Pilot Clinical Trial of Perioperative Durvalumab and Tremelimumab in the Treatment of Resectable Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases.

PURPOSE: Despite the prognostic importance of immune infiltrate in colorectal cancer, immunotherapy has demonstrated limited clinical activity in refractory metastatic proficient mismatch-repair (pMMR) colorectal cancer. This study explores combining anti-CTLA-4 and an anti-PD-L1 therapy in the preoperative management of resectable colorectal cancer liver metastases with the intent to improve immune responses in this disease setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with resectable colorectal cancer liver-only metastases received one dose of tremelimumab and durvalumab preoperatively followed by single-agent durvalumab postoperatively. Primary objectives were to determine feasibility and safety.
RESULTS: A total of 24 patients were enrolled between November 2016 and November 2019. Twenty-three patients received treatment [21 pMMR and 2 deficient mismatch-repair (dMMR)] and subsequently 17 (74%; 95% CI: 53%-88%) underwent surgical resection. Grade 3/4 treatment-related immune toxicity and postoperative grade 3/4 toxicity were seen in 5/23 (22%; 95% CI: 10%-44%) and 2/17 (12%; 95% CI: 2%-38%) patients. The median relapse-free survival (RFS) was 9.7 (95% CI: 8.1-17.8) months, and overall survival was 24.5 (95% CI: 16.5-28.4) months. Four patients demonstrated complete pathologic response, two dMMR patients and two POLE mutation patients. Pre- and post-tumor tissue analysis by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence, and RNA sequencing revealed similar levels of T-cell infiltration, but did demonstrate evidence of CD8+ and CD4+ activation posttreatment. An increase in B-cell transcriptome signature and B-cell density was present in posttreatment samples from patients with prolonged RFS.
CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the safety of neoadjuvant combination tremelimumab and durvalumab prior to colorectal cancer liver resection. Evidence for T- and B-cell activation following this therapy was seen in pMMR metastatic colorectal cancer. ©2021 American Association for Cancer Research.