Aakash Desai: New Clinical Evidence in a Rare and Challenging Space
Aakash Desai, Associate Director, Phase 1 and Precision Oncology Program at UAB O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, shared on LinkedIn about a recent paper by Jordi Remon et al. published on The Lancet Oncology:
“New clinical evidence in a rare and challenging space – metastatic B3 thymoma and thymic carcinoma.
Our understanding of these rare thoracic tumors has historically been limited, with few prospective trials. Until now, most data for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or antiangiogenic agents like lenvatinib or sunitinib came from small monotherapy studies.
This new study shows that:
The combination of pembrolizumab + lenvatinib demonstrated meaningful clinical activity in pretreated, metastatic patients—with progression-free survival exceeding historical results of monotherapy arms.
Key highlights:
- No prior ICI or anti-VEGF therapy
- Improved PFS compared to either agent alone
- Toxicities manageable and aligned with known profiles
- Strongest outcomes in patients who tolerated full-dose lenvatinib
These findings position pembrolizumab + lenvatinib as a potential treatment option for this underserved population—and warrant further study.”
Title: Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab in pretreated metastatic B3 thymoma and thymic carcinoma (PECATI): a single-arm, phase 2 trial
Authors: Jordi Remon, Paolo Bironzo, Nicolas Girard, Laurence Bigay-Game, Oscar Juan-Vidal, Javier de Castro, Noemí Reguart, Laurent Greillier, Sophie Cousin, Eric Dansin, Margarita Majem, Reyes Bernabé, Joaquin Mosquera Martinez, Marta Díaz, Alba Meya, Daniel Alcalá-López, Alicia García-Sanz, Luisella Righi, Silvia Novello, Benjamin Besse
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