Real-world efficacy and safety of nivolumab in previously-treated metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and association between immune-related adverse events and survival: the Italian expanded access program.

The Italian Renal Cell Cancer Early Access Program was an expanded access program that allowed access to nivolumab, for patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) prior to regulatory approval.

Pts with previously treated advanced or mRCC were eligible to receive nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks. Pts included in the analysis had received ≥1 dose of nivolumab and were monitored for drug-related adverse events (drAEs) using CTCAE v.4.0. Immune-related (ir) AEs were defined as AEs displaying a certain, likely or possible correlation with immunotherapy (cutaneous, endocrine, hepatic, gastro-intestinal and pulmonary). The association between overall survival (OS) and irAEs was assessed, and associations between variables were evaluated with a logistic regression model.

A total of 389 pts were enrolled between July 2015 and April 2016. Overall, the objective response rate was 23.1%. At a median follow-up of 12 months, the median progression-free survival was 4.5 months (95% CI 3.7-6.2) and the 12-month overall survival rate was 63%. Any grade and grade 3-4 drAEs were reported in 124 (32%) and 27 (7%) of pts, respectively, and there were no treatment-related deaths. Any grade irAEs occurred in 76 (20%) of patients, 8% cutaneous, 4% endocrine, 2% hepatic, 5% gastro-intestinal and 1% pulmonary. Of the 22 drAEs inducing treatment discontinuation, 10 (45%) were irAEs. Pts with drAEs had a significantly longer survival than those without drAEs (median OS 22.5 versus 16.4 months, p = 0.01). Pts with irAEs versus without irAEs had a more significant survival benefit (median OS not reached versus 16.8 months, p = 0.002), confirmed at the landmark analysis at 6 weeks. The occurrence of irAEs displayed a strong association with OS in univariable (HR 0.48, p = 0.003) and multivariable (HR 0.57, p = 0.02) analysis.

The appearance of irAEs strongly correlates with survival benefit in a real-life population of mRCC pts treated with nivolumab.

Journal for immunotherapy of cancer. 2019 Apr 03*** epublish ***

Elena Verzoni, Giacomo Cartenì, Enrico Cortesi, Diana Giannarelli, Andrea De Giglio, Roberto Sabbatini, Sebastiano Buti, Sabrina Rossetti, Francesco Cognetti, Francesca Rastelli, Alberto Sobrero, Daniele Turci, Cora N Sternberg, Camillo Porta, Federico Cappuzzo, Giampaolo Tortora, Davide Tassinari, Stefano Panni, Antonio Pazzola, Gianmarco Surico, Alessandra Raimondi, Ugo De Giorgi, Giuseppe Procopio, Italian Nivolumab Renal Cell Cancer Early Access Program group

Medical Oncology-Genitourinary Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy. ., Oncology Unit, A. Cardarelli Hospital, Naples, Italy., Radiology, Oncology and Pathology, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy., Biostatistical Unit, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute - IRCCS, Rome, Italy., Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera Santa Maria, Terni, Italy., Oncology and Hematology Department, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Policlinico di Modena, Modena, Italy., Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera di Parma, Parma, Italy., Urology and Gynecology, Istituto Nazionale Tumori - IRCCS - Fondazione Pascale, Naples, Italy., Medical Oncology, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute - IRCCS, Rome, Italy., Medical Oncology, UOC Oncologia Area Vasta 4, Fermo, Italy., Medical Oncology, San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy., Medical Oncology, Ospedale Santa Maria delle Croci, Ravenna, Italy., Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Camillo Forlanini, Rome, Italy., Department of Internal Medicine, University of Pavia and Division of Translational Oncology, IRCCS Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri, Pavia, Italy., Medical Oncology, Ospedale Umberto I (AUSL Romagna), Lugo, Italy., Medical Oncology, AOU Integrata Verona "Borgo Roma", Verona, Italy., Oncology, Ospedale Infermi, Rimini, Italy., Medical Oncology, Istituti Ospitalieri di Cremona, Cremona, Italy., Medical Oncology, Ospedale Civile SS Annunziata, Sassari, Italy., Medical Oncology, Ospedale Vito Fazzi, Lecce, Italy., Medical Oncology-Genitourinary Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori di Milano, Via Venezian 1, 20133, Milan, Italy., Urologic-Gynecologic Unit, Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (I.R.S.T.), Meldola, Italy.