Baseline ctDNA analyses and associations with outcomes in taxane-naive patients with mCRPC treated with 177Lu-PSMA-617 versus change of ARPI in PSMAfore.

Background: [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 (177Lu-PSMA-617) prolonged radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) versus androgen receptor pathway inhibitor (ARPI) change in taxane-naive patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in PSMAfore (NCT04689828). In this exploratory analysis, associations between baseline circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and outcomes were assessed. Methods: Patients were randomized 1:1 to 177Lu-PSMA-617 (7.4 GBq Q6W; 6 cycles) or ARPI change (abiraterone/enzalutamide). Patients known to have actionable mutations (e.g. BRCA) were excluded. The primary endpoint was rPFS. Baseline plasma ctDNA was analyzed using a customized 585-gene sequencing assay. ctDNA fraction was assessed in all samples passing quality control. Alterations in key prostate cancer drivers (prevalent in >10% participants) were assessed in samples with ctDNA fraction >1%. Univariate Cox regression (reference: ARPI change) was used to assess association of ctDNA fraction or alterations with rPFS, prostate-specific antigen response (≥50% decline; PSA50) and RECIST response (RR) at the June 21, 2023 data cutoff. Results: Of 360 samples from 468 patients, 255 passed quality control and 156 had ctDNA fraction >1% (median 5.85%; range 0–85). Detection of ctDNA alterations was comparable between arms and with published data. Median rPFS was shorter for patients with ctDNA fraction > versus ≤1% (HR 2.753; 95% CI 1.957–3.872; p<0.0001) (Table); ctDNA fraction >1% was also associated with worse RR and PSA50 response. Median rPFS was shorter for patients with detected versus undetected AR(HR 1.954; 95% CI 1.333–2.865; p<0.001), TP53(1.655; 1.13–2.426; p<0.01) and PTEN(1.62; 1.018–2.578; p<0.05) alterations. Median rPFS was longer with 177Lu-PSMA-617 versus ARPI change in patients with detected AR, TP53, PTEN(Table), PI3K pathway and DNA repair pathway alterations. There was no significant association between ctDNA alterations and PSA50 or RR. Conclusions: ctDNA fraction >1% and AR, TP53and PTENalterations were associated with worse outcomes in PSMAfore regardless of treatment. Nonetheless, patients with these negative prognostic biomarkers did better with 177Lu-PSMA-617 than with ARPI change. Clinical trial information: NCT04689828.

Duke Scholars

Author Daniel James George Medicine, Medical Oncology