Introduction: Advances in neoadjuvant therapy for patients with localized, nonmetastatic, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is needed. Patients and methods: PURE-02 was a feasibility study enrolling individuals with UTUC, at clinical stage N0M0, with high-risk features according to the modified European Association of Urology definition, based on the presence of either: high-grade disease, multifocality, tumor size ≥2 cm, and/or hydronephrosis. The treatment consisted of 3 courses of 200 mg pembrolizumab, intravenously, every 3 weeks, followed by radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). The endpoints were to assess the safety, pathological responses, and biomarkers. Results: Ten patients were enrolled between August 2018 and November 2020, 9 (90%) completed the neoadjuvant course. One treatment-related death occurred as a complication of severe myocarditis, myasthenia gravis, hepatitis and myositis. One (14.3%) patient achieved a clinical complete response and refused to undergo RNU. Two (20%) had disease progression and received subsequent chemotherapy, prior to RNU. Overall, 7 patients underwent RNU: one (14.3%) achieved an ypT1N0 response, although this patient was reported to have a cT1 tumor at baseline imaging. The remaining patients were nonresponders. Circulating tumor DNA assay did not identify patients likely to achieve a complete pathologic response. Conclusion: Single-agent neoadjuvant pembrolizumab did not appear to be a promising treatment strategy for patients with biomarker-unselected, high-risk localized UTUC.

A feasibility study of preoperative pembrolizumab before radical nephroureterectomy in patients with high-risk, upper tract urothelial carcinoma: PURE-02 / Necchi, A.; Martini, A.; Raggi, D.; Cucchiara, V.; Colecchia, M.; Luciano, R.; Villa, L.; Mazzone, E.; Basile, G.; Scuderi, S.; Pederzoli, F.; Bandini, M.; Barletta, F.; Larcher, A.; Capitanio, U.; Salonia, A.; Briganti, A.; Ross, J. S.; Messina, A.; Montorsi, F.. - In: UROLOGIC ONCOLOGY. - ISSN 1078-1439. - (2021). [10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.05.014]

A feasibility study of preoperative pembrolizumab before radical nephroureterectomy in patients with high-risk, upper tract urothelial carcinoma: PURE-02

Necchi A.;Martini A.;Cucchiara V.;Colecchia M.;Mazzone E.;Basile G.;Scuderi S.;Pederzoli F.;Bandini M.;Barletta F.;Salonia A.;Briganti A.;Messina A.;Montorsi F.
2021-01-01

Abstract

Introduction: Advances in neoadjuvant therapy for patients with localized, nonmetastatic, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is needed. Patients and methods: PURE-02 was a feasibility study enrolling individuals with UTUC, at clinical stage N0M0, with high-risk features according to the modified European Association of Urology definition, based on the presence of either: high-grade disease, multifocality, tumor size ≥2 cm, and/or hydronephrosis. The treatment consisted of 3 courses of 200 mg pembrolizumab, intravenously, every 3 weeks, followed by radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). The endpoints were to assess the safety, pathological responses, and biomarkers. Results: Ten patients were enrolled between August 2018 and November 2020, 9 (90%) completed the neoadjuvant course. One treatment-related death occurred as a complication of severe myocarditis, myasthenia gravis, hepatitis and myositis. One (14.3%) patient achieved a clinical complete response and refused to undergo RNU. Two (20%) had disease progression and received subsequent chemotherapy, prior to RNU. Overall, 7 patients underwent RNU: one (14.3%) achieved an ypT1N0 response, although this patient was reported to have a cT1 tumor at baseline imaging. The remaining patients were nonresponders. Circulating tumor DNA assay did not identify patients likely to achieve a complete pathologic response. Conclusion: Single-agent neoadjuvant pembrolizumab did not appear to be a promising treatment strategy for patients with biomarker-unselected, high-risk localized UTUC.
2021
Neoadjuvant immunotherapy
Pembrolizumab
Urothelial carcinoma
UTUC
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11768/118319
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