Renal cell carcinoma: entering the age of biomarkers.

INTRODUCTION: Renal cell carcinoma is as the most prevalent form of kidney cancer, with the clear cell subtype comprising approximately 75% of cases. The identification of predictive and prognostic biomarkers has emerged as a crucial area of research within the field. Despite advancements in treatment, metastatic renal cell carcinoma presents formidable challenges, with survival rates heavily dependent upon the optimal choice of treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This review summarizes the current literature regarding the prognostic and predictive value of biomarkers in patients with renal cell carcinoma. We conducted a comprehensive literature search to identify studies that reference biomarkers of interest in this domain. We selected studies based on their relevance, publication date, and the quality of the research. Data from these selected papers were compiled and analyzed to provide an overview of the current understanding and advancements in the field. The findings were then synthesized into a concise discussion highlighting the state of biomarker research in renal cell carcinoma today. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: While various nucleic acid and protein biomarkers have shown promise in other malignancies, their application in renal cell carcinoma remains limited by the lack of validated predictors. This review aims to highlight the pressing need for robust predictive and prognostic biomarkers in renal cell carcinoma to guide clinicians in tailoring optimal therapeutic strategies. The discussion encompasses the limitations of existing markers and underscores the significance of the most recent advancements within the field. Despite these strides, the clinical application of renal cell carcinoma biomarkers requires further study and validation.

Predictive and Prognostic Biomarkers and Tumor Antigens for Targeted Therapy in Urothelial Carcinoma.

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the fourth most prevalent cancer amongst males worldwide. While patients with non-muscle-invasive disease have a favorable prognosis, 25% of UC patients present with locally advanced disease which is associated with a 10-15% 5-year survival rate and poor overall prognosis. Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is associated with about 50% 5 year survival when treated by radical cystectomy or trimodality therapy; stage IV disease is associated with 10-15% 5 year survival. Current therapeutic modalities for MIBC include neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and/or chemoradiation, although patients with relapsed or refractory disease have a poor prognosis. However, the rapid success of immuno-oncology in various hematologic and solid malignancies offers new targets with tremendous therapeutic potential in UC. Historically, there were no predictive biomarkers to guide the clinical management and treatment of UC, and biomarker development was an unmet need. However, recent and ongoing clinical trials have identified several promising tumor biomarkers that have the potential to serve as predictive or prognostic tools in UC. This review provides a comprehensive summary of emerging biomarkers and molecular tumor targets including programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), DNA damage response and repair (DDR) mutations, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) expression and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), as well as their clinical utility in UC. We also evaluate recent advancements in precision oncology in UC, while illustrating limiting factors and challenges related to the clinical application of these biomarkers in clinical practice.

Enhancing bladder cancer care through the multidisciplinary clinic approach.

INTRODUCTION: To report the impact of our 25-year multidisciplinary care delivery model experience on patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer treated at our National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson University. To our knowledge, our multidisciplinary genitourinary cancer clinic (MDC) is the longest continuously operating center of its kind at an NCI Cancer Center in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected a recent group of patients with cT2-4 N0-1 M0 bladder cancer seen in the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Genitourinary Oncology MDC from January 2016 to September 2019. These patients were identified retrospectively. SEER-18 (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database, November 2019 submission was queried to obtain patients with similarly staged disease diagnosed between 2015 and 2017. Completion rates of radical cystectomy, use of neoadjuvant therapies, and survival outcomes were compared between the two cohorts. RESULTS: Ninety-one patients from the MDC form this time period were identified; 65.9% underwent radical cystectomy and 71.8% received neoadjuvant therapy in the form of chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibition or a combination of the two - higher than reported national trends for neoadjuvant therapies. Progression of disease was seen in 24.2% of patients. A total of 8675 patients met inclusion criteria in the SEER database. Rates of radical cystectomy were significantly higher in MCD patients when compared to SEER derived data (65.9% vs. 37.7%, p =< 0.001). MCD patients had significantly better cancer-specific survival (mean 20.4 vs. 18.3 months p = 0.028, median survival not reached). CONCLUSION: Our long term experience caring for patients with genitourinary malignancies such as bladder cancer in a uniform multidisciplinary team results in a high utilization of neoadjuvant therapies. When compared to a contemporary SEER-derived cohort, multidisciplinary patients were more likely to undergo radical cystectomy and had longer cancer-specific survival.

Adjuvant chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab in patients with resected non-small-cell lung cancer (E1505): an open-label, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant chemotherapy for resected early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) provides a modest survival benefit. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against VEGF, improves outcomes when added to platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced-stage non-squamous NSCLC. We aimed to evaluate the addition of bevacizumab to adjuvant chemotherapy in early-stage resected NSCLC. METHODS: We did an open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial of adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 and who had completely resected stage IB (≥4 cm) to IIIA (defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer 6th edition) NSCLC. We enrolled patients from across the US National Clinical Trials Network, including patients from the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ECOG-ACRIN) affiliates in Europe and from the Canadian Cancer Trials Group, within 6-12 weeks of surgery. The chemotherapy regimen for each patient was selected before randomisation and administered intravenously; it consisted of four 21-day cycles of cisplatin (75 mg/m2 on day 1 in all regimens) in combination with investigator's choice of vinorelbine (30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8), docetaxel (75 mg/m2 on day 1), gemcitabine (1200 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8), or pemetrexed (500 mg/m2 on day 1). Patients in the bevacizumab group received bevacizumab 15 mg/kg intravenously every 21 days starting with cycle 1 of chemotherapy and continuing for 1 year. We randomly allocated patients (1:1) to group A (chemotherapy alone) or group B (chemotherapy plus bevacizumab), centrally, using permuted blocks sizes and stratified by chemotherapy regimen, stage of disease, histology, and sex. No one was masked to treatment assignment, except the Data Safety and Monitoring Committee. The primary endpoint was overall survival, analysed by intention to treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00324805. FINDINGS: Between June 1, 2007, and Sept 20, 2013, 1501 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the two treatment groups: 749 to group A (chemotherapy alone) and 752 to group B (chemotherapy plus bevacizumab). 383 (26%) of 1458 patients (with complete staging information) had stage IB, 636 (44%) had stage II, and 439 (30%) had stage IIIA disease (stage of disease data were missing for 43 patients). Squamous cell histology was reported for 422 (28%) of 1501 patients. All four cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens were used: 377 (25%) patients received vinorelbine, 343 (23%) received docetaxel, 283 (19%) received gemcitabine, and 497 (33%) received pemetrexed. At a median follow-up of 50·3 months (IQR 32·9-68·0), the estimated median overall survival in group A has not been reached, and in group B was 85·8 months (95% CI 74·9 to not reached); hazard ratio (group B vs group A) 0·99 (95% CI 0·82-1·19; p=0·90). Grade 3-5 toxicities of note (all attributions) that were reported more frequently in group B (the bevacizumab group) than in group A (chemotherapy alone) were overall worst grade (ie, all grade 3-5 toxicities; 496 [67%] of 738 in group A vs 610 [83%] of 735 in group B), hypertension (60 [8%] vs 219 [30%]), and neutropenia (241 [33%] vs 275 [37%]). The number of deaths on treatment did not differ between the groups (15 deaths in group A vs 19 in group B). Of these deaths, three in group A and ten in group B were considered at least possibly related to treatment. INTERPRETATION: Addition of bevacizumab to adjuvant chemotherapy did not improve overall survival for patients with surgically resected early-stage NSCLC. Bevacizumab does not have a role in this setting and should not be considered as an adjuvant therapy for patients with resected early-stage NSCLC. FUNDING: National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health.

Vismodegib or cixutumumab in combination with standard chemotherapy for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer: A trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (E1508).

BACKGROUND: Preclinical targeting of the hedgehog pathway by vismodegib and of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor by cixutumumab enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy and also demonstrates activity against the tumor cell fraction responsible for disease recurrence in small cell lung cancer. METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC-ED) were randomized to receive four 21-day cycles of cisplatin and etoposide alone (cisplatin at 75 mg/m(2) on day 1 and etoposide at 100 mg/m(2) on days 1-3; arm A) or in combination with either vismodegib (150 mg/d by mouth; arm B) or cixutumumab (6 mg/kg/wk intravenously on day 1; arm C). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were isolated/enumerated with the Veridex CellSearch platform at the baseline. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-two eligible patients were treated. Patient demographics and disease characteristics were well balanced between the 3 arms except for the higher rate with a performance status of 0 in arm B (P = .03). The median PFS times in arms A, B, and C were 4.4, 4.4, and 4.6 months, respectively; the median overall survival (OS) times were 8.8, 9.8, and 10.1 months, respectively; and the response rates were 48%, 56%, and 50%, respectively. None of the comparisons of these outcomes were statistically significant. The median OS was 10.5 months for those with low CTC counts (≤100/7.5 mL) at baseline and 7.2 months for those with high CTC counts (hazard ratio, 1.74; P = .006). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant improvement in PFS or OS with the addition of either vismodegib or cixutumumab to chemotherapy in patients with SCLC-ED. A low baseline CTC count was associated with a favorable prognosis. Cancer 2016;122:2371-2378. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

T-Cell redirecting bispecific antibodies: a review of a novel class of immuno-oncology for advanced prostate cancer.

Novel T-cell immunotherapies such as bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs) are emerging as promising therapeutic strategies for prostate cancer. BiTEs are engineered bispecific antibodies containing two distinct binding domains that allow for concurrent binding to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) as well as immune effector cells, thus promoting an immune response against cancer cells. Prostate cancer is rich in tumor associated antigens such as, but not limited to, PSMA, PSCA, hK2, and STEAP1 and there is strong biologic rationale for employment of T-cell redirecting BiTEs within the prostate cancer disease space. Early generation BiTE constructs employed in clinical study have demonstrated meaningful antitumor activity, but challenges related to drug delivery, immunogenicity, and treatment-associated adverse effects limited their success. The ongoing development of novel BiTE constructs continues to address these barriers and to yield promising results in terms of efficacy and safety. This review will highlight some of most recent developments of BiTE therapies for patients with advanced prostate cancer and the evolving data surrounding BiTE constructs undergoing clinical evaluation.

Bladder preservation therapy for muscle-invading bladder cancers on Radiation Therapy Oncology Group trials 8802, 8903, 9506, and 9706: vascular endothelial growth factor B overexpression predicts for increased distant metastasis and shorter survival.

BACKGROUND: From 1988 to 1999, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) conducted four prospective studies (8802, 8903, 9506, 9706) of patients with clinical stage T2-4a muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Treatment was selective bladder preservation using transurethral surgery (TURBT) plus cisplatin-based induction and consolidation chemoradiation regimens, reserving radical cystectomy for invasive tumor recurrence. We investigated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway biomarkers in this unique clinical dataset (median follow-up of 3.1 years). METHODS: A total of 43 patients with tissue available from the entry TURBT were included in this analysis. Expression of VEGF ligands and receptors were quantified and scored by the AQUA platform (HistoRX, now Genoptix, Carlsbad, CA) and analyzed after median split. RESULTS: VEGF expression levels were not associated with increased rates of complete response to induction chemoradiation. Higher levels of cytoplasmic VEGF-B, VEGF-C, and VEGF-R2 were associated with decreased overall survival rates. The 3-year overall survival estimates for high and low expressers were 43.7% and 75% for VEGF-B cytoplasm (p = .01), 40.2% and 86.7% for VEGF-C cytoplasm (p = .01), and 49.7% and 66.7% for VEGF-R2 cytoplasm (p = .02). Higher expression levels of cytoplasm VEGF-B were associated with higher rates of distant failure (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Although VEGF ligands and receptors do not appear to be associated with complete response to induction chemoradiation for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, we report significant associations with overall survival and distant failure for certain VEGF family members.

Prostein expression on circulating tumor cells as a prognostic marker in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Identification of emerging molecular biomarkers on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represents an attractive feature of liquid biopsy that facilitates precision and tailored medicine in the management of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Prostein is an androgen-regulated transmembrane protein with high prostate specificity. Prostein-positive circulating tumor cell (CTC) was recently suggested to have diagnostic potential; however, no study has been conducted to evaluate its prognostic value in mCRPC. METHODS: CTCs from mCRPC patients were enumerated using the CellSearch System. Prostein-positive CTCs were identified by immunostaining results. The relationships between prostein expression on CTCs and PSA response rate, PSA progression-free survival (PSA-PFS), radiographic progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were tested by Fisher's exact test or evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox analyses. RESULTS: Prostein-positive CTCs were identified in 31 of 87 baseline samples from mCRPC patients and 16 of 51 samples collected at the first follow-up visit. PSA response rates were significantly lower in baseline prostein-positive patients (0%, 0/31) than in prostein-negative patients (19.6%, 11/56) (p = 0.007). The 31 prostein-positive patients had significantly shorter PSA-PFS (p < 0.001), radiographic PFS (p < 0.001), and OS (p = 0.018), compared to the 56 prostein-negative patients at baseline. The association with PSA-PFS maintained its significance (p = 0.028) in multivariate analyses. Analyzing prostein expression at the first follow-up as well as the conversion of prostein expression from baseline to follow-up samples not only confirmed the association with PSA-PFS, but also demonstrated prognostic significance with OS. CONCLUSION: Our study provides the first evidence to support the potential of prostein expression on CTCs to serve as a novel prognostic marker in mCRPC patients. Future large-scale prospective studies are needed to validate our findings.

Analysis of MRE11 and Mortality Among Adults With Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Managed With Trimodality Therapy.

Importance: Bladder-preserving trimodality therapy can be an effective alternative to radical cystectomy for treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but biomarkers are needed to guide optimal patient selection. The DNA repair protein MRE11 is a candidate response biomarker that has not been validated in prospective cohorts using standardized measurement approaches. Objective: To evaluate MRE11 expression as a prognostic biomarker in MIBC patients receiving trimodality therapy using automated quantitative image analysis. Design, Setting, and Participants: This prognostic study analyzed patients with MIBC pooled from 6 prospective phase I/II, II, or III trials of trimodality therapy (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] 8802, 8903, 9506, 9706, 9906, and 0233) across 37 participating institutions in North America from 1988 to 2007. Eligible patients had nonmetastatic MIBC and were enrolled in 1 of the 6 trimodality therapy clinical trials. Analyses were completed August 2020. Exposures: Trimodality therapy with transurethral bladder tumor resection and cisplatin-based chemoradiation therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: MRE11 expression and association with disease-specific (bladder cancer) mortality (DSM), defined as death from bladder cancer. Pretreatment tumor tissues were processed for immunofluorescence with anti-MRE11 antibody and analyzed using automated quantitative image analysis to calculate a normalized score for MRE11 based on nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (NC) signal ratio. Results: Of 465 patients from 6 trials, 168 patients had available tissue, of which 135 were analyzable for MRE11 expression (median age of 65 years [minimum-maximum, 34-90 years]; 111 [82.2%] men). Median (minimum-maximum) follow-up for alive patients was 5.0 (0.6-11.7) years. Median (Q1-Q3) MRE11 NC signal ratio was 2.41 (1.49-3.34). Patients with an MRE11 NC ratio above 1.49 (ie, above first quartile) had a significantly lower DSM (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.26-0.93; P = .03). The 4-year DSM was 41.0% (95% CI, 23.2%-58.0%) for patients with an MRE11 NC signal ratio of 1.49 or lower vs 21.0% (95% CI, 13.4%-29.8%) for a ratio above 1.49. MRE11 NC signal ratio was not significantly associated with overall survival (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.49-1.44). Conclusions and Relevance: Higher MRE11 NC signal ratios were associated with better DSM after trimodality therapy. Lower MRE11 NC signal ratios identified a poor prognosis subgroup that may benefit from intensification of therapy.

Smoking Behavior in Patients With Early-Stage NSCLC: A Report From ECOG-ACRIN 1505 Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking cessation has been reported to benefit patients even after a diagnosis of lung cancer. We studied the smoking behavior of patients who participated in a phase 3 trial of adjuvant therapy following resection of stages IB-IIIA NSCLC. METHODS: The ECOG-ACRIN 1505 was conducted to determine whether the addition of bevacizumab to adjuvant chemotherapy would improve overall survival (OS) for patients with early-stage NSCLC. Studying the association between smoking status and OS was a secondary end point. Patients completed a questionnaire on their smoking habits at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. RESULTS: A total of 1501 patients were enrolled, and 99.8%, 95%, 94%, 93%, and 93% responded to the questionnaire at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, respectively. A total of 90% reported a current or previous history of cigarette smoking. In addition, 60% of nonsmokers at enrollment reported smoking after diagnosis (before randomization); however, 1% of them reported smoking at 12 months. Furthermore, 94% of the respondents smoked none/fewer cigarettes daily at 12 months. The incidence of grades 3-5 toxicity on treatment was 68%, 76%, and 72% in never, former, and current smokers, respectively (p = 0.05). The disease-free survival for never-smokers relative to current and former smokers was (hazard ratio [HR] 0.93, p = 0.64 and HR 1.05, p = 0.72), and OS was (adjusted HR for death 0.54, p = 0.005 and adjusted HR for death 0.68, p = 0.03), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first comprehensive, prospective report of smoking habits in patients with NSCLC patients from a phase III early-stage trial. There was a high rate of smoking reduction and cessation following study entry. The disease-free survival did not differ significantly between smokers and never smokers, though there were less grade 3-5 toxicities and more favorable OS in never-smokers.

MET gene copy number predicts worse overall survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: MET is a receptor present in the membrane of NSCLC cells and is known to promote cell proliferation, survival and migration. MET gene copy number is a common genetic alteration and inhibition o MET emerges as a promising targeted therapy in NSCLC. Here we aim to combine in a meta-analysis, data on the effect of high MET gene copy number on the overall survival of patients with resected NSCLC. METHODS: Two independent investigators applied parallel search strategies with the terms "MET AND lung cancer", "MET AND NSCLC", "MET gene copy number AND prognosis" in PubMed through January 2014. We selected the studies that investigated the association of MET gene copy number with survival, in patients who received surgery. RESULTS: Among 1096 titles that were identified in the initial search, we retrieved 9 studies on retrospective cohorts with adequate retrievable data regarding the prognostic impact of MET gene copy number on the survival of patients with NSCLC. Out of those, 6 used FISH and the remaining 3 used RT PCR to assess the MET gene copy number in the primary tumor. We calculated the I2 statistic to assess heterogeneity (I2 = 72%). MET gene copy number predicted worse overall survival when all studies were combined in a random effects model (HR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.22-2.60). When only the studies that had at least 50% of adenocarcinoma patients in their populations were included, the effect was significant (five studies, HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.23-1.94). This was not true when we included only the studies with no more than 50% of the patients having adenocarcinoma histology (four studies HR 2.18, 95% CI 0.97-4.90). CONCLUSIONS: Higher MET gene copy number in the primary tumor at the time of diagnosis predicts worse outcome in patients with NSCLC. This prognostic impact may be adenocarcinoma histology specific.

Report of a phase I evaluation of dose and schedule of interleukin-1 alpha and cyclophosphamide in patients with advanced tumors: An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group study (PX990) and review of IL-1-based studies of hematopoietic reconstitution.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a cytokine critical to inflammation, immunological activation, response to infection, and bone marrow hematopoiesis. Cyclophosphamide downmodulates immune suppressor cells and is cytotoxic to a variety of tumors. A phase I trial of IL-1 and cyclophosphamide was conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. This study evaluated 3 dose levels and 3 schedules in patients with solid tumors. The goal was to evaluate the hematopoietic supportive care effect and possible antitumor effect. Toxicity was fever, chills, hypotension, nausea/emesis, hepatic, and neutropenia. Toxicity increased with dose increases of interleukin-1. Treatment at all dose levels resulted in significant increases in total white blood cell (WBC) counts above baseline. Nadir WBC and nadir absolute neutrophil counts were not significantly different by dose level of IL-1 or schedule of IL-1. Toxicity due to IL-1 at higher doses prohibited further evaluation of this agent for hematopoietic support, particularly in view of the activity and tolerability of more lineage-specific hematopoietic cytokines. Therapeutic interventions in the role of IL-1 in inflammatory conditions and cancer may be further informed by our definition of its clinical and biological effects in this evaluation of dose and schedule.

Long-term outcomes in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer after selective bladder-preserving combined-modality therapy: a pooled analysis of Radiation Therapy Oncology Group protocols 8802, 8903, 9506, 9706, 9906, and 0233.

PURPOSE: Multiple prospective Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) protocols have evaluated bladder-preserving combined-modality therapy (CMT) for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), reserving cystectomy for salvage treatment. We performed a pooled analysis of long-term outcomes in patients with MIBC enrolled across multiple studies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred sixty-eight patients with MIBC were enrolled onto six RTOG bladder-preservation studies, including five phase II studies (RTOG 8802, 9506, 9706, 9906, and 0233) and one phase III study (RTOG 8903). Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and disease-specific survival (DSS), muscle-invasive and non-muscle-invasive local failure (LF), and distant metastasis (DM) were estimated by the cumulative incidence method. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 66 years (range, 34 to 93 years), and clinical T stage was T2 in 61%, T3 in 35%, and T4a in 4% of patients. Complete response to CMT was documented in 69% of patients. With a median follow-up of 4.3 years among all patients and 7.8 years among survivors (n = 205), the 5- and 10-year OS rates were 57% and 36%, respectively, and the 5- and 10-year DSS rates were 71% and 65%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year estimates of muscle-invasive LF, non-muscle-invasive LF, and DM were 13% and 14%, 31% and 36%, and 31% and 35%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This pooled analysis of multicenter, prospective RTOG bladder-preserving CMT protocols demonstrates long-term DSS comparable to modern immediate cystectomy studies, for patients with similarly staged MIBC. Given the low incidence of late recurrences with long-term follow-up, CMT can be considered as an alternative to radical cystectomy, especially in elderly patients not well suited for surgery.

Phase II study of carboplatin and paclitaxel in advanced thymoma and thymic carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with advanced previously untreated thymoma and thymic carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective multicenter study in patients with unresectable thymoma (n = 21) or thymic carcinoma (n = 23). Patients were treated with carboplatin (area under the curve, 6) plus paclitaxel (225 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. The primary end point of this trial was to evaluate the objective response rate. RESULTS: From February 2001 through January 2008, 46 patients were enrolled. Thirteen patients had grade 4 or greater toxicity, mostly neutropenia. Using RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors) 1.0 criteria, three complete responses (CRs) and six partial responses (PRs; objective response rate [ORR], 42.9%; 90% CI, 24.5% to 62.8%) were observed in the thymoma cohort; 10 patients had stable disease. For patients with thymic carcinoma, no CRs and five PRs (ORR, 21.7%; 90% CI, 9.0% to 40.4%) were observed; 12 patients had stable disease. Progression-free survival (PFS) was 16.7 (95% CI, 7.2 to 19.8) and 5.0 (95% CI, 3.0 to 8.3) months for thymoma and thymic carcinoma cohorts, respectively. To date, only seven patients (33.3%) with thymoma have died, compared with 16 patients (69.6%) with thymic carcinoma. Median survival time was 20.0 months (95% CI, 5.0 to 43.6 months) for patients with thymic carcinoma, but it has not been reached for patients with thymoma. CONCLUSION: Carboplatin plus paclitaxel has moderate clinical activity for patients with thymic malignancies, but this seems less than expected with anthracycline-based therapy. Patients with thymic carcinoma have poorer PFS and overall survival than patients with thymoma.

Randomized, phase III study of weekly paclitaxel in combination with carboplatin versus standard every-3-weeks administration of carboplatin and paclitaxel for patients with previously untreated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety of weekly paclitaxel in combination with carboplatin administered every 4 weeks to the standard regimen of paclitaxel and carboplatin administered every 3 weeks for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four hundred forty-four patients with previously untreated stage IIIB/IV NSCLC were randomly assigned to either arm 1 (n = 223), paclitaxel 100 mg/m(2) weekly for 3 of 4 weeks with carboplatin area under the curve (AUC) = 6 mg/mL x min on day 1 of each 4 week cycle, or arm 2 (n = 221), paclitaxel 225 mg/m(2) and carboplatin AUC = 6 on day 1 of each 3-week cycle. After four cycles of therapy, patients in both treatment arms were eligible to continue weekly paclitaxel (70 mg/m(2), 3 of 4 weeks) as maintenance therapy until unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. RESULTS: The objective response rate was 27.6% for arm 1 and 19.2% for arm 2. Median time to progression (TTP) was 18.4 and median survival (MS) was 38.6 weeks for arm 1. For arm 2, the median TTP and MS were 16.7 weeks and 42.9 weeks respectively. Grade 3/4 anemia was more common with arm 1, although grade 2/3 neuropathy and arthralgia were less common. The remainder of the toxicities were similar between the two arms. CONCLUSION: All efficacy parameters were similar between the two treatment arms. The favorable nonhematologic toxicity profile of arm 1 makes this an alternative treatment option for patients with advanced NSCLC.

Comparison of outcomes for elderly patients treated with weekly paclitaxel in combination with carboplatin versus the standard 3-weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin for advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes between elderly (aged > or = 70 years) patients treated with paclitaxel on a weekly basis and with carboplatin (every 4 weeks) versus the standard 3-weekly regimen of carboplatin and paclitaxel for first-line therapy of advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer. METHODS: Of the 444 patients enrolled, 136 (31%) were aged > or = 70 years. Seventy-two patients were randomized to the weekly schedule (paclitaxel, 100 mg/m(2) weekly for 3 of 4 weeks; carboplatin, area under the curve [AUC] = 6 mg/mL.min on Day 1 every 4 weeks), and 64 patients were randomized to the standard schedule (paclitaxel, 225 mg/m(2); carboplatin, AUC = 6 mg/mL.min on Day 1 every 21 days). Patients with stable disease or objective response after 4 cycles of therapy were eligible for maintenance therapy with weekly paclitaxel (70 mg/m(2), 3 of 4 weeks). RESULTS: The response rate for elderly patients was 26% on the weekly regimen and 19% on the standard schedule. The median survival duration for the weekly and the standard schedules was 37 weeks and 31 weeks, respectively. The 1-year survival rates were similar at 31% and 33%. Grade 3 to 4 anemia was more common on the weekly schedule (16% vs 6%), whereas grade 3 neuropathy was less common (5.5% vs 9.5%). Nausea and emesis were also less frequent on the weekly schedule. CONCLUSIONS: Efficacy was similar between the weekly regimen and the standard regimen of carboplatin and paclitaxel for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC and may be advantageous based on its favorable tolerability profile.

Overview of bladder cancer trials in the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group.

In the United States, radical cystectomy is viewed as the gold standard and, with few exceptions, is the only treatment recommended for patients with invasive bladder cancer. In many areas of cancer treatment, however, the trend in the 1990s has been toward organ conservation using combined chemotherapy and radiation with or without conservative local surgery. For patients with breast, esophageal, anal, and laryngeal cancers as well as limb sarcomas, conservative therapy often is recommended. However, invasive bladder cancer has not been viewed generally as a condition that allows for conservative management. In the past 15 years, the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) has completed six prospective protocols of combined-modality therapy for patients with muscle-invasive cancer who were candidates for cystectomy. Bladder preservation with intravesical surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy were combined as initial treatment, with radical cystectomy recommended for incomplete responders. Five of the RTOG protocols were Phase I-II trials of concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and one protocol was a Phase III trial that tested the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy with methotrexate, cisplatin, and vinblastine. A total of 415 patients were entered on these trials. The 5-year overall survival rate was approximately 50%, with three-quarters of those patients achieving a cure for their bladder cancer while maintaining a functioning bladder. The current RTOG protocol and its successor are directed toward better tolerated and potentially more effective chemotherapy regimens that may result in a high protocol compliance rate and, possibly, a higher overall survival rate. The trimodality therapeutic approach used in all of these RTOG protocols was more effective compared with the radiation monotherapy offered in the 1970s and with protocols that used only chemotherapy. Trimodality therapy with selective bladder preservation is not designed to take the place of radical cystectomy; however, it may be offered as a reasonable alternative to patients with invasive bladder cancer who are not willing to undergo radical cystectomy and urinary diversion. A bladder-sparing strategy may be offered appropriately to highly selected patients with the understanding that radical cystectomy is an available option in those who fail combined radiation and chemotherapy with no diminution in survival related to the delay in cystectomy.