Three HCRN investigator-initiated clinical trials were highlighted during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2021 Annual Meeting held virtually June 4-8.

Deepak Kilari, MD, (pictured left), associate professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin and a medical oncologist at the MCW Cancer Center, presented a poster (Abstract #TPS4591) on HCRN GU18-343, the phase II ABATE study of cabozantinib in combination with atezolizumab as neoadjuvant treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).

Michael B. Atkins, MD, (pictured center), deputy director of the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor of oncology and medicine (hematology/oncology) at Georgetown University School of Medicine, presented a poster discussion (Abstract #4510) on HCRN GU16-260 – Cohort B, a phase II study of nivolumab and salvage nivolumab + ipilimumab in treatment -naïve patients with advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC).

Matt D. Galsky, MD, FASCO, (pictured right), professor of medicine (hematology/medical oncology) at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and co-director of the Center of Excellence for Bladder Cancer at The Tisch Cancer Institute, presented an oral abstract (Abstract #4503) on HCRN GU16-257, a phase II trial of gemcitabine, cisplatin, plus nivolumab with selective bladder sparing in patients with MIBC.

HCRN GU18-343 is an open-label, single arm, multicenter phase II study assessing the efficacy and safety of cabozantinib with atezolizumab as neoadjuvant therapy for adults with resectable muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma, who are ineligible for cisplatin-based therapy or decline cisplatin-based therapy. Up to 38 participants may enroll in the study. The study is led by Dr. Kilari at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. Authors include: Deepak Kilari, Aniko Szabo, Kathryn A. Bylow, Robert S. Alter, Ariel Ann Nelson, Emily Lemke, William Adrian Hall, Scott Johnson, Peter Langenstroer, Kenneth Jacobsohn, Nancy B. Davis, Chunkit Fung, Matthew I. Milowsky, and Brian Rini. See abstract.

HCRN GU16-260, is a multicenter, phase II clinical trial that consisted of front-line therapy with nivolumab and salvage therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab in adults with advanced renal cell carcinoma. Researchers set out to determine the activity of nivolumab in patients who had not received prior treatment. Between 2017 and 2019, 35 patients with nccRCC were enrolled in the study. Researchers concluded nivo monotherapy had limited activity in treatment-naïve nccRCC with most responses seen in patients with sarcomatoid and/or unclassified tumors. The study was led by Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, with Dr. Atkins as sponsor-investigator. Authors include: Michael B. Atkins, Opeyemi Jegede, Naomi B. Haas, David F. McDermott, Mehmet Asim Bilen, Jessica Hawley, Jeffrey A. Sosman, Robert S. Alter, Elizabeth R. Plimack, Moshe Chaim Ornstein, Michael E. Hurwitz, David J. Peace, Sabina Signoretti, Catherine J. Wu, Paul J. Catalano, and Hans J. Hammers. See abstract.

HCRN GU16-257, is a multicenter, phase II trial for adults with MIBC, that will help doctors determine whether some patients could forego bladder removal and receive standard gemcitabine and cisplatin, plus nivolumab. Between 2018 and 2020, 76 patients were enrolled at seven HCRN member sites. Results demonstrated Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and gemcitabine, cisplatin, plus nivolumab achieved stringently defined clinical complete response in a large subset of patients with MIBC. The study also showed one-year bladder intact survival may be possible through the durability of responses, and the role of genomic biomarkers in management algorithms, requires longer follow-up. The study was led by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, with Dr. Galsky as sponsor-investigator. Authors include: Matt D. Galsky, Siamak Daneshmand, Kevin G. Chan, Tanya B. Dorff, Jeremy Paul Cetnar, Brock O Neil, Anishka D’souza, Ronac Mamtani, Christos Kyriakopoulos, Philip Garcia, Sudeh Izadmehr, Menggang Yu, Qianqian Zhao, Reza Mehrazin, Sara C Lewis, John Sfakianos, and Sumanta K. Pal. See abstract.

About Hoosier Cancer Research Network:

Hoosier Cancer Research Network (formerly known as Hoosier Oncology Group) conducts innovative cancer research in collaboration with academic and community physicians and scientists across the United States. The organization provides comprehensive clinical trial management and support, from conception through publication. Created in 1984 as a program of the Walther Cancer Institute, Hoosier Cancer Research Network became an independent nonprofit clinical research organization in 2007. Since its founding, Hoosier Cancer Research Network has conducted more than 230 trials in a variety of cancer types and supportive care, resulting in more than 350 publications. More than 9,000 subjects have participated in Hoosier Cancer Research Network clinical trials.