Eflornithine as Postimmunotherapy Maintenance in High-Risk Neuroblastoma: Externally Controlled, Propensity Score-Matched Survival Outcome Comparisons

  • Javier Oesterheld
  • , William Ferguson
  • , Jacqueline M. Kraveka
  • , Genevieve Bergendahl
  • , Thomas Clinch
  • , Elizabeth Lorenzi
  • , Don Berry
  • , Randal K. Wada
  • , Michael S. Isakoff
  • , Don E. Eslin
  • , Valerie I. Brown
  • , William Roberts
  • , Peter Zage
  • , Virginia L. Harrod
  • , Deanna S. Mitchell
  • , Derek Hanson
  • , Giselle L. Saulnier Sholler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSELong-term survival in high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB) is approximately 50%, with mortality primarily driven by relapse. Eflornithine (DFMO) to reduce risk of relapse after completion of immunotherapy was investigated previously in a single-arm, phase II study (NMTRC003B; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02395666) that suggested improved event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) compared with historical rates in a phase III trial (Children Oncology Group ANBL0032; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00026312). Using patient-level data from ANBL0032 as an external control, we present new analyses to further evaluate DFMO as HRNB postimmunotherapy maintenance.PATIENTS AND METHODSNMTRC003B (2012-2016) enrolled patients with HRNB (N = 141) after standard up-front or refractory/relapse treatment who received up to 2 years of continuous treatment with oral DFMO (750 ± 250 mg/m2 twice a day). ANBL0032 (2001-2015) enrolled patients with HRNB postconsolidation, 1,328 of whom were assigned to dinutuximab (ch.14.18) treatment. Selection rules identified 92 NMTRC003B patients who participated in (n = 87) or received up-front treatment consistent with (n = 5) ANBL0032 (the DFMO/treated group) and 852 patients from ANBL0032 who could have been eligible for NMTRC003B after immunotherapy, but did not enroll (the NO-DFMO/control group). The median follow-up time for DFMO/treated patients was 6.1 years (IQR, 5.2-7.2) versus 5.0 years (IQR, 3.5-7.0) for NO-DFMO/control patients. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression compared EFS and OS for overall groups, 3:1 (NO-DFMO:DFMO) propensity score-matched cohorts balanced on 11 baseline demographic and disease characteristics with exact matching on MYCN, and additional sensitivity analyses.RESULTSDFMO after completion of immunotherapy was associated with improved EFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.50 [95% CI, 0.29 to 0.84]; P =.008) and OS (HR, 0.38 [95% CI, 0.19 to 0.76]; P =.007). The results were confirmed with propensity score-matched cohorts and sensitivity analyses.CONCLUSIONThe externally controlled analyses presented show a relapse risk reduction in patients with HRNB treated with postimmunotherapy DFMO.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)90-102
Number of pages13
JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology
Volume42
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2024

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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