Richard Kim, MD, Highlights the Rationale for Assessing Pembrolizumab Plus Standard Chemo in Metastatic MSS/pMMR CRC

Video
Conference|ASCO Annual Meeting: Gastrointestinal Cancer

During the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Richard Kim, MD, discusses the rationale for the phase 1b KEYNOTE-651 trial examining pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

In an interview with CancerNetwork® during the 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Richard Kim, MD, service chief of Medical Gastrointestinal Oncology and senior member in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Department at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, described the rationale for the phase 1b KEYNOTE-651 trial (NCT03374254) assessing pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with leucovorin and fluorouracil plus either irinotecan or oxaliplatin in microsatellite-stable (MSS) or mismatch repair (MMR) proficient metastatic colorectal cancer.

Transcript:

We know that immunotherapy is [a modality] that has been successful in other diseases. In colon cancer, unfortunately, immunotherapy only works in 5% of patients. [That] set of patients have MMR [mismatch repair] deficient, MSI [microsatellite instability] high, or POLE mutation[–positive tumors]. Therefore, the other 95% of the patient are MSS, which we call a cold tumor. The goal of the trial was to convert those cold tumors to hot tumors by adding targeted agents or chemotherapy to immunotherapy to change the microenvironment, so the immunotherapy in those situations may work better.

Reference

Kim RD, Tehfe M, Kavan P, et al. Pembrolizumab (pembro) plus mFOLFOX7 or FOLFIRI for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) in KEYNOTE-651: Long-term follow-up of cohorts B and D. J Clin Oncol. 2022;40(suppl 16):3521. doi:10.1200/JCO.2022.40.16_suppl.3521

Recent Videos
A third of patients had a response [to lifileucel], and of the patients who have a response, half of them were alive at the 4-year follow-up.
We are seeing that, in those patients who have relapsed/refractory melanoma with survival measured as a few weeks and no effective treatments, about a third of these patients will have a response.
We have the current CAR [T-cell therapies], which target CD19; however, we need others.
“Every patient [with multiple myeloma] should be offered CAR T before they’re offered a bispecific, with some rare exceptions,” said Barry Paul, MD.
Barry Paul, MD, listed cilta-cel, anito-cel, and arlo-cel as 3 of the CAR T-cell therapies with the most promising efficacy in patients with multiple myeloma.
Jose Sandoval Sus, MD, discussed standard CAR T-cell therapies in patients across multiple high-risk lymphoma indications.
Elucidating nonresponses to bispecific T-cell engagers may be an important research consideration in the multiple myeloma field.
Barriers to access and financial toxicities are challenges that must be addressed for CAR T-cell therapies in LBCL, according to Jose Sandoval Sus, MD.
Fixed treatment durations with bispecific antibodies followed by observation may help in mitigating infection-related AEs, according to Shebli Atrash, MD.
Shebli Atrash, MD, stated that MRD should be considered carefully as an end point, given potential recurrence despite MRD negativity.
Related Content
Outcomes favoring robotic surgery for CRC may be influenced by patient selection factors, including clinical stability.

Robotic Surgery Exhibits Benefit in Select Colorectal Cancer Procedures

Roman Fabbricatore
August 17th 2025
Article

Outcomes favoring robotic surgery for CRC may be influenced by patient selection factors, including clinical stability.

A panel of clinical pharmacists discussed strategies for mitigating toxicities across different multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia populations.

Navigating AE Management for Cellular Therapy Across Hematologic Cancers

Tiba Al Sagheer, PharmD, BCOP, BCACP;Rebecca Gonzalez, PharmD, BCOP, FASTCT;Syeda Saba Kareem PharmD, BCOP
August 11th 2025
Podcast

A panel of clinical pharmacists discussed strategies for mitigating toxicities across different multiple myeloma, lymphoma, and leukemia populations.

An update of phase 1 data from the CTMX-2051-101 study is expected to be available by the first quarter of 2026.

Safety Review Committee Supports CX-2051 Trial Continuation in Solid Tumors

Roman Fabbricatore
August 15th 2025
Article

An update of phase 1 data from the CTMX-2051-101 study is expected to be available by the first quarter of 2026.

Experts share their perspectives on updated clinical trial results, personalized cancer vaccine research, and other notable developments in kidney cancer.

Key Advances Across Kidney Cancer Research and Management at KCRS 2025

Thomas Powles, MBBS, MCRP, MD;David Braun, MD, PhD;Wenxin (Vincent) Xu, MD;Eric Jonasch, MD
July 28th 2025
Podcast

Experts share their perspectives on updated clinical trial results, personalized cancer vaccine research, and other notable developments in kidney cancer.

Jose Sandoval Sus, MD, discussed the “revolution” that CAR T-cell therapies have facilitated for patients with large B-cell lymphomas.

Considerations for CAR T Use Across Large B-Cell Lymphoma Variants

Roman Fabbricatore
August 8th 2025
Article

Jose Sandoval Sus, MD, discussed the “revolution” that CAR T-cell therapies have facilitated for patients with large B-cell lymphomas.

More work is needed to expand access to novel CAR T-cell therapies and bispecific agents among community oncologists, according to Al-Ola A. Abdallah, MD.

Developing a Bridge to Optimize Cellular Therapy Use in Multiple Myeloma

Russ Conroy
August 4th 2025
Article

More work is needed to expand access to novel CAR T-cell therapies and bispecific agents among community oncologists, according to Al-Ola A. Abdallah, MD.