ASCO brings together leading experts in clinical oncology to share the latest breakthroughs in cancer research, science and medicine. Presentations from Mass General Brigham investigators include an update on the INCIPIENT trial (using CAR-T in patients with glioblastoma), advances in skin cancer and gynecologic cancer treatment, a new way to radiate multiple brain metastases at the same time, and an app created to help caregivers handle the psychosocial impacts of cancer treatment.
Below are a few highlights from this year’s presentations. All times are in Central Time (CT).
Psychosocial digital application for caregivers of patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): A randomized controlled trial
When: Friday, May 30, 2025, 1:00-1:12 pm
Who: Jamie M. Jacobs, PhD, Mass General Hospital
What: This work will simultaneously be published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO).
Caregivers (i.e., relatives and friends) of patients undergoing HSCT struggle with considerable quality of life (QOL) impairments and psychological strain before, during and after HSCT. However, few interventions address the supportive care needs of these caregivers while prioritizing accessibility and scalability. The team assessed the efficacy of a self-guided digital application, called BMTCARE App, for improving HSCT caregivers' QOL, burden, mood symptoms, coping skills, and self-efficacy. The researchers conducted a single-center randomized trial of the BMT-CARE App for HSCT caregivers, compared with usual care. The team concluded that the BMT-CARE App, a psychosocial digital health intervention, led to substantial improvements in QOL, caregiving burden, depression and PTSD symptoms, and coping skills in caregivers of HSCT recipients.
Immunological correlates from phase I study of CARv3-TEAM-E in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM): INCIPIENT trial
When: Friday, May 30, 2025, 5:09-5:21 pm
Who: Bryan D. Choi, MD, PhD, Mass General Hospital
What: Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cells for glioblastoma (GBM) have been limited by the challenge of targeting a single tumor antigen in a heterogeneous disease. To address this barrier, the team generated a novel engineered T-cell product (CARv3-TEAM-E) that targets the EGFRvIII antigen while also secreting T-cell-Engaging Antibody Molecules (TEAMs) against wild-type EGFR. The INCIPIENT clinical trial is a first-in-human study of CARv3-TEAM-E in patients with recurrent GBM (NCT05660369). Patients were treated with intraventricular CARv3-TEAM-E T cells (10E6 cells per infusion). The results found that CAR T cells were detected in the CSF of all patients for an average of 33.6 days (SD = 10.33). Granulocytes, NK cells, B cells, and monocytes appeared in the CSF immediately after infusion, decreasing to low levels over the course of several weeks.
Rapid Oral Abstract (2017) Session: Safety and tolerability of intraventricular CARv3-TEAM-E T cells following lymphodepleting chemotherapy in recurrent glioblastoma: INCIPIENT trial
When: Saturday, May 31, 2025, 3:42-3:48 pm
Who: Elizabeth R. Gerstner, MD, Mass General Hospital
What: CAR T therapy is a novel, promising approach in glioblastoma (GBM) but tumor heterogeneity can limit efficacy when a single antigen is targeted. The team designed a second-generation CAR T molecule that targets epidermal growth factor receptor vIII (EGFRvIII) and also secretes a T-cell–engaging antibody molecule (TEAM) against wild-type EGFR. In a phase 1, first-in-human study (INCIPIENT, NCT05660369), patients with recurrent GBM with EGFRvIII mutation and/or EGFR amplification were eligible to receive up to 6 intraventricular doses of 10x106 CAR T cells via Ommaya catheter after lymphodepleting chemotherapy (LDC) with fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. The results found that CAR T manufacturing was successful for all patients.
Stereotactic radiation versus hippocampal avoidance whole brain radiation in patients with 5-20 brain metastases: A multicenter, phase 3 randomized trial
When: Sunday, June 1, 2025, 10:33-10:45 am
Who: Ayal A. Aizer, MD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
What: Radiation therapy forms the mainstay of management for patients with brain metastases. Published randomized trials have found improved quality of life with stereotactic radiation (SRS/SRT) over whole brain radiation (WBRT) in patients with ≤4 brain metastases; comparative trials in patients with >4 brain metastases are lacking. Accordingly, Dr. Aizer and team conducted a multicenter, phase 3 randomized trial comparing SRS/SRT to hippocampal avoidance WBRT (HA-WBRT) in patients with 5-20 brain metastases. The primary endpoint was the average of patient-reported symptom severity and interference in function over the first six months post-baseline relative to baseline. This trial found that patients with 5-20 brain metastases experience fewer symptoms and less interference in function after SRS/SRT as opposed to HA-WBRT, without compromise of survival, supporting SRS/SRT as the standard of care in this population.
Rapid Oral Abstract (5511) Session: Primary results of a phase 2 study of cisplatin-sensitized radiation therapy and pembrolizumab for unresectable vulvar cancer.
When: Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 8:12-8:18 am
Who: Oladapo O. Yeku, MD, PhD, Mass General Hospital
What: Locally advanced vulvar cancer is a rare but lethal disease more common in underserved populations. In contrast to other gynecologic cancers, the incidence and mortality of this disease has increased over the past decade. This research team hypothesized that immune checkpoint inhibitors could synergize with chemotherapy and improve outcomes for this disease. In this single-arm phase II trial (NCT04430699) patients with primary unresectable, incompletely resected, recurrent, or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the vulva undergoing radiation therapy (RT) were eligible. Of the 24 patients enrolled, twenty-two patients (92%) had primary unresectable disease and two (8%) had recurrent disease. All patients were treated with definitive intent RT. The team found that the study met its primary endpoint – concurrent treatment with chemoradiation and pembrolizumab improved overall response rate and 6-month recurrence free survival in vulvar cancer.
Randomized phase II study of neoadjuvant (neoadj) anti-PD-1 dostarlimab (D) vs. D + anti-TIM-3 cobolimab (C) in high-risk resectable melanoma (mel) (NEO-MEL-T): Primary analysis
When: Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 10:57-11:09 am
Who: Meghan Mooradian, MD, Mass General Hospital
What: This late-breaking abstract is embargoed until 7 am on June 3, 2025.
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