1135 SCCA patients, 99 T1N0M0 were treated by LE(n = 17,17.2%), or RT ( n = 82,82.8%) including RT alone ( n = 65,79.2%) or chemo-RT ( n = 17, 20.7%). Median follow-up was 27.2 months [0.03 and ndash;54.44]. Median tumor size were 11.4 mm [0.9 and ndash;20] and 15.3 mm [2 and ndash;20] in the LE and RT groups respectively. Mean RT tumor dose was 59.4 Gy [18 and ndash;69.4 Gy]. One patient in LE group and 9 in RT group had a pelvic recurrence, either local (60%), nodal (10%) or both (30%). RFS and CFS at 24 months were 92.2%[95%CI,83.4 and ndash;96.4] and 94.6%[95%CI,86.1 and ndash;98.0], at 36 months 88.1%[95%CI,77.1 and ndash; 94.2] and 88.5%[95%CI,77.0 and ndash;94.5], in LE and RT group respectively, without any significative difference (HR = 0.57;[95%CI,0.07 and ndash;4.45];p= 0.60). By univariate analysis, male gender was the only prognostic fac-tor(HR = 5.57;95%CI, 1.76 and ndash;17.63; p = 0.004). Conclusion: this cohort confirms the heterogeneity of T1N0M0 SCCA management, questioning the place of RT alone, reduced dose or RT volume, and the safety of LE. (c) 2021 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Background Patients with RAS wild‐type (WT) nonresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) may receive either bevacizumab or an anti‐epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) combined with first‐line, 5‐fluorouracil‐based chemotherapy. Without the RAS status information, the oncologist can either start chemotherapy with bevacizumab or wait for the introduction of the anti‐EGFR. Our objective was to compare both strategies in a routine practice setting. Materials and Methods This multicenter, retrospective, propensity score–weighted study included patients with a RAS WT nonresectable mCRC, treated between 2013 and 2016 by a 5‐FU‐based chemotherapy, with either delayed anti‐EGFR or immediate anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Primary criterion was overall survival (OS). Secondary criteria were progression‐free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR). Results A total of 262 patients (129 in the anti‐VEGF group and 133 in the anti‐EGFR group) were included. Patients receiving an anti‐VEGF were more often men (68% vs. 56%), with more metastatic sites (>2 sites: 15% vs. 9%). The median delay to obtain the RAS status was 19 days (interquartile range: 13–26). Median OS was not significantly different in the two groups (29 vs. 30.5 months, p = .299), even after weighting on the propensity score (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69–1.08, p = .2024). The delayed introduction of anti‐EGFR was associated with better median PFS (13.8 vs. 11.0 months, p = .0244), even after weighting on the propensity score (HR = 0.74, 95% CI, 0.61–0.90, p = .0024). ORR was significantly higher in the anti‐EGFR group (66.7% vs. 45.6%, p = .0007). Conclusion Delayed introduction of anti‐EGFR had no deleterious effect on OS, PFS, and ORR, compared with doublet chemotherapy with anti‐VEGF. Implications for Practice For RAS/RAF wild‐type metastatic colorectal cancer, patients may receive 5‐fluorouracil‐based chemotherapy plus either bevacizumab or an anti‐epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). In daily practice, the time to obtain the RAS status might be long enough to consider two options: to start the chemotherapy with bevacizumab, or to start without a targeted therapy and to add the anti‐EGFR at reception of the RAS status. This study found no deleterious effect of the delayed introduction of an anti‐EGFR on survival, compared with the introduction of an anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor from cycle 1. It is possible to wait one or two cycles to introduce the anti‐EGFR while waiting for RAS status., More than half of the cases of metastatic colorectal cancer harbor a RAS mutation; however, the time to obtain RAS status might be long enough to consider delayed anti‐EGFR treatment. This article reports on the two main treatment strategies for these cases.

Purpose: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is found in 90% of squamous cell carcinomas of the anal canal (SCCA). We investigated the clinical validity of HPV circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection in patients enrolled in the Epitopes-HPV02 trial that demonstrated the efficacy of docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU as first-line chemotherapy in advanced SCCA. Experimental Design: According to the protocol, serum samples were collected before chemotherapy and on completion of chemotherapy. HPV16 ctDNA was quantified by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) and correlated with prospectively registered patient characteristics and outcomes. A landmark was set at the time of chemotherapy completion for postchemotherapy progression-free survival (PFS) analyses. Results: Among 57 patients with HPV16-related advanced SCCA, HPV ctDNA was detected in 91.1% (95% confidence interval, 81.1–96.2) of baseline samples. Baseline HPV ctDNA levels were not associated with any patient characteristics; baseline ctDNA level below the cutoff obtained by AUC (area under the curve) was associated with a longer PFS (HR = 2.1; P = 0.04). Among the 36 patients who completed 5 months of chemotherapy, residual HPV ctDNA was detected after chemotherapy in 38.9% of patients. Residual HPV ctDNA detected at chemotherapy completion was associated with shorter postchemotherapy PFS (median PFS 3.4 months vs. not reached; HR = 5.5; P < 0.001) and a reduction of 1-year overall survival rate (OR = 7.0; P = 0.02). Conclusions: This prospective study in advanced SCCA demonstrated a significant prognostic impact of HPV ctDNA level before first-line chemotherapy and HPV ctDNA negativity after chemotherapy completion. With a limited cost and short turnaround, this assay is a promising tool to optimize the therapeutic management of SCCA. See related commentary by Morris, p. 2030

3508 Background: Modified docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (mDCF) regimen is one of the first-line standard regimens for the treatment of metastatic or unresectable locally advanced recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) after demonstrating an improved efficacy (12-month PFS of 47%) in the Epitopes-HPV02 trial. Antibodies targeting the checkpoint inhibitor (CKI) programmed cell death protein-1 have been shown to be effective as monotherapy in advanced SCCA, refractory to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combination of atezolizumab and mDCF as first-line treatment. Methods: This is a 2:1 randomized, non-comparative, multicenter, phase II study (NCT03519295) with an experimental arm (Arm A, mDCF plus atezolizumab) and standard arm (Arm B, mDCF). Patients with chemo-naive SCCA, metastatic or unresectable locally advanced recurrence were eligible. In Arm A, survival probabilities for null and alternative hypotheses for the primary endpoint 12-months PFS rate were 35 and 50%, respectively. Using one-arm non-parametric survival with unilateral alpha type I error of 5% and a statistical power of 81%, 64 patients in 2 years with 1 year of follow-up need to be randomized in Arm A. The lowest expected critical value would be a PFS rate of 46% to reject H0. In both arms, 8 cycles of mDCF were administered. In Arm A, patients received a fixed dose of atezolizumab (800 mg every 2 weeks) before each mDCF cycle and were followed up to 1 year. Results: Ninety-sevenevaluable patients were enrolled, 64 in Arm A and 33 in Arm B. The median age was 64.1 years, 73.2% were women, and 78,3% had a metastatic disease. More patients in Arm A had an ECOG-PS 1 (42.2% vs 27.3%), liver involvement (56.9% vs 48%), and an extensive local recurrence (23.5% vs 8%). The median follow-up was 22.3 months (95% CI 20.8-24.8).The 12-month PFS rate was 44.2% (90% CI 33.7-54.2) and 43.2% (90% CI 28.5-57.0) in Arm A and Arm B, respectively, and the 12-month OS rate was 77.7% (95% CI 68.1-88.7) and 80.8% (95% CI 68.1-95.9).The objective response rate was 74.6% and 78.1% in Arm A and Arm B, respectively. A high dose-intensity and a good safety profile were observed in both arms. Grade ≥3 toxicities were observed in 59.0% and 36.4% of patients in Arm A and Arm B, respectively, with no toxic death. Conclusions: The results of SCARCE trial are consistent with previous results of mDCF, with high efficacy and safety at first-line in patients with advanced SCCA. However, the concomitant addition of CKI did not make a significant clinical impact at 12 months. Updated results will be presented. Clinical trial information: NCT03519295.

3504 Background: The management of unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is a comprehensive treatment strategy involving several lines of therapy, maintenance, salvage surgery, and treatment-free intervals. Besides chemotherapy (fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, irinotecan), anti-angiogenic and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agents have become available. Ultimately, strategy trials are needed to define the optimal use and the best sequencing of these agents. Methods: Patients with previously untreated RAS/BRAF wild-type unresectable mCRC were randomly assigned (1:1 ratio) to receive either FOLFIRI-cetuximab followed by mFOLFOX6-bevacizumab (arm A) or OPTIMOX-bevacizumab followed by FOLFIRI-bevacizumab followed by EGFR mab +/- irinotecan (arm B). This trial was designed as a superiority study (hypothesis arm B > arm A) with Duration of Disease Control (DDC) as primary endpoint, defined as the sum of PFS of each active sequence of treatment (Chibaudel B, J Clin Oncol, 2011). Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), Time to Failure of Strategy (TFS), Progression-free survival (PFS) and response rate (RECIST version 1.1) per sequence, salvage surgery rate, safety, and Quality of life (QoL). Results: Between October 2013 and May 2019, 263 eligible patients were randomized (arm A, n = 131; arm B, N = 132). After a median follow-up of 51.2 months (95% CI 43.3-57.4), 188 events for DDC were observed. Efficacy outcomes are presented in table. Median DDC was similar in both arms (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.72-1.29; P = 0.805). Salvage surgery for metastasis (+/- radiofrequency ablation) was done in 36 (27.5%) patients in arm A and 28 (21.2%) in arm B. Median time until definitive deterioration of QoL (global health status) were 18.3 and 18.0 months (P = 0.628). The safety profiles were consistent with the established safety profiles of each treatment regimen. Conclusions: STRATEGIC-1 is the first randomized phase III study comparing multi-line standard treatment strategies in patients with KRAS/NRAS/BRAF wild-type mCRC. This study did not meet its primary endpoint of DDC. The treatment strategy starting with FOLFIRI-cetuximab followed by mFOLFOX6-bevacizumab led to higher response rates and to a trend for better median OS exceeding 3 years. These findings may add to our understanding of treatment sequencing in mCRC. Clinical trial information: NCT01910610. [Table: see text]

Background Modified docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (mDCF) regimen has become a new standard for the treatment of metastatic or unresectable locally advanced recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) after demonstrating improved efficacy (12-month PFS of 47%) in the Epitopes-HPV02 trial. Antibodies targeting the checkpoint inhibitor (CKI) programmed cell death protein-1 (PD1) have demonstrated the efficacy as monotherapies in second-line treatment of SCCA. The aim of this study is to evaluate the combination of atezolizumab and mDCF as first-line chemotherapy in a non-comparative multicentre randomized phase II study of advanced SCCA patients. Methods Patients with chemo-naive advanced histologically proven SCCA, metastatic or unresectable locally advanced recurrence, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-performance status (ECOG-PS) Discussion Although the Epitopes-HPV02 trial has changed long-lasting prognosis of patients with SCCA in advanced stage disease, more than 50% of patients will progress at 12 months. The purpose of the SCARCE trial to establish the addition of atezolizumab to mDCF as a new standard in this rare disease. Associated biomarker studies and the control arm could contribute to better understanding of the potential synergic and tumour resistance mechanisms in SCCA. Trial registration NCT03519295.

Background The squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA) is a rare disease, but its incidence is markedly increasing. About 15% of patients are diagnosed at metastatic stage, and more than 20% with a localized disease treated by chemoradiotherapy (CRT) will recur. In advanced SCCA, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (CF) combination is the standard option but complete response is a rare event and the prognosis remains poor with most disease progression occurring within the first 12 months. We have previously published the potential role of the addition of docetaxel (D). Among 8 consecutive patients with advanced recurrent SCCA after CRT, the DCF regimen induced a complete response in 4 patients, including 3 pathological complete responses. Then, the Epitopes-HPV02 study was designed to confirm the interest of DCF regimen in SCCA patients. Methods This multicentre phase II trial assesses the DCF regimen in advanced SCCA patients. Main eligibility criteria are: histologically proven SCCA, unresectable locally advanced recurrent or metastatic disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-performance status (ECOG-PS) vs. ≤ 75 years-old) and ECOG-PS (0 vs. 1). The trial was set up based on a Simon’s optimal two-stage design for phase II trials, allowing an early futility interim analysis. The primary endpoint is the observed progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 12 months from the first DCF cycle. A PFS rate below 10% is considered uninteresting, while a PFS rate above 25% is expected. With a unilateral alpha error of 5% and a statistical power of 90%, 66 evaluable patients should be included. Main secondary endpoints are overall survival, PFS, response rate, safety, health-related quality of life, and the correlation of biomarkers with treatment efficacy. Discussion Since the recommended CF regimen is based in a small retrospective analysis and generates a low rate of complete responses, the Epitopes-HPV02 study will establish a new standard in case of a positive result. Associated biomarker studies will contribute to understand the underlying mechanism of resistance and the role of immunity in SCCA. Trial registration NCT02402842 , EudraCT: 2014–001789-81.

Canal anal carcinoma. Anal carcinomas are rare, but their incidence has increased in recent years. They are induced by the Human papillomas virus (mostly genotype 16). The prevalence is high among HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) and primary prevention by vaccination against HPV is a source of hope in this population. Screening is based on the detection and treatment of precancerous lesions, called anal intra-epithelial neoplasia, which can be of low grade or high grade. It concerns a category of HIV-infected patients: MSM, history of condyloma or precancerous/cancerous lesions of the cervix. Treatment, based on a combination of simultaneous chemotherapy and radiation therapy, allows a complete response rate of 80%. In case of persistence or tumor recurrence, abdominoperineal resection remains the treatment of choice. Advanced diseases can benefit from highly effective chemotherapy combinations or even in the future, combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.Carcinomes du canal anal. Les carcinomes anaux sont des tumeurs rares, dont l’incidence a augmenté durant les dernières années. Ils sont viro-induits par le human papillomavirus [HPV) [génotype 16 essentiellement]. La prévalence est élevée chez les hommes homosexuels infectés par le virus de l’immunodéficience humaine (VIH), dont la prévention primaire par vaccination anti-HPV constitue une source d’espoir. Le dépistage repose sur la détection et le traitement des lésions précancéreuses : néoplasies intraépithéliales anales qui peuvent être de bas grade ou de haut grade, chez une certaine catégorie de patients séropositifs pour le VIH : homme ayant des relations sexuelles avec les hommes, antécédents de condylome ou de lésion tumorale cervicale utérine. Le traitement, fondé sur une association de chimio- et de radiothérapie concomitantes permet une rémission complète dans 80 % des cas. En cas de persistance ou de récidive tumorale, l’amputation abdomino-pelvienne reste le traitement de choix. Les maladies avancées peuvent bénéficier de combinaisons de chimiothérapies très efficaces, voire dans le futur de combinaisons de chimiothérapie et d’immunothérapie.

Aims: The addition of docetaxel to cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) has shown promising efficacy in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA). Preliminary results of Epitopes-HPV01 study showed a high rate of long-lasting complete response to DCF. The prospective, multicenter, Epitopes-HPV02 trial then confirmed the high efficacy of the modified DCF (mDCF) regimen in terms of complete response rate and long-term survival in metastatic or non-resectable locally advanced recurrent SCCA. Here, we present updated results of the Epitopes-HPV01 and Epitopes-HPV02 studies. Patients & methods: Epitopes-HPV01 is a prospective study performed by the regional cancer network of Franche-Comté, France. Epitopes-HPV02 is a phase II study supported by two French collaborative oncological groups, performed in 25 centers. Both studies included patients with metastatic, or with unresectable local recurrent SCCA, treated with DCF regimen. Results: In Epitopes-HPV01, 51 patients were enrolled between September 2012 and January 2019, and 49 patients were included for analysis; while 69 patients were included between September 2014 and December 2016 in Epitopes-HPV02, and 66 patients for analysis. Pooled analysis of 115 patients showed a median progression-free survival of 12.2 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 10.6–16.1] [11.0 months (9.3–16.0) in -HPV02, and 15.6 months (11.2–34.5) in -HPV01, ( p = 0.06)]. The median overall survival was 39.2 months (26.0–109.1) [36.3 in -HPV02 (25.2–NR), and 61.1 months (21.4–120.0) in -HPV01 ( p = 0.62)]. Objective response rate was 87.7% (90.9% in -HPV02 and 83.3% in -HPV01) with 40.3% of complete response (45.5% in -HPV02 and 33.3% in -HPV01). No differences were observed between standard DCF ( n = 54) and mDCF ( n = 58) in terms of OS ( p = 0.57) and PFS ( p = 0.99). 5-years PFS and OS rates were 24.5% and 44.4%, respectively, in the whole population. No treatment-related death was observed. Conclusion: Updated results of Epitopes-HPV01 and 02 studies, as well as the pooled analysis, confirm mDCF as a standard treatment in patients with advanced SCCA.

Summary Background The incidence of anal squamous cell carcinoma has been increasing markedly in the past few decades. Currently, there is no validated treatment for advanced-stage anal squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, we aimed to validate the clinical activity and safety of docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (DCF) chemotherapy in patients with metastatic or unresectable locally recurrent anal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods We did a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 study. We recruited patients from 25 academic hospitals, cancer research centres, and community hospitals in France who were aged 18 years or older with histologically confirmed anal squamous cell carcinoma, with metastatic disease or with unresectable local recurrence; an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1; and with at least one evaluable lesion according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (version 1.1). Chemotherapy-naive patients received either six cycles of standard DCF (75 mg/m 2 docetaxel and 75 mg/m 2 cisplatin on day 1 and 750 mg/m 2 per day of fluorouracil for 5 days, every 3 weeks) or eight cycles of modified DCF (40 mg/m 2 docetaxel and 40 mg/m 2 cisplatin on day 1 and 1200 mg/m 2 per day of fluorouracil for 2 days, every 2 weeks), which were administered intravenously. The choice between the standard versus modified regimens was recommended based on, but not limited to, age (≤75 years vs >75 years) and ECOG performance status (0 vs 1). The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival at 12 months from the first DCF cycle; for the primary endpoint to be met, at least 11 (17%) of 66 enrolled patients had to be alive without disease progression at 12 months. Efficacy and safety analyses were done in a modified intention-to-treat population, defined as all patients who were evaluable for progression at 12 months who received at least one cycle of DCF. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02402842, and the final results are presented here. Findings Between Sept 17, 2014, and Dec 7, 2016, we enrolled 69 patients. Of these patients, three did not receive DCF. Of the 66 patients who received treatment, 36 received the standard DCF regimen and 30 received modified DCF. The primary endpoint was met: 31 (47%) of 66 patients were alive and progression free at 12 months. 22 (61%) of 36 patients who received the standard DCF regimen and 18 (60%) of 30 patients who received the modified DCF regimen had disease progression at data cutoff. 46 (70%) of 66 patients had at least one grade 3–4 adverse event (30 [83%] of 36 in the standard DCF regimen and 16 [53%] of 30 in the modified DCF regimen). The most common grade 3–4 adverse events were neutropenia (15 [23%]; eight [22%] for standard DCF vs seven [23%] for modified DCF), diarrhoea (12 [18%]; nine [25%] vs three [10%]), asthenia (ten [15%]; eight [22%] vs two [7%]), anaemia (ten [15%]; six [17%] vs four [13%]), lymphopenia (eight [12%]; three [8%] vs five [17%]), mucositis (seven [11%]; seven [19%] vs none), and vomiting (seven [11%]; five [14%] vs two [7%]). No grade 4 non-haematological adverse events and febrile neutropenia were observed with modified DCF, whereas three (8%) grade 4 non-haematological adverse events and five (14%) cases of febrile neutropenia were reported with standard DCF. 97 serious adverse events were reported (69 in patients who received the standard DCF regimen [61 drug-related] and 28 in those given the modified DCF regimen [14 drug-related]). No treatment-related deaths were recorded. Interpretation Compared with standard DCF, modified DCF provided long-lasting response with good tolerability in patients with metastatic or unresectable locally recurrent anal squamous cell carcinoma with ECOG performance status of 0–1 in the first-line setting, and therefore could be considered as a new standard of care for these patients. Regarding the elevated risk of high-grade and serious adverse events and febrile neutropenia, standard DCF cannot be recommended in this situation. Funding Besancon University Hospital and Ligue contre le cancer Grand-Est.

Aflibercept in combination with 5‑fluorouracil (5‑FU)/irinotecan improves overall survival in the second‑line therapy of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). In this study, we evaluated the effects of aflibercept in first‑line therapy with FOLFOX followed by maintenance with fluoropyrimidine. VELVET was a prospective, single‑arm multicenter phase II study (completed). Patients with previously untreated, unresectable, evaluable or measurable mCRC, with an age ≥18 years, and an ECOG performance status of 0‑2 received 6 cycles of modified FOLFOX7 (5‑FU/folinic acid and oxaliplatin) with aflibercept at 4 mg/kg every 2 weeks followed by maintenance therapy with fluoropyrimidine with aflibercept until disease progression or limiting toxicity. The reintroduction of oxaliplatin was performed at first progression. The primary endpoint was progression‑free survival (PFS) at 6 months. From May, 2013 to May, 2014, 49 patients were included and 48 were evaluable for response. In total, 33 patients (67.4%) were alive without progression at 6 months. The Kaplan‑Meier survival 6‑month and 1‑year PFS rates were 79.1 and 36.1%, respectively, and the median PFS was 9.3 months (95% CI, 8.3‑12.5). The objective response rate was 59.2% (N=29/49). The most common (≥10%) grade 3‑4 adverse events were hypertension (23%), fatigue (15%), neutropenia (12%), neuropathy (12%) and stomatitis (10%). Three (6%) treatment‑related deaths occurred: One from stroke, one from pulmonary embolism and one from neutropenic sepsis. On the whole, this study demonstrates the efficacy of aflibercept in combination with an oxaliplatin‑based regimen in the first‑line therapy of patients with mCRC. A strict monitoring of blood pressure and immediate management of hypertension during therapy is mandatory.

626 Background: First line of RAS wild-type (WT) unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) can be doublet chemotherapy with an anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor), or an anti-EGFR (Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor). Waiting for RAS status, many oncologists initiate chemotherapy and add the anti-EGFR secondly. The objective was to compare the delayed introduction of the anti-EGFR to the immediate introduction of the anti-VEGF in first-line treatment of RAS WT mCRC. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort analysis from 2013 to 2016, multicentric with 28 health care centers. We included patients with RAS WT unresectable mCRC treated between 2013 and 2016 by a doublet chemotherapy with the anti-VEGF introduced immediately or with the anti-EGFR introduced at C2 or C3. Progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and response rate (RR) for the two cohorts were compared. Hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) were estimated with cox regression models weighted on propensity score to deal with potential confounders. Results: A total of 262 patients were included, 129 in the immediate anti-VEGF group and 133 in the delayed anti-EGFR group. Median follow-up was 37.9 months. Ninety-two patients had the anti-EGFR introduced at C2, 40 at C3. The median delay of RAS analysis was 19 days (q1-q3: 13-26). Patients treated with anti-VEGFs were more likely men (68% versus 56%), with more metastatic sites ( > 2 sites: 15% versus 9%). A propensity score including the number of metastatic sites and a possible previous treatment was built. Delayed anti-EGFRs were associated with longer PFS compared to immediate anti-VEGFs: 13.8 versus 11.0 months, p = 0.0244. After weighting, delayed anti-EGFRs were still associated with better PFS: HR 0.74, 95%CI [0.61 – 0.90], p = 0.0024. OS was not different between the two arms (30.5 for anti-VEGF versus 29.9 months, p = 0.3934), even after weighting (HR 0.86, 95%CI [0.69 – 1.08], p = 0.2024). There was a better RR with delayed anti-EGFRs: 66.7% versus 45.6%, p = 0.0007. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that, while waiting for RAS status, the delayed introduction of the anti-EGFR is a valid option, compared to the immediate introduction of the anti-VEGF.

737 Background: Primary tumor sidedness (PTS) could be a predictive maker for treatment efficacy of EGFR inhibitors monoclonal antibodies in patients with wild-type (WT) RAS metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC), cetuximab having limited efficacy in patients with WT-RAS right-sided tumors. DREAM study demonstrated that adding erlotinib, an oral EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) to bevacizumab during maintenance therapy improved clinical outcomes (RR, PFS, OS) in patients with MCRC, whatever KRAS status. The aim of this post-hoc analysis is to evaluate the clinical outcomes according to KRAS mutational status and PTS when adding erlotinib to bevacizumab maintenance therapy. Methods: PTS was retrospectively collected in patients from the DREAM phase III trial treated with bevacizumab with or without erlotinib as maintenance therapy for MCRC who have been controlled by induction therapy. The limit for the definition of PTS was splenic flexure, and rectal tumors were considered as left-sided tumors. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Results: Among 452 patients who received maintenance therapy, PTS ascertainment was 84.7% (n = 383) with 265 (71.0%) patients having left-sided primary tumor and 108 (28.9%) having right-sided primary tumors (3 patients had both and tumor location was unknown in 7 patients). Median OS and treatment effect are presented in table 1. Conclusions: The greatest OS benefit of adding erlotinib to bevacizumab maintenance therapy was observed in patients with WT-KRAS and right-sided MCRC, suggesting a clinical impact of the different mechanism of action between EGFR TKI and monoclonal antibodies. Clinical trial information: NCT00265824. [Table: see text]

541 Background: ASCC remains rare, but the incidence has been increasing over the last decade, especially in patients with HIV infection (HIV+). A recent meta-analysis demonstrated the usefulness of 18FDG-PET in initial staging and response assessment in ASCC. HIV+ patients may develop opportunistic infections which can cause false positives lymph nodes on PET scanning and, therefore, our objective was to evaluate performance of 18FDG-PET in HIV+ patients. Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with non-metastatic ASCC, treated in our institution during six years. HIV+ patients were analyzed separately in two groups according to their lymph nodes status, group 1 (Gr 1): N0, group 2 (Gr 2): N1, N2, N3. Results: A total of 87 patients with ASCC were analyzed, including 24 HIV+ patients (21 males, median age was 53 for male and 50 for women). There were 15 patients in Gr 1 and 9 in Gr 2. All patients performed conventional imaging (MRI and CT-scan). In Gr 1, 12/15 patients had 18FDG-PET, it resulted in upstaging nodal disease in 2 patients. In Gr 2, 6/9 patients had 18FDG-PET, it resulted in upstaging nodal disease in 1 patient and downstaging nodal disease in 2 patients. Both of sensibility and specificity of FDG-PET were 83% in our HIV+ population. All patients underwent Mitomycine C and 5FU based chemoradiation or exclusive radiation therapy. Mean radiation dose received was 63.3Gy in G1 and 63.9Gy in G2. 18FDG-PET drives a modification in treatment strategy in only 1 patient in both of groups. Post-treatment 18FDG-PET was performed 4 months after treatment completion. Among patients who had post-treatment 18FDG-PET, a metabolic complete response was observed in 6/11 patients in Gr 1 and 3/5 patients in Gr 2. Survival at 5 years was 89% and 75% in Gr 1 and Gr 2, respectively. Conclusions: Based on our experience, 18FDG-PET drives substantial changes neither in staging nor in therapeutic strategy for ASCC HIV+ patients, however, it may be useful for radiation therapy planning.

e15009Background: Recent studies showed improvement of patients outcomes with addition of aflibercept to FOLFIRI as second-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The addition of afli...

3567 Background: VEGF inhibition with (ziv-)aflibercept, a recombinant human fusion protein, in combination with FU/irinotecan improves patient outcomes (overall survival (OS), progression-free sur...

BACKGROUND: Cetuximab is a commonly used antibody agent in the treatment of colorectal or head and neck cancer. Although it is generally well tolerated in most patients, cetuximab has been associated with some rare but serious adverse events. Aseptic meningitis is one such distinctly uncommon adverse drug reaction. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a middle-aged Caucasian patient, who presented with fever and headache within a few hours of starting cetuximab therapy and was diagnosed with cetuximab-induced aseptic meningitis after a complete workup. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the ninth case of cetuximab-induced aseptic meningitis reported in literature. Because of a nonspecific clinical presentation, this adverse drug reaction can be easily misdiagnosed. It is important to increase awareness of this potentially severe reaction among oncologists.