Context Systemic treatment of metastatic adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) remains limited to chemotherapy and mitotane. Preliminary evidence suggesting that antitumor immune responses can be elicited in ACC has fostered interest in checkpoint inhibitors such as anti–PD-1 nivolumab. Objective The primary endpoint was objective response rate according to the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, and safety. Design Single-arm, multicenter, phase 2 clinical trial with two-stage design. Setting Comprehensive cancer center. Patients Ten adult patients with metastatic ACC previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy and/or mitotane as well as patients who declined front-line chemotherapy. Intervention Nivolumab (240 mg) IV every 2 weeks. Results Ten patients with metastatic ACC were enrolled between March and December 2016. The median number of doses of nivolumab administered was two. Three patients only received one treatment [one died of disease progression, one discontinued due to adverse events (AEs), one withdrew after beginning treatment]. The median PFS was 1.8 months. The median follow-up was 4.5 months (range, 0.1 to 25.6 months). Two patients had stable disease for a duration of 48 and 11 weeks, respectively. One patient had an unconfirmed partial response but discontinued the study due to an AE. Most AEs were grade 1/2. The most common grade 3/4 treatment-related AEs were aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase elevations, mucositis, and odynophagia. Conclusion Nivolumab demonstrated modest antitumor activity in patients with advanced ACC. The nivolumab safety profile was consistent with previous clinical experience without any unexpected AEs in this population.

Small cell carcinoma of the prostate (SCCP) is an aggressive disease that can arise or by transdifferentiation from prostate adenocarcinoma. Alterations in anaplastic lymphoma kinase () gene are involved in neuroblastoma, lung cancer, and other malignancies, but its role in SCCP has not been documented. We describe a patient with refractory SCCP with F1174C-activating mutation who obtained clinical benefit from treatment with ALK inhibitor. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to analyze primary and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Prostate cancer databases were queried for alterations in gene, mRNA, and its impact in clinical outcomes. prostate cell line/organoid models were generated by lentiviral-mediated expression of ALK and ALK F1174C and assessed for response to ALK inhibitors crizotinib and alectinib. NGS analysis of the primary tumor and ctDNA of a 39-year-old patient with refractory SSCP identified F1174C mutation. Treatment with second-generation ALK inhibitor alectinib resulted in radiographic stable disease for over 6 months, symptomatic improvement, and significant molecular response as reflected by declining ctDNA allele fraction. Analysis of prostate cancer datasets showed that amplification was associated with poor outcome. In prostate cancer cells and organoids, F1174C expression enhanced growth and induced expression of the neuroendocrine marker neuron-specific enolase. Alectinib was more effective than crizotinib in inhibiting F1174C-expressing cell growth. These findings implicate -activating mutations in SCCP pathogenesis and suggest the therapeutic potential of targeting molecular alterations in some patients with SCCP. .

IntroductionAnaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitors are the mainstay treatment for patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) harboring a rearrangement of the ALK gene or the ROS1 oncogenes. With the recent publication of pivotal trials leading to the approval of these compounds in different indications, their toxicity profile warrants an update.Materials and MethodsA systematic literature search was performed in July 2017. Studies evaluating US FDA approved doses of one of the following ALK inhibitors: Crizotinib, Ceritinib, Alectinib or Brigatinib as monotherapy were included. Data were analyzed using random effects meta-analysis for absolute risks (AR), study heterogeneity, publication bias and differences among treatments.ResultsFifteen trials with a total of 2,005 patients with evaluable toxicity data were included in this report. There was significant heterogeneity amongst different studies. The pooled AR of death and severe adverse events were 0.5% and 34.5%, respectively. Grade 3/4 nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation were uncommon: 2.6%, 2.5%, 2.7%, 1.2%, respectively.ConclusionsALK inhibitors have an acceptable safety profile with a low risk of treatment-related deaths. Important differences in toxicity profile were detected amongst the different drugs.

Interstitial lung disease is a rare complication of trastuzumab-based breast cancer treatment with few case reports published. Herein, we report the case of a 67-year-old female with early-stage HER2-postitive breast cancer who developed interstitial pneumonitis during cycle 5 of treatment with trastuzumab combined with carboplatin and docetaxel. After supportive care and treatment with prednisone, the patient showed rapid improvement of respiratory symptoms. Retreatment with trastuzumab as a single agent led to worsening of symptoms and required a second course of treatment with prednisone combined with cyclophosphamide, which was followed by improvement of symptoms. In conclusion, interstitial pneumonitis is a rare but life-threatening adverse event from trastuzumab breast cancer treatment.

PurposeAnti-PD1 and PD-L1 antibodies are associated with immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). This analysis aims to assess the discrepancies between frequencies of irAEs observed in phase 1 trials with those seen in late-phase trials and to evolve the field of drug development.MethodsPubMed search was conducted for articles published until December of 2016. Trials needed to have at least one of the study arms consisting of nivolumab, pembrolizumab or atezolizumab monotherapy. Trials were matched based on compound used and similarity of populations. All toxicities were reported as frequencies and percentages. P-values to assess differences between matches and non-matches of phase 1 and late-phase trials and between early and late-phase trials themselves were obtained via Fisher's exact test. Odds ratios were obtained via logistic regression.ResultsOur search yielded 15 late-phase and 10 matching phase 1 trials; n = 4823 and n = 1650, respectively. The most common AEs seen in phase 1 trials were also observed in late-phase trials except for phase 1 trials (median n = 118) with < 118 patients (P = 0.048). Rash, pruritus, and diarrhea were the most frequently irAEs reported. Only colitis was more frequent in late-phase studies (P = 0.045).ConclusionToxicities of anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 observed in phase 1 trials and late-phase trials are similar. There is positive correlation between phase 1 trial sample size and concordance of toxicity frequencies seen in late-phase studies. In conclusion, current immunotherapy phase 1 trials are appropriate in assessing safety profile of anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies.