Search

Figures S2, S3 and S4. Morphometric analysis of laminin-411 β1 chain (S2) and cancer stem cell markers (Notch-1, Notch-3, CD133, Nestin, and c-Myc; S3 and S4) on frozen sections of patient brain tumors. The expression of all markers significantly correlated with glioma grade

Video schematically shows the mechanism of glioblastoma treatment by laminin-411 inhibiting nanobioconjugate

Figure S5. Binding of the nanobioconjugates to U87MG studied by flow cytometry is inhibited by human soluble TfR. This shows that the chimeric anti-human TfR antibody as part of nanobioconjugate fully retained its activity

Figure S10. Expression of Notch-1 and its ligand Jagged1 is significantly decreased in patient-derived glioblastoma cell lines with laminin-411 disruption by CRISPR/Cas9

Figures S8 and S9. Quantification of expression of laminin-411 β1 chain, its binding β1 integrin, Notch family members and other stem cell markers after nanobioconjugate treatment. All markers were significantly suppressed in treated tumors.

Figures S6 and S7. Localization of labeled nanobioconjugates in tumors and biodistribution in brain. The nano drug is seen in the tumor parenchyma outside of blood vessels (S6) and preferentially accumulates in the tumor (peaks at 6 hr post-injection) as compared to contralateral brain tissue (S7)

Tables S1, S2 and S3, and Figure S1. List of used antibodies (Table S1), and immunohistochemical expression of laminin-411 and laminin-421 in human gliomas of various grades (Tables S2 and S3). Expression of laminin-411 vs. laminin-421 increases with glioma grade and in GBMs it correlates with shorter patient survival and faster tumor recurrence (Figure S1)

Table S4. Physico-chemical characterization of used control and treatment nanobioconjugates

High grade gliomas are associated with poor prognosis and high mortality. Conventional treatments and management of high grade gliomas have shown little improvement in 5-year overall survival. This phase I trial evaluated the safety, immunogenicity, and potential synergy of surgical resection with Gliadel Wafer implantation, followed by autologous tumor lysate-pulsed dendritic cell (DC) vaccine in patients with malignant glioma. Primary end points of this study were safety and surrogate markers of immunogenicity, overall survival, and progression free survival. Following surgical resection, Gliadel Wafers were placed along the resection cavity. Patients subsequently received intradermal injections of autologous tumor lysate-pulsed DC vaccines 3 times at 2 week intervals. Treatment response was evaluated clinically and through MRI at regular intervals. Twenty-eight patients received Gliadel Wafers and DC vaccination: 11 newly diagnosed (8 glioblastoma [GBM], 2 anaplastic astrocytoma [AA], and 1 anaplastic oligodendroglioma [AO]) and 17 recurrent (15 GBMs, 1 AA, and 1 AO) high grade gliomas. Immunogenicity data was collected for 20 of the 28 patients. Five of 20 patients showed elevated IFN-γ responses following vaccination. Median progression-free survival and overall survival for all GBM patients in the trial from the start of vaccination were 3.6 months and 16.9 months respectively. Comparisons between vaccine responders and non-vaccine responders were not statistically significant. Adjuvant autologous dendritic cells pulsed with tumor-lysate following resection and Gliadel Wafer placement is safe, elicits modest immunogenicity and shows similar clinical outcomes in patients who had DC vaccination in previous studies.

BACKGROUND Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor. Less than 1% of patients survive longer than 10 years. Integrins are implicated in tumorigenesis due to their role in cell adhesion and intercellular communication. Cilengitide, a selective αvβ3, and αvβ5 integrin inhibitor, was studied for patients with glioblastoma. RESULTS A 77-year-old woman was found to have a left temporoparietal MGMT methylated glioblastoma after presenting with visual field deficits in 2009. She underwent near gross total resection of the tumor. The tumor had retained expression of PTEN and MAPK. No mutations in IDH or ATRX were detected. Genetic testing revealed mutations in TERT promoter, TP53, SYNE1, NF1, PTEN, FBXW7, POLD1, ERG, and PRKDC. She was enrolled in the CENTRIC trial, a phase III clinical trial studying the addition of cilengitide to standard therapy for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma with methylated MGMT promoter. In 2013, the initial results of the study failed to meet the endpoint of prolonged overall survival and progression-free survival, therefore the study was halted. The patient received cilengitide through compassionate use until 2016. Surveillance brain MRI obtained every three shows no radiographic evidence of recurrence. CONCLUSION Although it is known that methylated-MGMT promoter is one of the few positive prognostic factors in GBM, overall survival remains poor in older patients. This case highlights a rare clinical response to treatment in an older female who has survived more than 12 years without disease recurrence after receiving cilengitide in addition to standard therapy. Her outcome may have been influenced by the expression of PTEN and the methylation of MGMT, which are associated with improved outcomes. Although the development of cilengitide was halted for lack of efficacy, the existence of individual responders such as this patient suggests that further study of integrin inhibition for glioblastoma patients may be worth pursuing.

Purpose: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a heterogeneous malignancy with multiple subpopulations of cancer cells present within any tumor. We present the results of a phase I clinical trial using an autologous dendritic cell (DC) vaccine pulsed with lysate derived from a GBM stem-like cell line. Patients and Methods: Patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM were enrolled as separate cohorts. Eligibility criteria included a qualifying surgical resection or minimal tumor size, ≤ 4-mg dexamethasone daily dose, and Karnofsky score ≥70. Vaccine treatment consisted of two phases: an induction phase with vaccine given weekly for 4 weeks, and a maintenance phase with vaccines administered every 8 weeks until depletion of supply or disease progression. Patients with newly diagnosed GBM also received standard-of-care radiation and temozolomide. The primary objective for this open-label, single-institution trial was to assess the safety and tolerability of the autologous DC vaccine. Results: For the 11 patients with newly diagnosed GBM, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.75 months, and median overall survival was 20.36 months. For the 25 patients with recurrent GBM, median PFS was 3.23 months, 6-month PFS was 24%, and median survival was 11.97 months. A subset of patients developed a cytotoxic T-cell response as determined by an IFNγ ELISpot assay. Conclusions: In this trial, treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM with autologous DC vaccine pulsed with lysate derived from an allogeneic stem-like cell line was safe and well tolerated. Clinical outcomes add to the body of evidence suggesting that immunotherapy plays a role in the treatment of GBM.

BACKGROUND Many patients with CNS tumors express interest in initiating a ketogenic diet (KD). Following a discussion with the physician regarding the limited clinical evidence of KD for CNS tumors, interested patients were referred for evaluation by an oncology-certified dietitian. METHODS We performed a single institution retrospective chart review of patients with CNS tumors on a KD. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and diet information were extracted from patient charts. Descriptive statistics were conducted to summarize patterns of adherence to KD across patient characteristics. RESULTS From May 2016 to May 2018, 40 patients expressed interest in KD; 24 initiated it. M:F = 18:6, median age 46 (range 27–62). Diagnoses: 18 glioblastoma, 1 anaplastic astrocytoma, 2 grade 2 astrocytoma, 1 grade 2 oligodendroglioma, 1 spinal grade 2 astrocytoma, 1 chordoma. 18 tumors with methylated MGMT, 8 with mutant IDH1. At diet initiation, median KPS 80 (range 70–100); median BMI 25.6 (20.8–39). Median days on diet = 190 days; interquartile range 126–673 days; range 24–1479 days. Diet composition: 15 patients on 3:1 diet (grams fat: grams protein + carbs), 7 patients on 2:1, 2 patients on 1:1. 14 patients monitored blood ketone levels. 11 patients stopped KD: 5 for restrictiveness of diet (median 158 days, range 60–239); 1 for decreased KPS (673 days); 1 for excessive weight loss (108 days); 2 for disease progression (24 and 217 days); 2 lost to follow-up (109 and 125 days). In this small sample, no statistically significant associations between time on diet and age / gender / BMI / KPS / diet composition. However, trend toward longer adherence to diet in females, age < 50, 2:1 diet. CONCLUSION It is feasible for patients with CNS tumors to adopt KD. Results from prospective studies are needed to assess effects on QOL, neurocognition, performance status, and survival.

Endolymphatic sac tumors (ELSTs) are rare, locally invasive, vascular tumors of the temporal bone. These lesions are associated with von Hippel-Lindau syndrome but may arise sporadically. Early surgical intervention is recommended to prevent permanent neurologic deficits; however, many ELSTs are unresectable or are subtotally resected due to neurovascular compromise. Chemotherapeutic salvage therapy in trials of neoplasms of associated syndromes has targeted angiogenesis with variable response. We present the case of a sporadic ELST, previously minimally responsive to bevacizumab, treated with pazopanib, a multi-kinase inhibitor and antiangiogenic, with good response. Cases such as our patient may demonstrate the utility of novel antiangiogenics in the treatment of these rare neoplasms, particularly when the tumor is unresectable or necessitates subtotal resection.

We sought to compare the tumor profiles of brain metastases from common cancers with those of primary tumors and extracranial metastases in order to identify potential targets and prioritize rational treatment strategies. Tumor samples were collected from both the primary and metastatic sites of nonsmall cell lung cancer, breast cancer and melanoma from patients in locations worldwide, and these were submitted to Caris Life Sciences for tumor multiplatform analysis, including gene sequencing (Sanger and next-generation sequencing with a targeted 47-gene panel), protein expression (assayed by immunohistochemistry) and gene amplification (assayed by in situ hybridization). The data analysis considered differential protein expression, gene amplification and mutations among brain metastases, extracranial metastases and primary tumors. The analyzed population included: 16,999 unmatched primary tumor and/or metastasis samples: 8,178 nonsmall cell lung cancers (5,098 primaries; 2,787 systemic metastases; 293 brain metastases), 7,064 breast cancers (3,496 primaries; 3,469 systemic metastases; 99 brain metastases) and 1,757 melanomas (660 primaries; 996 systemic metastases; 101 brain metastases). TOP2A expression was increased in brain metastases from all 3 cancers, and brain metastases overexpressed multiple proteins clustering around functions critical to DNA synthesis and repair and implicated in chemotherapy resistance, including RRM1, TS, ERCC1 and TOPO1. cMET was overexpressed in melanoma brain metastases relative to primary skin specimens. Brain metastasis patients may particularly benefit from therapeutic targeting of enzymes associated with DNA synthesis, replication and/or repair.

Meningiomas account for a significant proportion of all primary intracranial tumors; distant metastasis is quite rare. We report a patient with resected, atypical meningioma. The patient's clinical course over 5 years included two craniotomies, a course of radiation, and a shortened course of bevacizumab. Only 5 months after starting bevacizumab, the patient developed an isolated left clavicular pathological fracture attributable to metastatic anaplastic meningioma. This constitutes the first report of meningioma with isolated extracranial intraosseous metastasis in the modern English literature and highlights concerns associated with the use of anti-angiogenic agents in promoting more invasive tumor phenotypes upon disease recurrence.

BACKGROUND Emerging evidence suggests that a ketogenic diet (KD) may limit neoplastic growth, but limited data exist regarding the effect of KD on daily activity, cognition, and health-related quality-of-life (HRQOL) for patients with glioblastoma. METHODS Newly diagnosed GBM patients participating in a single-arm phase 1 trial of a 16-week KD plus standard-of-care measured BID blood glucose and ketone levels (Keto-Mojo), captured continuous activity data (Fitbit), and completed quality-of-life (QLQ30) surveys and Montreal Cognitive Assessments (MoCA) at baseline, Week 8, and study end (up to 16 weeks). NCT03451799. RESULTS All patients (n = 14; 57% female; median age 55 years) maintained blood ketones above 0.3 mM > 50% of study duration (mean per-patient days in ketosis = 87%). Mean glucose (mg/dl) and ketone levels decreased through the study – Weeks 1/2: glucose 94.9 (SD:16.5), ketones 1.44 (SD:5.82); Weeks 3/4: glucose 94.1 (SD:12.9), ketones 1.34 (SD:0.9); Final two weeks: glucose 92.3 (SD:13.3), ketones 1.13 (SD:0.7). On average, patients walked 6,836 steps/day (SD:5,129), spending 14.3 hours sedentary (SD:6.45) and 43.6 minutes (SD:60.4) in high-intensity activity. Sleep duration was 6.8 hours (SD:2.26). Patients (n = 9) with OS > 14.6 mo from diagnosis demonstrated greater minutes of high-intensity activity (58.2 vs 20.7, p = 0.001), downtrending glucose (p = 0.001), and higher ketone levels (1.40 vs 1.11, p = 0.026). Activity data corroborated the tolerability of KD with stable-to-increased activity by study end. MoCA scores were stable from baseline (mean 23.4/30, SD:4.16) to study end (mean 24.8/30, SD:7.12; p = 0.38). When viewed as a composite score, HRQOL was stable-to-improving in 10/14 patients at Week 8 and EOS. CONCLUSION The use of wearable technology and at-home testing allowed for remote monitoring of activity and diet adherence. Good adherence and stable HRQOL and activity levels were observed in this phase 1 trial.

INTRODUCTION There is abundant interest in the potential therapeutic and supportive role of a ketogenic diet (KD) for glioblastoma patients. We conducted a single-arm phase 1 trial to assess the safety and feasibility of KD plus standard-of-care (SOC) in glioblastoma patients (NCT03451799). METHODS Adults within 3 months of diagnosis participated in a 16-week intervention of a classic 3:1 KD (grams fat : grams carbohydrate + protein) with dietitian support. Blood glucose and ketone levels were assessed twice daily (Keto-Mojo), with remote monitoring of daily weight and activity (Fitbit). The primary objective was to assess safety (weight stability, CTCAE) and feasibility (maintaining ketosis > 0.3mM for > 50% of study period). Secondary objectives included assessments of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and cognition (MoCA). RESULTS From 04/2018-02/2021, 14 patients were evaluable: female:male, 8:6, median age 55 years, KPS 80, BMI 24.5. MGMT promoter methylation: 6 present, 7 absent, 1 indeterminate. Adherence to KD was high, with all patients maintaining ketosis ( > 0.3mM) > 50% and 11 patients maintaining ketosis > 85% of study days. Adverse events (> Grade 2) potentially attributable to KD: appetite loss (Grade 2: 2); fatigue (Grade 2: 5); flu-like symptoms (Grade 2: 1); constipation (Grade 2: 5, Grade 3: 1). No patients were removed from study for safety reasons. HRQOL was stable, with improvements in role function (not statistically significant). MoCA score improved in 10/14 patients. Median PFS and OS from KD initiation were 11.7 and 29.1 months, respectively. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that a supervised KD plus SOC is safe and feasible in glioblastoma patients. KD was well-tolerated with encouraging trends in HRQOL and cognition. PFS and OS in this small trial compare favorably to historical control. A multicenter phase 2 trial powered to assess efficacy is planned.

There is an unmet need for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The extracellular matrix, including laminins, in the tumor microenvironment is important for tumor invasion and progression. In a panel of 226 patient brain glioma samples, we found a clinical correlation between the expression of tumor vascular laminin-411 (α4β1γ1) with higher tumor grade and with expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers, including Notch pathway members, CD133, Nestin, and c-Myc. Laminin-411 overexpression also correlated with higher recurrence rate and shorter survival of GBM patients. We also showed that depletion of laminin-411 α4 and β1 chains with CRISPR/Cas9 in human GBM cells led to reduced growth of resultant intracranial tumors in mice and significantly increased survival of host animals compared with mice with untreated cells. Inhibition of laminin-411 suppressed Notch pathway in normal and malignant human brain cell types. A nanobioconjugate potentially suitable for clinical use and capable of crossing blood–brain barrier was designed to block laminin-411 expression. Nanobioconjugate treatment of mice carrying intracranial GBM significantly increased animal survival and inhibited multiple CSC markers, including the Notch axis. This study describes an efficient strategy for GBM treatment via targeting a critical component of the tumor microenvironment largely independent of heterogeneous genetic mutations in glioblastoma. Significance: Laminin-411 expression in the glioma microenvironment correlates with Notch and other cancer stem cell markers and can be targeted by a novel, clinically translatable nanobioconjugate to inhibit glioma growth.

Human interleukin-12 (hIL-12) is a cytokine with anticancer activity, but its systemic application is limited by toxic inflammatory responses. We assessed the safety and biological effects of an hIL-12 gene, transcriptionally regulated by an oral activator. A multicenter phase 1 dose-escalation trial (NCT02026271) treated 31 patients undergoing resection of recurrent high-grade glioma. Resection cavity walls were injected (day 0) with a fixed dose of the hIL-12 vector (Ad-RTS-hIL-12). The oral activator for hIL-12, veledimex (VDX), was administered preoperatively (assaying blood-brain barrier penetration) and postoperatively (measuring hIL-12 transcriptional regulation). Cohorts received 10 to 40 mg of VDX before and after Ad-RTS-hIL-12. Dose-related increases in VDX, IL-12, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were observed in peripheral blood, with about 40% VDX tumor penetration. Frequency and severity of adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome, correlated with VDX dose, reversing promptly upon discontinuation. VDX (20 mg) had superior drug compliance and 12.7 months median overall survival (mOS) at mean follow-up of 13.1 months. Concurrent corticosteroids negatively affected survival: In patients cumulatively receiving >20 mg versus ≤20 mg of dexamethasone (days 0 to 14), mOS was 6.4 and 16.7 months, respectively, in all patients and 6.4 and 17.8 months, respectively, in the 20-mg VDX cohort. Re-resection in five of five patients with suspected recurrence after Ad-RTS-hIL-12 revealed mostly pseudoprogression with increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes producing IFN-γ and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). These inflammatory infiltrates support an immunological antitumor effect of hIL-12. This phase 1 trial showed acceptable tolerability of regulated hIL-12 with encouraging preliminary results.

Glioblastomas (GBM) are the most aggressive and prevalent form of gliomas with abysmal prognosis and limited treatment options. We analyzed clinically relevant molecular aberrations suggestive of response to therapies in 1035 GBM tumors. Our analysis revealed mutations in 39 genes of 48 tested. IHC revealed expression of PD-L1 in 19% and PD-1 in 46%. MGMT-methylation was seen in 43%, EGFRvIII in 19% and 1p19q co-deletion in 2%. TP53 mutation was associated with concurrent mutations, while IDH1 mutation was associated with MGMT-methylation and TP53 mutation and was mutually exclusive of EGFRvIII mutation. Distinct biomarker profiles were seen in GBM compared with WHO grade III astrocytoma, suggesting different biology and potentially different treatment approaches. Analysis of 17 metachronous paired tumors showed frequent biomarker changes, including MGMT-methylation and EGFR aberrations, indicating the need for a re-biopsy for tumor profiling to direct subsequent therapy. MGMT-methylation, PR and TOPO1 appeared as significant prognostic markers in sub-cohorts of GBM defined by age. The current study represents the largest biomarker study on clinical GBM tumors using multiple technologies to detect gene mutation, amplification, protein expression and promoter methylation. These data will inform planning for future personalized biomarker-based clinical trials and identifying effective treatments based on tumor biomarkers.

BACKGROUND: Primary CNS Lymphoma (PCNSL) is an aggressive form of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory agent which has shown activity in relapsed or refractory CNS and non-CNS DLBCL. The ideal dosing, timing as consolidation therapy, and role in maintenance therapy remain unclear. METHODS: We describe 3 elderly patients with R/R PCNSL who were treated with lenalidomide. All patients had a pathological diagnosis of PCNSL, immunocompetent status, failed at least 2 previous therapies including methotrexate and rituximab. One patient had also failed autologous stem cell transplant. Lenalidomide was administered orally, 25mg/day on days 1–21 of a 28-day cycle. RESULTS: Median age was 68 (range 65–71). Median KPS was 70 (range 60–70). Patient 1 achieved complete response (CR) after cycle 4, 2 additional maintenance cycles (20mg; reduced for Grade 3–4 Thrombocytopenia), and is in remission after 11 months. Patient 2 achieved partial response (PR) after cycle 1, CR after cycle 8, and 2 additional maintenance cycles; dose reduced at cycle 6 (20mg) for Grade 3–4 Neutropenia, and is in remission after 14 months. Patient 3 achieved PR after cycle 1, mixed response after cycle 2, and died 15 weeks after start of treatment; of note, patient was also on rituximab. Molecular and immunologic correlates are pending and will be presented with the abstract. CONCLUSIONS: This case series shows lenalidomide has single agent activity in heavily pre-treated R/R PCNSL. All the patients had clinical and radiographic response to treatment. Hematologic toxicities occurred at higher dose, however even at reduced dose, lenalidomide was effective in maintaining remission. In elderly patients, using lenalidomide at relapse and deferring neurotoxic treatment options may have a role in preserving good performance status. Further prospective studies are warranted to determine the efficacy and optimal dose of lenalidomide in patients with newly diagnosed and R/R PCNSL.

Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00401-018-1883-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Are truly effective therapies for glioma finally within reach? An explosion of technologies and treatments in recent years brings with it the hope that the revolution is nigh, but decades of gains that can at best be considered incremental understandably temper optimism. Concepts such as "targeted therapy" and "personalized medicine" have grabbed the attention of the oncology community for over a decade; yet when applied to glioblastoma, our initial efforts have amounted to running into battle with limited armaments and an incomplete understanding of the enemy. Still, there is reason to believe that recent insights and advances have changed the equation, with real gains just over the horizon.

Are truly effective therapies for glioma finally within reach? An explosion of technologies and treatments in recent years brings with it the hope that the revolution is nigh, but decades of gains that can at best be considered incremental understandably temper optimism. Concepts such as "targeted therapy" and "personalized medicine" have grabbed the attention of the oncology community for over a decade; yet when applied to glioblastoma, our initial efforts have amounted to running into battle with limited armaments and an incomplete understanding of the enemy. Still, there is reason to believe that recent insights and advances have changed the equation, with real gains just over the horizon.

BACKGROUND There is abundant interest in the potential therapeutic and supportive role of a ketogenic diet (KD) in patients with glioblastoma (GBM). The KD is a high fat/low carbohydrate metabolic therapy that modulates several of the bioenergetic and biosynthetic pathways that are dysregulated in GBM. To date, studies of the KD in cancer patients have been limited in scope. This study will provide preliminary evidence on the safety and feasibility of a 16-week ketogenic diet in patients with GBM. METHODS This is an open-label single-arm feasibility trial being conducted at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. We will recruit 20 recently diagnosed GBM patients who are receiving standard-of-care (SOC) treatment. Patients may enroll within 3 months of diagnosis, thus allowing patients who have already begun SOC chemoradiation the opportunity to participate. Excluded are patients with a KPS < 70, BMI < 22, or on high doses of steroids. Consenting patients will maintain a 16-week ketogenic diet (KD) supervised and monitored by study dietitians (RD). The primary outcome of safety will be assessed by monitoring weight, BMI, and adverse events. Secondary outcomes are: 1) Adherence to the KD, as assessed by BID blood glucose and ketone levels; 2) Time to progression and overall survival from date of KD initiation 3) Mean change in overall QOL, as measured using the QLQ30 and QLQ-BN20 questionnaires; and 4) Mean change in cognitive scores at 16 weeks from baseline. Exploratory outcomes include metabolic, inflammatory, and immune biomarkers; gut microbiota analysis; large oncosome analysis; and daily activity assessed with a wearable activity monitor. This novel trial incorporates multiple digital devices and mobile applications into the study design. Accrual is ongoing with 10 patients currently enrolled (NCT03451799).

SUMMARY The era of targeted therapy for cancer has been punctuated by some resounding successes, but with few exceptions, metastases to the brain remain frustratingly difficult to treat. It is increasingly apparent that old concerns regarding the ability of therapeutic agents to penetrate the blood–brain barrier have not been brushed aside by high-affinity small-molecule kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies. Indeed, illustrative trends, such as the increasing incidence of brain metastases from HER2+ breast cancer since the advent of trastuzumab therapy, have helped to solidify the concept of the CNS as a sanctuary site for cancer. With 200,000 patients diagnosed with brain metastases in the USA each year, the therapeutic challenge posed by the blood–brain barrier continues to be a big problem.

Gimatecan is a lipophilic oral camptothecin analogue with preclinical activity in glioma models. We conducted a multicenter phase II trial to evaluate the efficacy of gimatecan in adults with recurrent glioblastoma. Eligibility criteria included ≤1 prior treatment for recurrent disease, age ≥18, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-1, and normal organ function. Patients taking enzyme-inducing anti-seizure medications were excluded. Gimatecan 1.22 mg/m(2) was given orally once daily for 5 consecutive days during each 28-day cycle. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival at 6 months. A Simon 2-stage optimal design was used in which 19 patients were evaluated in the 1st stage, with an additional 36 patients accrued if >4 patients in stage 1 achieved PFS at 6 months. 29 patients were enrolled in the study, with median age of 58 years (range, 25-77 years); 58.6 % female. All patients received prior surgery, radiation therapy, and at least one chemotherapy regimen. The daily dose was reduced to 1.0 mg/m(2) after four of the first 10 patients experienced grade 4 hematologic toxicity. Treatment-related grade 3/4 toxicities included thrombocytopenia (17.2 %), leukopenia (17.2 %) and neutropenia (10.3 %). None of the 19 patients treated at 1.0 mg/m(2)/day experienced grade 4 hematologic toxicity. One patient had a partial radiographic response by modified Macdonald criteria. Only 3 patients (12 %) were progression-free at 6 months. Median time to progression was 12.0 weeks (7.0, 17.0).Treatment with gimatecan 1.0 mg/m(2)/day for 5 days, repeated every 28-days showed minimal efficacy.

Background Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumors in adults and invariably carry a poor prognosis. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated the safety and compelling survival benefit when tumor treating fields (TTFields) are added to temozolomide for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. TTFields are low-intensity, intermediate frequency (200 kHz) alternating electric fields, delivered directly to a patient’s brain through the local application of non-invasive transducer arrays. Experimental simulations have demonstrated that TTFields distribute in a non-uniform manner within the brain. To ensure patients receive the maximal therapeutic level of TTFields at the site of their tumor, tumor burden is mapped and an optimal array layout is personalized using the NovoTAL software. The NovoTAL software utilizes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements for head size and tumor location obtained from axial and coronal T1 postcontrast sequences to determine the optimal paired transducer array configuration that will deliver the maximal field intensity at the site of the tumor. In clinical practice, physicians planning treatment with TTFields may determine that disease activity is more accurately represented in noncontrast-enhancing sequences. Here we present and discuss a series of 8 cases where a treating physician has utilized non-contrast enhancement and advanced imaging to inform TTFields treatment planning based on a clinical evaluation of where a patient is believed to have active tumor. This case series is, to our knowledge, the first report of this kind in the literature. Case presentations All patients presented with gliomas (grades 2–4) and ranged in age from 49 to 65 years; 5 were male and 3, female. Each patient had previously received standard therapy including surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy prior to initiation of TTFields. The majority had progressed on prior therapy. A standard pre- and postcontrast MRI scan was acquired and used for TTFields treatment planning. Conclusion This paper details important approaches for integrating clinical considerations, nonmeasurable disease and advanced imaging into the treatment planning workflow for TTFields. As TTFields become integrated into standard care pathways for glioblastoma, this case series demonstrates that treatment planning beyond the extent of contrast enhancement is clinically feasible and should be prospectively compared to standard treatment planning in a clinical trial setting, in order to determine the impact on patient outcomes.

Brainstem gliomas are not nearly as common in adults as they are in children. They are likely the final common consequence not of a single disease process but of several. They can be difficult to diagnose, and are challenging to treat. Clinical studies of this diagnosis are few and generally small. Because of these factors, our understanding of the biology of adult brainstem glioma is incomplete. However, the knowledge base is growing and progress is being made. In this article, we will review the current state of knowledge for brainstem glioma in adults, and identify key areas for which additional information is required..

Background Approximately 3 to 16% of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients are considered long-term survivors (LTS: 3+ years). Objective Given the improved survival conferred by IDH1 mutations and the fact that these mutations are detected in 12% of newly diagnosed GBM cases, could long-term survivorship be explained by IDH1 mutation status? Our aim was to describe GBM LTS with IDH1 mutations and explore its association with overall survival (OS). Methods Records of 453 newly diagnosed adult GBM patients treated at a single institution from 2004 to 2010 were reviewed retrospectively for patients who survived at least 36 months postsurgery. Descriptive statistics for clinical characteristics, treatments received, and tumor biomarkers were reported. Estimates for progression-free survival (PFS) and OS were provided. Results Forty (8.8%) LTS GBM patients were identified, with a median age of 50 years and a median preoperative Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) of 80. Most patients underwent near-total/gross-total resection (72.5%), postoperative radiation (97.5%), and adjuvant temozolomide (95%). PFS rates at 12, 36, 48, and 72 months were 67.5%, 40%, 32.7%, and 26.2%, respectively. Median OS has not yet been reached; however, the survival rate at 48 months was 62.1%. Among 35 patients with available tumor samples, only 8 (22.9%) had IDH1 mutations. No significant difference in median PFS was found between IDH1 mutation and wild-type patients (46.6 versus 26.3 months; p =0.45). Conclusions Less than a quarter of our patients' long-term survivorship was associated with favorable IDH1 status. Therefore, IDH1 status does not explain most of the long-term survivorship in the temozolomide era.

Cediranib is an orally available, pan-VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. A previous Phase III study of patients with recurrent glioblastoma treated with this drug did not meet the primary end of progressive-free survival (PFS). We identified one patient, a 57-year-old Caucasian female who, following surgery in October 2008 and concurrent temozolomide and radiation therapy from November 8, 2008, to January 6, 2009, developed a tumor progression of the left posterior frontal measuring 1.2 x 1.5 cm in February 2009. She was enrolled in a randomized, Phase III, placebo-controlled, partially-blinded clinical trial of cediranib as either monotherapy or in combination with lomustine (CCNU) versus CCNU. She was randomized to receive a combination therapy with 1st cycle CCNU 190 mg and cediranib 20 mg per day on April 15, 2009. However, she developed nephrotic syndrome and uncontrolled hypertension and was taken off this study in May 2010. Her six-week MRI showed a 50% tumor regression and a complete response at twenty-four weeks. With no enhancement seen on MRI on June 4, 2015, she has been off therapy and in clinical remission over five years with high functional level and good quality of life (KPS-90%). This is a case report of successful therapy for recurrent glioblastoma with long-term remission despite termination of therapy greater than six years from cediranib and limited CCNU dosage.

Object The prognosis of patients with glioblastoma who present with multifocal disease is not well documented. The objective of this study was to determine whether multifocal disease on initial presentation is associated with worse survival. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed records of 368 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma and identified 47 patients with multifocal tumors. Each patient with a multifocal tumor was then matched with a patient with a solitary glioblastoma on the basis of age, Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score, and extent of resection, using a propensity score matching methodology. Radiation and temozolomide treatments were also well matched between the 2 cohorts. Kaplan-Meier estimates and log-rank tests were used to compare patient survival. Results The incidence of multifocal tumors was 12.8% (47/368). The median age of patients with multifocal tumors was 61 years, 76.6% had KPS scores ≥ 70, and 87.2% underwent either a biopsy or partial resection of their tumors. The 47 patients with multifocal tumors were almost perfectly matched on the basis of age (p = 0.97), extent of resection (p = 1.0), and KPS score (p = 0.80) compared with 47 patients with a solitary glioblastoma. Age (>65 years), partial resection or biopsy, and low KPS score (6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, laminin β1 and β2, as well as epidermal growth factor receptor amplification, and no significant differences in expression profile between the multifocal and solitary glioblastoma groups was found. Conclusions Patients with newly diagnosed multifocal glioblastoma on presentation experience significantly worse survival than patients with solitary glioblastoma. Patients with multifocal tumors continue to pose a therapeutic challenge in the temozolomide era and magnify the challenges faced while treating patients with malignant gliomas.

The diffuse nature of gliomas has long confounded attempts at achieving a definitive cure. The advent of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging made it increasingly apparent that gliomas could have a multifocal or multicentric appearance. Treating these tumors is the summit of an already daunting challenge, because the obstacles that must be surmounted to treat gliomas in general, namely, their heterogeneity, diffuse nature, and ability to insidiously invade normal brain, are more conspicuous in this subset of tumors.

The era of targeted therapy for glioblastoma has arrived, but results have been modest thus far. This review highlights the challenges inherent to treating glioblastoma with targeted therapy, and delves into the complex signaling networks that form the molecular basis of novel therapies. Past failures, current challenges, and future possibilities are discussed in the context of the classic ‘oncogenic’ signaling network, as well as the ‘non-oncogenic’ stress response network.

INTRODUCTION: We conducted a single-institution phase 1 trial of a dendritic cell immunotherapy targeting glioblastoma stem-like cells for patients with either newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma. METHODS: Following gross total or near-gross total resection, patients who consented to participate in this trial underwent leukapheresis for isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which were then differentiated into dendritic cells in culture, pulsed with lysate derived from an allogeneic glioblastoma stem-like cell line, and administered by intradermal injection weekly x 4 weeks, then every other month until disease progression or vaccine depletion. Patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma were treated with standard-of-care chemoradiation, with vaccine injections beginning 1 week following the completion of radiation therapy. Patients with recurrent disease received no other disease-directed therapy while on trial. RESULTS: From December 2013 to February 2018, 38 patients enrolled in this trial -- 12 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma and 26 with recurrent disease. Median age 57 (range 19–77), median KPS 80 (range 70–100), 66% male. Survival functions were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. For newly diagnosed patients, median Time-to-Progression (TTP) was 8.86 mo, and median Overall Survival (OS) was 21.1 mo. For patients with recurrent glioblastoma, median TTP was 3.14 mo and median OS was 12.0 mo. Treatment was well-tolerated with no related grade 3/4 toxicities. As of this analysis, 7 patients are still alive, and 2 patients in the newly diagnosed glioblastoma cohort are still progression-free. Immune response studies and tumor antigen profiling are ongoing. CONCLUSION: Consistent with other previously completed dendritic cell immunotherapy trials, this phase 1 trial demonstrates improved TPP and OS for patients with either newly diagnosed or recurrent glioblastoma compared to historical controls. Ongoing efforts include characterizing and expanding the subset of patients who most benefit from immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Cediranib is an orally available pan-VEGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Previously phase III study in patients with recurrent glioblastoma did not meet primary end of progressive-free survival (PFS) (J Clin Oncol. 2013 Sep 10; 31(26): 3212-3218) METHODS: We identified 1 patient, 53-year old Caucasian female, who developed tumor progression of left posterior frontal 1.2 x 1.5 cm in February, 2009 following surgery on 10/15/08 and concurrent temozolomide (TMZ) and radiation therapy from 11/8/08 -1/6/09 with one cycle of maintenance TMZ. She was enrolled in a randomized, phase III, placebo-controlled, partially blinded clinical trial of cediranib either as monotherapy or in combination with lomustine (CCNU) versus CCNU. RESULTS: She was randomized to receive a combination therapy with 1st cycle CCNU 190 mg and cederanib 20 mg/day on 4/13/09. Four weeks later, she developed grade 4 thrombocytopenia (17, 000) associated with gum bleeding and dizziness. She received a platelet transfusion. She continued with cediranib alone and 2nd reduced CCNU 100 mg was delayed till 6/16/09, 3rd CCNU on 2/2/2010. She developed hypertension, proteinuria and diarrhea from cediranib in April of 2010 and she continued with reduced dose to 15 mg/day alone without CCNU. However, she developed nephrotic syndrome and poorly controlled hypertension and was taken off this study in May 2010. At 6-week MRI showed 50% tumor regression (PR) and complete response at 24-weeks. With no enhancement seen on MRI on 6/4/15, she has been off therapy and in clinical remission over 5 years with high functional level and good quality of life (KPS 90%). CONCLUSION: This is a case report of successful therapy for recurrent glioblastoma with long term remission despite termination of therapy > 5 years from cediranib and limited CCNU dosage.

BMET-36. TUMOR PROFILES OF BRAIN METASTASES FROM NSCLC, BREAST CANCER AND MELANOMA Santosh Kesari1, Joanne Xiu2, Jethro Hu3, Michael Salacz4, David Piccioni1, and Sandeep Reddy2; University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ, USA; Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles, CA, USA; University of Kansas Medical Center, Overland Park, KS, USA BACKGROUND: Approximately 70,000 diagnoses of brain metastases (BM) occur annually in the U.S. Despite its prominence, the biology of BM remains poorly-understood. We compared tumor profiles of BM from NSCLC, breast cancer (BC) and melanoma (ML) to understand the biology and to identify differential treatment strategies. METHODS: Tumors were profiled using a multiplatform service (Caris Life Sciences, Phoenix, AZ), including sequencing (Sanger, NGS), protein expression (IHC) and amplification (ISH). RESULTS: 5391 NSCLC (293 BM, 5098 lung), 3595 BC (99 BM, 3496 breast) and 761 ML (101 BM, 660 skin) were included. BM mutations remain largely similar to primary tumors with no consistent changes between cancers. In contrast, when comparing BM to primary tumors, protein expression of TOP2A (NSCLC: 75% vs. 55%; BC: 75% vs. 50%; ML: 76% vs. 46%, all p , 0.01); TOPO1 (64% vs.55%, p 1⁄4 0.02; 78% vs. 50%, p , 0.01; 61% vs. 57%, p 1⁄4 ns), TS (35% vs. 22%, p , 0.01, 39% vs. 28%, p 1⁄4 0.04, 56% vs. 45%, p 1⁄4 ns) and EGFR amplification (36% vs. 28%, p 1⁄4 ns, 31% vs. 14%, p , 0.01; 50% vs. 6%, p , 0.01) were more prevalent in BM. Higher PD-1 (83% vs. 63%, p 1⁄4 0.01, 60% vs. 53%, p 1⁄4 ns, 100% vs. 75%, p 1⁄4 ns) expression on TIL was observed in BM; PD-L1 is higher in the BM of NSCLC and BC (22% vs. 16%, p 1⁄4 ns; 40% vs. 12%, p 1⁄4 ns), but not in ML (75% vs. 80%, p 1⁄4 ns). CONCLUSIONS: The mutational landscape is similar in BM of NSCLC, BC and ML compared to primary tumors, suggesting that primary tumor and BM would respond to similar therapeutic agents with the consideration of effective blood-brain-barrier-penetrant drugs. Immune-checkpoint inhibitors could be considered for BM treatment based on PD-1, PD-L1 expression frequencies. Small-molecule EGFR inhibitors could be considered due to increased EGFR amplification; increased TOP2A, TOPO1 expression prompts consideration of topoisomerase inhibitors like etoposide or irinotecan. Neuro-Oncology 17:v45–v54, 2015. doi:10.1093/neuonc/nov208.36 Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Neuro-Oncology 2015.

Survival for glioblastoma (GBM) patients with an unmethyated MGMT promoter in their tumor is generally worse than methylated MGMT tumors, as temozolomide (TMZ) response is limited. How to better treat patients with unmethylated MGMT is unknown. We performed a trial combining erlotinib and bevacizumab in unmethylated GBM patients after completion of radiation (RT) and TMZ. GBM patients with an unmethylated MGMT promoter were trial eligible. Patient received standard RT (60 Gy) and TMZ (75 mg/m2 × 6 weeks) after surgical resection of their tumor. After completion of RT they started erlotinib 150 mg daily and bevacizumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks until progression. Imaging evaluations occurred every 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Of the 48 unmethylated patients enrolled, 46 were evaluable (29 men and 17 women); median age was 55.5 years (29-75) and median KPS was 90 (70-100). All patients completed RT with TMZ. The median number of cycles (1 cycle was 4 weeks) was 8 (2-47). Forty-one patients either progressed or died with a median progression free survival of 9.2 months. At a follow up of 33 months the median overall survival was 13.2 months. There were no unexpected toxicities and most observed toxicities were categorized as CTC grade 1 or 2. The combination of erlotinib and bevacizumab is tolerable but did not meet our primary endpoint of increasing survival. Importantly, more trials are needed to find better therapies for GBM patients with an unmethylated MGMT promoter.