Objective Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer therapy frequently induce immune‐related adverse effects (IRAEs). Therefore, most patients with preexisting autoimmune diseases have been excluded from clinical trials of ICIs. This study was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ICIs in patients with preexisting autoimmune disease and cancer. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2017 to January 2018 via 3 French national networks of experts in oncology and autoimmunity. Adults with preexisting autoimmune disease who were receiving ICIs were assessed for the occurrence of flare of preexisting autoimmune disease, other IRAEs, and cancer response. Results The study included 112 patients who were followed up for a median of 8 months. The most frequent preexisting autoimmune diseases were psoriasis (n = 31), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 20), and inflammatory bowel disease (n = 14). Twenty‐four patients (22%) were receiving immunosuppressive therapy at ICI initiation. Autoimmune disease flare and/or other IRAE(s) occurred in 79 patients (71%), including flare of preexisting autoimmune disease in 53 patients (47%) and/or other IRAE(s) in 47 patients (42%), with a need for immunosuppressive therapy in 48 patients (43%) and permanent discontinuation of ICI in 24 patients (21%). The median progression‐free survival was shorter in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy at ICI initiation (3.8 months versus 12 months; P = 0.006), confirmed by multivariable analysis. The median progression‐free survival was shorter in patients who experienced a flare of preexisting autoimmune disease or other IRAE, with a trend toward better survival in the subgroup without immunosuppressant use or ICI discontinuation. Conclusion Our findings indicate that flares or IRAEs occur frequently but are mostly manageable without ICI discontinuation in patients with a preexisting autoimmune disease. Immunosuppressive therapy at baseline is associated with poorer outcomes.

In elderly patients with advanced NSCLC, treatment allocation on the basis of CGA failed to improve the TFFS or OS but slightly reduced treatment toxicity.

No abstract

In this non-selected population, osimertinib had remarkable efficacy in NSCLC patients with LM irrespective of the presence of the EGFR-T790M-resistance mutation. Osimertinib efficacy was rapid in several patients, even some with poor performance status.

PRONOPALL study confirms the three prognostic profiles defined by the combination of four factors. This PRONOPALL score is a useful decision-making tool in daily practice.

No abstract

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an uncommon tumor largely confined to the thoracic cavity, which is resistant to conventional therapies, therefore prompting an intensive search for effective treatment alternatives. This study focuses on dendritic cell (DC) vaccination for malignant pleural mesothelioma and evaluates the in vitro efficacy of antigen-loaded DC-based vaccines for the induction of major histocompatibility complex Class I-restricted antimesothelioma cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses. The source of tumor-associated antigens for HLA-A2(+) DCs from healthy donors was apoptotic HLA-A2(-) mesothelioma cells either lacking or expressing heat shock protein 70 according to whether tumor cells were heat shocked or not before ultraviolet-mediated apoptosis. Our results show that both apoptotic preparations were equivalent regarding the responsiveness of DCs to combined treatment with tumor necrosis factor-alpha and poly(inosinic-cytidylic) acid, as determined by similar increased expression of costimulatory molecules and interleukin-12 production. However, only DCs loaded with apoptotic heat shock protein 70-expressing cells were found to be potent in vitro inducers of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity against HLA-A2(+) mesothelioma cells. Such elicited cytotoxic T lymphocytes also exhibit cytotoxic activity against an HLA-A2(+) melanoma cell line, suggesting recognition of shared antigens. These findings therefore carry the potential of offering an alternative, promising approach for the therapy of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

BackgroundImmune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionised the management of several cancers, enhancing the anti-tumoral immune response. However they are responsible for many Immune Related Adverse Effects (IRAE), and therefore most patients with Preexisting Autoimmune Diseases (PAD) have been excluded from clinical trials.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ICI in patients with PAD.MethodsThree national expert networks, focusing respectively on skin cancers, thoracic cancers and inflammatory diseases participated in this study. All patients who received an ICI despite a PAD in clinical practice were included in this nationwide retrospective study.Results112 patients were included: 64 men (57.1%), median age 66.5. Most patients received an anti-PD1 or anti-PD-L1 drug (84.8%). Main cancer types were melanoma (n=66, 58.9%) and Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC) (n=40; 35.7%). Median follow-up was 8 months [0–52].Most frequent PAD were psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (27.6%), rheumatoid arthritis (17.8%), inflammatory bowel disease (12.5%), spondyloarthritis (4.5%), lupus (6.3%), polymyalgia rheumatica and/or giant-cell arteritis (6.3%). 24 patients (21.6%) were receiving an immunosuppressive therapy (IS) at ICI initiation (including steroids in 15, sDMARD in 10 and rituximab in 1). 37 patients (33%) had an active disease.PAD flares were frequent (n=47; 42%) and 30.4% of them were severe (grade CTCAE 3–4). 26 patients (56.5%) received an IS treatment for a flare (22 received steroids and 7 a DMARD). Other IRAEs not related to the PAD occurred in 43 patients (38.4%), 41.5% were severe. 23 patients (56.1%) required an IS (including a DMARD in 4). 36 patients (32.1%) discontinued ICI temporarily or definitively because of a flare or an IRAE. One patient died due to an IRAE.Concerning the anti-tumoral response, the Overall Response Rate (ORR) was 48.3% for melanoma and 53.8% for NSCLC. The median Progression Free Survival (PFS) was 12.4 months for melanoma and 9.7 for NSCLC. Median overall survival (OS) was not reached in any group. PFS and OS were shorter in patients receiving an IS treatment at ICI initiation (p=0.007, figure 1A, and p=0.003, respectively). PFS and OS were longer in patients who experienced a PAD flare or other IRAE, but this gain was lost when an IS was used to treat the flare/IRAE (p=0.008, figure 1B, and p=0.01, respectively). Conversely, this gain was not impacted with ICI discontinuation.ConclusionsPAD flares and other IRAEs are frequent during ICI therapy and may be severe. The OS, ORR and PFS seem high in patients with PAD. The occurrence of a flare/IRAE is associated to a better outcome, gain lost when IS are used, while ICI discontinuation has no impact on PFS. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm our findings.Disclosure of InterestNone declared