Phase 2 study of irinotecan plus cetuximab rechallenge as third-line treatment in KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer: JACCRO CC-08.

BACKGROUND: Regorafenib or trifluridine/tipiracil as third-line treatment have limited efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). METHODS: This Phase 2 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of irinotecan plus cetuximab rechallenge as third-line treatment in KRAS wild-type mCRC patients who achieved clinical benefit with first-line cetuximab-containing therapy. The primary endpoint was 3-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate. A sample size was calculated; 30 patients with a 3-month PFS rate of 45% deemed promising and 15% unacceptable. Patients with greater and less than the cut-off value of cetuximab-free intervals (CFIs) were classified into the long and short CFI groups, respectively, in subgroup analyses. RESULTS: Among 34 eligible patients who received treatment at least once, 3-month PFS rate was 44.1% (95% confidence interval, 27.4-60.8%). The median PFS and overall survival (OS) were 2.4 and 8.2 months, respectively. The response and disease control rates were 2.9 and 55.9%, respectively. PFS and OS were significantly longer in the long- than in the short CFI group. CONCLUSIONS: Irinotecan plus cetuximab rechallenge as third-line treatment for KRAS wild-type mCRC was safe and had promising activity, especially in those with a long CFI, warranting further investigation in a Phase 3 randomised trial. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000010638.

Correction to: Multicenter phase II study of trastuzumab plus S-1 alone in elderly patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (JACCRO GC­06).

The correct name of the twelfth author should be ''Yasuhiro Yuasa", and not ''Yasuhiko Yuasa'' as given in the original publication of the article.

Multicenter phase II study of trastuzumab plus S-1 alone in elderly patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (JACCRO GC-06).

BACKGROUND: S-1 plus cisplatin is a standard regimen for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) in Asia. The ToGA trial established a fluoropyrimidine plus cisplatin and trastuzumab as a standard treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive AGC. In the HERBIS-1 trial, trastuzumab combined with S-1 plus cisplatin showed promising antitumor activity in patients with HER2-positive AGC. However, cisplatin has several important drawbacks, including vomiting and renal toxicity. These disadvantages of cisplatin are prominent in elderly patients. Therefore, we conducted a prospective phase II study of trastuzumab plus S-1 without cisplatin in elderly patients with HER2-positive AGC. METHODS: Patients 65 years or older who had HER2-positive AGC received S-1 orally on days 1-28 of a 42-day cycle and trastuzumab intravenously on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. RESULTS: A total of 51 patients were enrolled. Two patients were ineligible. The full analysis set thus comprised 49 patients. The median age was 71 years (range 65-85). The confirmed response rate was 40.8% (95% CI 27.1-54.6%), and the null hypothesis was rejected. The median follow-up period was 10.6 months. Median overall survival was 15.8 months. Median progression-free survival was 5.1 months, and time to treatment failure was 4.0 months. Major grade 3 or 4 adverse events included neutropenia (12.0%), anemia (24.0%), diarrhea (10.0%), and anorexia (12.0%). There was one treatment-related death. CONCLUSIONS: Trastuzumab in combination with S-1 alone demonstrated promising antitumor activity and manageable toxic effects as well as promising survival results in elderly patients with HER2-positive AGC. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: UMIN000007368.

Subgroup analyses of the safety and efficacy of ramucirumab in Japanese and Western patients in RAINBOW: a randomized clinical trial in second-line treatment of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of ramucirumab plus paclitaxel versus placebo plus paclitaxel in patients previously treated for advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma in Japanese and Western subgroups from the RAINBOW trial. METHODS: Patients received ramucirumab at 8 mg/kg or placebo (days 1 and 15) plus paclitaxel at 80 mg/m(2) (days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle). End points were compared between treatment arms within Japanese (N = 140) and Western (N = 398) populations. RESULTS: The incidence of adverse events of grade 3 or higher was higher for ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in both populations (Japanese population, 83.8 % vs 52.1 %; Western population, 79.1 % vs 61.9 %). Neutropenia was the commonest adverse event of grade 3 or higher, with a higher incidence for ramucirumab plus paclitaxel (Japanese population, 66.2 % vs 25.4 %; Western population, 32.1 % vs 14.7 %). The incidence of febrile neutropenia was low and was similar between treatment arms in both populations. The overall survival hazard ratio was 0.88 (95 % confidence interval, 0.60-1.28) in the Japanese population and 0.73 (95 % confidence interval, 0.58-0.91) in the Western population. The progression-free survival hazard ratio was 0.50 (95 % confidence interval, 0.35-0.73) in the Japanese population and 0.63 (95 % confidence interval, 0.51-0.79) in the Western population. The objective response rate was higher for ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in both populations (Japanese population, 41.2 % vs 19.4 %; Western population, 26.8 % vs 13.0 %), as was the 6-month survival rate (Japanese population, 94.1 % vs 71.4 %; Western population, 66.0 % vs 49.0 %). CONCLUSIONS: Safety profiles of the ramucirumab plus paclitaxel arm were similar between populations, though there was a higher incidence of neutropenia in Japanese patients. Progression-free survival and objective response rate improvements were observed for ramucirumab plus paclitaxel in both populations. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01170663.

A Learning Program for Treatment Recommendations by Molecular Tumor Boards and Artificial Intelligence.

Importance: Substantial heterogeneity exists in treatment recommendations across molecular tumor boards (MTBs), especially for biomarkers with low evidence levels; therefore, the learning program is essential. Objective: To determine whether a learning program sharing treatment recommendations for biomarkers with low evidence levels contributes to the standardization of MTBs and to investigate the efficacy of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based annotation system. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prospective quality improvement study used 50 simulated cases to assess concordance of treatment recommendations between a central committee and participants. Forty-seven participants applied from April 7 to May 13, 2021. Fifty simulated cases were randomly divided into prelearning and postlearning evaluation groups to assess similar concordance based on previous investigations. Participants included MTBs at hub hospitals, treating physicians at core hospitals, and AI systems. Each participant made treatment recommendations for each prelearning case from registration to June 30, 2021; participated in the learning program on July 18, 2021; and made treatment recommendations for each postlearning case from August 3 to September 30, 2021. Data were analyzed from September 2 to December 10, 2021. Exposures: The learning program shared the methodology of making appropriate treatment recommendations, especially for biomarkers with low evidence levels. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was the proportion of MTBs that met prespecified accreditation criteria for postlearning evaluations (approximately 90% concordance with high evidence levels and approximately 40% with low evidence levels). Key secondary end points were chronological enhancements in the concordance of treatment recommendations on postlearning evaluations from prelearning evaluations. Concordance of treatment recommendations by an AI system was an exploratory end point. Results: Of the 47 participants who applied, 42 were eligible. The accreditation rate of the MTBs was 55.6% (95% CI, 35.3%-74.5%; P < .001). Concordance in MTBs increased from 58.7% (95% CI, 52.8%-64.4%) to 67.9% (95% CI, 61.0%-74.1%) (odds ratio, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.06-1.86]; P = .02). In postlearning evaluations, the concordance of treatment recommendations by the AI system was significantly higher than that of MTBs (88.0% [95% CI, 68.7%-96.1%]; P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this quality improvement study suggest that use of a learning program improved the concordance of treatment recommendations provided by MTBs to central ones. Treatment recommendations made by an AI system showed higher concordance than that for MTBs, indicating the potential clinical utility of the AI system.

Risk factors of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: index for personalized antiemetic prophylaxis.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is one of the most problematic adverse events that affects the well-being of cancer patients. Risk factors for CINV and its elimination are necessary to increase the indications for and effectiveness of chemotherapy. We enrolled 1549 chemotherapy-naïve patients in two phase II trials and one phase III trial of palonosetron between 2005 and 2007. Treatment failure (any emetic episodes or any administration of rescue medication) and/or nausea, and their associations with patient factors were evaluated in acute and in delayed phases using univariate and multivariate analyses. Female gender (odds ratio, 95% confidence interval: 2.96, 2.09-4.20), age <55 years (2.56, 1.94-3.37), non-habitual alcohol intake (1.90, 1.43-2.51) and non-smoker (1.40, 1.04-1.90) were associated with treatment failure in the acute phase. In contrast, only female gender (1.88, 1.34-2.64) was associated with treatment failure in the delayed phase. The number of risk factors was significantly associated with CINV in both acute and delayed phases. Patient risk factors were significantly associated with CINV. Depending on the relationship between CINV-related risk factors and a tailored antiemetic treatment, high-risk patients defined by the listed risk factors may be candidates for future clinical trials.

Phase II study of irinotecan and amrubicin in patients with relapsed non-small cell lung cancer: Okayama Lung Cancer Study Group Trial 0402.

BACKGROUND: The survival advantage achieved by existing anti-cancer agents as second-line therapy for relapsed non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is modest and further improvement of treatment outcome is desired. Combination chemotherapy with irinotecan and amrubicin for advanced NSCLC has not been fully evaluated. METHODS: The primary endpoint of this phase II clinical trial was objective response. Patients with NSCLC who had been treated previously with one or two chemotherapy agents were enrolled. Irinotecan and amrubicin were both administered on Days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle, at doses of 100 mg/m(2) and 40 mg/m(2), respectively. RESULTS: Between 2004 and 2006, 31 patients received a total of 101 courses; the median number of courses administered was three (range, one to six). Objective response was obtained in nine of the 31 patients (29.0% response rate; 95% confidence interval (CI), 12.1-46.0%). With a median follow-up time of 43.9 months, median survival time and the median progression-free survival time were 14.2 and 4.0 months, respectively. Myelosuppression was the most frequently observed adverse event, with grade 3/4 neutropenia in 51% of patients. Febrile neutropenia developed after nine courses (9%) and resulted in one treatment-related death. Cardiac toxicity and diarrhea, possibly specific for both agents, were infrequent and manageable. CONCLUSION: Combination chemotherapy with irinotecan and amrubicin is effective in patients with NSCLC but showed moderate toxicities in second- or third-line settings.

Phase I study of topotecan and cisplatin in patients with small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: A single-agent topotecan has an indication for the treatment of small cell lung cancer in Japan. Previous studies demonstrated that topotecan combined with a platinum agent could provide additional antitumor efficacy. This study was to find the recommended dose of topotecan in combination with cisplatin and preferred administration sequence in untreated patients with extensive disease small cell lung cancer for Phase II study. METHODS: Patients received topotecan as a 30 min infusion for 5 days in escalating doses (starting at 0.5 mg/m(2)/day), and cisplatin at a fixed dose of 60 mg/m(2), 3 weeks cycle. This study employed the following stages: cisplatin was given before topotecan on day 1 to previously treated patients (Stage 1). After the maximum-tolerated dose level was achieved, the same schedule was applied for untreated patients (Stage 2). Subsequently, cisplatin was given after topotecan on day 5 to untreated patients (Stage 3). The recommended doses of cisplatin on day 1 and 5 schedules were estimated by considering results obtained from Stages 2 and 3, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were enrolled. The maximum-tolerated doses in Stages 1-3 were estimated at 0.65, 0.65, and 1.4 mg/m(2), respectively. The recommended doses of cisplatin on day 1 and 5 schedules in untreated patients were determined at 0.65 and 1.0 mg/m(2), respectively. The major toxicity in this combination was hematological events. CONCLUSIONS: For treatment-naive patients, the combined use of 0.65/60 mg/m(2) topotecan/cisplatin with cisplatin on day 1 schedule or 1.0/60 mg/m(2) topotecan/cisplatin with cisplatin on day 5 schedule is recommended for Phase II study.

[Current status of adjuvant chemotherapy for resected lung cancer at our institute--focus on clinical trial enrollment].

Adjuvant chemotherapy after complete resection in Stage I B-III A non-small cell lung cancer is recommended. Several clinical trials of adjuvant chemotherapy are now underway in Japan. Our institute also participates in adjuvant clinical trials, but slow patient recruitment is a problem. In this paper, we reported the current status of adjuvant chemotherapy and recruitment for clinical trials at our institute. Between August 2001 and December 2008, candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy were 315 patients. Among them 186 who received adjuvant chemotherapy were younger and had less co-morbidity than those who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Twenty-five of the 186 patients participated in the clinical trials. The major reason of refusal of a clinical trial was that patients preferred to choose their own treatment and disliked randomized trials.

Site-Specific and Targeted Therapy Based on Molecular Profiling by Next-Generation Sequencing for Cancer of Unknown Primary Site: A Nonrandomized Phase 2 Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Although profiling of gene expression and gene alterations by next-generation sequencing (NGS) to predict the primary tumor site and guide molecularly targeted therapy might be expected to improve clinical outcomes for cancer of unknown primary site (CUP), to our knowledge, no clinical trial has previously evaluated this approach. OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical use of site-specific treatment, including molecularly targeted therapy based on NGS results, for patients with CUP. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This phase 2 clinical trial was conducted at 19 institutions in Japan and enrolled 111 previously untreated patients with the unfavorable subset of CUP between March 2015 and January 2018, with 97 patients being included in the efficacy analysis. Eligibility criteria included a diagnosis of unfavorable CUP after mandatory examinations, including pathological evaluation by immunohistochemistry, chest-abdomen-pelvis computed tomography scans, and a positron emission tomography scan. INTERVENTIONS: RNA and DNA sequencing for selected genes was performed simultaneously to evaluate gene expression and gene alterations, respectively. A newly established algorithm was applied to predict tumor origin based on these data. Patients received site-specific therapy, including molecularly targeted therapy, according to the predicted site and detected gene alterations. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary end point was 1-year survival probability. Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate, safety, efficacy according to predicted site, and frequency of gene alterations. RESULTS: Of 97 participants, 49 (50.5%) were women and the median (range) age was 64 (21-81) years. The cancer types most commonly predicted were lung (21 [21%]), liver (15 [15%]), kidney (15 [15%]), and colorectal (12 [12%]) cancer. The most frequent gene alterations were in TP53 (45 [46.4%]), KRAS (19 [19.6%]), and CDKN2A (18 [18.6%]). The 1-year survival probability, median OS, and median PFS were 53.1% (95% CI, 42.6%-62.5%), 13.7 months (95% CI, 9.3-19.7 months), and 5.2 months (95% CI, 3.3-7.1 months), respectively. Targetable EGFR mutations in tumor specimens were detected in 5 patients with predicted non-small-cell lung cancer (5.2%), 4 of whom were treated with afatinib; 2 of these patients achieved a durable PFS of longer than 6 months. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study's findings suggest that site-specific treatment, including molecularly targeted therapy based on profiling gene expression and gene alterations by NGS, can contribute to treating patients with the unfavorable subset of CUP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN Identifier: UMIN000016794.

Sex difference in the influence of smoking status on the responsiveness to gefitinib monotherapy in adenocarcinoma of the lung: Okayama Lung Cancer Study Group experience.

BACKGROUND: Gefitinib is effective in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Smoking status also affects the responsiveness to gefitinib, but it has not been fully evaluated whether a sex difference exists in the influence of smoking on the efficacy of gefitinib in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 260 Japanese patients with lung adenocarcinoma who received gefitinib therapy (250 mg/day), and whose smoking status was known. Tumour response and survival were evaluated and stratified by smoking status and gender. RESULTS: Among the 260 patients, 157 were male (60%). Median pack-years was 40 (range 8-160) and 23 (range 1-74) in male and female smokers, respectively. Objective response was observed in 62 (23.8%) of the 260 patients, and 1-year overall survival and progression-free survival were 45.1 and 24.3%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that smoking status (pack-years) was an independent predictive factor for response to gefitinib [odds ratio (OR) = 0.971, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.947-0.995; P = 0.0159] in male patients, but not in female patients (OR = 0.999, 95%CI = 0.957-1.042). Additionally, pack-years significantly influenced the overall survival in males (hazard ratio = 1.010; 95%CI = 1.002-1018, P = 0.0169), while differential survival of females was not significantly predicted by this factor (P = 0.7639). CONCLUSIONS: In male patients with lung adenocarcinoma, cumulative smoking significantly affected response and survival following gefitinib treatment, while in female patients, responsiveness to gefitinib was independent of smoking status. These results suggest that the influence of smoking habit on responsiveness to gefitinib is gender specific.

Tumor Sidedness and Enriched Gene Groups for Efficacy of First-line Cetuximab Treatment in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

Molecular differences in tumor locations may contribute to the sidedness-specific response to cetuximab in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). We investigated genes associated with the response to cetuximab treatment depending on tumor sidedness. Our study included 77 patients with mCRC (13/63, right/left) with KRAS exon 2 wild-type tumors from phase II trials of first-line therapy with cetuximab. Expression levels of 2,551 genes were measured in tissue samples by HTG EdgeSeq Oncology Biomarker Panel. Univariate Cox regression analysis using log2 values of counts per million (CPM) was conducted in each sidedness to assess associations with clinical outcomes, and to define the optimal cut-off point for clinically significant genes. In addition, a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed to identify significant gene pathways in each sidedness. Sixty-nine patients were assessable for gene expression data. Overexpression of BECN1 [log2(CPM) ≥ 6.8] was associated with favorable survival, regardless of tumor sidedness. High expression of NOTCH1 [log2(CPM) ≥ 7.5] predicted significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS; median 14.7 vs. 11.1 months, HR 0.43, P = 0.01) and overall survival (OS; median 42.8 vs. 26.5 months, HR 0.35, P = 0.01) in left side but not in right side. The GSEA showed that regulation of DNA replication gene set correlated with favorable survival in the left, whereas the subcellular component and leukocyte migration gene sets were associated with good survival in the right. In conclusion, genes contributing to the efficacy of cetuximab treatment may differ according to the sidedness in mCRC. NOTCH1 may potentially discriminate favorable responders to cetuximab in patients with left-sided tumors.

Phase I/II trial of sequential chemoradiotherapy using a novel hypoxic cell radiosensitizer, doranidazole (PR-350), in patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung Cancer (WJTOG-0002).

PURPOSE: This Phase I/II trial was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of PR-350, a novel hypoxic cell radiosensitizer, when administered with thoracic radiation therapy (RT) after induction chemotherapy (CT) for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Two cycles of cisplatin (80 mg/m(2)) and paclitaxel (180 mg/m(2)), or carboplatin (AUC = 6) and paclitaxel (200 mg/m(2)) were given before RT of 60 Gy in 30 fractions. In the Phase I portion, the starting dosage of PR-350 was 10 daily administrations (2000 mg/m(2)) in combination with RT, and this number was increased in increments of 10 for successive groups to 30 doses. RESULTS: In total, 37 patients were enrolled. In Phase I (n = 20), PR-350 could be administered 30 times with concurrent thoracic RT. Thus, in Phase II (n = 17), PR-350 was administered 30 times. The major toxicity was radiation pneumonitis, with Grade 3 or more pneumonitis noted in 6 patients (16%) including 2 with treatment-related deaths. However, no Grade 3 or more esophageal toxicity was noted, and only Grade 1 peripheral neuropathy was noted in 9 patients (24%). For all 37 patients, the median survival time (MST) and the 2-year survival rate were 15.9 months and 24%, respectively. For 18 patients receiving 21 to 30 doses of PR-350, the MST and 2-year survival rate were 20.9 months and 33%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic RT combined with 30 daily administrations of PR-350 after induction CT was well tolerated and promising for locally advanced NSCLC.

Mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene in the development of adenocarcinoma of the lung.

Recently, a mutation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene has been reported to be implicated in the development of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. However, the involvement of the mutation in atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) and multiple adenocarcinomas still remains unclear. We herein examined the EGFR mutations in 9 AAH and 31 adenocarcinoma lesions obtained from 30 Japanese patients. Nine patients had synchronous or metachronous multiple adenocarcinomas and/or AAH. Mutations in exons 18-21 of EGFR gene were analysed using polymerase chain reaction and direct sequence methods. EGFR mutations were detected in 4 (44%) of 9 AAH and in 7 (23%) of 31 adenocarcinomas. A gefitinib-resistant point mutation (T790M) in exon 20 without gefitinib treatment was detected in 1 AAH and 1 adenocarcinoma. The patient with T790M mutated AAH, which also had an exon 19 mutation of D761Y, had synchronous adenocarcinoma, which had only an exon 19 mutation of D761Y. The other exon 19 mutations were all in-frame deletions. In the two patients with synchronous AAH and adenocarcinoma, AAH had mutations at exon 19 although adenocarcinoma did not have any mutations. In the patient with synchronous 2 adenocarcinomas, each had different mutations (exons 19 and 21). In two patients with double adenocarcinomas, 1 adenocarcinoma harbored exon 21 mutations, while the other demonstrated no mutations. Although EGFR mutations appeared to be partially associated with the early steps of adenocarcinoma development, such mutations may possibly occur randomly even in multiple lesions in a single patient.

Serum level of arginine-vasopressin influences the prognosis of extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to elucidate the influence of serum arginine-vasopressin (AVP) level on prognosis of extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the clinical records of 163 patients with ED-SCLC, who were admitted to Okayama University Hospital or National Shikoku Cancer Center Hospital. The influence of 14 pretreatment variables on survival was analyzed. RESULTS: In a multivariate analysis of 163 patients, elevation of serum LDH level (P = 0.028) and poor performance status (PS > or = 2, P = 0.002) were independent poor prognostic factors. In 34 patients whose serum AVP levels were available, high serum AVP level was related to the poor prognosis (P < 0.001). The serum-sodium level did not affect the survival. Median serum level of osmotic pressure in 34 patients was normal (284.9 mOsm/kg), although, serum osmotic pressure was low in four of six patients with high serum AVP level. In all patients with high serum AVP level, serum LDH level was elevated. CONCLUSIONS: The data from the current study suggested that serum LDH level and PS were the poor prognostic factors for ED-SCLC. But we additionally identified the prognostic significance of serum AVP level, which may be a more useful factor than serum-sodium level.

A phase II trial of cisplatin and irinotecan alternating with doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and etoposide in previously untreated patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and safety of cisplatin (P) and irinotecan (I) (PI) alternating with doxorubicin (A), cyclophosphamide (C) and etoposide (E) (ACE) in patients with extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer (ED-SCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with previously untreated ED-SCLC were enrolled in this trial. In the first, third and fifth cycles, PI (P: 60 mg/m(2) on day 1; I: 60 mg/m(2)/day on days 1, 8 and 15) was administered, whereas ACE (A: 50 mg/m(2) on day 1; C: 750 mg/m(2) on day 1; E 80 mg/m(2)/day on days 1-3) was given in the second, fourth and sixth cycles. Each cycle was repeated every 4 weeks. At the end of six cycles, patients who had obtained a complete response were given prophylactic cranial irradiation. RESULTS: In total, 28 patients were enrolled, of whom 27 were assessable for efficacy and safety. Objective responses, including 4 (15%) complete responses, were observed in 25 patients (93%). Median survival time was 12.9 months. The principal toxicity was myelosuppression; grade 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were observed in 89 and 4%, respectively. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 30% of patients. Diarrhea was mild (grade 3-4; 4%). All toxicities were reversible and there were no treatment-related deaths. The mean percentage of the delivered doses, relative to the projected doses, of PI and ACE were 84.6 and 91.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the PI-ACE regimen to have promising activity against ED-SCLC with moderate toxicities.

A triplet chemotherapy with cisplatin, docetaxel and gemcitabine in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a phase I/II study.

PURPOSE: We conducted a phase I/II study of triplet chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin (CDDP), docetaxel (DCT) and gemcitabine (GEM) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Fifty-three untreated patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC were enrolled. All drugs were given on days 1 and 8. The doses of CDDP and DCT were fixed at 40 mg/m(2) and 30 mg/m(2), respectively. In the phase I portion, a dose escalation study of GEM with starting dose of 400 mg/m(2) was conducted and primary objective in the phase II portion was response rate. RESULTS: The maximally tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose (RD) of GEM were determined as 800 mg/m(2) because grade 3 non-hematological toxicity (liver damage, diarrhea, and fatigue) developed in three of nine patients evaluated at that dose level. In pharmacokinetic analysis, C (max) and AUC of dFdC and dFdU were increased along with the dose escalation of GEM. However, no relationship between pharmacokinetic parameters and toxicity or response was observed. Objective response rate was 34% and median survival time was 11.7 months. Though major toxicity was myelosuppression, there were no life-threatening toxicities. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that this triplet chemotherapy is feasible and effective in patients with advanced NSCLC.

CEA Response and Depth of Response (DpR) to Predict Clinical Outcomes of First-Line Cetuximab Treatment for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The decrease in carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level is faster and greater during cetuximab treatment than bevacizumab treatment and correlates with prolonged survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who receive cetuximab. OBJECTIVE: We investigated if the degree of change in the CEA value can serve as a diagnostic tool for predicting survival, as well as tumor regression in mCRC patients treated with cetuximab combined regimen as first-line treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Associations among the CEA decrease, depth of response (DpR), and clinical outcomes were evaluated in 113 patients with mCRC from two phase II trials of first-line therapy: the JACCRO CC-05 trial of cetuximab plus FOLFOX and the CC-06 trial of cetuximab plus SOX. Analysis was performed using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. A 75% decrease in the CEA was used as the cut-off value to define the CEA response and discriminate CEA responders on the basis of the results of a previous study. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients were eligible for analyses of both CEA and DpR. The median CEA decrease was 67.4%, and the median time to CEA nadir was 2.8 months, which was similar to the median time to DpR of 3.0 months. The DpR was associated with PFS and OS (rs = 0.56, P < 0.0001; rs = 0.39, P = 0.0090, respectively); moreover, the CEA decrease correlated with PFS (rs = 0.56, P < 0.0001), as well as OS (rs = 0.35, P = 0.019). CEA responders had significantly longer PFS (11.8 vs. 5.5 months, hazard ratio [HR] 0.46, P = 0.0009) and slightly, but not significantly longer OS (36.2 vs. 23.5 months; HR 0.57; P = 0.072) than CEA non-responders. The CEA decrease was statistically significantly associated with the DpR (rs = 0.44, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that both DpR and CEA response correlate with clinical outcomes of first-line treatment with cetuximab. The CEA decrease may serve as a surrogate for DpR in patients who receive first-line cetuximab treatment (UMIN000004197, UMIN000007022).

Prognostic Impact of Primary Tumor Location on Clinical Outcomes of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated With Cetuximab Plus Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy: A Subgroup Analysis of the JACCRO CC-05/06 Trials.

INTRODUCTION: Primary tumor location is a critical prognostic factor in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC); however, it remains unclear whether tumor location is a predictor of the response to cetuximab treatment. It is also uncertain if BRAF mutation contributes to the impact of tumor location on survival. We assessed the prognostic impact of tumor location on clinical outcomes in mCRC patients treated with first-line cetuximab chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The associations of tumor location with overall survival and progression-free survival were evaluated in mCRC patients with KRAS exon 2 wild-type tumors who were enrolled onto 2 clinical trials: JACCRO CC-05 of cetuximab plus FOLFOX (n = 57, UMIN000004197) and CC-06 of cetuximab plus SOX (n = 61, UMIN000007022). Tumors proximal or from splenic flexure to rectum were defined as right-sided or left-sided, respectively. In addition, exploratory RAS and BRAF mutation analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 110 patients were assessable for tumor location; 90 had left-sided tumors. Left-sided tumors were significantly associated with longer overall survival (36.2 vs. 12.6 months, hazard ratio = 0.28, P < .0001) and progression-free survival (11.1 vs. 5.6 months, hazard ratio = 0.47, P = .0041) than right-sided tumors; similar results were obtained in multivariate analysis. A subanalysis showed that the association was evident in the FOLFOX group and that tumor location was an independent prognostic factor irrespective of BRAF status in RAS wild-type patients. CONCLUSION: Primary tumor location might be a predictor of survival independent of BRAF status in mCRC patients who receive first-line cetuximab combined with oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.

A phase I and pharmacological study of amrubicin and topotecan in patients of small-cell lung cancer with relapsed or extensive-disease small-cell lung cancer.

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is considered to be a standard treatment in patients with relapsed or extensive-disease (ED) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the survival benefit remains modest. Relapsed or ED-SCLC patients were enrolled. Topotecan and amrubicin were administered on Days 1-5 and on Days 3-5, respectively. Nine patients received a total of 24 cycles. Since all three patients experienced dose-limiting toxicity (grade 4 neutropenia lasting for more than 4 days, grade 3 febrile neutropenia, and grade 4 thrombocytopenia) at the third dose level (topotecan: 0.75 mg/m2, amrubicin 40 mg/m2), the maximum tolerated dose was determined to be this dose level. Objective response was observed in six patients (67%). The maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of amrubicin increased in a dose-dependent manner. Amrubicin did not influence the pharmacokinetics of topotecan. The Cmax and AUC of amrubicin were correlated with the duration of grade 4 neutropenia. The mean Cmax of topotecan on day 2 in responders (22.9+/-3.6) was significantly higher than that in non-responders (10.9+/-0.4). This phase I study showed the safety and activity of two-drug combination of amrubicin and topotecan in patients with relapsed or ED-SCLC.