Article,

Second-line therapy with nivolumab plus ipilimumab for older patients with oesophageal squamous cell cancer (RAMONA): a multicentre, open-label phase 2 trial

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Lancet Healthy Longev., 3 (6): e417--e427 (June 2022)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The overall survival of patients with advanced and refractory oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, mostly aged 65 years and older, is poor. Treatment with PD-1 antibodies showed improved progression-free survival and overall survival. We assessed the safety and efficacy of combined nivolumab and ipilimumab therapy in this population. METHODS: This multicentre, open-label, phase 2 trial done in 32 sites in Germany included patients aged 65 years and older with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma and disease progression or recurrence following first-line therapy. Patients were treated with nivolumab (240 mg fixed dose once every 2 weeks, intravenously) in the safety run-in phase and continued with nivolumab and ipilimumab (nivolumab 240 mg fixed dose once every 2 weeks and ipilimumab 1 mg/kg once every 6 weeks, intravenously). The primary endpoint was overall survival, which was compared with a historical cohort receiving standard chemotherapy in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03416244. FINDINGS: Between March 2, 2018, and Aug 20, 2020, we screened 75 patients with advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We enrolled 66 patients (50 76\% men and 16 24\% women; median age 70·5 years IQR 67·0-76·0), 44 (67\%) of whom received combined nivolumab and ipilimumab therapy and 22 (33\%) received nivolumab alone. Median overall survival time at the prespecified data cutoff was 7·2 months (95\% CI 5·7-12·4) and significantly higher than in a historical cohort receiving standard chemotherapy (p=0·0063). The most common treatment-related adverse events were fatigue (12 29\% of 42), nausea (11 26\%), and diarrhoea (ten 24\%). Grade 3-5 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 13 (20\%) of 66 patients. Treatment-related death occurred in one patient with bronchiolitis obliterans while on nivolumab and ipilimumab treatment. INTERPRETATION: Patients aged at least 65 years, with advanced oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma might benefit from combined nivolumab and ipilimumab therapy in second-line treatment. FUNDING: Bristol Myers Squibb.

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