Search

Djin-Ye Oh, Jeanette Milde, Youngsun Ham, Julia Patricia Ramos Calderón, Marianne Wedde, Ralf Dürrwald, Susanne C Duwe Robert Koch Institute, Department 1: Infectious Diseases, Unit 17: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, National Influenza Center, Berlin, GermanyCorrespondence: Susanne C Duwe, Robert Koch Institute, Department 1: Infectious Diseases, Unit 17: Influenza Viruses and Other Respiratory Viruses | National Influenza Center, Seestr. 10, Berlin, 13353, Germany, Tel +49 30 18754 2283, Fax +49 30 18754 2699, Email DuweS@rki.dePurpose: The relaxation of pandemic restrictions in 2022 has led to a reemergence of respiratory virus circulation worldwide and anticipation of substantial influenza waves for the 2022/2023 Northern Hemisphere winter. Therefore, the antiviral susceptibility profiles of human influenza viruses circulating in Germany were characterized.Methods: Between October 2019 (week 40/2019) and March 2022 (week 12/2022), nasal swabs from untreated patients with acute respiratory symptoms were collected in the national German influenza surveillance system. A total of 598 influenza viruses were isolated and analyzed for susceptibility to oseltamivir, zanamivir and peramivir, using a neuraminidase (NA) inhibition assay. In addition, next-generation sequencing was applied to assess molecular markers of resistance to NA, cap-dependent endonuclease (PA) and M2 ion channel inhibitors (NAI, PAI, M2I) in 367 primary clinical samples. Furthermore, a genotyping assay based on RT-PCR and pyrosequencing to rapidly assess the molecular resistance marker PA-I38X in PA genes was designed and established.Results: While NAI resistance in the strict sense, defined by a ≥ 10-fold (influenza A) or ≥ 5-fold (influenza B) increase of NAI IC50, was not detected, a subtype A(H1N1)pdm09 isolate displayed 2.3- to 7.5-fold IC50 increase for all three NAI. This isolate carried the NA-S247N substitution, which is known to enhance NAI resistance induced by NA-H275Y. All sequenced influenza A viruses carried the M2-S31N substitution, which confers resistance to M2I. Of note, one A(H3N2) virus displayed the PA-I38M substitution, which is associated with reduced susceptibility to the PAI baloxavir marboxil. Pyrosequencing analysis confirmed these findings in the original clinical specimen and in cultured virus isolate, suggesting sufficient replicative fitness of this virus mutant.Conclusion: Over the last three influenza seasons, the vast majority of influenza viruses in this national-level sentinel were susceptible to NAIs and PAIs. These findings support the use of antivirals in the upcoming influenza season.Keywords: influenza viruses, antiviral resistance, phenotypic assay, genotypic assay, surveillance, neuraminidase, cap-dependent endonuclease, baloxavir marboxil, molecular resistance marker

Obesity and inflammation are both risk factors for a variety of cancers, including breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) decreases the risk of breast cancer, and also reduces obesity-associated inflammation and insulin resistance, but whether the two effects are related is currently unknown. We tested this hypothesis in a postmenopausal breast cancer model using ovariectomized, immune-competent female mice orthotopically injected with Py230 mammary tumor cells. Obesity, whether triggered genetically or by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding, increased inflammation in the mammary fat pad and promoted mammary tumorigenesis. The presence of tumor cells in the mammary fat pad further enhanced the local inflammatory milieu. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) was the most highly upregulated cytokine in the obese mammary fat pad, and we observed that TNF-α dose-dependently stimulated Py230 cell growth in vitro. An ω-3 PUFA-enriched HFD (referred to as fish oil diet, FOD) reduced inflammation in the obese mammary fat pad in the absence of tumor cells and inhibited Py230 tumor growth in vivo. Although some anti-inflammatory effects of ω-3 PUFAs were previously shown to be mediated by the G-protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120), the FOD reduced Py230 tumor burden in GPR120-deficient mice to a similar degree as observed in wild-type mice, indicating that the effect of FOD to reduce tumor growth does not require GPR120 in the host mouse. Instead, in vitro studies demonstrated that ω-3 PUFAs act directly on tumor cells to activate c-Jun N-terminal kinase, inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis. Our results show that obesity promotes mammary tumor progression in this model of postmenopausal breast cancer and that ω-3 PUFAs, independent of GPR120, inhibit mammary tumor progression in obese mice.

Introduction: DESTINY-PanTumor02 (NCT04482309) evaluated the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) in pretreated patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-expressing [immunohistochemistry (IHC) 3+/2+] solid tumors across seven cohorts: endometrial, cervical, ovarian, bladder, biliary tract, pancreatic, and other. Subgroup analyses by HER2 status were previously reported by central HER2 IHC testing, determined at enrollment or confirmed retrospectively. Reflecting the testing methods available in clinical practice, most patients (n = 202; 75.7%) were enrolled based on local HER2 IHC testing. Here, we report outcomes by HER2 IHC status as determined by the local or central test results used for study enrollment., Methods: This phase 2, open-label study evaluated T-DXd (5.4 mg/kg once every 3 weeks) for HER2-expressing (IHC 3+/2+ by local or central testing) locally advanced or metastatic disease after ≥ 1 systemic treatment or without alternative treatments. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed confirmed objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints included safety, duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival., Results: In total, 111 (41.6%) and 151 (56.6%) patients were enrolled with IHC 3+ and IHC 2+ tumors, respectively. In patients with IHC 3+ tumors, investigator-assessed confirmed ORR was 51.4% [95% confidence interval (CI) 41.7, 61.0], and median DOR was 14.2 months (95% CI 10.3, 23.6). In patients with IHC 2+ tumors, investigator-assessed ORR was 26.5% (95% CI 19.6, 34.3), and median DOR was 9.8 months (95% CI 4.5, 12.6). Safety was consistent with the known profile of T-DXd., Conclusion: In line with previously reported results, T-DXd demonstrated clinically meaningful benefit in patients with HER2-expressing tumors, with the greatest benefit in patients with IHC 3+ tumors. These data support the antitumor activity of T-DXd in HER2-expressing solid tumors, irrespective of whether patients are identified by local or central HER2 IHC testing., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Nivolumab + chemotherapy is now a standard of care for HER2-negative, previously untreated, unresectable or recurrent gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer (advanced gastric cancer), but long-term follow-up data of clinical trials are limited., Methods: ATTRACTON-4 was a phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. Patients were randomized to either nivolumab or placebo, both combined with the physician's choice of SOX (oral S-1 [tegafur-gimeracil-oteracil potassium] + oxaliplatin) or CAPOX (capecitabine + oxaliplatin). We report the primary endpoints-centrally assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS)-and landmark analyses of OS among patients alive using 3-year follow-up data., Results: At the cutoff date (May 10, 2021), 17/359 patients in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group and 6/358 in the placebo + chemotherapy group were continuing study treatment. PFS (centrally assessed) was longer in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group (median 10.94 vs. 8.48 months; hazard ratio [HR] 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.82). Although OS did not differ between the two groups (median 17.45 vs. 17.15 months; HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.75-1.05), the landmark analysis of OS, calculating HRs at each landmark time point (every month), was getting numerically better in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group over time. Approximately 80% of patients who achieved complete response in the nivolumab + chemotherapy group were alive at 3 years. No new safety signals or major late-onset select treatment-related adverse events were observed for nivolumab + chemotherapy., Conclusion: This 3-year follow-up of ATTRACTION-4 confirmed the long-term clinical benefit and manageable safety of nivolumab + chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated advanced gastric cancer., Trial Registration: NCT02746796., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

What Is This Summary About?: Researchers combined information from three separate phase 1 and 2 clinical trials, including over 400 people who had one of 33 different cancer types and who all received futibatinib in their clinical trial. This type of study is called a pooled analysis. Futibatinib is taken orally (by mouth) as a tablet and works by reducing the activity of a group of proteins called fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs). FGFRs drive the growth of some cancers, especially cancer cells with changes in FGFR genes that make the proteins more active. Researchers wanted to look at how common some side effects were in people treated with futibatinib, how soon the side effects happened after taking futibatinib, and how they could be managed. Researchers also wanted to provide recommendations to other health care professionals on how to manage these side effects in people with cancer., What Were the Results?: In this analysis, the researchers focused on side effects that they had seen in previously completed trials of futibatinib. Overall, futibatinib was safe and tolerable. Most people (82%) had a high phosphate level in their blood (hyperphosphatemia), 27% had nail disorders, 27% had liver side effects (changes in liver-related laboratory tests), 19% had a sore mouth (stomatitis), 13% had hand-foot syndrome (palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome), 9% had a rash, 8% developed changes in the back of the eye (retinal disorders), and 4% of people developed cataracts. Most side effects were mild/moderate and reversible. The median time it took from starting treatment to experiencing a severe side effect ranged from 9 days (hyperphosphatemia) to 125 days (cataracts). Some side effects tended to occur early, while others developed later. Only 2% of people stopped taking futibatinib due to treatment-related side effects, and futibatinib caused no deaths., What Do the Results Mean?: The side effects from taking futibatinib were manageable and similar in people with different types of cancer. To fully understand the safety of futibatinib, researchers will need to look at what side effects are reported in people taking futibatinib over a longer time in the real-world setting (outside of clinical trials).

Although the efficacy of trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) against HER2-positive gastric cancers (GCs) has driven its clinical application, the precise mechanisms governing its immunomodulatory role remain unclear. In this study, we examined the immune-related mechanisms of action of T-DXd in GC cells. T-DXd exhibited potent antitumor effects in GC cells across diverse HER2 expression levels by inducing DNA damage and apoptosis. Activation of the DNA damage response by T-DXd led to increased PD-L1 expression. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that T-DXd modulated immune-related pathways, resulting in the upregulation of genes associated with inflammation and IFN signaling. Importantly, T-DXd activated the cGAS-STING pathway, inducing an IFN-I response in HER2-positive GC cells. Furthermore, T-DXd activated dendritic cells via the cancer cell-intrinsic cGAS-STING-IFN axis and enhanced PBMC-mediated tumor cell killing by activating CD8 + T cells. These findings provide valuable insights into the role of the cytosolic DNA sensing pathway in the action of T-DXd and offer a compelling rationale for combining T-DXd with immune checkpoint blockade therapies in GC treatment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: KRAS , TP53 , CDKN2A , and SMAD4 have been the main driver mutations in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Studies on the clinical significance and treatment response to 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) regimen in terms of the presence of these mutations remain inconclusive., Objectives: This study aimed to compare the survival outcome and response to FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy based on the presence of four driver mutation genes., Design: A multi-center retrospective study conducted at two tertiary medical centers., Methods: This study analyzed PDAC patients who were treated with FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy as the initial treatment. Tumor specimens were analyzed by a targeted next-generation sequencing platform at two tertiary referral hospitals from January 2016 to March 2022. Patients' demographics, survival outcomes, and chemotherapeutic response were investigated and compared according to the presence of driver mutations., Results: The analysis included 100 patients. KRAS mutation was identified in 92 (92.0%) patients, followed by TP53 , CDKN2A , and SMAD4 in 63 (63.0%), 18 (18.0%), and 17 (17.0%) patients, respectively. The TP53 wild-type group demonstrated longer overall survival (OS) than the TP53 mutated group (median OS: 29 vs 19 months, p  = 0.03), and TP53 served as a prognostic factor for survival (hazard ratio = 1.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.00-3.00, p  = 0.048). The difference in OS according to TP53 mutation was intensified in localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma (37 vs 19 months, p  = 0.01). The TP53 wild-type group demonstrated a higher objective response rate to FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy than the TP53 mutation group in localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma (50.0% vs 17.6%, p  = 0.024)., Conclusion: PDAC patients with wild-type TP53 demonstrated longer OS than those with TP53 mutation, and this trend was intensified in patients with localized disease. This result may be due to an impaired response to FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy in patients with TP53 mutation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. Qualified, interested researchers can contact the corresponding author to request additional data. The data cannot be shared publicly as they contain potentially identifying patient data., (© The Author(s), 2024.)

Purpose: This multicenter phase II basket trial investigated the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of Debio 1347, an investigational, oral, highly selective, ATP-competitive, small molecule inhibitor of FGFR1-3, in patients with solid tumors harboring a functional FGFR1-3 fusion., Patients and Methods: Eligible adults had a previously treated locally advanced (unresectable) or metastatic biliary tract (cohort 1), urothelial (cohort 2), or another histologic cancer type (cohort 3). Debio 1347 was administered at 80 mg once daily, continuously, in 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate. Secondary endpoints included duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival, pharmacokinetics, and incidence of adverse events., Results: Between March 22, 2019, and January 8, 2020, 63 patients were enrolled and treated, 30 in cohort 1, 4 in cohort 2, and 29 in cohort 3. An unplanned preliminary statistical review showed that the efficacy of Debio 1347 was lower than predicted, and the trial was terminated. In total, 3 of 58 evaluable patients had partial responses, representing an objective response rate of 5%, with a further 26 (45%) having stable disease (≥6 weeks duration). Grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 22 (35%) of 63 patients, with the most common being hyperphosphatemia (13%) and stomatitis (5%). Two patients (3%) discontinued treatment due to adverse events., Conclusions: Debio 1347 had manageable toxicity; however, the efficacy in patients with tumors harboring FGFR fusions did not support further clinical evaluation in this setting. Our transcriptomic-based analysis characterized in detail the incidence and nature of FGFR fusions across solid tumors. See related commentary by Hage Chehade et al., p. 4549., (©2024 American Association for Cancer Research.)

Identifying pan-tumor biomarkers that predict responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is critically needed. In the AMADEUS clinical trial (NCT03651271), patients with various advanced solid tumors were assessed for changes in intratumoral CD8 percentages and their response to ICI. Patients were grouped based on tumoral CD8 levels: those with CD8 <15% (CD8-low) received nivolumab (anti-PD-1) plus ipilimumab (anti-CTLA4) and those with CD8 ≥15% (CD8-high) received nivolumab monotherapy. 79 patients (72 CD8-low and 7 CD8-high) were treated. The disease control rate was 25.0% (18/72; 95% CI: 15.8-35.2) in CD8-low and 14.3% (1/7; 95% CI: 1.1-43.8) in CD8-high. Tumors from 35.9% (14/39; 95% CI: 21.8-51.4) of patients converted from CD8 <15% pretreatment to ≥15% after treatment. Multiomic analyses showed that CD8-low responders had an inflammatory tumor microenvironment pretreatment, enhanced by an influx of CD8 T cells, CD4 T cells, B cells, and macrophages upon treatment. These findings reveal crucial pan-cancer immunological features for ICI response in patients with metastatic disease., (© 2024 Tsimberidou et al.)

Purpose: Treatment options for refractory advanced gastric and esophagogastric junction cancer (AGOC) are limited. Regorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor, prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) versus placebo in the INTEGRATE I phase II trial. INTEGRATE IIa was designed to examine whether regorafenib improved overall survival (OS)., Methods: A double-blind placebo-controlled phase III trial compared regorafenib and best supportive care (BSC) versus placebo and BSC for participants with confirmed evaluable metastatic/advanced AGOC who failed ≥two prior therapies on a 2:1 random assignment, stratified by tumor location, geographic region (Asia v rest of world), and prior vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors. The primary end point was OS. Treatment efficacy on OS was first tested in the pooled INTEGRATE I + INTEGRATE IIa cohort and, if significant, then in the INTEGRATE IIa cohort. Secondary end points were PFS, objective response rate, safety, and quality of life (QoL)., Results: INTEGRATE IIa enrolled 251 participants: 157 from Asia and 94 from rest of world and 169 received regorafenib and 82 received placebo. No significant heterogeneity was observed between INTEGRATE I and INTEGRATE IIa studies on OS. Pooled OS analysis hazard ratio (HR) was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.56 to 0.87; P = .001; 361 events). INTEGRATE IIa alone OS HR was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.90; P = .006; 238 events), the median OS was 4.5 months versus 4.0 months, and 12-month survival rates were 19% and 6%, for regorafenib versus placebo, respectively. After a preplanned adjustment for multiplicity, there were no statistically significant differences across regions or other prespecified subgroups. Regorafenib improved PFS (HR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.40 to 0.70]; P < .0001) and delayed deterioration in global QoL (HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.52 to 0.89]; P = .0043). The toxicity profile was consistent with that of previous reports., Conclusion: Regorafenib improves survival compared with placebo in refractory AGOC.

Advances in cancer immunotherapy have transformed cancer care and realized unprecedented responses in many patients. The growing arsenal of novel therapeutics - including immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI), adoptive T cell therapies (ACTs), and cancer vaccines - reflects the success of cancer immunotherapy. The therapeutic benefits of these treatment modalities are generally attributed to the enhanced quantity and quality of antitumor CD8 + T cell responses. Nevertheless, CD4 + T cells are now recognized to play key roles in both the priming and effector phases of the antitumor immune response. In addition to providing T cell help through co-stimulation and cytokine production, CD4 + T cells can also possess cytotoxicity either directly on MHC class II-expressing tumor cells or to other cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The presence of specific populations of CD4 + T cells, and their intrinsic plasticity, within the TME can represent an important determinant of clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, vaccines, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies. Understanding how the antitumor functions of specific CD4 + T cell types are induced while limiting their protumorigenic attributes will enable more successful immunotherapies., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests L.F. received research funding from Abbvie, Bavarian Nordic, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dendreon, Janssen, Merck, Nektar, Roche/Genentech, and Parker Institute; served as a consultant to Abbvie, Actym, Amgen, Astra Zeneca, Atreca, Bioatla, Bolt, Bristol Myer Squibb, Crescendo, Daiichi Sankyo, Immunogenesis, Innovent, Merck, NGMBio, Nutcracker, RAPT, Senti, Sutro, and Roche/Genentech; and has ownership interests in Actym, Atreca, Bioatla, Bolt, Immunogenesis, Nutcracker, RAPT, and Senti, unrelated to this review., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) is standard for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC). However, consensus is lacking on the optimal surgical timing for patients with BRPC undergoing NAT. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcomes of patients undergoing NAT for BRPC and suggest optimal resection timing., Methods: Prospectively collected data for 282 patients with BRPC between January 2007 and December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. There were 164 patients who underwent NAT followed by surgery, 45 for chemotherapy only, and 73 for upfront surgery. Among them, 150 patients who underwent R0 or R1 resection following NAT were investigated to identify prognostic factors., Results: Patients receiving NAT followed by surgery showed the best survival (median overall survival [OS]; NAT followed by surgery vs. upfront surgery vs. chemotherapy only; 35 vs. 23 vs. 16 months). In the NAT group, 54 (36.0%) patients received less than 3 months of NAT, 68 (45.3%) received ≥3, <6 months, and 28 (18.7%) received longer than 6 months. Patients receiving ≥3 months of NAT showed an improved OS compared to <3 months (median; not reached vs. 27 months). In the FOLFIRINOX group, patients who received more than eight FOLFIRINOX cycles showed a good prognosis (<6 vs. 6-7 vs. ≥8 cycles; median survival, 26 vs. 41 months vs. not-reached). However, >12 cycles did not carry a survival benefit compared to 8-11 cycles., Conclusion: The optimal resection timing following NAT is once a patient undergoes at least 3 months of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or at least eight FOLFIRINOX cycles., (© 2024 Japanese Society of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery.)

Ethylene oxide (E.O) is an epoxide compound, and it has been utilized as a sterilizer or production of ether compounds in several industries. Although the toxic effects of E.O on bacteria and mammals have been reported, its effects on male reproductive toxicity during sperm capacitation are not fully understood. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the effects of E.O exposure during sperm capacitation. Boar spermatozoa were treated with various E.O concentrations (0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μМ). After exposure, sperm motility, motion kinematics, capacitation status, intracellular ATP levels, cell viability, expression levels of protein kinase A (PKA) activation, and tyrosine phosphorylation were evaluated. Results revealed that E.O exposure significantly decreased sperm motility, motion kinematics, and intracellular ATP levels but significantly increased the capacitated spermatozoa. In addition, the PKA activation and tyrosine phosphorylation were abnormally changed. According to our results, E.O may cause toxic effects on sperm function during capacitation, which induces male reproductive toxicity. Consequently, we suggest that male reproductive toxicity should be considered when using E.O., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Claudin 18.2 (CLDN18.2) is a promising target for targeted therapies in gastric cancer (GC). This study investigated the prevalence of CLDN18.2 expression in patients with stages II-IV GC or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma and its correlation with clinicopathologic features and other crucial GC biomarkers., Methods: We enrolled 1000 patients diagnosed with stages II-IV GC after surgical treatment. Immunohistochemistry for CLDN18 (43-14A clone), PD-L1 (22C3 pharmDx), HER2, and FGFR2 was performed. CLDN18.2 positivity was defined as moderate-to-strong (2+/3+) membranous staining in ≥75% of tumor cells. CLDN18.2 expression was compared with biomarker expression, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) association and microsatellite instability status, and clinicopathologic features., Result: CLDN18.2 was positive in 34.4% of the patients. CLDN18.2 positivity was significantly higher in the middle and upper thirds than in the lower third gastric location (P < .001), but there was no correlation with age, sex, or stage (P > .05). CLDN18.2 positivity was rare (2.8%) in mucinous adenocarcinoma but frequent (90.9%) in a majority of gastric carcinomas with lymphoid stroma. CLDN18.2 positivity was higher in EBV-associated (P < .001) and PD-L1-positive (PD-L1 CPS ≥ 5) GC (P = .014) but lower in HER2 positive GC (P = .005). CLDN18.2 positivity was not significantly associated with overall survival and disease-free survival., Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of CLDN18.2 status and its correlation with the clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with stages II-IV GC in Korea and with crucial biomarkers. It may be valuable for guiding future drug development, expanding treatment options, and ultimately improving patient outcomes in GC., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Oridonin, a natural terpenoid isolated from the leaves of Isodon rubescens (Hemsley) H.Hara, is widely used in oriental medicine for its anticancer properties across various cancer types. Despite its prevalent use, the toxic effects of oridonin on male reproduction, particularly its impact on sperm functions and the mechanisms involved, are not well understood. This study aimed to explore the effects and underlying mechanisms of oridonin on sperm functions. We initially treated Duroc boar spermatozoa with varying concentrations of oridonin (0, 5, 50, 75, 100, and 150 µM) and incubated them to induce capacitation. We then assessed cell viability and several sperm functions, including sperm motility and motion kinematics, capacitation status, and ATP levels. We also analyzed the expression levels of proteins associated with the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-1 (PDK1)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway and phosphotyrosine proteins. Our results indicate that oridonin adversely affects most sperm functions in a dose-dependent manner. We observed significant decreases in AKT, p-AKT (Thr308), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), p-PDK1, and p-PI3K levels following oridonin treatment, alongside an abnormal increase in phosphotyrosine proteins. These findings suggest that oridonin may disrupt normal levels of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins by inhibiting the PI3K/PDK1/AKT signaling pathway, which is crucial for cell proliferation, metabolism, and apoptosis, thus potentially harming sperm functions. Consequently, we recommend considering the reproductive toxicity of oridonin when using it as a therapeutic agent., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The receptor tyrosine-kinase HER2 (also known as ErbB2) is a well-established therapeutic target in patients with breast or gastric cancer selected on the basis of HER2 overexpression on immunohistochemistry and/or ERBB2 amplification on in situ hybridization. With advances in cancer molecular profiling and increased implementation of precision medicine approaches into oncology practice, actionable HER2 alterations in solid tumours have expanded to include ERBB2 mutations in addition to traditional HER2 overexpression and ERBB2 amplification. These various HER2 alterations can be found in solid tumour types beyond breast and gastric cancer, although few HER2-targeted therapeutic options have been established for the other tumour types. Nevertheless, during the 5 years since our previous Review on this topic was published in this journal, obvious and fruitful progress in the development of HER2-targeted therapies has been made, including new disease indications, innovative drugs with diverse mechanisms of action and novel frameworks for approval by regulatory authorities. These advances have culminated in the recent histology-agnostic approval of the anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate trastuzumab deruxtecan for patients with HER2-overexpressing solid tumours. In this new Review, we provide an update on the current development landscape of HER2-targeted therapies beyond breast cancer, as well as anticipated future HER2-directed treatment strategies to overcome resistance and thereby improve efficacy and patient outcomes., (© 2024. Springer Nature Limited.)

Background: FGFR genomic aberrations occur in approximately 5-10% of human cancers. Erdafitinib has previously demonstrated efficacy and safety in FGFR-altered advanced solid tumors, such as gliomas, thoracic, gastrointestinal, gynecological, and other rare cancers. However, its efficacy and safety in Asian patients remain largely unknown. We conducted a multicenter, open-label, single-arm phase IIa study of erdafitinib to evaluate its efficacy in Asian patients with FGFR-altered advanced cholangiocarcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and esophageal cancer., Methods: Patients with pathologically/cytologically confirmed, advanced, or refractory tumors who met molecular and study eligibility criteria received oral erdafitinib 8 mg once daily with an option for pharmacodynamically guided up-titration to 9 mg on a 28-day cycle, except for four NSCLC patients who received erdafitinib 10 mg (7 days on/7 days off) as they were recruited before the protocol amendment. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed objective response rate per RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, duration of response, disease control rate, overall survival, safety, and pharmacokinetics., Results: Thirty-five patients (cholangiocarcinoma: 22; NSCLC: 12; esophageal cancer: 1) were enrolled. At data cutoff (November 19, 2021), the objective response rate for patients with cholangiocarcinoma was 40.9% (95% CI, 20.7-63.6); the median progression-free survival was 5.6 months (95% CI, 3.6-12.7) and median overall survival was 40.2 months (95% CI, 12.4-not estimable). No patient with RET/FGFR-altered NSCLC achieved objective response and the disease control rate was 25.0% (95% CI, 5.5-57.2%), with three patients with stable disease. The single patient with esophageal cancer achieved partial response. All patients experienced treatment-emergent adverse events, and grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 22 (62.9%) patients. Hyperphosphatemia was the most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse event (all-grade, 85.7%)., Conclusions: Erdafitinib demonstrated efficacy in a population of Asian patients in selected advanced solid tumors, particularly in those with advanced FGFR-altered cholangiocarcinoma. Treatment was tolerable with no new safety signals., Trial Registration: This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02699606); study registration (first posted): 04/03/2016., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Clinical Practice Guidelines for the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with biliary tract cancer (BTC), published in late 2022 were adapted in December 2023, according to established standard methodology, to produce the Pan-Asian adapted (PAGA) ESMO consensus guidelines for the management of Asian patients with BTC. The adapted guidelines presented in this manuscript represent the consensus opinions reached by a panel of Asian experts in the treatment of patients with BTC representing the oncological societies of China (CSCO), Indonesia (ISHMO), India (ISMPO), Japan (JSMO), Korea (KSMO), Malaysia (MOS), the Philippines (PSMO), Singapore (SSO), Taiwan (TOS) and Thailand (TSCO), co-ordinated by ESMO and the Taiwan Oncology Society (TOS). The voting was based on scientific evidence and was independent of the current treatment practices, drug access restrictions and reimbursement decisions in the different regions of Asia. Drug access and reimbursement in the different regions of Asia are discussed separately in the manuscript. The aim is to provide guidance for the optimisation and harmonisation of the management of patients with BTC across the different countries and regions of Asia, drawing on the evidence provided by both Western and Asian trials, whilst respecting the differences in screening practices and molecular profiling, as well as age and stage at presentation. Attention is drawn to the disparity in the drug approvals and reimbursement strategies, between the different countries., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: In the preplanned interim analysis of the TOPAZ-1 study, durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin significantly improved overall survival versus placebo plus gemcitabine-cisplatin in participants with advanced biliary tract cancer. We aimed to report updated overall survival and safety data from TOPAZ-1 with additional follow-up and data maturity beyond the interim analysis., Methods: TOPAZ-1 was a phase 3, randomised, double-masked, placebo-controlled, global study done at 105 sites in 17 countries. Participants aged 18 years or older with unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic biliary tract cancer were randomly assigned (1:1) to durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin or placebo plus gemcitabine-cisplatin using a computer-generated randomisation scheme, stratified by disease status and primary tumour location. Participants received durvalumab (1500 mg) or placebo on day 1 of each cycle every 3 weeks for up to eight cycles, plus gemcitabine (1000 mg/m 2 ) and cisplatin (25 mg/m 2 ) intravenously on days 1 and 8 of each cycle every 3 weeks for up to eight cycles, followed by durvalumab (1500 mg) or placebo monotherapy every 4 weeks until disease progression or other discontinuation criteria were met. Investigators and participants were masked to study treatment. The primary endpoint was overall survival. TOPAZ-1 met its primary endpoint at the preplanned interim analysis, and the study is active but no longer recruiting participants. Updated overall survival and safety data from TOPAZ-1, with additional follow-up (data cutoff Feb 25, 2022) and data maturity beyond the interim analysis, are reported here. Efficacy was assessed in the full analysis set (all randomly assigned participants). Safety was assessed in the safety analysis set (all participants who received at least one dose of study treatment). The TOPAZ-1 study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03875235., Findings: From April 16, 2019, to Dec 11, 2020, 914 participants were enrolled, 685 of whom were randomly assigned (341 to the durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group and 344 to the placebo plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group). 345 (50%) participants were male and 340 (50%) were female. Median follow-up at the updated data cutoff was 23·4 months (95% CI 20·6-25·2) in the durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group and 22·4 months (21·4-23·8) in the placebo plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group. At the updated data cutoff, 248 (73%) participants in the durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group and 279 (81%) participants in the placebo plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group had died (median overall survival 12·9 months [95% CI 11·6-14·1] vs 11·3 months [10·1-12·5]; hazard ratio 0·76 [95% CI 0·64-0·91]). Kaplan-Meier-estimated 24-month overall survival rates were 23·6% (95% CI 18·7-28·9) in the durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group and 11·5% (7·6-16·2) in the placebo plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group. Maximum grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 250 (74%) of 338 participants in the durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group and 257 (75%) of 342 in the placebo plus gemcitabine-cisplatin group. The most common maximum grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events were decreased neutrophil count (70 [21%] vs 86 [25%]), anaemia (64 [19%] vs 64 [19%]), and neutropenia (63 [19%] vs 68 [20%])., Interpretation: Durvalumab plus gemcitabine-cisplatin showed robust and sustained overall survival benefit with no new safety signals. Findings continue to support the regimen as a standard of care for people with untreated, advanced biliary tract cancer., Funding: AstraZeneca., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests D-YO reports advisory fees from Arcus Biosciences, Aslan Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Basilea, Bayer, BeiGene, Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene, Genentech/Roche, Halozyme, IQVIA, Merck Serono, Novartis, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Turning Point Therapeutics, Yuhan, and Zymeworks; and institutional research funding from Array BioPharma, AstraZeneca, BeiGene, Eli Lilly, Handok, MSD, Novartis, and Servier. ARH reports consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Genentech/Roche; research funding from Genentech and Merck; and speakers bureau fees from Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb. MB reports consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eisai, Ipsen, MSD, Roche, and Sirtex Medical; speakers bureau fees from Bayer, Eisai, and Roche; and support for travel and attending meetings from AstraZeneca, Bayer, and Sirtex Medical. TO reports advisory fees from AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Eisai, Eli Lilly, Incyte, Meiji Seika Pharma, Mundipharma, Nihon Servier, Nippon Shinyaku, Pfizer, Taiho Pharmaceutical, and Takara Bio; and speaker fees from AstraZeneca, Baxter, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chugai Pharma, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Eisai, Eli Lilly, MSD, Nihon Servier, Novartis, Ono Pharmaceutical, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Teijin Pharma, and Yakult Honsha. L-TC reports personal speaker fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, CStone, Eli Lilly, Ipsen, Ono Pharmaceutical, Novartis, PharmaEngine, and TTY; fees for medical monitoring for clinical trials for Taivex; fees received as a data and safety monitoring committee member for clinical trials for OBI Pharma; advisory fees from AstraZeneca, MSD, and SynCoreBio; speaker fees from AstraZeneca, HuniLife Biotechnology, Ono Pharmaceutical, ScinoPharm Taiwan, SynCoreBio, and TTY; and research funding from Celgene. MK reports research funding from AbbVie and Takeda; and honoraria from EA Pharma and AstraZeneca. JWK reports research funding from inno.N and Jeil Pharmaceutical; and consulting fees from AstraZeneca, BeiGene, BeyondBio, Bristol Myers Squibb/Celgene, Eisai, GC Cell, MSD Ono, Sanofi-Aventis, Servier, and TCUBEit. TS reports speaker fees from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Baxter, Eli Lilly, Mundipharma (Thailand), Janssen, MSD, Novartis, Roche, and Takeda; and advisory fees from Novartis and Roche. MI reports grant or research support from Aslan Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chiome Bioscience, Chugai Pharma, Delta-Fly Pharma, EA Pharma, Eisai, Eli Lilly Japan, J-Pharma, Merck, Merus NV, Nihon Servier, Novartis, Ono Pharmaceutical, Pfizer, Takeda, and Yakult; fees or honoraria for lectures, presentations, speakers bureaus, manuscript writing, or educational events from Astellas Pharma, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chugai Pharma, Eisai, Eli Lilly Japan, MSD, Nihon Servier, Novartis, Otsuka, Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Takeda, Teijin Pharma, and Yakult; and fees for participation on a data safety monitoring board or advisory board from Aslan Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chugai Pharma, Eisai, Eli Lilly Japan, GlaxoSmithKline, Nihon Servier, Novartis, and Takeda. J-SC reports grant or research support from Astellas Pharma, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Eli Lilly, Merck KGaA, MSD, MSD Oncology, Oncologie, Ono Pharmaceutical, Roche, Senhwa Biosciences, SynCore, and TTY; and consulting fees from Ono Pharmaceutical. PP reports personal fees for an advisory board from AstraZeneca, Sanofi-Aventis, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen Oncology, MSD, Pierre Fabre, Roche, and Servier; personal fees as an invited speaker from AstraZeneca, Ipsen, Pierre Fabre, and Merck; and being a principal investigator for AstraZeneca and Roche. HAB reports research funding from AbbVie, Agios, Arch Pharmalabs, ARMO BioSciences, Array BioPharma, Arvinas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, BIND Therapeutics, BioAtla, BioMed Valley Discoveries, Biotheryx, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, CALGB, CicloMed, Coordination Pharmaceuticals, CytomX, eFFECTOR Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Foundation Medicine, Gossamer Bio, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Harpoon Therapeutics, Incyte, Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, Jounce Therapeutics, Kymab, MacroGenics, MedImmune, Merck, Millennium/Takeda, miRNA Therapeutics, Moderna, NGM Bio, Novartis, Pfizer, Revolution Medicine, Roche/Genentech, Ryvu Therapeutics, Seattle Genetics, Tesaro, TG Therapeutics, Verastem Oncology, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, XBiotech, and Zymeworks; and consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Daiichi Sankyo, Forma Therapeutics, Grail, Incyte, Novartis, Pfizer, and Vincerx Pharma. VO reports grant or research support from Dr Reddy's Laboratories and Zydus Cadila; institutional fees for advisory board participation from AstraZeneca, Panacea Biotec, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, and Zydus Cadila; travel reimbursement as an invited speaker from AstraZeneca; other institutional financial interests with Alkem Laboratories, Eisai, Intas Pharmaceuticals, and Micro Labs; and non-financial interests with the Indian Association of Supportive Care in Cancer. ST reports honoraria from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eisai, MSD, Novartis, and Roche; speaker fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, Ipsen, and Novartis; and non-financial interests with AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Ipsen, Janssen, and Roche. CM reports institutional grant or research support from AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, J-Pharma, Hitachi, Merck BioReliance, MSD, Kyowa Kirin, Ono Pharmaceutical, Taiho Pharmaceutical, and Yakult Honsha; personal fees for advisory board participation from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Merck BioReliance, MSD, Servier, Taiho Pharmaceutical, and Yakult; and personal fees received as an invited speaker from AstraZeneca, Eisai, Kyowa Kirin, MSD, Novartis, Servier, Taiho Pharmaceutical, Teijin Pharma, and Yakult Honsha. REZ reports speaker fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, Ipsen, and Novartis; and travel grants from Pierre Fabre. MGM reports grant or research support from Ipsen, NuCana, and Servier; consulting fees from AstraZeneca and Incyte; and honoraria from Advanced Accelerator Applications and AstraZeneca. AA reports research funding from Amgen, Bayer, and Bristol Myers Squibb; and advisory fees from AstraZeneca, Amgen, Eisai, and MSD. JEC reports advisory fees from MSD; and fees as an invited speaker for AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Takeda, and Roche. VB reports consulting fees from Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb Russia, Eisai, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche Russia, and Takeda; and travel expenses from Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb Russia, MSD, and Roche Russia. BT reports research funding from Adaptimmune, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Exelixis. SS reports grant or research support from Delta-Fly Pharma and Incyte. DT reports personal fees for advisory board participation from Amgen, AstraZeneca, MSD, Pierre Fabre, Roche, Sanofi, and Servier. LE reports personal fees for advisory board participation from Amgen, Merk, MSD, and Servier. MP reports personal fees for advisory board participation from Roche and Servier; personal fees as an invited speaker from AstraZeneca, Ewopharma, and Takeda; and non-financial interests with AstraZeneca and Sanofi. DBZ reports advisory fees from Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Ipsen, Jazz Pharmaceuticals/Zymeworks, and QED Therapeutics; and research funding from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Meyers Squibb, Cornerstone Pharmaceuticals, Daiichi Sankyo, Eli Lily, Ipsen, Roche/Genentech, Legend Biotech, Merck, and Seagen. VGG holds stock in RPG Life Sciences and Zydus Lifesciences. FD reports grant or research support from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Exelixis, Genentech, Ipsen, Signatera, and Taiho Pharmaceutical; consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Eisai, Exelixis, Genentech, and Ipsen; and payment or honoraria from Astellas, Eisai, Exelixis, Ipsen, Servier, and Sirtex Medical. JOP reports advisory board fees from Adicet Bio, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb (Celgene), MediRama, MedPacto, Merck Serono, and Servier; support for travel to meetings from Minneamrita Therapeutics; and grant or research support from ABL Bio, Bristol Myers Squibb (Celgene), Eutilex, MedPacto, and Servier. HK, CM, and MŻ are employees of AstraZeneca. JW and NR are employees of and hold stock in AstraZeneca. AV reports speaker fees from BeiGene, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eisai, Imaging Equipment, Incyte, Ipsen, Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly, MSD, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, and Roche; and advisory fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boston Scientific, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Ipsen, Incyte, Lilly, MSD, Pierre Fabre, Roche, and Sirtex Medical. JWV reports advisory fees from Agios, AstraZeneca, Autem Therapeutics, Baxter, Hutchison MediPharma, Image Equipment, NuCana, QED Therapeutics, Sirtex Medical, Servier, and Zymeworks; speaker fees from Incyte, Ipsen, and Mylan; and research funding from AstraZeneca and Redx. All other authors declare no competing interests., (2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Silver (Ag) metal-based structures are promising building blocks for next-generation photonics and electronics owing to their unique characteristics, such as high reflectivity, surface plasmonic resonance effects, high electrical conductivity, and tunable electron transport mechanisms. However, Ag structures exhibit poor sustainability in terms of device performance because harsh chemicals, particularly S 2- ions present in the air, can damage their structures, lowering their optical and electrical properties. Here, the surface chemistry of Ag structures with (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTS) ligands at room temperature and under ambient conditions is engineered to prevent deterioration of their optical and electrical properties owing to S 2- exposure. Regardless of the dimensions of the Ag structures, the MPTS ligands can be applied to each dimension (0D, 1D, and 3D). Consequently, highly sustainable plasmonic effects (Δλ < 2 nm), Fabry-Perot cavity resonance structures (Δλ < 2 nm), reflectors (ΔR Reflectance < 0.5%), flexible electrodes (ΔR electrical < 0.1 Ω), and strain gauge sensors (ΔGF < 1), even in S 2- exposing conditions is achieved. This strategy is believed to significantly contribute to environmental pollution reduction by decreasing the volume of electronic waste., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: A laser-induced needle-free microjet injector was developed for rapid, high-speed drug delivery of microliters into the skin., Objective: This study evaluated the clinical rejuvenation effect of repeated dermal injections of the collagen simulator poly- dl -lactic acid (PDLA) using a laser-induced needle-free microjet injector., Methods: Five PDLA injection sessions using a laser-induced needle-free microjet injector were conducted in patients concerned about aging skin. Facial uplifting, darkness, redness, roughness, pore size, subjective satisfaction, and side effects were evaluated before each session and 4 weeks after treatment completion. Histological evaluation was also performed with immunohistochemical staining of collagen and elastic fibers., Results: The clinical results of 27 female patients were evaluated. The treatment resulted in a noticeable skin surface uplifting (0.711 ± 0.42 mm) and significant improvements in darkness ( p = .013), redness ( p = .009), and roughness ( p = .036), with no significant difference in the pore size ( p = .770). Patients were reported being satisfied with the overall therapeutic effects, despite mild and tolerable adverse effects. Histological findings revealed growth and thickening of collagen and elastic fibers, with marked increase in collagen I and III levels., Conclusion: Repeated dermal injections of PDLA using a laser-induced microjet injector offer excellent drug delivery, achieving high efficacy in skin rejuvenation, patient satisfaction, and safety., (Copyright © 2024 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Adipogenin (Adig) is an evolutionarily conserved microprotein and is highly expressed in adipose tissues and testis. Here, we identify Adig as a critical regulator for lipid droplet formation in adipocytes. We determine that Adig interacts directly with seipin, leading to the formation of a rigid complex. We solve the structure of the seipin/Adig complex by Cryo-EM at 2.98Å overall resolution. Surprisingly, seipin can form two unique oligomers, undecamers and dodecamers. Adig selectively binds to the dodecameric seipin complex. We further find that Adig promotes seipin assembly by stabilizing and bridging adjacent seipin subunits. Functionally, Adig plays a key role in generating lipid droplets in adipocytes. In mice, inducible overexpression of Adig in adipocytes substantially increases fat mass, with enlarged lipid droplets. It also elevates thermogenesis during cold exposure. In contrast, inducible adipocyte-specific Adig knockout mice manifest aberrant lipid droplet formation in brown adipose tissues and impaired cold tolerance.

Background: There are currently no standard first-line treatment options for patients with higher grade 2-3, well-differentiated, advanced, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of first-line [ 177 Lu]Lu-DOTA-TATE ( 177 Lu-Dotatate) treatment., Methods: NETTER-2 was an open-label, randomised, parallel-group, superiority, phase 3 trial. We enrolled patients (aged ≥15 years) with newly diagnosed higher grade 2 (Ki67 ≥10% and ≤20%) and grade 3 (Ki67 >20% and ≤55%), somatostatin receptor-positive (in all target lesions), advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours from 45 centres across nine countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. We used interactive response technologies to randomly assign (2:1) patients to receive four cycles (cycle interval was 8 weeks ± 1 week) of intravenous 177 Lu-Dotatate plus intramuscular octreotide 30 mg long-acting repeatable (LAR) then octreotide 30 mg LAR every 4 weeks ( 177 Lu-Dotatate group) or high-dose octreotide 60 mg LAR every 4 weeks (control group), stratified by neuroendocrine tumour grade (2 vs 3) and origin (pancreas vs other). Tumour assessments were done at baseline, week 16, and week 24, and then every 12 weeks until disease progression or death. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival by blinded, independent, central radiology assessment. We did the primary analysis at 101 progression-free survival events as the final progression-free survival analysis. NETTER-2 is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03972488, and is active and not recruiting., Findings: Between Jan 22, 2020, and Oct 13, 2022, we screened 261 patients, 35 (13%) of whom were excluded. We randomly assigned 226 (87%) patients (121 [54%] male and 105 [46%] female) to the 177 Lu-Dotatate group (n=151 [67%]) and control group (n=75 [33%]). Median progression-free survival was 8·5 months (95% CI 7·7-13·8) in the control group and 22·8 months (19·4-not estimated) in the 177 Lu-Dotatate group (stratified hazard ratio 0·276 [0·182-0·418]; p<0·0001). During the treatment period, adverse events (of any grade) occurred in 136 (93%) of 147 treated patients in the 177 Lu-Dotatate group and 69 (95%) of 73 treated patients in the control group. There were no study drug-related deaths during the treatment period., Interpretation: First-line 177 Lu-Dotatate plus octreotide LAR significantly extended median progression-free survival (by 14 months) in patients with grade 2 or 3 advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours. 177 Lu-Dotatate should be considered a new standard of care in first-line therapy in this population., Funding: Advanced Accelerator Applications, a Novartis Company., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests SS reports support for the present work from Novartis; grants or contracts from Novartis; consulting fees from Ipsen, Novartis, and Camurus; and meeting attendance support from Ipsen and Novartis. DH reports support for the present work from Novartis; grants or contracts from Novartis, ITM, RayzeBio, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Camurus, and Genentech/Roche; consulting fees from Novartis, TerSera, ITM, Crinetics, Amryt, Camurus, Chimeric Therapeutics, Harpoon Therapeutics, HarbourBioMed, Lantheus, Exelixis, and Ipsen; and participation on a data safety monitoring board for Alphamedix. SM reports advisory board participation for Novartis Oncology and Ipsen. KH reports payment for steering committee participation from Novartis; grants or contracts from Novartis and SOFIE Biosciences; consulting fees from Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bain Capital, Bayer, Boston Scientific, Convergent, Curium, Debiopharm, EcoR1, Fusion, GE Healthcare, Immedica, ITM, Janssen, Merck, Molecular Partners, NVision, Pfizer, POINT Biopharma, Radiopharm Theranostics, Rhine Pharma, Siemens Healthineers, SOFIE Biosciences, Telix, Theragnostics, and Y-mAbs; honoraria from PeerVoice; meeting support from Janssen; advisory board participation for Fusion and GE Healthcare; and stock or stock options for SOFIE Biosciences, Pharma15, NVision, Convergent, Aktis Oncology, and AdvanCell. MP reports grants or contracts from Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Novartis, Ipsen, ITM, Camurus, and Boehringer Ingelheim; consulting fees from Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Novartis, Ipsen, Riemser, and HUTCHMED; honoraria from Ipsen, Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, MSD, Lilly, Recordati, Sanofi, and Serb; advisory board participation for Crinetics and Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company); and unpaid roles as ENETS committee member and President, on the ESMO education committee, and on the INCA advisory board. PLK reports grants or contracts from RayzeBio and Novartis; honoraria from Natera, ITM, BMS, and Foundation Medicine; steering committee participation (uncompensated) for RayzeBio and Exelixis; and advisory board participation and honoraria from Amgen, Genentech, Crinetics, HUTCHMED, and Ipsen. BC reports advisory board participation and honoraria from Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company). SL reports advisory board participation for Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company). JC reports grants or contracts from Novartis, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Eisai, Amgen, and Bayer; and consulting fees and honoraria from Novartis, Pfizer, Ipsen, Exelixis, Bayer, Eisai, Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Amgen, Sanofi, Lilly, Hutchinson Pharma, ITM, Advanz, Merck, Esteve, and Roche. AG-B reports consulting fees from Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Bayer, and Sanofi; and speaker fees and meeting support from Novartis. D-YO reports grants or contracts from AstraZeneca, Novartis, Array, Eli Lilly, Servier, BeiGene, MSD, and Handok; and advisory board participation for AstraZeneca, Novartis, Genentech/Roche, Merck, Bayer, Taiho, ASLAN, Halozyme, Zymeworks, BMS/Celgene, BeiGene, Basilea, Turning Point, Yuhan, Arcus Biosciences, IQVIA, MSD, LG Chem, Astellas, AbbVie, J-Pharma, Mirati Therapeutics, Eutilex, Moderna, and Idience. CY reports grants or contracts from Bayer, Ipsen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Servier, and Eisai; and honoraria from Bayer, Ipsen, MSD, Merck, Celgene, AstraZeneca, GSK, Eisai, Roche, Genentech, and Novartis. TRH reports consulting fees from TerSera; advisory board participation and research support from Camurus, ITM, Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company), Crinetics, and Perspective Therapeutics; research support from Thermo Fisher Scientific; and an unpaid role as President of NANETS. IF, YZ, and PA report employment by Novartis and stock or stock options for Novartis. WWdH reports consulting fees and honoraria from Ipsen, Novartis, and Advanced Accelerator Applications (a Novartis company); and consulting fees from ITM. DF reports grants or contracts from Camurus and Pfizer; honoraria from Novartis and Recordati Rare Diseases; and advisory board participation for Camurus, Ipsen, Novartis, Recordati Rare Diseases, and Pfizer. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

What Is This Summary About?: This summary describes the results from a phase 2 study called FOENIXCCA2. The study evaluated treatment with futibatinib in people with a rare form of advanced bile duct cancer called intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (or iCCA), where the tumors have changes in the structure of a gene called FGFR2. These changes include FGFR2 gene fusions. Bile duct cancer often returns after surgery or cannot be treated by surgery because the tumor has spread, so it requires treatment with chemotherapy. People live for a median of 1 year after their first chemotherapy treatment and 6 months after their second treatment. This study included people whose cancer had grown/spread after one or more chemotherapy treatments. The aims of the study were to see if futibatinib could shrink the size of tumors and stop the cancer from growing/spreading and to see how long people lived when treated with futibatinib. Clinicians also looked at side effects from taking futibatinib and at how it affected people's quality of life., What Were the Results?: Futibatinib treatment shrank tumors in over 80% of people who received treatment. Tumors shrank by at least 30% in 42% of people. Futibatinib stopped tumors from growing/spreading for a median of 9.7 months. People who took the medicine lived for a median of 21.7 months, and 72% of people were still alive after 1 year. Side effects from taking futibatinib were like those reported for similar medicines, and clinicians considered the side effects to be manageable by adjusting the dose of futibatinib or treating the side effects. Most people reported that their quality of life stayed the same or improved during the first 9 months of taking futibatinib., What Do the Results Mean?: The results support the use of futibatinib for treating people with advanced bile duct cancer. Based on the results of this study, futibatinib is now approved in the US, Europe, and Japan. Futibatinib is approved for treating adults with advanced bile duct cancer who have received previous treatment for their cancer, and whose tumors have a gene fusion or other change in the FGFR2 gene. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02052778 (FOENIX-CCA2).

Background/Objectives : Immediate breast reconstruction surgery (BRS) often leads to significant postoperative pain, necessitating effective analgesia. This study aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) containing nefopam with that of PCA containing opioids alone in patients undergoing BRS. Methods : A prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted on 120 patients undergoing immediate BRS after mastectomy. Patients were randomly allocated to receive PCA with fentanyl alone (Group F: fentanyl 10 mcg/kg), fentanyl and nefopam (Group FN: fentanyl 5 mcg/kg + nefopam 1 mg/kg), or nefopam alone (Group N: nefopam 2 mg/kg). Pain intensity (expressed in VASr and VASm), opioid consumption, and opioid-related complications were assessed. Results : PCA with nefopam, either alone or in combination with opioids, demonstrated non-inferior analgesic efficacy compared to PCA with fentanyl alone. At 24 h postoperatively, the VASr scores were 2.9 ± 1.0 in Group F, 3.1 ± 1.2 in Group FN, and 2.8 ± 0.9 in Group N ( p = 0.501). At the same timepoint, the VASm scores were 4.1 ± 1.2 in Group F, 4.5 ± 1.5 in Group FN, and 3.8 ± 1.4 in Group N ( p = 0.129). Significant differences among the three groups were observed at all timepoints except for PACU in terms of the total opioid consumption ( p < 0.0001). However, there were no significant differences in opioid-related complications among the three groups. Conclusions : PCA with nefopam, whether alone or in combination with opioids, offers non-inferior analgesic efficacy compared to PCA with fentanyl alone in patients undergoing immediate BRS.

Background and Aims: We compared the safety and efficacy of bintrafusp alfa (BA) in combination with gemcitabine+cisplatin (GemCis), to those of GemCis alone, in patients with biliary tract cancer., Approach and Results: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, adaptive design phase 2/3 trial (NCT04066491) included adults who are treatment-naive with locally advanced/metastatic biliary tract cancer. Patients (N = 297) were randomized to receive an IV infusion of BA (2400 mg once/3 wk) plus GemCis (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 +cisplatin 25 mg/m 2 on days 1 and 8/3 wk; 8 cycles) (BA group, n = 148) or placebo+GemCis (placebo group, n = 149). The primary end point was overall survival (OS). For adaptation analysis (phase 2-phase 3; data cutoff: May 20, 2021), efficacy was assessed in the first 150 patients who were antibiotic-naive when 80 progression-free survival events had occurred and ≥ 19 weeks of follow-up had been completed (BA, n = 73; placebo, n = 77). Median OS (95% CI) for the BA (11.5 mo [9.3-not estimable]) and placebo (11.5 mo [10.0-not estimable]) groups was comparable (hazard ration 1.23 [95% CI 0.66-2.28]; p = 0.7394); OS data maturity was 27.2% (41 events/151 patients). The most common grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse event was anemia (BA, 26.0%; placebo, 22.8%). Bleeding adverse events were reported more frequently in the BA group (28.8%) versus the placebo group (7.4%). Deaths within 60 days of the first dose were reported in 7.5% and 1.3% of patients in the BA and placebo groups, respectively., Conclusions: BA+GemCis did not provide a clinically meaningful benefit compared with GemCis alone as first-line treatment for biliary tract cancer, and the study was discontinued early (terminated: August 20, 2021)., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) fusions and rearrangements are clinically actionable genomic alterations in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). Pemigatinib is a selective, potent, oral inhibitor of FGFR1-3 and demonstrated efficacy in patients with previously treated, advanced/metastatic CCA with FGFR2 alterations in FIGHT-202 (NCT02924376). We report final outcomes from the extended follow-up period., Patients and Methods: The multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II FIGHT-202 study enrolled patients ≥18 years old with previously treated advanced/metastatic CCA with FGFR2 fusions or rearrangements (cohort A), other FGF/FGFR alterations (cohort B), or no FGF/FGFR alterations (cohort C). Patients received once-daily oral pemigatinib 13.5 mg in 21-day cycles (2 weeks on, 1 week off) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) in cohort A assessed as per RECIST v1.1 by an independent review committee; secondary endpoints included duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety., Results: FIGHT-202 enrolled 147 patients (cohort A, 108; cohort B, 20; cohort C, 17; unconfirmed FGF/FGFR alterations, 2). By final analysis, 145 (98.6%) had discontinued treatment due to progressive disease (71.4%), withdrawal by patient (8.2%), or adverse events (AEs; 6.8%). Median follow-up was 45.4 months. The ORR in cohort A was 37.0% (95% confidence interval 27.9% to 46.9%); complete and partial responses were observed in 3 and 37 patients, respectively. Median DOR was 9.1 (6.0-14.5) months; median PFS and OS were 7.0 (6.1-10.5) months and 17.5 (14.4-22.9) months, respectively. The most common treatment-emergent AEs (TEAEs) were hyperphosphatemia (58.5%), alopecia (49.7%), and diarrhea (47.6%). Overall, 15 (10.2%) patients experienced TEAEs leading to pemigatinib discontinuation; intestinal obstruction and acute kidney injury (n = 2 each) occurred most frequently., Conclusions: Pemigatinib demonstrated durable response and prolonged OS with manageable AEs in patients with previously treated, advanced/metastatic CCA with FGFR2 alterations in the extended follow-up period of FIGHT-202., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) and pompholyx are chronic diseases characterized by pustules and vesicles on the palms and soles. These disorders often have similar clinicopathological features, which lead to diagnostic difficulties. We aimed to investigate the expression patterns of keratins and involucrin in PPP and pompholyx using immunohistochemical staining., Methods: Skin biopsies from patients with PPP (n = 40) and pompholyx (n = 22) were immunohistochemically analyzed for Keratin 5, 9, 14, and involucrin expression., Results: K5 expression was higher in PPP than in pompholyx, with diffusely positive expression in the basal, spinous, and granular layers. K14 expression did not differ between groups. K9 expression was observed near the pompholyx vesicle (P = 0.014) and stratum spinosum (P < 0.001) but was almost absent around PPP pustules. Involucrin expression was diffused around the PPP pustules and partially around the pompholyx vesicles, but without statistical significance (P = 0.123). Involucrin expression was elevated in the basal layer of the PPP compared with that in the pompholyx (P = 0.023)., Conclusion: PPP and pompholyx exhibited distinctive differentiation in the expression of K5, K9, and involucrin., (© 2024 the International Society of Dermatology.)