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Purpose: The PARP inhibitor rucaparib is approved in the United States for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and a deleterious germline and/or somatic BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA) alteration. While sequencing of tumor tissue is considered the standard for identifying patients with BRCA alterations (BRCA+), plasma profiling may provide a minimally invasive option to select patients for rucaparib treatment. Here, we report clinical efficacy in patients with BRCA+ mCRPC identified through central plasma, central tissue, or local genomic testing and enrolled in TRITON2. Patients and Methods: Patients had progressed after next-generation androgen receptor–directed and taxane-based therapies for mCRPC and had BRCA alterations identified by central sequencing of plasma and/or tissue samples or local genomic testing. Concordance of plasma/tissue BRCA status and objective response rate and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rates were summarized. Results: TRITON2 enrolled 115 patients with BRCA+ identified by central plasma (n = 34), central tissue (n = 37), or local (n = 44) testing. Plasma/tissue concordance was determined in 38 patients with paired samples and was 47% in 19 patients with a somatic BRCA alteration. No statistically significant differences were observed between objective and PSA response rates to rucaparib across the 3 assay groups. Patients unable to provide tissue samples and tested solely by plasma assay responded at rates no different from patients identified as BRCA+ by tissue testing. Conclusions: Plasma, tissue, and local testing of mCRPC patients can be used to identify men with BRCA+ mCRPC who can benefit from treatment with the PARP inhibitor rucaparib.

A 59-year-old man with a known breast cancer type 1 gene mutation and a 2-year history of metastatic prostate cancer to bone and lymph nodes presented with a sudden onset of thunderclap headache, photophobia and a left sided facial droop. He was being treated at the time with the poly ADP ribose polymerase inhibitor Rucaparib. Of note, 6 weeks prior to this presentation, he had been diagnosed with malignant spinal cord compression at T3–T6, he underwent an emergency decompressive laminectomy and had received palliative postoperative radiotherapy. An urgent CT brain revealed dural metastases from his prostate cancer, with extensive oedema and midline shift. He underwent palliative whole brain radiotherapy but died 2 weeks later.

BACKGROUND Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain among adults. Despite steady advances in treatment, the outcome remains universally lethal. Median overall survival in a population-based study is approximately 10 to 12 months. Prognostic factors in GBM patients include age, performance score, extent of surgical resection, IDH1 mutation status and MGMT methylation status. Survival > 2 years is rare; for the purpose of this study we have defined these patients ‘extreme responders.’ This study aims to identify genomic signatures and gene alterations that may have contributed to ‘extreme response’ to standard adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. METHODS A total of 12 out of 141 primary GBM patients were identified as ‘extreme responders’ as part of a retrospective chart review between 2005 - 2016. Of the 12 suitable for NGS testing, 9 were analyzed using the Foundation One CDx® (next-generation sequencing platform) which interrogates 324 genes, microsatellite status and tumour mutational burden (TMB). Baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, and NGS results were compared. RESULTS Of the 9 patients tested, over half were female (5, 55%) and median age at diagnosis was 53 years. Gross total resection was performed at diagnosis in 3 cases. MGMT status was available for 5 patients and was methylated in 3. NGS results revealed: MSI stable in all patients, median TMB 3 muts/Mb and most common gene alterations were TP53 (5/9); ATRX (4/9); EGFR (3/9); CDKN2A/B (3/9); IDH1(3/9); PIK3R1(3/9) and PTEN (3/9). CONCLUSION Acknowledging the fact that our sample size was small and no control group was tested, our study infers a higher incidence of IDH1, TP53 and ATRX mutations which are more common in secondary glioblastomas and this may be a contributing factor towards longer survival in our cohort. We did not identify any universal molecular marker predictive of improved prognosis or exquisite sensitivity to chemoradiotherapy.

Background: In December 2019 a cluster of pneumonias, later identified as SARS-CoV-2 (CoV), were reported in China. The first case in Ireland was reported February 29th 2020. The first community acquired case in Ireland was reported March 5th. The World Health Organisation declared CoV a pandemic March 11th. Lockdown measures were implemented in Ireland March 27th. Cork University Hospital is a large acute hospital and a tertiary referral center for cancer care. We undertook an audit of unscheduled medical oncology admissions over a 3 month period with a view to assess the impact of CoV on the centre. Method(s): From 1st February to 30th April we audited unscheduled medical oncology admissions. Parameters included presenting time, location and complaint, CoV status and average length of hospital stay (aLOS). Data was organised into 3 phases: four week period prior to a confirmed case of CoV in Ireland (phase I), four week period from confirmed case to lockdown implementation (phase 2) and four week period during lockdown (phase 3). After the outbreak of CoV we developed a separate medical oncology assessment facility (AOS) with an admission pathway. A hospital CoV pathway (CoVp) for potential CoV cases was also implemented. Result(s): A total of 162 medical oncology patients had unscheduled admissions during this period. Over half (57%) were receiving anticancer systemic treatment. The most common presenting complaints were pain (21%), pyrexia (17%) and dyspnoea (14%). The underlying diagnosis was cancer-related in 51%, treatment-related toxicity in 10% and non-cancer related in 39%. One patient was CoV positive. Unscheduled hospital admissions, source of admission and aLOS are outlined in the Table. [Formula presented]. Conclusion(s): A reduction in aLOS and ED admissions was paralleled by increasing use of alternative pathways. Processes which facilitate urgent assessment of oncology patients in specialized units avoid ED attendance and accelerate discharge planning in the care of cancer patients in the face of a pandemic and beyond. Legal entity responsible for the study: The authors. Funding(s): Has not received any funding. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.Copyright © 2020

Introduction “Transgender” and “gender diverse” are umbrella terms encompassing those whose gender identities or expressions differ from those typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth. There is scant global information on cancer incidence, outcome, and mortality for this cohort. This group may present with advanced cancer, have mistrust in health care services and report anxiety and depression at higher frequencies, a finding often seen in marginalized groups because of minority stress. Materials and Methods Medical oncologists were contacted by secure email to identify patients who self-identify as transgender and gender diverse in three Irish hospitals. Five patients were identified. A retrospective chart review was conducted and a pseudonymized patient survey was distributed. Results All patients included in our chart review (n = 5) were diagnosed with advanced disease on initial diagnosis. Two patients identified as men, two as women, and one as a transwoman. Two of five patients' health record charts reflected a name or gender change. Three patients had gender transitioning treatment postponed. Assessing comorbidities, it was seen that four patients required psychiatry input. Predominant issues noted in our patient survey by the two respondents (n = 2) were “mis-gendering,” lack of a gender-neutral hospital environment, lack of inclusion in cancer groups, and barriers in changing name and/or sex on hospital records. Conclusion Components of care requiring revision include patient accessible pathways to change names and gender on health records, earlier access to psychological support and targeted screening and support groups. Resources for hospital staff to improve awareness of correct terminology and to provide gender neutral facilities are worthwhile. Implications for Practice The implications for practice on an international level include patient-friendly pathways for changing hospital name and gender so that patients may feel comfortable using wristbands. The need for international screening guidelines for transgender patients and national transgender cancer support groups is highlighted. On a day-to-day level for providers, the correct use of pronouns makes a big difference to patients. Asking about preferred pronoun on first visit and noting on patient's file is worthwhile. It is important for providers to know that increased psychological support should be offered early on first clinic visit and engaged with as necessary when patient has a history of anxiety or depression. Providers should discuss openly that some gender transitioning treatment will be postponed because of cancer care and refer to both the physical and psychological sequelae of this. Asking transgender patients which room or bathroom they would prefer when rooms are gendered is essential.

Background The authors evaluated mocetinostat (a class I/IV histone deacetylase inhibitor) in patients with urothelial carcinoma harboring inactivating mutations or deletions in CREB binding protein [CREBBP] and/or E1A binding protein p300 [EP300] histone acetyltransferase genes in a single‐arm, open‐label phase 2 study. Methods Eligible patients with platinum‐treated, advanced/metastatic disease received oral mocetinostat (at a dose of 70 mg 3 times per week [TIW] escalating to 90 mg TIW) in 28‐day cycles in a 3‐stage study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02236195). The primary endpoint was the objective response rate. Results Genomic testing was feasible in 155 of 175 patients (89%). Qualifying tumor mutations were CREBBP (15%), EP300 (8%), and both CREBBP and EP300 (1%). A total of 17 patients were enrolled into stage 1 (the intent‐to‐treat population); no patients were enrolled in subsequent stages. One partial response was observed (11% [1 of 9 patients; the population that was evaluable for efficacy comprised 9 of the 15 planned patients]); activity was deemed insufficient to progress to stage 2 (null hypothesis: objective response rate of ≤15%). All patients experienced ≥1 adverse event, most commonly nausea (13 of 17 patients; 77%) and fatigue (12 of 17 patients; 71%). The median duration of treatment was 46 days; treatment interruptions (14 of 17 patients; 82%) and dose reductions (5 of 17 patients; 29%) were common. Mocetinostat exposure was lower than anticipated (dose‐normalized maximum serum concentration [Cmax] after TIW dosing of 0.2 ng/mL/mg). Conclusions To the authors’ knowledge, the current study represents the first clinical trial using genomic‐based selection to identify patients with urothelial cancer who are likely to benefit from selective histone deacetylase inhibition. Mocetinostat was associated with significant toxicities that impacted drug exposure and may have contributed to modest clinical activity in these pretreated patients. The efficacy observed was considered insufficient to warrant further investigation of mocetinostat as a single agent in this setting., After the genomic‐based selection of patients with urothelial cancer with inactivating mutations/deletions in the histone acetyltransferase genes CREBBP and/or EP300, single‐agent mocetinostat appears to be associated with significant toxicities that limit drug exposure. This may have contributed to the limited activity noted in the current phase 2 study (response rate of 11%) among heavily pretreated patients with platinum‐refractory disease.

De novo epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) resistance mutations in tyrosine kinase inhibitor-naive patients are rare when assessed by standard genotyping methods. Patients with EGFR mutations were identified using PCR-based fragment length analysis, mass spectrometry-based genotyping (Sequenom), and Sanger sequencing. From 2008 to 2015, we observed de novo EGFR resistance mutations in 12.8 patients who received an EGFR TKI with an overall response rate of 25%, median PFS 24 months, and median OS 34 months. Five patients (63%) received erlotinib in the first-line setting with a 60% disease control rate (DCR) and a median duration of response of 6 months (range 4–45 months). Three (37%) received cytotoxic chemotherapy in the first-line setting with 67% DCR and a median duration of response of 11 months (range 10–12 months). In patients with de novo EGFR T790M mutations, 50% (2/4) had stable disease with one patient having an ongoing response to erlotinib of over 96 months. In patients with de novo EGFR S768I mutations who received erlotinib, 50% (2/4) have ongoing partial responses at 30 and 6 months. This is the largest Irish review of de novo synchronous EGFR mutations. The incidence of co-occurring EGFR mutations in our cohort of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLCA) is 1% on routine assays. Erlotinib appears to have activity in this cohort in both in the first- and second-line setting. De novo S768I and T790M represent distinct clinical entities. For de novo T790M mutations cytotoxic chemotherapy may still be considered first line. For de novo S768I mutations, erlotinib appears to be a reasonable therapeutic option.

Purpose: Platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for advanced urothelial carcinoma by inducing DNA damage. We hypothesize that somatic alterations in DNA damage response and repair (DDR) genes are associated with improved sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. Experimental Design: Patients with diagnosis of locally advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with platinum-based chemotherapy who had exon sequencing with the Memorial Sloan Kettering–Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (MSK-IMPACT) assay were identified. Patients were dichotomized based on the presence/absence of alterations in a panel of 34 DDR genes. DDR alteration status was correlated with clinical outcomes and disease features. Results: One hundred patients were identified, of which 47 harbored alterations in DDR genes. Patients with DDR alterations had improved progression-free survival (9.3 vs. 6.0 months, log-rank P = 0.007) and overall survival (23.7 vs. 13.0 months, log-rank P = 0.006). DDR alterations were also associated with higher number mutations and copy-number alterations. A trend toward positive correlation between DDR status and nodal metastases and inverse correlation with visceral metastases were observed. Different DDR pathways also suggested variable impact on clinical outcomes. Conclusions: Somatic DDR alteration is associated with improved clinical outcomes in platinum-treated patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma. Once validated, it can improve patient selection for clinical practice and future study enrollment. Clin Cancer Res; 23(14); 3610–8. ©2017 AACR.

PURPOSE BRCA1 or BRCA2 ( BRCA) alterations are common in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and may confer sensitivity to poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors. We present results from patients with mCRPC associated with a BRCA alteration treated with rucaparib 600 mg twice daily in the phase II TRITON2 study. METHODS We enrolled patients who progressed after one to two lines of next-generation androgen receptor–directed therapy and one taxane-based chemotherapy for mCRPC. Efficacy and safety populations included patients with a deleterious BRCA alteration who received ≥ 1 dose of rucaparib. Key efficacy end points were objective response rate (ORR; per RECIST/Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Working Group 3 in patients with measurable disease as assessed by blinded, independent radiology review and by investigators) and locally assessed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response (≥ 50% decrease from baseline) rate. RESULTS Efficacy and safety populations included 115 patients with a BRCA alteration with or without measurable disease. Confirmed ORRs per independent radiology review and investigator assessment were 43.5% (95% CI, 31.0% to 56.7%; 27 of 62 patients) and 50.8% (95% CI, 38.1% to 63.4%; 33 of 65 patients), respectively. The confirmed PSA response rate was 54.8% (95% CI, 45.2% to 64.1%; 63 of 115 patients). ORRs were similar for patients with a germline or somatic BRCA alteration and for patients with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 alteration, while a higher PSA response rate was observed in patients with a BRCA2 alteration. The most frequent grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse event was anemia (25.2%; 29 of 115 patients). CONCLUSION Rucaparib has antitumor activity in patients with mCRPC and a deleterious BRCA alteration, but with a manageable safety profile consistent with that reported in other solid tumor types.

1 Background: Innovation in the treatment of genitourinary (GU) malignancies is accelerating, however, many of these new treatments are often not available for patients. We sought to investigate patient access, cost and value of new systemic anti-cancer compounds (SACTs) in GU oncology. We compared the US and Europe with a focus on the United Kingdom (UK) and the Republic of Ireland (IRL). Methods: Data on licensing and reimbursement decisions was collected on SACTs approved for GU oncology between 01/01/2010 to 09/01/2020. Overall survival (OS) benefit, progression free survival (PFS) benefit and cost of therapy were included in our analysis. Results: There were 29 regimens/indications approved by the Federal Drug Agency (FDA) for GU malignancies between 2010 and 2020. The majority of these (21/29, 72%) were also approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Nearly all regimens/indications were approved by the FDA prior to the EMA (27/29, 93%), with a median time to EMA approval of 4 months (SD = 6, range -6 to 17). Only a minority of these regimens/indications are reimbursed by the public health systems in the UK (12/29, 41%) and IRL (6/29, 21%). Following EMA approval, public reimbursement of these regimens in the UK and IRL is often delayed with a median time of 8 months (+/- 6.3, range 4 - 21) and 11.5 months (+/- 12.5, range 0 - 33) respectively. Approximately half (15/29, 52%) of all reimbursed regimens/indications have demonstrated an overall survival benefit for patients. Androgen signalling inhibitors (ASIs) are more likely to have a proven OS benefit and had a lower mean cost than non-ASI regimens (See Table). A significant minority of regimens/indications (6/29, 21%) have demonstrated neither an OS or PFS benefit. The median price per month (USA list price) was $15,086 +/- $7,019. Regimens with a proven OS benefit were not more expensive than those without ($14,229 +/- $6,466 versus $16,004 +/- $7,704). There was no significant correlation between the length of OS benefit and the cost of regimens (Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient = -2.72, p = 0.445). Conclusions: Patients in the UK and IRL experience clinically significant delays in accessing FDA approved regimens in GU oncology. Only 52% of these regimens have a proven OS benefit. In our study, ASI regimens are cheaper and more effective than non-ASI regimens. There is no association between overall survival benefit and list prices in the USA. We need to radically overhaul licensing and funding of SACTs in GU oncology to ensure continued access for patients to effective medicines. [Table: see text]

80 Background: The poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor rucaparib was granted accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for patients with BRCA+ mCRPC based on results from the phase 2 TRITON2 study (NCT02952534). The TP53 tumor suppressor gene is among the most frequently mutated genes in human cancers, including mCRPC, and alterations in TP53, PTEN, and RB1 are associated with poor prognosis in patients with prostate cancer and other tumor types. We present data on co-occurring alterations in patients with BRCA+ mCRPC treated with rucaparib in TRITON2. Methods: Patients had progressed on 1–2 lines of androgen receptor-directed therapy and 1 taxane-based chemotherapy and were treated with rucaparib 600 mg BID. Tissue and/or cell-free DNA extracted from plasma samples were profiled comprehensively for genomic alterations using Foundation Medicine, Inc., next-generation sequencing assays. Objective response rate (ORR) was assessed per modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors and Prostate Cancer Working Group 3 criteria by independent radiologic review of patients with measurable disease. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate (≥50% decrease from baseline) was assessed in all patients. Results: Tissue and/or plasma samples were available for 114/115 patients with BRCA+ mCRPC (visit cutoff date: Dec. 23, 2019). Among patients with BRCA+ mCRPC who had samples available for comprehensive genomic profiling, 36.8% (42/114) had a co-occurring alteration in TP53. Deleterious alterations in PTEN were observed in 34.2% (39/114) of patients, 44% (17/39) of which were homozygous deletions of PTEN. RB1 loss was observed in 12.3% (14/114) of patients and was seen more frequently in patients with measurable disease (18.0%, 11/61) than in patients with non-measurable disease (5.7%, 3/53). Although patients with and without TP53 mutations had generally similar baseline demographics and disease characteristics, visceral disease was more prevalent in patients with TP53 mutations (54.8%; 23/42) than in those without them (29.2%; 21/72). Similar ORR and PSA response rates were seen in patients with BRCA+ mCRPC with or without TP53 mutation, with a non-significant trend towards lower response rates in patients with co-occurring TP53 alterations. Conclusions: Results from TRITON2 showed antitumor activity for rucaparib in patients with BRCA+ mCRPC associated with or without co-occurring alterations in TP53. Demographics and additional efficacy analyses in genomic subgroups with co-occurring alterations in TP53, PTEN, and RB1 will be reported. Clinical trial information: NCT02952534. [Table: see text]

469 Background: There are significant disparities in patient access to innovative cancer medicines internationally. We sought to describe global drug licensing developments in gastrointestinal (GI) oncology from 2010 – 2020. We compared US, European, UK and Irish patient access to these drugs, their cost and associated efficacy. Methods: Data was collected from public sources online including the FDA, European Medicines Agency (EMA), the UK National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Irish National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP). Anti-cancer compounds approved for GI malignancies between January 1, 2010 and September 1, 2020 were recorded. Approval publications and updated survival analysis outcomes were included to assess for demonstrable overall survival (OS) and/or progression free survival (PFS) benefit. Results: There were 26 regimens approved by the FDA for GI malignancies between 2010 and 2020. Slightly over half (n=15, 57.7%) of these regimens were approved by the EMA. The median time from FDA to EMA approval was 3 months (mo) +/- 5 mo. Only a small minority of these regimens were funded for patients in the UK (including the Cancer Drugs Fund, 9 regimens, 31%) or Ireland (IRL) (7 regimens, 27%). The median time from EMA approval to patient access was short in both of these countries (3.5 mo (UK) and 0.5 m (IRL)). However, the range in these countries was large (2 - 73 mo (UK) & 0-24 mo (IRL)). More than half of regimens (15, 57.7%) demonstrated an OS benefit. Of the remaining 11 regimens, a further 6 drugs (23%) demonstrated a PFS benefit. The median OS benefit (if present) was 2.3 mo +/- 3 mo. The median price of these regimens in the USA (list price) was $13,758 per month +/- $5,152. Regimens which demonstrated an OS benefit were not more expensive than those that did not (median $13,065 versus $13,758 respectively, p < 0.05). For regimens with an OS benefit, there was no statistically significant correlation between the length of OS benefit and drug cost (Pearson’s correlation = 0.32, p = 0.07). Conclusions: Less than one third of patients in the UK and Ireland have access to medicines approved by the FDA for GI malignancies between 2010 – 2020. Overall survival benefits are often modest, or absent. The cost of regimens in the USA commonly exceeds $100,000/year irrespective of OS benefit. Our work highlights the necessity to develop a value based-pricing system in GI oncology.

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in both sexes in Ireland. Studies suggest that lung cancer in younger patients has distinct characteristics. The aim of this study is to define the characteristics of lung cancer in patients 55-year-old or younger in an Irish population. Methods: Data was collected retrospectively from local medical records and the hospital electronic database regarding all patients diagnosed with lung cancer aged 55-year-old and younger, from 2010–2016. Information regarding patient demographics, smoking status, tumour histology, molecular analysis, stage and location, diagnostic modality and initial treatment choice was collected. In all cases the diagnosis of lung cancer was confirmed at the regional lung cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting. Results: In total, 8% (n=130) of all cases of lung cancer diagnosed from 2010 to 2016 in our center occurred in patients aged 55 years old or younger; 83% (n=108) were 45 to 55-year-old, 15% (n=19) were 35 to 44-year-old and 2% (n=3) were younger than 35-year-old; 88% (n=115) of patients reported a smoking history. There was a female preponderance (58%, n=76), higher rates of NSCLC non-squamous subtype (53%, n=69) and an upper lobe predominance (42%, n=54); 53% (n=68) of patients had IV or extensive disease at presentation. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and Kirsten rat sarcoma oncogene (KRAS) mutation rates were 9% (n=4) and 3% (n=1) and 80% (n=4) respectively. Conclusions: Lung cancer in younger patients has distinct characteristics. This study suggests a female preponderance, high smoking rates and a predilection for the upper lobes. Further large-scale multicenter studies are required to verify these results and to clarify the responsible mechanisms.

Purpose Platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard treatment for advanced urothelial carcinoma by inducing DNA damage. We hypothesize that somatic alterations in DNA damage response and repair (DDR) genes are associated with improved sensitivity to platinum-based chemotherapy. Experimental design Patients with diagnosis of locally advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with platinum-based chemotherapy who had exon sequencing with the Memorial Sloan Kettering-Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (MSK-IMPACT) assay were identified. Patients were dichotomized based on the presence/absence of alterations in a panel of 34 DDR genes. DDR alteration status was correlated with clinical outcomes and disease features. Results One hundred patients were identified, of which 47 harbored alterations in DDR genes. Patients with DDR alterations had improved progression-free survival (9.3 vs. 6.0 months, log-rank P = 0.007) and overall survival (23.7 vs. 13.0 months, log-rank P = 0.006). DDR alterations were also associated with higher number mutations and copy-number alterations. A trend toward positive correlation between DDR status and nodal metastases and inverse correlation with visceral metastases were observed. Different DDR pathways also suggested variable effect on clinical outcomes. Conclusions Somatic DDR alteration is associated with improved clinical outcomes in platinum-treated patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma. Once validated, it can improve patient selection for clinical practice and future study enrollment.

Background Genetic variants of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPYD) gene can result in varied enzymatic activity and potential toxicity when receiving 5-FU chemotherapy including treatment related death in up to 1% patients. Current international guidelines suggest an international rate of 3-5% albeit routine prospective pharmacogenomic testing is not currently recommended. However, in a genetically homogenous population such as Ireland, DPYD variant enrichment may support routine testing. Methods All patients receiving 5-FU based chemotherapy in South & South-West region of Ireland were prospectively tested from 01/09/2018 to present. The Viapath DPYD genotyping panel which interrogates for 5 variants was used. Toxicity type and grade for all patients were recorded (CTCAE v5.0). Results To date, 139 patients have been tested,50.4% male and 49.6% female, median age 63 years. The majority(59%) were being treated for colorectal cancer. Sixteen patients were found to be heterozygous carriers of a DYPD variant with one compound heterozygous variant identified i.e. an overall prevalence of 12 %. No homozygous carriers were identified. Grade ≥3 was observed in 33% DPYD variant carriers compared to 19% in DPYD wild type patients i.e. relative risk of grade ≥3 toxicity is 1.7, p = 0.17. Table . 648P DPYD Variants Prevalence % n = 139 % Rate of ≥ G3 toxicity 7(5.0%) 42% c. 2846A>T 1(0.7%) n/a* c. 1905 + 1G>A 3(2.2%) 100% c. 1679T>G 0 (0%) n/a* c. 1601GA 5 (3.6%) 0% c. 1905 + 1G>A+c;1236G>A/Hapb3 compound heterozygous 1(0.7%) n/a* TOTAL:17 (12.2%) Conclusions The study shows a higher than expected prevalence of DPYD variants of 12.2% compared to internationally reported 3-5%. Patients with DPYD variants c.1236G>A and c.1905+1G>A were particularly likely to develop Grade ≥ 3 toxicity. Prospective testing continues to assess the clinical relevance of individual variants in our population. Legal entity responsible for the study: The authors. Funding Has not received any funding. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Prostate tissue, whether benign or malignant, is heavily dependent on androgen receptor (AR) signaling for growth and proliferation. Androgen deprivation therapy has been standard of care for management of metastatic prostate cancer for the past 70 years. AR antagonists were developed to further abrogate signaling through this pathway by competitive inhibition of the receptor. First-generation compounds such as bicalutamide had modest efficacy, and in the setting of AR overexpression or specific mutations in the AR ligand–binding domain, these early compounds had partial agonist properties that could stimulate tumor growth. Enzalutamide was developed to overcome these deficiencies, and here, we present the story of its preclinical discovery, clinical development, and ultimate approval as a standard-of-care therapy for castration-resistant prostate cancer. Also discussed are ongoing efforts to elucidate mechanisms of resistance to this agent as well as studies that are investigating its role in other prostate cancer disease states and other cancer types.

EGFR mutated lung cancer represents a subgroup with distinct clinical presentations, prognosis, and management requirements. We investigated the survival, prognostic factors, and real-world treatment of NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation in clinical practice. A retrospective review of all specimens sent for EGFR analysis from December 2009 to September 2015 was performed. Patient demographics, specimen type, EGFR mutation status/type, stage at diagnosis, treatment, response rate, and survival data were recorded. 27/334 (8%) patient specimens sent for EGFR testing tested positive for a sensitising EGFR mutation. The median age was 65 years (40–85 years). Exon 19 deletion represented the most commonly detected alteration, accounting for 39% (n = 11). First-line treatment for those with Exon 18, 19, or 21 alterations (n = 24) was with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in 79% (n = 19). Objective response rate among these patients was 74% and median duration of response was 13 months (range 7–35 months). The incidence of EGFR mutation in our cohort of NSCLC is 9% which is consistent with mutation incidence reported in other countries. The rate of EGFR mutation in our population is slightly below that reported internationally, but treatment outcomes are consistent with published data. Real-world patient data have important contributions to make with regard to quality measurement, incorporating patient experience into guidelines and identifying safety signals.

We evaluated primary tumors from two cohorts, Spain (N = 111) and Greece (N = 102), for patients who were treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were tested for HER2 status (IHC score of 3+ or FISH ratio of ≥2.2) by immunohistochemistry (IHC), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), DNA copy number, mRNA expression, and mutation status in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC), and its impact on survival. ERBB2 mutation was determined by hotspot sequencing. mRNA expression was assessed using NanoString counting. Association of overall survival (OS) and HER2 status was assessed by a Cox regression model. NIH-3T3 cells containing HER2 V777L were assessed for growth, invasion, and HER2 kinase activation. In all, 22% of Spanish and 4% of Greek cohorts had 3+ HER2 staining by IHC. FISH amplification was identified in 20% of Spanish and 4% of Greek cohorts. Kappa coefficient between FISH and IHC was 0.47. HER2 status was not associated with OS in univariate (Spanish P = 0.34; Greek P = 0.11) or multivariate (Spanish P = 0.49; Greek P = 0.12) analysis. HER2-positive tumors expressed higher levels of HER2 mRNA than HER2-negative tumors (P < 0.001). HER2 mutations (V777L and L755S) were identified in two (2%) patients. In vitro analysis of V777L results in transformation of NIH-3T3 cells, leading to increased growth, invasion on soft agar, and HER2 kinase constitutive activation. In summary, HER2 overexpression or amplification in the primary tumor did not predict OS in patients with metastatic UC. HER2 positivity rates can differ between different populations. Further trials in genomically screened patients are needed to assess HER2-targeted therapies in UC This work has been supported by PI061513 (Spanish Health Ministry Grant “Fondo de/nInvestigacion Sanitaria”) and RTICC 06/0020/19 grants.

228 Background: Radium 223 (Ra-223) has been successfully utilised in the trial setting for the treatment of men with metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). To date, no real world outcomes from its use in the Irish population have been described. Methods: From September 2016 to March 2019, data from men referred for Ra-223 treatment at our institution was retrospectively collected. We recorded patient characteristics, treatments received and outcomes. Overall Survival (OS) was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: 81 men were referred for Ra 223. Complete data was available for 56 men. Median age was 75. 79%(45/56) had over 6 bone metastases and 21%(12/56) had lymph node involvement. The median number of prior systemic treatments for mCRPC was 2. 84%(47/56) of patients were previously treated with Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT); 48%(27/56) Abiraterone, 36%(20/56) Docetaxel, 45%(25/56) Enzalutamide and 9%(5/56) Cabazitaxel. All patients were receiving bone protection agents; 57%(32/56) Zolendronic acid and 43%(24/56) Denosumab. Median ECOG was 1 at the start of treatment and 2 at completion. The median number of treatments received was 4 with 36%(20/56) completing all 6 treatments. The most common toxicity seen was grade1 fatigue occurring in10% (6/56). 17% (10/56) required a blood transfusion during their treatment course. 53%(30/56) required opioid analgesia prior to Ra 223 treatment. 76% of these men (22/30) described improved pain following Rad-223. At a median follow up of 13 months,41%(23/56) were alive. The median OS for the entire group was 7 months. Factors associated with improved OS included ECOG 0-1,fewer than 6 bone metastases, normal alkaline phosphatase level at start of treatment and no prior chemotherapy use. Median OS for those who had not received prior chemotherapy was significantly better than those who had (9 vs 5 months p=0.04). Conclusions: This real world study demonstrates Ra 223 is a well tolerated palliative treatment amongst Irish men with mCRPC. Good performance status, lower alkaline phosphatase, chemotherapy naivety and a low burden of metastatic disease are factors associated with an improved overall survival.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive primary brain tumor with ≤10% patients surviving 5 years from the time of diagnosis. After tumor progression on frontline therapy with concomitant chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation temozolomide there are few effective treatment options. Bevacizumab and nitrosureas are the most commonly used systemic options in this instance but no overall survival benefit has been demonstrated. In this review we outline the major avenues of research for treatment of recurrent GBM including anti-angiogenic, signaling pathway blockade and immunotherapy approaches. Results of recent trials as well as pertinent ongoing studies are discussed. Enrollment of patients to clinical trials as well as incorporation of correlative translational science studies to identify predictive biomarkers of treatment response will be key to improving outcomes in this devastating disease.

11531 Background: In the era of cytotoxic chemotherapy, aggressive cancer treatment and hospitalization at the end of life (EOL) has been associated with a worse quality of death. Meanwhile, in the era of immunotherapy (IO), little is known of the impact of these novel agents on EOL care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the EOL care of metastatic cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients prescribedPD1/L1 or CTLA-4 antibodies in Cork University Hospital (CUH) and Mercy University Hospital (MUH) between January 2013 to December 2018. Patients treated on a clinical trial were excluded. Results: We identified 224 patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (outside of a clinical trial) in CUH and MUH over the described 6 year period. 108 of these patients were deceased, 102 electronic files were available for analysis. Of the 102 patients, 57 had metastatic melanoma, 33 non small cell lung cancer, 8 renal cell carcinoma, 4 had other advanced malignancies. 43% were female and 57% were male. 6% of patients had an ECOG performance status (PS) of 0 at diagnosis, 80% PS of 1 and 10% PS of 2. Median age at death was 62 years. 47 patients were treated with pembrolizumab, 26 nivolumab, 25 ipilimumab, 2 nivolumab/ipilimumab and 2 received atezolizumab. 29 patients received IO as first line treatment, 50 as second line, 17 as third line and 6 as fourth line. Median number of IO cycles received was 4 (range 1 - 41). Progression of disease (62%) and declining performance status (14%) were the most common reasons for discontinuation of IO treatment. 16 of the 102 patients received a further line of systemic therapy. Median time from last dose of IO to death was 57 days. 20 patients (20%) died within 30 days of last dose of IO. Of these 20 patients, the median number of cycles of IO received was 2 (range 1-7), 8 of these 20 patients received one cycle of IO only. 39 patients (38%) attended the ED in the last month of life. 47 (46%) patients had at least one hospital admission in the last month of life, the median hospital length of stay was 6 days (range 1-30) and 22 patients died in hospital. 94% of patients were referred to palliative care, the median time from palliative care referral to death was 64 days (range 1- 1010), 62% of patients died in hospice. Conclusions: Patients with advanced cancer treated with immunotherapy have high rates of hospital admissions and ED attendances despite early palliative care involvement. 20% of patients died within 30 days of IO. More research is needed to help physicians identify patients who are least likely to benefit from IO so as not to treat futile cases.

e20704 Background: Efficient use of immunotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been limited by the lack of a definitive predictive biomarker. Recently considerable efforts have been invested to develop biomarkers to predict which patients should receive immune checkpoint inhibitors. This retrospective cohort study aimed to determine whether clinical factors and inflammation-based biological markers such as pre-treatment derived neutrophils to lymphocytes (dNLR) ratio, platelets to lymphocytes (PLR) ratio and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) were associated with outcomes in NSCLC patients treated with immunotherapy. Methods: This study was a multicentered, retrospective systematic review. Clinical and electronic records were retrospectively examined from metastatic NSCLC patients treated with immunotherapy from August of 2015 to September 2018 in 2 regional cancer centers and a total of 69 patients were enrolled. NLR ≥5 and PLR ≥260 were defined as elevated and PNI ≤35 was defined as reduced. Results: Approximately, 57% of patients had NLR ≤ 5 and 51% had PLR ≤260. We found utilising univariant analysis, that pretreatment NLR ≤ 5 was independently associated with superior OS (median 12.4 vs. 6.8 months; HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.66-2.6; p = 0.007) and PFS (median 3.55 vs. 2.6 months; HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.18-2.32; p = 0.024). Results were similar when examining PLR ≤260 median OS 13.64 vs. 7.36 months; HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.1-3.5; p = 0.028) The optimal cutoff for PNI was designated to be 35. The majority (87%) had PNI > 35. NSCLC patients with PNI > 35 were found to have significantly higher median OS compared to patients with PNI ≤35 (11.11 vs. 2.4 months; HR 5.36, 95% CI ; p = 0.001). Conclusions: Immunotherapy is considered as an effective new method to treat advanced NSCLC. In this cohort of patients pretreatment NLR < 5,PLR < 260 and PNI > 35 were associated with superior outcomes. It is unclear whether these markers are predictive or prognostic or both.

227 Background: BM are rarely seen with PCa, but the incidence may be increasing with contemporary therapies. We sought to evaluate the clinical phenotypes associated with BM and their outcomes. Methods: The MSKCC institutional clinical database from 01/2001 through 06/2018 was reviewed to identify pts with PCa and (1) secondary malignant neoplasm of the brain / spinal cord per ICD-9 (198.3), (2) radiation treatment plan targeting the brain, (3) craniotomy, or (3) notes containing the terms “brain metastasis”. Medical charts were reviewed to confirm diagnosis (dx) and extract data. The logrank statistic and the Cox proportional hazards model were used to determine correlations with overall survival (OS). Results: Of 575 pts who met search criteria, 43 had BM and prostate adenocarcinoma. At PCa dx, median age was 60 years (range: 44 –77 years) and 51% had metastasis (mets). Median time from PCa dx to BM was 4.2 years. At the time of BM dx, 36 had metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC), 55% had liver mets and 66% had lung mets. 45% had ≥3 lines of therapy for mCRPC prior to BM dx (abiraterone/enzalutamide: 47%, chemotherapy: 91%). The median OS from BM dx was 5.8 months (Table). 4/10 pts with sequencing data had germline mutations ( ATM, BRCA1, BRIP1, MUTYH). To date, 4 BM were sequenced, and 3 showed PTEN loss. Conclusions: BM associated with a poor prognosis and occurred after prolonged treatment. Presence of liver/lung mets, 3 or more BM, and surgical resection (SR) prognosticate for OS in univariate analysis; SR in multivariate analysis. Further analysis is needed to determine if germline mutations and/or PTEN loss associate with BM. [Table: see text]

Background DNA aptamers represent a novel strategy in anti-cancer medicine. AS1411, a DNA aptamer targeting nucleolin (a protein which is overexpressed in many tumor types), was evaluated in patients with metastatic, clear-cell, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who had failed treatment with ≥1 prior tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Methods In this phase II, single-arm study, AS1411 was administered at 40 mg/kg/day by continuous intravenous infusion on days 1–4 of a 28-day cycle, for two cycles. Primary endpoint was overall response rate; progression-free survival (PFS) and safety were secondary endpoints. Results 35 patients were enrolled and treated. One patient (2.9 %) had a response to treatment. The response was dramatic (84 % reduction in tumor burden by RECIST 1.0 criteria) and durable (patient remains free of progression 2 years after completing therapy). Whole exome sequencing of this patient’s tumor revealed missense mutations in the mTOR and FGFR2 genes which is of interest because nucleolin is known to upregulate mTOR pathway activity by enhancing AKT1 mRNA translation. No other responses were seen. Thirty-four percent of patients had an AS1411-related adverse event, all of which were mild or moderate. Conclusions AS1411 appears to have minimal activity in unselected patients with metastatic RCC. However, rare, dramatic and durable responses can be observed and toxicity is low. One patient in this study had an excellent response and was found to have FGFR2 and mTOR mutations which will be of interest in future efforts to discover and validate predictive biomarkers of response to nucleolin targeted compounds. DNA aptamers represent a novel way to target cancer cells at a molecular level and continue to be developed with a view to improving treatment and imaging in cancer medicine.

Neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a marker of systemic inflammatory response and its elevation has recently been shown to be a poor prognostic factor in many malignancies including colon, prostate and bladder cancer. The primary aim of this study was to assess the prognostic impact of NLR in a clinically annotated cohort of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). We hypothesised that elevated NLR would be associated with worse prognosis. Between 2004 and 2009, 137 patients had surgery for GBM and were assessed for consideration of adjuvant therapy at our institution. Of these, 84 patients with an evaluable pre-corticosteroid full blood count result were identified and included in the final analysis. Median overall survival was 9.3 months (range 0.7–82.1). On univariate analysis, age >65 years, gender, ECOG performance status ≥2, frontal tumour, extent of surgical resection, completion of adjuvant chemoradiation protocol and NLR > 4 were significantly correlated with overall survival. Patients with NLR > 4, had a worse median overall survival at 7.5 months versus 11.2 months in patients with NLR ≤ 4 (hazard ratio 1.6, 95 % CI 1.00–2.52, p = 0.048). On multivariate analysis NLR > 4 remained an independent prognostic indicator for poor outcome. These data are an important reminder of the potential relevance of host immunity in GBM. In our cohort, NLR > 4 conferred a worse prognosis independent of other well established prognostic factors. If validated in other cohorts NLR may prove to be a useful addition in predicting prognosis in GBM patients. The demonstration that host immunity plays a role in GBM biology suggests that investigation of emerging therapies which modulate host immune response are warranted in this disease.

Importance A critical decision in the management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is when to administer an androgen receptor signaling (ARS) inhibitor or a taxane. Objective To determine if pretherapy nuclear androgen-receptor splice variant 7 (AR-V7) protein expression and localization on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is a treatment-specific marker for response and outcomes between ARS inhibitors and taxanes. Design, Setting, and Participants For this cross-sectional cohort study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 265 men with progressive mCRPC undergoing a change in treatment were considered; 86 were excluded because they were not initiating ARS or taxane therapy; and 18 were excluded for processing time constraints, leaving 161 patients for analysis. Between December 2012 and March 2015, blood was collected and processed from patients with progressive mCRPC immediately prior to new line of systemic therapy. Patients were followed up to 3 years. Main Outcomes and Measures Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, time receiving therapy, radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), and overall survival (OS). Results Overall, of 193 prospectively collected blood samples from 161 men with mCRPC, 191 were evaluable (128 pre-ARS inhibitor and 63 pretaxane). AR-V7–positive CTCs were found in 34 samples (18%), including 3% of first-line, 18% of second-line, and 31% of third- or greater line samples. Patients whose samples had AR-V7–positive CTCs before ARS inhibition had resistant posttherapy PSA changes (PTPC), shorter rPFS, shorter time on therapy, and shorter OS than those without AR-V7–positive CTCs. Overall, resistant PTPC were seen in 65 of 112 samples (58%) without detectable AR-V7–positive CTCs prior to ARS inhibition. There were statistically significant differences in OS but not in PTPC, time on therapy, or rPFS for patients with or without pretherapy AR-V7–positive CTCs treated with a taxane. A multivariable model adjusting for baseline factors associated with survival showed superior OS with taxanes relative to ARS inhibitors when AR-V7–positive CTCs were detected pretherapy (hazard ratio, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.10-0.57; P = .035). Conclusions and Relevance The results validate CTC nuclear expression of AR-V7 protein in men with mCRPC as a treatment-specific biomarker that is associated with superior survival on taxane therapy over ARS-directed therapy in a clinical practice setting. Continued examination of this biomarker in prospective studies will further aid clinical utility.

e21196Background: Immunotherapy (IO) has improved outcomes of advanced NSCLC patients in randomized clinical trials. Data on outcomes for these agents outside of a clinical trial setting in Ireland...

e18910Background: FDA approval for bevacizumab (BEV) in progressive glioblastoma (GBM) was based on two phase II studies, both of which used a 10mg/kg every 2 weeks regimen. However, other studies ...

e15689Background: Prospective clinical trials comparing FOLFOX to CAPOX are limited in the adjuvant setting and the only published trial was stopped early for poor accrual (Pectasides et al, 2015)....

Background To date, there have been no reports characterizing the genome-wide somatic DNA chromosomal copy-number alteration landscape in metastatic urothelial carcinoma. We sought to characterize the DNA copy-number profile in a cohort of metastatic samples and compare them to a cohort of primary urothelial carcinoma samples in order to identify changes that are associated with progression from primary to metastatic disease. Methods Using molecular inversion probe array analysis we compared genome-wide chromosomal copy-number alterations between 30 metastatic and 29 primary UC samples. Whole transcriptome RNA-Seq analysis was also performed in primary and matched metastatic samples which was available for 9 patients. Results Based on a focused analysis of 32 genes in which alterations may be clinically actionable, there were significantly more amplifications/deletions in metastases (8.6% vs 4.5%, p

with the BSCC group, while the incidence of lymph node metastasis in the BSCC group was significantly higher than that in the UC group. Of the 12 EMT markers, N-cadherin expression in the UC group was significantly greater than that in the BSCC group, while the expression levels of MMP-9 and ZEB1 in the BSCC group were significantly greater than those in the UC group. Both recurrencefree and overall survivals in the BSCC group were significantly poor compared with those in the UC group. In the UC group, multivariate analyses identified pathological stage, lymph node metastasis and N-cadherin expression as independent predictors of recurrence-free survival (RFS), and age, pathological stage, lymph node metastasis and N-cadherin expression as those of overall survival (OS). In the BSCC group, pathological stage and lymph node metastasis were shown to be independently associated with RFS, while pathological stage, lymph node metastasis, MMP-9 expression and ZEB1 expression appeared to be independent predictors of OS. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest the important roles of EMT in the process of disease progression following radical cystectomy for both UC and BSCC; however, different molecules associated with EMT may be involved in this process between UC and BSCC.

The approval of abiraterone and enzalutamide for the treatment of advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer heralded a paradigm shift in the management of this disease. Nevertheless, new and improved treatments are needed since the disease remains incurable for the majority of these patients. In this article, we review the biology of castration-resistant disease as well as emerging therapeutic compounds directed at the androgen receptor, including galeterone, VT-464, ARN-509, and ODM-201. Mechanisms of action, early clinical data, and ongoing clinical studies for these compounds are all reviewed. The need to find optimal sequencing and combination strategies as well as the need for predictive biomarkers of response to these agents is discussed.

e20557 Background: Patients with synchronous de novo EGFR sensitising and resistance mutations are rare. Little is known about the response of these patients to EGFR TKIs, especially in a Caucasian population. Methods: We identified NSCLC patients found to have EGFR mutations using PCR-based fragment length analysis, mass spectrometry-based genotyping (Sequenom), and Sanger sequencing using a large multi-institutional database. Baseline clinical characteristics, response rate, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Results: From 2008-2015, we observed de novo synchronous EGFR sensitising and resistance mutations in 12 patients representing an overall incidence of 3.6% of EGFR mutants and 0.4% of all NSCLC patients tested. Seven patients were treated using EGFR TKI therapy with erlotinib. In all cases, T790M (n = 4,50%) or S768I (n = 4, 50%) occurred concurrently with another sensitising EGFR mutation, either L858R (n = 4, 34%) or exon 19 deletion (n = 8, 66%). Objective responses were seen in two patients (29%). Three further patients had stable disease lasting 6, 23 and 54 months respectively. The median progression-free survival was 24 months and the median overall survival was 34 months. All patients with baseline EGFR S768I mutations (n = 3) had an objective response or stable disease on erlotinib while two of four patients with T790M demonstrated de novo resistance. Conclusions: This is the largest Irish review of synchronous de novo EGFR mutations. The incidence of co-occurring EGFR mutations was 0.4% and erlotinib demonstrated activity in this cohort of patients. Ongoing trials will determine whether next-generation EGFR TKIs such as osimertinib are preferable as first-line therapy in these patients.

e15076 Background: With the advent of colon cancer screening, patients with early stage colon cancer will be more common in our clinics. The evidence supporting the absolute benefit of chemotherapy in resected Stage II and (to a lesser extent) Stage IIIA disease is poor. Not all patients benefit from chemotherapy and toxicity is a problem. There is a need for validated biomarkers to assess individual patient recurrence risk and discriminate absolute treatment benefit. Several studies have validated the role of the OncotypeDX testing in Stage II/IIIA disease. Our objective is to characterize whether this test impacted oncologists’ decisions in treating patients with Stage II/IIIA in the adjuvant setting. Methods: :The Onco typeDX assay is a multi-gene reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction test that analyses the expression of 12 genes involved in key biologic pathways in colon cancer. Stage II and Stage IIIA colon cancers were studied in affiliated hospitals of our region in southwest Ireland. All data collected is prospective and each colon cancer was assigned a recurrence risk score. Oncologists were blinded to this score and the decision to prescribe adjuvant chemotherapy was recorded. After un-blinding the score, a second decision was recorded and comparisons made. Results: :From August 2015 to September 2016, 70 patients have been recruited with M: F of 2:1. Median age at diagnosis was 65 years. Most patients (80%) had stage II disease, 11 of whom had mismatch repair loss on IHC. OncotypeDX testing has been carried out and reported for 59 patients (85%), MMR intact. Recurrence scores: < 30 in 46 patients (77.9%), 30-40 in 10 patients, and > 40 in 3 patients. The treatment plan was altered in 16 patients (27%), of whom 12 patients (20%) received none or less intense chemotherapy. Conclusions: We have shown that the decision to prescribe adjuvant chemotherapy was changed in 27% of patients. This test has helped to define patients with low scores, where chemotherapy-related toxicity is a concern especially in older patients. Absolute benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy versus the risk of toxicity should be discussed. . Hospital managers may be interested in cost savings due to a reduction in chemotherapy use.

The development of new and improved therapeutics is a key goal of the oncology community and such efforts are ongoing in the field of bladder cancer. In this chapter, we discuss the objectives, design and suitable endpoints for phase I, II and III clinical trials in the setting of bladder cancer. We discuss the historical difficulties that have been encountered when attempting to accrue patients to bladder cancer trials due to an elderly population with smoking-related co-morbidities.

Background. Pemetrexed is a commonly used treatment for platinum-resistant advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) based on objective response rates of 8% and 28% in two small phase II studies. To address the discrepancy in reported response rates and to assess efficacy and toxicity outside of a clinical trial setting, we performed a large retrospective analysis of pemetrexed use at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. We also investigated candidate prognostic factors for overall survival in this setting to explore whether the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) had independent prognostic significance. Patients and Methods. Patients receiving pemetrexed for platinum-resistant advanced UC between 2008 and 2013 were identified. The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST, version 1.1) were used to determine response rate. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to examine the association of various factors with efficacy and survival outcomes. Hematologic toxicity and laboratory abnormalities were recorded. Results. One hundred and twenty-nine patients were treated with pemetrexed. The objective response rate was 5% (95% confidence interval: 1%–9%), and the median duration of response was 8 months. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.4 months, and the 6-month PFS rate was 14%. There was no significant difference in response rate by age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, or number of prior therapies. On multivariable analysis, ECOG performance status (p < .01), liver metastases (p = .02), and NLR (p < .01) had independent prognostic significance for overall survival. Conclusion. This 129-patient series is the largest reported data set describing pemetrexed use in advanced UC. Activity was modest, although discovery of molecular biomarkers predictive of response would be valuable to identify the small subset of patients who do gain significant benefit. Overall, the data highlight the urgent need to develop novel therapies for these patients.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard of care for patients with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma. Pathologic downstaging to pT0/pTis after neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy is associated with improved survival, although molecular determinants of cisplatin response are incompletely understood. We performed whole-exome sequencing on pretreatment tumor and germline DNA from 50 patients with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma who received neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by cystectomy (25 pT0/pTis “responders,” 25 pT2+ “nonresponders”) to identify somatic mutations that occurred preferentially in responders. ERCC2, a nucleotide excision repair gene, was the only significantly mutated gene enriched in the cisplatin responders compared with nonresponders (q < 0.01). Expression of representative ERCC2 mutants in an ERCC2-deficient cell line failed to rescue cisplatin and UV sensitivity compared with wild-type ERCC2. The lack of normal ERCC2 function may contribute to cisplatin sensitivity in urothelial cancer, and somatic ERCC2 mutation status may inform cisplatin-containing regimen usage in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma. Significance: Somatic ERCC2 mutations correlate with complete response to cisplatin-based chemosensitivity in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma, and clinically identified mutations lead to cisplatin sensitivity in vitro. Nucleotide excision repair pathway defects may drive exceptional response to conventional chemotherapy. Cancer Discov; 4(10); 1140–53. ©2014 AACR. See related commentary by Turchi et al., p. 1118 This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1103

Primary cardiac lymphoma (PCL) is a rare malignancy and the optimal treatment strategy remains uncertain. It appears to respond much better to systemic chemotherapy than to surgery and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all cardiac tumours before definitive management is undertaken. We report a case of this rare disorder treated successfully with a combination of rituximab and cyclophosphamide, adriamycin, vincristine and prednisolone. The patient developed recurrent unstable ventricular tachycardia (VT) post-chemotherapy secondary to extensive scarring at the tumour site. The tumour as well as the post-treatment scarring is well illustrated by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging highlighting its usefulness in this setting. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was placed. This is only the second case in the literature of PCL to have an ICD placed for recurrent VT. A brief literature review is included.

Purpose of review Thirty-five percent of bladder cancer patients either present with or develop muscle-invasive disease. The current standard of care for these patients is neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystoprostatectomy or combined chemoradiotherapy. Despite these therapies, approximately 50% of patients will relapse after definitive locoregional treatment and eventually succumb to their disease. Recent findings Therapies targeted at altered genetic pathways have proven efficacy in localized solid tumors including breast cancer, head and neck cancer and GIST. No such treatments have proven clinical benefit in bladder cancer, but targets under active investigation include HER2, epidermal growth factor receptors, fibroblast growth factor receptor 3, mTOR and others. Efforts are also underway to genetically define the subgroup of patients, which benefit from systemic platinum-based chemotherapy in this setting. Summary Ongoing clinical trials are investigating the role of treatments targeted at actionable genetic mutations in bladder cancer. The key to maximizing the potential benefit from this treatment approach will be the identification of predictive biomarkers of response, the identification of safe combinations which block multiple signaling molecules synchronously, and the availability of faster, cheaper genetic testing in the clinic.

The current standard of care for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) is cisplatin-based chemotherapy but treatment is generally not curative. Mechanisms of resistance to conventional cytotoxic regimens include tumor cell drug efflux pumps, intracellular anti-oxidants and enhanced anti-apoptotic signaling. Blockade of signaling pathways with small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors has produced dramatic responses in subsets of other cancers. Multiple potential signaling pathway targets are altered in UC. Blockade of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway may prove efficacious because 21% have activating PI3K mutations and another 30% have PTEN inactivation (which leads to activation of this pathway). The fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 protein may be overactive in 50-60% and agents which block this pathway are under active development. Blockade of multiple other pathways including HER2 and aurora kinase also have potential efficacy. Anti-angiogenic and immunotherapy strategies are also under development in UC and are discussed in this review.Novel therapeutic approaches are needed in UC. We review the various strategies under development in this disease and discuss how best to evaluate and optimize their efficacy.

Background: A critical decision in the management of patients (pts) with mCRPC is when to administer an androgen receptor signaling (ARS) directed or a taxane therapy. The detection of AR-V7 mRNA in CTCs has been shown to predict for resistance to ARS,but not to taxane chemotherapy. We evaluated the relationship between AR-V7 protein expression and localization on CTCs to treatment outcomes in a separate, larger cohort as a predictive biomarker for clinical decision making. Methods: 193 prospectively collected blood samples from 161 unique pts with progressive mCRPC about to start an ARS or taxane therapy were evaluated with an Epic Sciences CTC immunoflorescent assay that assesses CTC AR-V7 protein expression and localization in individual cells. Associations between the presence AR-V7(+) CTCs pre-therapy and anti-tumor effects post-therapy included prostate-specific antigen (PSA) changes, radiographic progression free survival (rPFS), time on therapy, and overall survival (OS). Results: 130 pre-ARS inhibitor and 63 pre-taxane samples were assessed of which 191 (99%) were evaluable. AR-V7(+) CTCs were found in 34 (18%) samples including 3% of the 1st, 18% of the 2nd and 31% of the 3rd+ line baseline pre-therapy samples. Patients with AR-V7 positive CTCs in a pre-ARS sample showed no PSA response and had shorter rPFS, time on therapy, and OS than those without AR-V7(+) CTCs. PSA resistance to ARS was also seen in 65 of 112 (58%) of the AR-V7(-) samples. There was no association between PSA response, rPFS, and time on therapy between AR-V7(+) and AR-V7(-) pts treated with taxane therapy. In a multivariate model adjusting for age, type of therapy, line of therapy, and pre-therapy LDH, Hgb, and presence of visceral metastasis, AR-V7(+) pts had a superior OS on taxane therapy relative to ARS (HR: 0.242, CI: 0.103 to 0.569, p = 0.0350). Conclusions: The results validate the expression of the AR-V7 protein in the nucleus of CTCs in men with mCRPC as a treatment specific biomarker that predicts resistance to ARS inhibitor therapy and separately, clinical benefit with taxane therapy over ARS-directed therapy in a clinical practice setting. Continued examination of this biomarker in prospective studies will further determine its clinical utility. Citation Format: Howard I. Scher, David Lu, Nicole A. Schreiber, Jessica Louw, Ryon P. Graf, Ann Johnson, Adam Jendrisak, Glenn Heller, Richard Bambury, Herbert A. Vargas Alverez, Brigit McLaughlin, Justin Wahl, Stephanie Greene, Martin Fleisher, Ryan Dittamore. Nuclear localized AR-V7 protein as a predictive biomarker for treatment selection in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4954.