Response to imatinib plus sirolimus in advanced chordoma.

BACKGROUND: Imatinib (IM) is active in advanced chordoma. The evidence of upstream and/or downstream mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway activation prompted us to combine an mTOR inhibitor, sirolimus, to IM in IM-resistant advanced chordoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Since July 2007, 10 progressive advanced chordoma patients with secondary resistance to IM, and biochemical and/or immunohistochemical evidence of upstream and/or downstream mTOR effector activation, started IM (400 mg/day) plus sirolimus (2 mg/day) on a named basis. RESULTS: The mean treatment duration was 9 months. Of nine patients assessable for response, at 3 months, we had one RECIST partial response (PR), seven stable disease (SD) and one progressive disease (PD). According to Choi criteria applied even to magnetic resonance imaging, we had seven PR (> or =10% decrease in size in four cases), one SD and one PD. Seven patients had a positron emission tomography response. The clinical benefit [RECIST complete response + PR + SD > or =6 months] was 89%. Pretreatment mTOR effectors analysis carried out in nine cases was positive in all patients (AKT activation in six patients, S6Sp6 expression/activation in seven). Post-treatment biopsy in one responsive patient confirmed S6 switch off. CONCLUSION: In addition to PDGFRB, mTOR pathway can be activated in chordomas and the combination of IM plus rapalogs may be effective in IM-resistant chordomas.

Trabectedin in myxoid liposarcomas (MLS): a long-term analysis of a single-institution series.

BACKGROUND: Trabectedin has been approved in Europe as second-line therapy for advanced soft tissue sarcomas. A previous analysis showed that myxoid liposarcomas (MLS) are particularly sensitive to the drug. We report on the long-term efficacy of trabectedin in a subgroup of that series. METHODS: Since September 2002, 32 advanced pretreated MLS patients received trabectedin at our center. Data were reviewed focusing on their long-term outcome. RESULTS: Trabectedin was given as a 24-h continuous infusion every 21 days. A total of 376 and a median of 12 courses per patient (range 2-26; interquartiles range (IQR) 8-15) were delivered. Response rate per RECIST was 50% [95% confidence interval (CI) 32% to 68%], median progression-free survival (PFS) was 17 months (95% CI 13.5-30.1) and median overall survival is still not reached. In 10 patients, therapy was stopped in the absence of any evident disease, mostly after complete surgery of residual lesions. In these 10 patients, at a median follow-up of 25 months, PFS was 28.1 months (95% CI 25.6-36.4) from treatment start. DISCUSSION: These data indicate that the high response rate of MLS to trabectedin translates into prolonged PFS. Surgery of residual metastatic disease is already used quite extensively in metastatic MLS. Trabectedin may give further significance to this kind of surgery.