After the introduction of the molecular classification in EC guidelines, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis has become an essential tool for EC management. Molecular-driven therapies have also been recently tested, and some have obtained FDA approval. This retrospective cohort study aims to determine the clinical benefit rate (CBR) with the use of targeted therapies based on NGS in ECs patients.
After approval of the local Ethics Committee, a retrospective study was conducted on EC patients undergoing Foundation Medicine® testing at Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli IRCCS. All patients provided written informed consent. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue specimens were analyzed by Foundation One® CDx, which detects 324 genes known to be drivers of solid tumors based on NGS assay. Efficacy outcomes were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and expressed as median with its 95% confidence interval. IBM-SPSS v.27.0 software was used for statistical analyses.
Out of 35 tests performed, 11 patients received a targeted therapy based on actionable mutations detected with the NGS assays. All the 11 patients had been heavily pretreated (≥3 prior lines). One patient died because of COVID-19 and thus was excluded from the analysis. Out of the 10 patients included, targeted therapies showed an overall CBR of 80% in 8 patients (10% CR, 33.3% PR, 40% SD, and 20% PD). 7 patients were treated with a targeted agent belonging to the PI3K pathway, with 3 PR (42.9%), 3 SD (42.9%), and 1 PD (14.2%). 3 patients received PARP inhibitor treatment according to their HRD status, with 1 CR (33.3%), 1 SD (33.3%), and 1 PD (33.3%).
In our series, an outstanding CBR of 80% was achieved with the use of targeted therapy according to NGS assays in heavily pretreated patients (≥3 prior lines). Our finding underlines the importance of molecular-driven treatments and requires further investigation to confirm these results in terms of clinical benefit in a broader population. Besides, the use of molecular-driven treatments may avoid unnecessary exposure to potentially more toxic therapies and reduce the costs associated with inappropriate treatments.
The authors.
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V. Salutari: Financial Interests, Personal and Institutional, Advisory Board: AstraZeneca, Clovis, GSK, Tesaro, MSD, Roche, PharmaMar, Eisai. G. Scambia: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker, Speaker: Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca & MSD, Olympus Europa, Baxter Healthcare, Intuitive Surgical Inc., GlaxoSmithKline; Financial Interests, Personal, Expert Testimony, Trainer: Covidien AG (Medtronic company); Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, ‘IsoMSLN’ in Ovarian Cancer and Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: Kiromic; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, Roll-over study for patients who have completed a previous cancer study with olaparib and who the investigator believes can benefit from continued treatment - ROSY-O: AstraZeneca; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, CATCH-R: Roll-over study to provide continuous access to clinical therapy with rucaparib: Clovis Oncology; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, Phase III, multicenter, placebo-controlled clinical study comparing chemo-immunotherapy (paclitaxel-carboplatin-oregovomab) versus chemotherapy (paclitaxel-carboplatin-placebo) in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian, tubal cancer of fallopian or peritoneal (FLORA-5): Oncoquest Pharmaceuticals Inc.; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, Phase IIb randomized, open-label, active comparator, parallel-group, multicenter study designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of three different doses of the P2X3 receptor antagonist (BAY 1817080) versus placebo and Elagolix 150 mg in women with symptomatic endometriosis: Bayer AG; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, Usability of ITE transducers for sending electric fields for tumor treatment (TTFields): Novocure Ltd.; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, Phase III, multicentre, open-label extension trial to evaluate long-term safety and efficacy in patients with advanced cancers currently undergoing treatment or in follow-up in a pembrolizumab trial: Merck. D. Lorusso: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board, Participation in Advisory Boards and Invited Speaker: GSK, Clovis Oncology, PharmaMar; Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board, Participation in Advisory Boards and Invited Speakers: AstraZeneca, MSD; Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Consultancy: PharmaMar, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Clovis Oncology, GSK, MSD, Immunogen, Genmab, Seagen; Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board, Participation in Advisory Boards: Merck Serono; Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board, Invited member of advisory board: Seagen, Immunogen, Genmab, Oncoinvest, Corcept, Sutro; Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding, Grant for founding academic trial: MSD, Clovis Oncology, PharmaMar; Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding, Grant for founding academic trial: GSK; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, ENGOT trial with institutional support for coordination: Clovis Oncology; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker, ENGOT trial with institutional support for coordination: Genmab, MSD; Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding, Clinical trial/contracted research: AstraZeneca, Clovis Oncology, GSK, MSD, Seagen; Financial Interests, Institutional, Funding, Clinical trials/contracted research: Genmab, Immunogen, Incyte, Novartis, Roche; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Principal Investigator, PI of several trials, no compensation received: GSK; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Principal Investigator, PI of several trials. No personal compensation received: AstraZeneca, Genmab; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Principal Investigator, PI in several trials. No personal compensation received: MSD; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Principal Investigator, PI of clinical trial. No personal compensation received: Immunogen, Clovis, Incyte; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Principal Investigator, PI of clinical trial. No personal compensation receive: Roche; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Member, Board of Directors: GCIG. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.