Low-Cost Intervention to Increase Influenza Vaccination Rate at a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Influenza morbidity and mortality can be severe and costly. Vaccination rates remain suboptimal in cancer patients due to provider- and patient-related factors. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether low-cost provider- and patient-focused interventions would increase influenza vaccination rates at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center (UMCCC). This quality improvement project included all patients without documentation of influenza vaccination prior to their first outpatient appointment during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 influenza seasons. The multi-stepped intervention included provider and patient reminders. Influenza vaccination rates were compiled using CPT-4 codes. Same-day (with appointment) vaccination rates during the intervention seasons were compared to historical (2005-2011 seasons) controls; vaccination rates were also compared to contemporary control population at the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS). Reasons for non-adherence with vaccination were explored. The cumulative same-day vaccination rate in eligible adults was 10.1 % (2011-2012) and 9.4 % (2012-2013) compared to an average 6.9 % during influenza seasons 2005-2011. Based on logistic regression analysis, there was a 37.6 % (95 % CI 35-40.3 %) and 56.1 % (95 % CI 40.9-73 %) relative increase in the adult vaccination rate associated with the intervention, with 399 and 697 additional vaccinations, respectively, for each season. During the 2012-2013 season, the UMCCC adult vaccination rate was higher compared to the remainder of that of the UMHS. The intervention was well accepted by providers. Reasons for no vaccination were provider- and patient-related. Increasing provider and patient awareness with a simple, inexpensive intervention was associated with higher influenza vaccination rates at a large academic cancer center. The intervention is permanently implemented during influenza seasons.

A phase I trial of cabozantinib and gemcitabine in advanced pancreatic cancer.

Background Cabozantinib and gemcitabine improve tumor control in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in preclinical models through c-Met inhibition. We sought to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of this combination in patients with advanced PDAC. Methods Patients with ≤1 prior treatment and adequate performance status were eligible. Cabozantinib was given orally once daily, beginning day (-)7 and continued with gemcitabine given intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days. Dose level was assigned using Time to Event Continual Reassessment Method (TITE-CRM). Primary endpoint was MTD, defined as the highest dose level at which ≤25 % of patients incurred a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Secondary endpoints included response rate, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and urinary biomarker assessment. Results Twelve patients were enrolled and treated with 10 patients evaluable for DLT. The probability of DLT was >25 % for all dose levels tested, and thus an MTD was not determined. DLTs included grade 3 ALT/AST elevations and thrombocytopenia. Three patients had partial responses, but each discontinued therapy due to toxicity. Median PFS and OS were 4.7 (95 % CI: 1.4-9.7) and 10.1 months (95 % CI: 3.6-20.6). Exploratory biomarker analysis showed correlation of c-Met and VEGF levels with response. Conclusions An MTD for the combination was not established. Cabozantinib and gemcitabine appear impractical for further development due to DLT at low doses and continuing toxicities with ongoing therapy. Acknowledging the small sample size, responses were seen suggesting further investigation of c-Met inhibition in PDAC may be warranted.

Evolving therapeutic paradigms for advanced prostate cancer.

Improving survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is no longer an elusive goal. With the expansion of knowledge regarding the biology of the disease, we are witnessing a plethora of novel therapeutics that are undergoing testing in clinical trials. Since the approval of docetaxel for metastatic CRPC in 2004, three additional agents have demonstrated improvements in overall survival in randomized phase III trials: two agents (cabazitaxel and sipuleucel-T) were approved by the FDA in 2010, and a third (abiraterone) was approved in April of 2011. A threshold has clearly been crossed in the management of advanced prostate cancer; however, the impact on survival has been relatively modest, and efforts at personalized therapy have lagged behind those for other solid tumors. Further meaningful advances are needed, and the foundation for future clinical trials must be high-quality, high-impact translational science that focuses on disease biology, the defining of relevant pathways and validated predictive biomarkers, and adequate preclinical characterization of agents and combinations that will facilitate more personalized therapy.

Catastrophic multiple organ ischemia due to an anti-Pr cold agglutinin developing in a patient with mixed cryoglobulinemia after treatment with rituximab.

Cold agglutinin disease occurring with cryoglobulinemia is a rare occurrence. Here, we report a patient with mixed cryoglobulinemia that was treated with rituximab and, after response, developed an anti-Pr cold agglutinin that manifested with hemolysis and microvascular occlusion causing mesenteric ischemia and cerebral infarction. Unlike previous reports of patients with cryoglobulinemia and cold agglutinin disease, our patient did not have a detectable cryoprecipitate when his cold agglutinin manifested.

A Phase II Study of Biweekly Cisplatin, Fixed-Dose-Rate Gemcitabine and Infusional 5-Fluorouracil in Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic and Biliary Cancers.

OBJECTIVES: Combinations of gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and platinum have demonstrated improved outcomes compared with singlet chemotherapy in pancreatic and biliary cancers. This phase II study examined efficacy and safety of a novel schedule of cisplatin, fixed-dose-rate gemcitabine and infusional 5-FU. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas or biliary tract, previously untreated or having received 1 cytotoxic regimen for advanced disease, were treated with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m intravenously (IV) over 100 minutes, cisplatin 35 mg/m IV over 30 minutes, and 5-FU 2400 mg/m IV over 48 hours on day 1 of a 14-day cycle. Patients were treated until disease progression or for 12 cycles. After 12 cycles, patients with stable or responding disease could continue gemcitabine and 5-FU. The primary endpoint was objective response. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients were treated: 8 with biliary cancer (all untreated) and 31 with pancreatic cancer (17 untreated, 14 previously treated). Best response in 25 untreated patients was partial response in 40%, stable disease in 40%, and progressive disease in 20%. In 14 previously treated pancreatic patients, best response was partial response in 7%, stable disease in 50%, and progressive disease in 43%. Median overall survival in untreated patients was 10.3 versus 4.9 months in previously treated patients. Adverse events were primarily uncomplicated hematologic toxicity, ≥grade 3 neutropenia (54%), anemia (21%), and thrombocytopenia (13%). CONCLUSION: Biweekly cisplatin, fixed-dose-rate gemcitabine, and infusional 5-FU demonstrated a high response rate and were well tolerated, encouraging further investigation of this regimen in metastatic pancreatic and biliary cancers.

Hedgehog signaling pathway and cancer therapeutics: progress to date.

The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is a developmental signaling pathway involved in numerous developmental processes, including determination of cell fate, patterning, proliferation, survival, and differentiation. While this pathway is silenced in most adult tissues, aberrant activation of it has been documented in a variety of malignancies. In cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC), ligand-independent mechanisms lead to constitutive Hh pathway activation through mutations in components of the pathway, including patched-1 (PTCH1) or smoothened (SMO). On the contrary, numerous other solid and hematologic tumors have been shown to harbor ligand-dependent activation of the Hh pathway by autocrine or paracrine mechanisms. Given that aberrant Hh pathway signaling has been seen in a number of malignancies, this pathway has been an attractive target for drug development. While the best-characterized approach is to target the SMO receptor, other rational approaches for inhibiting the Hh pathway include inhibiting downstream components or directly binding Hh ligands. In January of 2012, vismodegib, a SMO antagonist, became the first agent to target the Hh pathway to receive approval by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) after this agent showed remarkable activity in phase I and II trials for the treatment of BCC. Despite promising preclinical studies with Hh pathway inhibitors in other malignancies that have suggested a potential role for these agents, attempts to translate this potential to clinical benefit has been disappointing. Future efforts will require further careful interpretation and analysis to determine the potential determinants and predictors of efficacy. Currently, several phase I and II trials evaluating Hh inhibitors in a variety of tumor settings are underway.