ALEXANDRIA – Twenty-seven studies exploring a wide range of topics across many cancer disease sites will be presented at the upcoming 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, taking place online June 4-8.

ASCO Experts in multiple disease areas are available to provide outside commentary and perspective on the studies below. Contact the ASCO Media Team to schedule an interview.

Abstract 12029: The impact of advance care planning on hope among patients with advanced cancer.
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.
"In a randomized controlled trial of primary palliative care in people with advanced solid tumors, researchers found that hope was not diminished, indeed even increased, for those who engaged in a conversation with their oncologist about end-of-life care and completed an advanced directive. This study ought to reassure oncologists that having these difficult conversations is worthwhile, and offers patients the chance to prepare and regain a measure of control over their lives," said Lidia Schapira, MD, FASCO, an ASCO Expert in palliative care.

Abstract 5577: High prevalence of actionable germline variants in unselected endometrial cancer (EC) patients.
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.
“Over half of the women carrying germline BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants had type-II endometrial cancers, which tend to be aggressive and more difficult to treat. Knowledge of germline BRCA variants may ultimately represent a therapeutic target, and the enrichment of aggressive endometrial cancers among BRCA carriers may influence decision making about risk-reducing surgery in unaffected individuals.

The high yield of potentially actionable germline variants seen in this study provides evidence to support the routine clinical implementation of upfront multigene panel testing for all patients with endometrial cancer, as it would allow realization of these precision medicine efforts for more patients with endometrial cancer and their families,” said lead study author Monica Dandapani Levine, MD.

“Germline genetic testing to identify potentially hereditary cancer syndromes is not routinely performed for women with a new diagnosis of endometrial cancer. This study shows that upfront germline testing may help identify patients with Lynch Syndrome or BRCA mutations that would not have been identified with tumor testing alone,” said Merry Jennifer Markham, MD, FACP, FASCO, ASCO expert in gynecologic cancers.

Abstract 11524: Randomized, double-blind, placebo (PL)-controlled, phase III trial of pimitespib (TAS-116), an oral inhibitor of heat shock protein 90 (HSP90), in patients (pts) with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) refractory to imatinib (IM), sunitinib (SU) and regorafenib (REG).
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 6044: Capecitabine maintenance therapy after induction chemotherapy in newly diagnosed metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma: An open-label, randomized, controlled, phase Ⅲ trial.
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.
“This study investigated the use of oral chemotherapy after completion of initial treatment for metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer. The investigators showed that patients randomized to capecitabine had a significantly improved time to progression compared to those who received best supportive care. This work provides additional treatment options for these patients around the world,” said Randall J. Kimple, MD, PhD, ASCO expert in head and neck cancers.

Abstract 509: Lisinopril or carvedilol in prevention of trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity in patients with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer: Longitudinal changes of left ventricular ejection fraction below normal levels (LVEF <50%).
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.
"HER2 targeting therapy has been one of the most important therapeutic advances in breast cancer. However, a trastuzumab-associated decline in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and clinical heart failure often prompt interruption and discontinuation of treatment.

Our study found that only a small and not clinically relevant decrease in LVEF was observed during trastuzumab therapy in all patients. However, patients who were treated with anthracyclines had a much more frequent drop of LVEF to below normal than those treated with non-anthracycline containing regimens. Treatment with lisinopril averted the decline in LVEF in the anthracycline use plus trastuzumab group compared to placebo. Thus, for those patients in whom anthracyclines are indicated, the trastuzumab-anthracycline induced decline in LVEF could be prevented," said lead study author Pamelan N. Munster, MD.

Abstract 11009: Gender and racial/ethnic disparities in academic oncology leadership.
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 1502: Association between Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act and survival among newly diagnosed cancer patients.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 1503: Association of use of remote patient monitoring (RPM) with reduced hospitalizations in cancer patients with COVID-19.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 11505: A phase III study (APROMISS) of AL3818 (Catequentinib, Anlotinib) hydrochloride monotherapy in subjects with metastatic or advanced synovial sarcoma.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 4.
“Catequentinib is a new active tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for the treatment of synovial sarcoma as demonstrated in the phase III clinical trial.  The support for rare tumor trials is yielding promising results in an area when need is high and trials are harder to accrue. As prior treatment with pazopanib was allowed on study, subset analyses indicate that patients could be treated by more than one oral TKI,” said lead study author Brian Van Tine, MD, PhD.

Abstract 10001: Donor-derived CD7 CAR T cells for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 10:00 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 5.
"This early-phase trial suggests, for the first time, that donor-derived CD7-targeted cellular immunotherapy is feasible for patients with relapsed or refractory T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (r/r T-ALL). Very few targeted therapies or immunotherapies for T-ALL have been approved. This early report on the safety and efficacy profile of donor-derived CD7 CAR T cell therapy provides initial proof-of-concept evidence to support the design of large-scale clinical trials for the development of new and effective cell therapies for r/r T-ALL patients," said lead study author Jing Pan.

“T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a relatively rare, aggressive leukemia which is associated with initial complete remission (CR) rates of more than 80% with intensive chemotherapeutic approaches. Almost half of adult patients who achieve an initial remission will relapse, and outcomes for relapsed T-ALL are poor.

Early phase clinical trial results utilizing donor-derived CD7 CAR-T cells in relapsed T-ALL patients who had undergone multiple prior therapies appear tolerable and were associated with high CR rates and persistence of CAR cells beyond three months of follow up. This novel approach provides a promising therapeutic avenue for T-ALL patients with available donors, but requires wider validation to confirm long term efficacy and safety,” said Olatoyosi Odenike, MD, ASCO expert in blood cancers.

Abstract 100: Accrual of Black participants to cancer clinical trials following a five-year prospective initiative of community outreach and engagement.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, June 5.
“A five-year education, community outreach and engagement intervention by the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania to increase enrollment of Black patients in cancer clinical trials more than doubled the percentage of Black participants from 12% to 24%. The multi-faceted intervention consisted of community-level and center-level initiatives. 

The equitable representation of Black patients in cancer clinical trials increases their access to new cancer therapies and the generalizability of the research results,” said lead study author Carmen E. Guerra, MD, MSCE, FACP.

Abstract 505: Neoadjuvant talazoparib in patients with germline BRCA1/2 (gBRCA1/2) mutation-positive, early HER2-negative breast cancer (BC): Results of a phase 2 study.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 6.

Abstract 8506: Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy in operable stage I NSCLC patients: Long-term results of the expanded STARS clinical trial.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 6.

Abstract 500: Outcome of patients with an ultralow risk 70-gene signature in the MINDACT trial.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 6.
“The 70-gene signature can identify patients with an ultralow risk of distant recurrence. These 1,000 MINDACT patients had excellent 8-year breast cancer specific survival above 99%, regardless of clinical risk, and low rates of distant metastasis.*

This large prospective study confirms that 70-gene signature ultralow risk patients could be considered for further de-escalation of treatment, further reducing overtreatment and the risk of side-effects,” said lead study author Josephine Lopes Cardozo, MD.
*The meeting presentation will include an updated hazard ratio for the risk of distant metastasis or breast cancer related death (DMFI) for patients with ultralow vs low risk tumors.

Abstract 503: De-escalated neoadjuvant pertuzumab+trastuzumab with or without paclitaxel weekly in HR-/HER2+ early breast cancer: ADAPT-HR-/HER2+ biomarker and survival results.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 6.
“These findings are highly encouraging, particularly since the majority of patients in this study had stage 2 or 3 disease, and outside of this study, they would be subjected to a more aggressive and toxic standard-of-care regimen. This study indicates that we may be able to use early pathological complete response as a predictor of good outcomes, and that achieving this might reasonably allow for further treatment de-escalation. The study also sheds more light on the potential for chemo-free regimens for certain subsets of the HER2+ population,” said Jane Lowe Meisel, MD, an ASCO Expert in breast cancer.

Abstract 8503: Surgical outcomes from the phase 3 CheckMate 816 trial: Nivolumab (NIVO) + platinum-doublet chemotherapy (chemo) vs chemo alone as neoadjuvant treatment for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 6.

Abstract 2002: Efficacy and safety of larotrectinib in adult and pediatric patients with tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) fusion-positive primary central nervous system tumors.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Monday, June 7.
“Larotrectinib is a novel well-tolerated targeted therapy that provided a rapid and durable disease control in patients with TRK fusion-positive primary CNS tumors. Our results support testing for NTRK gene fusions in patients of all ages with primary CNS tumors.

Patients with TRK fusion-positive primary CNS tumors can expect radiological and clinical improvements with Larotrectinib upfront or after failing multiple lines of chemotherapy or radiation therapy,” said lead study author Sebastien Perreault, MD, FRCPC.

Abstract 5000: A phase 3 trial with a 2x2 factorial design of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone and/or local radiotherapy in men with de novo metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC): First results of PEACE-1.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Tuesday, June 8.

ASCO Research to be Presented During 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting

Abstract 6043: Palbociclib (P) in patients (pts) with head and neck cancer (HNC) with CDKN2A loss or mutation: Results from the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) study. 
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 11565: Palbociclib (P) in patients (pts) with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) with CDK4 amplification: Results from the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) study. 
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 10549: Attention to diet, exercise, and weight in the oncology clinic: Results of a national patient survey. 
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 9067: Physician concern about delaying lung cancer treatment while awaiting biomarker testing: Results of a survey of U.S. oncologists. 
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 6509: Mortality risk for patients undergoing cancer treatment who acquire SARS-CoV-2: ASCO registry. 
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 6520: Individual and institutional predictors of sexual orientation and gender identity data collection in oncology practice: An ASCO survey.
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.
See also related abstract E18520, Barriers and facilitators to sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data collection.

Abstract 6547: Disruptions to U.S. medical oncology care during the COVID-19 Pandemic: CancerLinQ Discovery (CLQD) analysis.
Abstract presentation part of on-demand content available beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 1504: Oncology patients’ perspectives on remote patient monitoring for COVID-19.
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Friday, June 4.

Abstract 5508: Pertuzumab plus trastuzumab (P+T) in patients (Pts) with uterine cancer (UC) with ERBB2 or ERBB3 amplification, overexpression or mutation: Results from the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) study. 
Abstract presentation part of scheduled broadcast beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Monday, June 7.

View the disclosures for the 2021 Cancer Communications Committee: https://www.asco.org/sites/new-www.asco.org/files/content-files/about-asco/pdf/2021-am-news-planning-team-disclosures.pdf

View the disclosures for Dr. Gralow

View the disclosures for Dr. Pierce

ATTRIBUTION TO THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY ANNUAL MEETING IS REQUESTED IN ALL COVERAGE.

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