9587 Background: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer that disproportionately affects older adults & the immunosuppressed. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are highly effective in advanced MCC (aMCC), but pivotal ICI trials excluded immunosuppressed patients, highlighting an unmet need for this cohort. Methods: Clinical databases from 10 centers across 3 countries, were retrospectively analysed to identify immunosuppressed patients with aMCC who have received ICI. These patients were categorized into solid organ transplant (SOT), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hematological malignancies (HM) & autoimmune (AI) diseases. The overall aim was to assess treatment outcomes in patients excluded from trials. Results: This retrospective multicenter study identified 46 immunosuppressed patients (80% male) with aMCC and treated with ICI. The median age was 72 years (Table 1). The objective response rate (ORR) to anti-PD1/PDL1 ICI was 47.8%, with median progression-free survival (PFS) & overall survival (OS) of 23.4 & 40.9 months, respectively. 56.5% of patients have died at data cutoff. Cause of death included MCC (69.2%), comorbidities/others (15.4%), hematological malignancies (11.5%), and ICI-pneumonitis (3.9%). There were no deaths from graft failure, AI diseases or HIV. 8.7% developed ≥ grade 3 ICI-related adverse event (irAE). There was no difference in ORR (44% vs. 40%), OS (43.6 vs. 40.5 months, p = 0.68) or PFS (26.7 vs. 22.6 months, p = 0.18) in patients who experienced any grade irAE compared to those who did not. Clinicians were less likely to offer first line ICI to SOT patients (60%), particularly non-renal SOT patients 50%, compared with non-SOT immunosuppressed patients (89%). SOT patients had numerically lower response rates vs. non-SOT patients (ORR 30% vs 56%), significantly shorter PFS & OS at 6.5 months vs. 34.6 months (p= 0.001) & 13.1 months vs. 47.6 months (p = 0.002), respectively. Conclusions: Real world data shows that immunosuppressed MCC patients derive significant clinical benefit from ICI with acceptable rates of irAEs. Majority of immunosuppressed MCC patients (69%) died of disease progression, with 3.9% dying from an irAE & 11.5% from deterioration in HM. This suggests pre-existing immunosuppression should not significantly deter the use of ICI in patients with MCC. Patients with SOT have worse outcomes when treated with ICI compared with other immunosuppressed groups. Clinicians were more likely to reserve ICI use beyond first line. Study cohort. SOT (n=10) HIV (n=4) Autoimmune disease (n=16)* Hematological malignancy (n=16) Median Age (Range) 72 (18-90) Male, n (%) 37 (80) ORR (%) 30 100 56 38 Use of ICI First Line (%) 60 100 81 94 PFS months (95% CI) 6.5 (0.6 – 12.5) 41.1 (15.4 – 66.8) 34.9 (13.3 – 56.5) 20.8 (8.1 – 33.5) OS months (95% CI) 13.1 (2.3 – 24.0) Not reached 44.2 (22.8 – 65.5) 39.1 (23.4 – 54.8) *15 on treatment.
Innovative composite sections are gaining popularity as they reduce the environmental impact of construction and take advantage of the collaboration of concrete and steel properties at room temperature and in fire. By introducing high-performance materials, these synergies are boosted. One typology is the steel-reinforced concrete-filled steel tubular (SR-CFST) section, in which a steel profile is embedded inside a CFST section. Despite their impressive load-bearing capacity and fire resistance, the available investigations on their thermo-mechanical capabilities are scarce. The present paper develops a numerical model to analyse the thermo-mechanical behaviour of SR-CFST stub columns subjected to fire. The model is validated against previous experiments conducted by the authors by comparing the temperature distribution and the mechanical behaviour with the experimental measurements. Afterwards, an extensive parametric study (1440 cases) is conducted to analyse the influence of several geometrical parameters – cross-sectional shape, outer tube dimensions and thickness, inner steel profile dimensions, section factor – and the use of high-strength materials for the concrete and the inner steel profile. Afterwards, a simplified temperature distribution proposal formerly designed by the authors for SR-CFST sections was tentatively tested. Based on this previous simplified temperature field and in line with the current provisions of EN1994-1-2, a new proposal is developed to evaluate the cross-sectional plastic resistance of SR-CFST stub columns under a fire scenario. This method unifies the initially developed thermal method and provides practical guidance for designers to evaluate the thermo-mechanical behaviour of SR-CFST columns, filling an existing gap in the European design code.
<div>Abstract<p>RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription of ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) is tightly regulated downstream of oncogenic pathways, and its dysregulation is a common feature in cancer. We evaluated CX-5461, the first-in-class selective rDNA transcription inhibitor, in a first-in-human, phase I dose-escalation study in advanced hematologic cancers. Administration of CX-5461 intravenously once every 3 weeks to 5 cohorts determined an MTD of 170 mg/m<sup>2</sup>, with a predictable pharmacokinetic profile. The dose-limiting toxicity was palmar–plantar erythrodysesthesia; photosensitivity was a dose-independent adverse event (AE), manageable by preventive measures. CX-5461 induced rapid on-target inhibition of rDNA transcription, with p53 activation detected in tumor cells from one patient achieving a clinical response. One patient with anaplastic large cell lymphoma attained a prolonged partial response and 5 patients with myeloma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma achieved stable disease as best response. CX-5461 is safe at doses associated with clinical benefit and dermatologic AEs are manageable.</p>Significance:<p>CX-5461 is a first-in-class selective inhibitor of rDNA transcription. This first-in-human study establishes the feasibility of targeting this process, demonstrating single-agent antitumor activity against advanced hematologic cancers with predictable pharmacokinetics and a safety profile allowing prolonged dosing. Consistent with preclinical data, antitumor activity was observed in <i>TP53</i> wild-type and mutant malignancies.</p><p><i>This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 983</i></p></div>
Abstract Purpose: LOGIC 2 (NCT02159066), a multicenter, open-label, two-part, phase II study assessed encorafenib plus binimetinib combined with a third targeted agent after tumor progression on encorafenib plus binimetinib in patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic BRAF Patients and Methods: Adults with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic BRAF V600-mutant melanoma who were BRAF inhibitor/MEK inhibitor (BRAFi/MEKi)-treatment naive or pretreated received encorafenib plus binimetinib (Part I/Run-in). Based on the genomic testing at disease progression following encorafenib plus binimetinib, patients were assigned to one of four treatment arms to receive encorafenib plus binimetinib with an appropriate molecularly targeted agent (ribociclib, infigratinib, capmatinib, or buparlisib; Part II). The primary endpoint was best overall response; safety, biomarkers, pharmacokinetics, and other efficacy endpoints were also assessed. Results: In Part I/Run-in, 75 BRAFi/MEKi-naive patients and 83 BRAFi/MEKi-pretreated patients were treated; in Part II, 58 patients were treated (ribociclib, n=38; infigratinib, n=1; capmatinib, n=13; buparlisib, n=6). The overall confirmed response rate was 73.3% (95% CI, 61.9–82.9) in BRAFi/MEKi-naive patients, 25.3% (95% CI, 16.4–36.0) in pretreated patients, 2.6% (95% CI, 0.1–13.8) in the ribociclib arm, and 0% in the other three arms. Adverse events were manageable and consistent with the known safety profile of each drug. Conclusions: LOGIC 2 supports the use of encorafenib plus binimetinib for treatment naive and previously treated locally advanced unresectable or metastatic BRAF V600-mutant melanoma. However, adding a third targeted agent following disease progression did not show meaningful efficacy; further research is needed to identify other therapeutic targets to circumvent resistance.
Abstract Cytomegalovirus ( CMV ) retinitis is an uncommon manifestation of CMV disease and is a marker of severe and profound immunosuppression in human immunodeficiency virus‐positive patients. Here, we describe 2 cases of CMV retinitis in myeloma patients with progressive disease, following autologous stem cell transplantation and immunomodulatory therapy for myeloma. To our knowledge, this is the first report of CMV retinitis in this patient population. This report illustrates the need for close monitoring of relapsed and refractory myeloma patients for new presentations of opportunistic infections secondary to severe immunosuppression.