RESUMO
PURPOSE: The objective of this trial was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of melatonin oral gel mouthwashes in the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis (OM) in patients treated with concurrent radiation and systemic treatment for head and neck cancer. METHODS: Randomized, phase II, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (1:1 ratio) of 3% melatonin oral gel mouthwashes vs. placebo, during IMRT (total dose ≥ 66 Gy) plus concurrent Q3W cisplatin or cetuximab. Primary endpoint: grade 3-4 OM or Severe Oral Mucositis (SOM) incidence by RTOG, NCI, and a composite RTOG-NCI scales. Secondary endpoints: SOM duration and grade 2-4 OM or Ulcerative Oral Mucositis (UOM) incidence and duration. RESULTS: Eighty-four patients were included in the study. Concurrent systemic treatments were cisplatin (n = 54; 64%) or cetuximab (n = 30; 36%). Compared with the placebo arm, RTOG-defined SOM incidence was numerically lower in the 3% melatonin oral gel arm (53 vs. 64%, P = 0.36). In patients treated with cisplatin, assessed by the RTOG-NCI composite scale, both SOM incidence (44 vs. 78%; P = 0.02) and median SOM duration (0 vs. 22 days; P = 0.022) were significantly reduced in the melatonin arm. Median UOM duration assessed by the RTOG-NCI scale was also significantly shorter in the melatonin arm (49 vs. 73 days; P = 0.014). Rate of adverse events and overall response rate were similar between the two arms. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with melatonin oral gel showed a consistent trend to lower incidence and shorter SOM duration and shorter duration of UOM. These results warrant further investigation in phase III clinical trial.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/efeitos adversos , Antioxidantes/administração & dosagem , Quimiorradioterapia/efeitos adversos , Melatonina/administração & dosagem , Antissépticos Bucais/administração & dosagem , Estomatite/prevenção & controle , Administração Oral , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Antineoplásicos/administração & dosagem , Antioxidantes/efeitos adversos , Cetuximab/administração & dosagem , Cetuximab/efeitos adversos , Cisplatino/administração & dosagem , Cisplatino/efeitos adversos , Método Duplo-Cego , Feminino , Géis/administração & dosagem , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço , Humanos , Incidência , Masculino , Melatonina/efeitos adversos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Antissépticos Bucais/efeitos adversos , Placebos/administração & dosagem , Estudo de Prova de Conceito , Estudos Prospectivos , Estomatite/epidemiologia , Estomatite/etiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Standard treatment for recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (RM-SCCHN) is based in on platinum and cetuximab combination therapy. Unfortunately, not all patients are candidates to receive platinum-based treatment, because of different conditions as comorbidity and poor performance status. Weekly paclitaxel and cetuximab (WPC) is an active therapeutic alternative, based on a phase II study, with less toxicity. Our main objective is to confirm its activity in unselected patients, mostly unfit for aggressive therapies, analysing also some clinically relevant prognostic factors (PFs). METHODS: Retrospective data was collected for RM-SCCHN patients, treated at our institution between January 2008 and July 2014 with weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) and cetuximab (400/250 mg/m2). RESULTS: 148 patients were treated. The objective response rate (OR) was as follows: 13 patients (8.78%) complete response (CR); 57 patients (38.51%) partial response (PR) and 30 patients (20.3%) stable disease (SD). Median overall survival (OS) was 10 months (95% CI 8.31-11.69) and median progression free survival (PFS) was 7 months (95% CI 5.88-8.12). Response to treatment showed independent prognosis relevance as PF in multivariate analysis for PFS and OS. Furthermore, decline in serum magnesium during the treatment was also an independent PF for OS. CONCLUSIONS: WPC activity was confirmed as a useful therapy on real-life unselected RM-SCCHN patients, with similar benefit to that obtained in the phase II study, and comparable to platinum and cetuximab based treatment, confirming its value in unfit patients. In addition to treatment response, a change in serum magnesium values during treatment was proved as independent PF on OS.
Assuntos
Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/tratamento farmacológico , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia/tratamento farmacológico , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/mortalidade , Cetuximab/administração & dosagem , Intervalo Livre de Doença , Feminino , Neoplasias de Cabeça e Pescoço/mortalidade , Humanos , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Paclitaxel/administração & dosagem , Prognóstico , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Estudos Retrospectivos , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas de Cabeça e Pescoço , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
Angiogenesis is a cornerstone in the process of hepatocarcinogenesis. In the sorafenib era, other antiangiogenic targeted drugs, such as monoclonal antibodies and a new generation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have been shown in phase II trials to be safe and effective in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Several currently active phase III trials are testing these drugs, both in first- and second-line settings. Strategies to overcome primary and acquired resistance to antiangiogenic therapy are urgently needed. Novel biomarkers may help in improving the efficacy of drugs targeting angiogenesis.