Perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic impact on cardio-oncology: results from the COVID-19 International Collaborative Network survey

Background Re-allocation of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays in care delivery to patients with cardiovascular disease and cancer. The ability of health care providers to provide optimal care in this setting has not been formally evaluated. Objectives To assess the impact of COVID-19 resource re-allocation on scheduling, testing, elective procedures, telemedicine access, use of new COVID-19 therapies, and providers’ opinions on healthcare policies among oncology and cardiology practitioners. Methods An electronic survey was conducted by a cardio-oncology collaborative network through regional and state chapters of the American College of Cardiology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the International Cardio-Oncology Society. Descriptive statistics were reported by frequency and proportion for analyses, and stratified categorically by geographic region and specialty. Results One thousand four hundred fifteen providers (43 countries) participated: 986 cardiologists, 306 oncologists, and 118 trainees/internal medicine. 63% (195/306) of oncologists vs 92% (896/976) of cardiologists reported cancellations of treatments/elective procedures (p = 0.01). 46% (442/970) of cardiologists and 25% (76/303) of oncologists modified the scope of their practice (p = \u3c 0.001). Academic physicians (74.5%) felt better supplied with personal protective equipment (PPE) vs non-academic (74.5% vs 67.2%; p = 0.018). Telemedicine was less common in Europe 81% (74/91), and Latin America 64% (101/158), than the United States, 88% (950/1097) (p = \u3c 0.001). 95% of all groups supported more active leadership from medical professional societies. Conclusions These results support initiatives to promote expanded coverage for telemedicine, increased access to PPE, better testing availability and involvement of medical professional societies to help with preparedness for future health care crisis

Neuregulin 1 gene (Nrg1). a potentially new targetable alteration for the treatment of lung cancer

Oncogenic gene fusions are hybrid genes that result from structural DNA rearrangements, leading to unregulated cell proliferation by different mechanisms in a wide variety of cancer. This has led to the development of directed therapies to antagonize a variety of mechanisms that lead to cell growth or proliferation. Multiple oncogene fusions are currently targeted in lung cancer treatment, such as those involving ALK, RET, NTRK and ROS1 among many others. Neuregulin (NRG) gene fusion has been described in the development of normal tissue as well as in a variety of diseases, such as schizophrenia, Hirschsprung’s disease, atrial fibrillation and, most recently, the development of various types of solid tumors, such as renal, gastric, pancreatic, breast, colorectal and, more recently, lung cancer. The mechanism for this is that the NRG1 chimeric ligand leads to aberrant activation of ERBB2 signaling via PI3K‐AKT and MAPK cellular cascades, leading to cell division and proliferation. Details regarding the incidence of these gene rearrangements are lacking. Limited case reports and case series have evaluated their clinicopathologic features and prognostic significance in the lung cancer population. Taking this into account, NRG1 could become a targetable alteration in selected patients. This review highlights how the knowledge of new molecular mechanisms of NRG1 fusion may help in gaining new insights into the molecular status of lung cancer patients and unveil a novel targetable molecular marker

Efficacy of sorafenib, a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in an adenoid cystic carcinoma metastatic to the lung: case report and review of literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck has significantly improved with the addition of cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody against the epidermal growth factor receptor, to conventional cytotoxic agents. The most significant aspect of this treatment approach is the proof that head and neck cancers are suitable for targeted therapies as has been shown in other malignancies. Unfortunately, there are other rare histologic types of head and neck cancer such as adenocarcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma. The latter has traditionally been considered to be chemotherapy resistant and surgical resection with or without adjuvant radiation therapy has been the rule as far as treatment is concerned. The course of adenoid cystic carcinoma ranges from indolent to aggressive; however, most patients succumb to the disease as a result of distant metastases. This clinical scenario poses a challenge to oncologists. Several conventional chemotherapy regimens and novel targeted agents have been tried in this rare histologic subtype without success.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>In this case report, we present a 59-year-old Caucasian female with refractory adenoid cystic carcinoma of the maxilla metastatic to the lung that responded to sorafenib, a novel multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, which targets angiogenesis, Raf kinase pathway, platelet-derived growth factor Ret, and c-Kit.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This case illustrates the possibility that this chemoresistant tumor may need the inhibition or blocking of several oncogenic pathways. Certainly, it is imperative that more studies are done in this special population trying to identify tumorigenesis mechanisms that may be upregulated in this malignancy and could be potential targets for therapeutic development.</p

The Role of Proteasome Inhibition in Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer

Lung cancer therapy with current available chemotherapeutic agents is mainly palliative. For these and other reasons there is now a great interest to find targeted therapies that can be effective not only palliating lung cancer or decreasing treatment-related toxicity, but also giving hope to cure these patients. It is already well known that the ubiquitin-proteasome system like other cellular pathways is critical for the proliferation and survival of cancer cells; thus, proteosome inhibition has become a very attractive anticancer therapy. There are several phase I and phase II clinical trials now in non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer using this potential target. Most of the trials use bortezomib in combination with chemotherapeutic agents. This paper tends to make a state-of-the-art review based on the available literature regarding the use of bortezomib as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy in patients with lung cancer

Using cfRNA as a tool to evaluate clinical treatment outcomes in patients with metastatic lung cancers and other tumors

Aim: We report an exploratory analysis of cfRNA as a biomarker to monitor clinical responses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, and colorectal cancer (CRC). An analysis of cfRNA as a method for measuring PD-L1 expression with comparison to clinical responses was also performed in the NSCLC cohort. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 127 patients with metastatic disease that were undergoing therapy, 52 with NSCLC, 50 with breast cancer, and 25 with CRC. cfRNA was purified from fractionated plasma, and following reverse transcription (RT), total cfRNA and gene expression of PD-L1were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) using beta-actin expression as a surrogate for relative amounts of cfDNA and cfRNA. For the concordance study of liquid biopsies and tissue biopsies, the isolated RNA was analyzed by RNAseq for the expressions of 13 genes. We had to close the study early due to a lack of follow-up during the Covid-19 pandemic. Results: We collected a total of 373 blood samples. Mean cfRNA PCR signals after RT were about 50-fold higher than those of cfDNA. cfRNA was detected in all patients, while cfDNA was detected in 88% of them. A high concordance was found for the expression levels of 13 genes between blood and solid tumor tissue. Changes in cfRNA levels followed over the course of treatments were associated with response to therapy, increasing in progressive disease (PD) and falling when a partial response (PR) occurred. The expression of PD-L1 over time in patients treated with immunotherapy decreased with PR but increased with PD. Pre-treatment levels of PD-L1 were predictive of response in patients treated with immunotherapy. Conclusion: Changes in cfRNA correlate with clinical response to the therapy. Total cfRNA may be useful in predicting clinical outcomes. PD-L1 gene expression may provide a biomarker to predict response to PD-L1 inhibition

A Multicenter, Phase 2 Study of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Trap (Aflibercept) in Platinum- and Erlotinib-Resistant Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

IntroductionAflibercept (vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] trap), a recombinant fusion protein, blocks the activity of VEGF-A and placental growth factor and has demonstrated activity in pretreated patients with lung cancer in a phase I trial. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of intravenous aflibercept in patients with platinum- and erlotinib-resistant lung adenocarcinoma.MethodsAn open-label, single arm, multicenter trial was conducted, with the primary end point of response rate (modified RECIST). Additional endpoints included safety, duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival. Patients with platinum- and erlotinib-resistant lung adenocarcinoma were eligible. Aflibercept 4.0 mg/kg intravenous every 2 weeks was administered until progression of disease or intolerable toxicity.ResultsNinety-eight patients were enrolled; 89 were evaluable for response. Median age was 60 years, 41% were men with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0/1/2 in 35/55/9% of patients. The overall response rate was 2.0%, (95% confidence interval, 0.2-7.2%). Median progression-free survival was 2.7 months, and overall was survival 6.2 months. Six- and 12-month survival rates were 54 and 29%, respectively. A median of four cycles was administered (range 1-22). Common grade 3/4 toxicities included dyspnea (21%), hypertension (23%), and proteinuria (10%). Two cases of grade 5 hemoptysis were reported, and one case each of tracheoesophageal fistula, decreased cardiac ejection fraction, cerebral ischemia, and reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy.ConclusionsAflibercept has minor single agent activity in heavily pretreated lung adenocarcinoma, and is well tolerated, with no unexpected toxicities. Further studies evaluating aflibercept in lung cancer, in combination with chemotherapy and other targeted therapies, are ongoing

Effectiveness and safety of the bevacizumab and erlotinib combination versus erlotinib alone in EGFR mutant metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe EGFR gene encodes a protein that stimulates molecular pathways that allow the growth and development of the tumor microenvironment. The current preferred tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for the first-line treatment of EGFRm metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is osimertinib. However, the combination of angiogenesis inhibitors and TKI has produced discordant results. We aimed to assess the effects of the bevacizumab and erlotinib combination in EGFRm metastatic NSCLC.MethodsUsing eligibility criteria focused on patients with EGFRm metastatic NSCLC treated with bevacizumab and erlotinib, we searched databases including clinical trial randomized studies and reviews published until April 15, 2023 in Medline (PubMed), Scopus, and Embase. Eight clinical trials (1,052 patients) were selected from 1,343 articles for quantitative and qualitative assessment. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Data were synthesized through random-effects meta-analysis.ResultsThe bevacizumab and erlotinib combination significantly improved the progression-free survival (PFS) (log(HR) = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.54–0.73, p &lt; 0.001) and overall response ratio (ORR) (RR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.64–0.97, p = 0.03). However, it did not improve the overall survival (log(HR) = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.78–1.10, p = 0.38) and was associated with higher serious adverse events (SAEs) (OR = 3.48; 95% CI, 1.76–6.88, p = 0.005). A subgroup analysis suggested similar benefits in different mutation subtypes and brain metastasis condition. The evidence is limited by a moderate risk of bias across studies and heterogeneity in the reporting of SAEs.ConclusionsThe bevacizumab and erlotinib combination significantly improved PFS and ORR in EGFRm metastatic NSCLC but were also associated with higher-grade (≥3) adverse events. These results suggest that while the combination therapy may enhance progression-free survival and overall response, it does not improve the overall survival and is associated with higher toxicity. Thus, the treatment should be personalized based on individual patient comorbidities. Further prospective trials are needed to validate these results.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#searchadvanced, identifier CDR 42022364692

Immunotherapy: is a minor god yet in the pantheon of treatments for lung cancer?

Immunotherapy has been studied for many years in lung cancer without significant results, making the majority of oncologists quite skeptical about its possible application for non-small cell lung cancer treatment. However, the recent knowledge about immune escape and subsequent 'cancer immunoediting' has yielded the development of new strategies of cancer immunotherapy, heralding a new era of lung cancer treatment. Cancer vaccines, including both whole-cell and peptide vaccines have been tested both in early and advanced stages of non-small cell lung cancer. New immunomodulatory agents, including anti-CTLA4, anti-PD1/PDL1 monoclonal antibodies, have been investigated as monotherapy in metastatic lung cancer. To date, these treatments have shown impressive results of efficacy and tolerability in early clinical trials, leading to testing in several large, randomized Phase III trials. As these results will be confirmed, these drugs will be available in the near future, offering new exciting therapeutic options for lung cancer treatment

Novel therapeutic strategies for patients with NSCLC that do not respond to treatment with EGFR inhibitors

Introduction: Treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) yields tumour responses in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harbouring activating EGFR mutations. However, even in long-lasting responses, resistance to EGFR TKIs invariably occurs. Areas covered: This review examines resistance mechanisms to EGFR TKI treatment, which mainly arise from secondary EGFR mutations. Other resistance-inducing processes include mesenchymal\u2013epithelial transition factor (MET) amplification, epithelial\u2013mesenchymal transformation, phenotypic change from NSCLC to small-cell lung carcinoma, and modifications in parallel signalling pathways. Current therapeutic strategies to overcome these EGFR TKI resistance mechanisms focus on the inhibition or blocking of multiple members of the ErbB family. Several molecules which target multiple ErbB receptors are being investigated in NSCLC and other indications including afatinib, an ErbB Family Blocker, as well as dacomitinib and lapatinib. Novel, non-quinazoline, EGFR inhibitors, that also target EGFR activating and resistance (T790M) mutations, are currently under clinical development. Other therapeutic strategies include inhibition of parallel and downstream pathways, using agents which target heat shock protein (HSP)90 orpoly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in addition to mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), monoclonal antibodies against the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, and fulvestrant-mediated oestrogen receptor regulation. Conclusion: Improved understanding of mechanisms underlying resistance to EGFR TKIs emphasises the importance of a genotype-guided approach to therapy. Elucidation of resistance mechanisms is indeed crucial to target innovative therapeutic approaches and to improve the efficacy of anticancer regimes in NSCLC