First-line single-agent regorafenib in frail patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a pilot phase II study of the Spanish Cooperative Group for the Treatment of Digestive Tumours (TTD).

BACKGROUND: Treatment of frail patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) is controversial. This pilot phase II trial aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of regorafenib when administered in first-line to frail patients with advanced CRC. METHODS: Frail patients without prior advanced colorectal cancer treatment were included in the study. Definition of frailty was defined per protocol based on dependency criteria, presence of chronic comorbid pathologies and/or geriatric features. MAIN OBJECTIVE: to assess progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 6 months. Treatment consisted of 28-day cycles of orally administered regorafenib 160 mg/day (3 weeks followed by 1 week rest). RESULTS: Forty-seven patients were included in the study. Median age was 81 years (range 63-89). Frailty criteria: dependency was observed in 26 patients (55%), comorbidities in 27 (57%) and geriatric features in 18 (38%). PFS rate at 6 months was 45% (95% confidence interval [CI] 30-60]. Median PFS was 5.6 months (95%CI 2.7-8.4). Median overall survival (OS) was 16 months (95%CI 7.8-24). Complete response, partial response and stable disease were observed in one, two and 21 patients respectively (objective response rate 6.4%; disease control rate 51%). Thirty-nine patients (83%) experienced grade 3-4 adverse events (AEs). The most common grade 3-4 AEs were hypertension (15 patients; 32%), asthenia (14; 30%), hypophosphatemia (6; 13%); diarrhea (4; 8%), hand-foot-skin reaction (4; 8%). There were two toxic deaths (4.2%) (grade 5 rectal bleeding and death not further specified). Dose reduction was required in 26 patients (55%) and dose-delays in 13 patients (28%). CONCLUSIONS: The study did not meet the pre-specified boundary of 55% PFS rate at 6 months. Toxicity observed (83% patients experienced grade 3 and 4 AEs) preclude its current use in clinical practice on this setting. Disease control rate and overall survival results are interesting and might warrant further investigation to identify those who benefit from this approach. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was prospectively registered at EudraCT ( 2013-000236-94 ). Date of trial registration: April 9th, 2013.

Metástasis coroidea como debut de un carcinoma de pulmón no microcítico avanzado / Advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) debuting with choroidal metastases

Presentamos la descripción del caso clínico de un paciente de 65 años con un carcinoma de pulmón no microcítico(CPNCP) avanzado que debuta con una alteración del campo visual derecho, sin otros síntomas,diagnosticándose en la exploración oftalmoscópica de metástasis coroidea, con la realización de una angiografíafluresceínica para diferenciarlo de una hemorragia o un hemangioma. Este caso destaca por el área infrecuentede metástasis y la inusual forma de presentación de este tipo de tumor

We present the clinical case of a 65 year old patient with right visual field disturbance as debut of adisseminated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), without any other symptom. Ophthalmoscopy detectedchoroidal metastases, that fluorescein angiography delimited and differentiated from hemorrhage andhemangioma. The case emphasizes the infrequent production of metastases in this area by this tumor, and,above all, the unusual clinical debut

First line oral vinorelbine in elderly patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Objetivo: La actividad de la vinorelbina (VRL) en monoterapia en primera línea en pacientes concáncer de pulmón no microcítico (CPNM) ha sido contrastada en numerosos estudios. Las formulacionestanto oral en intravenosa tienen un perfil farmacocinético paralelo. Presentamos un estudio conVRL oral en pacientes (pts) ancianos con CPNM avanzado en primera línea.Material y métodos: Un global de 12 pts ≥ 70 años fueron reclutados desde Octubre 2005hasta Junio 2006. Los criterios de inclusión fueron: CPNM avanzado histológicamente confirmado,PS ≤ 2, enfermedad medible, buena reserva medular y función orgánica adecuada. La dosis del esquemaconsistió en 60 mg/m2 semanal durante 3 semanas seguidas (primer ciclo), seguido de 80 mg/m2semanal si no había toxicidad, hasta progresión o toxicidad inaceptable.Resultados: La mediana de edad fue de 74 años (rango: 71-79), todos los pts fueron varones, eigualmente todos con estadio IV. Los subtipos histológicos se distribuyeron en: adenocarcinoma en 5pts, carcinoma de células grandes en 1 pts y escamoso en 6 pts. Tres pts tenían PS 1 a la entrada en elestudio, y 9 pts PS 2, mientras que ninguno PS 0. La mediana de dosis de VRL administrada fue de 13ciclos (rango 3-23). Contando los 11 pts que recibieron el segundo ciclo, 7 de ellos pudieron escalar a80 mg/m2. Los otros 4 pts permanecieron en 60 mg/m2. No se observaron respuestas completas (RC),2 pts alcanzaron una respuesta parcial (RP), 6 pts con enfermedad estable (EE) y 4 pts con enfermedadprogresiva (EP). Respecto a la supervivencia, la mediana de seguimiento fue de 4 meses (rango 1-9meses). Hasta la fecha, no se ha alcanzado la mediana de supervivencia ni la mediana de tiempo a laprogresión. Tanto la supervivencia como la supervivencia libre de progresión (mediana de seguimiento4 meses) fue del 66% respectivamente. Respecto a la toxicidad, la tolerancia fue buena y no hubomuertes tóxicas. No se observaron toxicidades grado 4, y las toxicidades grado 3 fueron infrecuentes,con sólo 2 pacientes con neutropenia grado 3 y otros dos pacientes con astenia grado 3. Resto de lastoxicidades fueron grado 1 ó 2.Conclusiones: VRL oral puede ser una alternativa razonable a la administración intravenosa tantoen términos de actividad como de tolerabilidad en pacientes ancianos con CPNM avanzado

Purpouse: The activity of vinorelbine (VRL) as single agent in treatment-naïve inoperable nonsmall cell cancer (NSCLC) patients (pts) has been assessed in several published studies. Oral andintravenous formulation have a linearity of VRL pharmacokinetics with both routes of administration.This is a study with oral VRL in first line advanced NSCLC in elderly pts.Patients and methods: A total of 12 chemonaive elderly pts ≥ 70 years were recruited fromOctober 2005 through to June 2006. Principal inclusion criteria included histologically confirmed advancedNSCLC, performance status ≤ 2, measurable disease, appropriate bone marrow and organfunction. The dosage schedule was 60 mg/m2 once a week for three weeks (first cycle), followed if nottoxicity by 80 mg/m2 once a week, until disease progression or development of unacceptable toxicity.Results: The mean age was 74 years (range: 71 to 79), all males, and all pts stage IV. Histologysubtypes: adenocarcinoma in 5 pts, large cell carcinoma in 1 pts and squamous cell carcinoma in 6 pts.PS (ECOG) distribution was: 3 pts with PS 1, and 9 pts with PS 2. The median weekly VRL doseswas 13 (range 3-23). Out of 11 pts receiving the second cycle, 7 patients went a dose escalation to 80mg/m2. The other 4 pts remained at the 60 mg/m2 dose level. There were no complete responses (CR).Two (13%) of 12 patients achieved partial response (PR). There were 6 (50%) stable disease (SD) and4 (34%) progressive disease (PD). Respect survival, the median follow-up was 4 months (range 1-9months). Until date, the median survival time (MST) and median progression-free survival had notbeen reached; and survival and progression-free survival was 66% in both. Treatment with oral VRLin elderly patients was well tolerated, and there were no toxic deaths. No grade 4 toxicities wereobserved, and grade 3 toxicities were infrequent, exclusively neutropenia in 2 patients and asthenia inother 2 patients. Rest of toxicities were grade 1 or 2.Conclusions: Oral VRL appears to be a reasonable alternative intravenous VRL, both in terms of activity and tolerability in advanced, elderly NSCLC patients (AU)