Providence researchers contribute to more than 20 studies presented at ASCO Annual Meeting

In early June, researchers at the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, a division of Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon, joined over 40,000 oncology professionals from around the world at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago. Over 200 sessions and over 2,000 posters complemented the theme of the meeting, "Partnering with Patients: The Cornerstone of Cancer Care and Research." 

Providence researchers contributed to more than 20 studies selected for presentation in poster sessions, poster discussions, an oral abstract session and a plenary session. From early phase clinical trials to health services research and survivorship, the breadth of our investigations to advance cancer research and treatments was shared at this year’s ASCO conference. 

“The ASCO Annual Meeting is an opportunity to connect with our colleagues from around the world and fuel our commitment to cancer research and our patients. Clinical researchers and basic scientists at Providence have been advancing cancer research with many presentations at ASCO and other international conferences for 25 years. This year’s theme is especially poignant as we reach significant milestones in cancer treatments that help extend the lives of our patients and improve their quality of life,” said Walter J. Urba, M.D., Ph.D., chief medical officer, Providence Cancer Institute, and director, Earle A. Chiles Research Institute.  

“It was an honor to be at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting with this remarkable group of researchers from Providence. I’m proud of the abstracts our researchers contributed to the meeting. I left inspired by the advancements in cancer therapies and care, and more hopeful for our patients,” said R. Bryan Bell, M.D., D.D.S., FACS, FRCS(Ed), division director, Surgical Oncology, Radiation Oncology and Clinical Programs, Providence Cancer Institute.  

The following is a full list of abstracts by Providence researchers, including highlights of several studies. 

Gastrointestinal Cancers 

Plenary Session 

Abstract LBA2: Phase III trial of neoadjuvant chemoradiation versus neoadjuvant FOLFOX chemotherapy with selective use of chemoradiation 

This trial, known as PROSPECT, compares the effects of standard treatment chemotherapy and pelvic radiation to chemotherapy using FOLFOX in patients with rectal cancer. After a median follow-up of 58 months, the study showed preoperative chemotherapy with the FOLFOX regimen was at least as good(non-inferior) as preoperative chemoradiotherapy with respect to disease-free survival. Furthermore, a quality-of-life evaluation showed no significant difference between the two groups. This means that some patients may be safely treated without radiation and be spared the side effects associated with its use. Read about this study in the New England Journal of Medicine
Deborah Schrag…Hagen Fritz Kennecke, et al. 

Poster Sessions 

Abstract 3567: Reversion of RAS mutations in metastatic colorectal cancer in the CCTG CO.26 clinical trial  
Florence T.H. Wu…Hagen Fritz Kennecke, et al. 

Abstract 3545: Plasma arginine as a candidate predictive biomarker for response to immune checkpoint inhibition in metastatic colorectal cancer: Analysis of the CCTG CO.26 trial  
Lucy Xiaolu Ma…Hagen Fritz Kennecke, et al. 

Abstract 3563: Safety and efficacy of D-1553 in KRAS G12C-mutated colorectal cancer: Results from a phase I/II study  
Dan-yun Ruan…Rachel E. Sanborn, et al. 

Melanoma 

Oral Abstract Session 

Abstract: LBA9503 Distant metastasis-free survival results from phase II mRNA-4157-P201/KEYNOTE-942 trial 

In this study, mRNA-4157, a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine (constructed in a fashion similar to effective COVID vaccines), in combination with pembrolizumab as first-line therapy for patients with resected high-risk melanoma significantly prolonged distant metastasis-free survival compared to pembrolizumab. These results provide further evidence that a personalized neoantigen approach may be beneficial for patients with different types of cancer. 
Adnan Khattak…Matthew H. Taylor, et al. 

Poster Discussion Session 

Abstract LBA9515: Minimal residual disease by circulating tumor DNA as a biomarker of recurrence free survival in resected high-risk melanoma patients treated with mRNA-4157/V940, a personalized cancer vaccine, and pembrolizumab  
Matteo S. Carlino…Matthew H. Taylor, et al. 

Lung Cancer 

Poster Discussion Session 

Abstract 1517: AI-based radiomic biomarkers to predict
PD-(L)1 immune checkpoint inhibitor response within PD-L1 high/low/negative expression categories in stage IV NSCLC  

One of the challenges of evaluating predictive biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy using retrospective real-world data is the inherent association between a physician’s treatment choice and PD-L1 expression status. This work investigates radiomics-based multi-modal biomarkers within patient cohorts receiving first-line therapy (ICI monotherapy, ICI plus chemotherapy, and chemotherapy), and in cohorts of all patients receiving ICI (all-lines) subdivided by PD-L1 expression. Radiomics enables data to be extracted and applied to improve diagnostic, prognostic and predictive accuracy. 
George R. Simon…Brendan D. Curti, et al. 

Poster Sessions 

Abstract 9137: Risk factors for venous thromboembolism among patients with EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer receiving amivantamab plus lazertinib versus either agent alone  
Nicolas Girard…Rachel E. Sanborn, et al. 

Abstract 9124: Multi-center real-world data curation and assessment of tumor growth rate and overall survival in advanced NSCLC treated with PD-(L)1 immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy 
Chiharu Sako…Brendan D. Curti, et al. 

Breast Cancer 

Poster Sessions 

Abstract 604: Immunologic induction with peri-lymphatic cytokines to enhance pembrolizumab response in stage II/III triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (Providence Cancer Institute sponsored study) 

The addition of pembrolizumab to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) improves pathological complete response (pCR) rates and recurrence-free survival in stage II/III triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), albeit with substantial chemotherapy-attributed side effects. This phase II, randomized, open-label trial evaluates the clinical and immune response of patients after pembrolizumab plus NACT is combined with various immunotherapy induction regimens as first-line therapy for TNBC. The study showed induction IRX-2 + pembrolizumab is well tolerated with
encouraging outcomes that support further study of peri-lymphatic induction cytokine therapy in stage II/III TBNC. 

David B. PageAlison Katherine Conlin, Kristin P. Massimino, William L Redmond, Sasha E. Stanton, et al. 

Abstract TPS634: Neoadjuvant HER2-targeted therapy +/- immunotherapy with pembrolizumab (neoHIP): An open label randomized phase II trial 
Heather L. McArthur…David B. Page, et al. 

Abstract TPS635A: Single-arm phase 2 study of peri-operative immune checkpoint inhibition and cryoablation in women with hormone receptor-negative, HER2-negative, early-stage/resectable breast cancer 
Heather L. McArthur…David B. Page, et al.  

Head and Neck 

Poster Session and Discussant 

Abstract 6036: Outcomes by time to adjuvant therapy in E3311, a phase II trial of transoral surgery followed by pathology-based adjuvant treatment in HPV-associated (HPV+) oropharynx cancer: A trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group 

This randomized phase II trial evaluated how effective transoral surgery followed by low-dose or standard-dose radiation therapy was in patients with human papilloma virus (HPV) positive stage III-IVA oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). Intermediate- and high-risk HPV+ OPC patients had favorable three-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates that were not significantly worse when adjuvant therapy was started after six weeks or seven weeks. These results suggest there is no survival advantage when post-operative radiotherapy is given within six or seven weeks for early-stage HPV+ OPC managed with high-quality transoral resection.   
Robert L. Ferris…Richard Bryan Bell, et al. 

Additionally, Dr. Bell was invited to be a discussant for a poster discussion session featuring three abstracts: 6018, 6019 and 6020. In his talk titled, “Primed to Kill,” Dr. Bell noted that the studies “advance the field of head and neck cancer research with novel therapeutic strategies that if further developed have the possibility to improve survival and enhance quality of life."

Health Services Research and Survivorship 

Poster Sessions 

Abstract 662: Improved outcomes from reflex comprehensive genomic profiling-guided precision therapeutic selection (Providence Cancer Institute sponsored trial) 

To assess the impact of removing testing barriers, a reflex testing protocol was established that called for comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) at the time of diagnosis for advanced cancer patients. After two years, the test revealed that CGP-guided precision therapy is associated with significantly higher survival in a reflex testing population. The insights gained from this research may contribute to better patient care and outcomes. 
Brian Piening…Carlo Bruno Bifulco, et al.  

Abstract 12043: Association of nutrition with psychological health and quality of life among older adults with advanced cancer 

Surbhi Singhal…Alison Katherine Conlin, et al.  

Abstract 3117: Temsirolimus in patients with solid tumors with PIK3CA mutation: Results from the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) study 
Carmen Julia Calfa, Walter J. Urba, et al.  

Early Phase Studies 

Poster Sessions 

Abstract 3024: SGN-B6A, an integrin beta-6 (ITGB6)-targeted antibody-drug conjugate, in patients with advanced solid tumors: Updated results from a phase 1 study (SGNB6A-001) 

This phase 1 trial studied the safety and efficacy of SGN-B6A, an investigational antibody drug conjugate that targets integrin beta-6, in patients with advanced solid tumors. SGN-B6A has demonstrated a tolerable and manageable safety profile and encouraging antitumor activity and durable responses in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, esophageal cancer and head and neck cancer. This trial continues to evaluate multiple expansion cohorts to determine the recommended dose and schedule, and further evaluate safety and efficacy of SGN-B6A. Additionally, a cohort receiving both SGN-B6A and pembrolizumab has been initiated.  
Antoine Hollebecque…Rachel E. Sanborn, et al. 

Abstract 5590: Phase 1/1b study of PRGN-3005 autologous UltraCAR-T cells manufactured overnight for infusion next day to advanced stage platinum resistant ovarian cancer patients 
 
This study of PRGN-3005 evaluates the safety and recommended phase II dose in patients with relapsed or refractory ovarian cancer. In conclusion, PRGN-3005 UltraCAR-T targeting MUC16 has been well tolerated with minimal toxicity and encouraging disease control rates and a reduction in overall tumor burden have been observed in heavily pretreated ovarian cancer patients. 
John B. Liao, Sasha E. Stanton, et al. 

Abstract TPS3164: A phase 1, open-label, dose escalation and dose expansion study to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of PF-07799933 (ARRY-440) as a single agent and in combination therapy in participants 16 years and older with advanced solid tumors with BRAF alterations
J. Thaddeus Beck, Matthew H. Taylor, et al. 

Abstract TPS5108: HB-300, a novel arenavirus-based cancer immunotherapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer 
David D. Chism…Brendan D. Curti, et al. 

Poster Discussion Session 

Abstract 2524: A phase 1 study of AGEN2373, a novel CD137 agonist antibody designed to avoid hepatoxicity, in patients with advanced solid tumors 
Minal A. Barve…Matthew H. Taylor, et al. 

Learn More 

See all abstracts and posters presented at the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting. 

Learn more about innovative cancer research and treatments at Providence Cancer Institute.  

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