Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
Showing 3 appraisals
European journal of cancer (Oxford, England : 1990)
Survival modelling of relapse-free survival and competing-risk analysis in patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer treated in GETUG-12.
BACKGROUND: Androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) plus radiotherapy is a standard of care for men with high-risk localized prostate cancer (PC). Adding docetaxel in this setting demonstrated better relapse-free survival (RFS) but not survival. Few data are available on relapse patterns. Our aim was to investigate whether different patterns of relapses exist in men with high-risk localized PC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective data from the GETUG12 phase 3 randomized controlled trial comparing ADT alone vs ADT + docetaxel and estramustine (DE) was examined. RFS (main endpoint) was analysed using parametric survival models and second event-free survival (SEFS) defined from biochemical progression (BP) was analysed using a competing-risk approach. RESULTS: Overall, 413 patients were randomized from 2002 to 2006, 206 treated with ADT and 207 with ADT+DE, in addition to local treatment. First analysis showed that the piecewise-exponential model with two time-intervals ([0-3[; ≥3 years) was the model that best characterized RFS with no time-dependent effect of risk factors and treatment. Second analyses limited to patients with a BP showed that the risk of a second event was significantly lower in patients with a longer time-interval from randomization to BP (hazard ratio (HR≥ 3 versus < 3 years): 0.49 [95% CI 0.30-0.79]). In competing-risk analysis, a significant and protective effect of this time-interval was observed for metastases (sub-HR≥ 3 versus < 3 years: 0.41 [0.23-0.73] accounting for salvage treatment. CONCLUSION: Time-interval from randomization to BP is a major prognostic factor for developing local or distant recurrences for patients with high-risk localized PC.
10 May 2026
Read appraisal →Journal for immunotherapy of cancer
Phase 2 trial of pTVG-HP ± pTVG-AR DNA vaccines and pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC)
BACKGROUND: We previously reported a trial using pembrolizumab with a DNA vaccine encoding prostatic acid phosphatase (pTVG-HP) in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Favorable clinical outcomes were associated with T-cell activation, suggesting immune response to vaccination was critical. In the current trial, we evaluated whether immunization with two vaccines, to broaden the T-cell response to other cancer-associated antigens, would elicit greater anti-tumor efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 60 patients with mCRPC were treated with vaccine on days 1 and 8 of a 3 week cycle, with pembrolizumab given on day 1 of each cycle. Patients in Arm A (n=30) received pTVG-HP as the vaccine, and patients in Arm B (n=30) received pTVG-AR (encoding the ligand-binding domain of the androgen receptor) alternating with pTVG-HP every two cycles. After eight cycles (6 months), patients continued to receive pembrolizumab alone, with the option to receive further booster immunizations at prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression. The primary objective was 6-month progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary objectives included safety, objective response rate, PSA response rate, overall survival (OS), and immunological evaluations. RESULTS: Overall median time to progression was 24 weeks (24 weeks Arm A, 24 weeks Arm B, p=0.80). The month 6 PFS rate was 51% in Arm A and 45% in Arm B. Median OS was 2.8 years (2.5 years Arm A, 3.7 years Arm B, p=0.16). 20% of patients in each arm experienced a PSA decline of >50%. 20 patients (n=8 Arm A, n=12 Arm B) had measurable disease, and 6/20 (30%) experienced a partial response. Eight patients received booster immunizations after 6 months, 3 of whom subsequently experienced a PSA decline. Three patients in Arm B experienced creatine kinase elevation with or without increased transaminases, which were not observed in Arm A. T cell immune responses to both antigens were detected in patients treated in Arm B. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with DNA vaccines and pembrolizumab demonstrated anti-tumor activity in terms of PSA declines and objective responses. The addition of pTVG-AR did not significantly increase measures of clinical efficacy; however, it was associated with a slight increase in toxicity to tissues that also express AR. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04090528.
27 Apr 2026
Read appraisal →The New England journal of medicine
Perioperative Enfortumab Vedotin and Pembrolizumab in Bladder Cancer
BACKGROUND: Patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who are ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy proceed directly to radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph-node dissection. Perioperative therapy may improve outcomes in this population. METHODS: In this phase 3, open-label trial, participants with muscle-invasive bladder cancer who were ineligible for or declined cisplatin-based chemotherapy were randomly assigned to perioperative (neoadjuvant and adjuvant) enfortumab vedotin, an antibody-drug conjugate directed at nectin-4, plus pembrolizumab and surgery (9 total cycles of enfortumab vedotin [1.25 mg per kilogram of body weight on days 1 and 8] plus 17 total cycles of pembrolizumab [200 mg on day 1 every 3 weeks], with surgery after 3 cycles) or surgery alone (control). The primary end point was event-free survival. Key secondary end points were overall survival and pathological complete response (absence of viable tumor after surgical resection). Other secondary end points included safety. RESULTS: A total of 344 participants underwent randomization (170 in the enfortumab vedotin-pembrolizumab group and 174 in the control group). At data cutoff, median follow-up was 25.6 months (range, 11.8 to 53.7). Surgery was performed in 87.6% of participants in the enfortumab vedotin-pembrolizumab group and in 89.7% in the control group. At 2 years, estimated event-free survival was 74.7% in the enfortumab vedotin-pembrolizumab group and 39.4% in the control group (hazard ratio for an event or death, 0.40; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.57; two-sided P<0.001); estimated overall survival was 79.7% and 63.1% (hazard ratio for death, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.74; two-sided P<0.001). A pathological complete response had occurred in 57.1% and 8.6% of the participants (estimated difference, 48.3 percentage points; 95% CI, 39.5 to 56.5; two-sided P<0.001). Adverse events occurred in all participants in the enfortumab vedotin-pembrolizumab group (grade ≥3, 71.3%; grade ≥3 drug-related, 45.5%) and in 64.8% in the control group (grade ≥3, 45.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Perioperative enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab and surgery led to significantly better event-free and overall survival outcomes and a greater percentage of participants with pathological complete response than surgery alone in a predominantly cisplatin-ineligible population with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Safety was also assessed. (Funded by Merck Sharp and Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck [Rahway, NJ]; KEYNOTE-905 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03924895.).
4 Apr 2026
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