Final long-term results of a phase I/II study of dose-escalated intensity-modulated radiotherapy for locally advanced laryngo-hypopharyngeal cancers.

OBJECTIVES: We previously described dose-escalated intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in squamous cell cancer of the larynx/hypopharynx (SCCL/H) to offer improved locoregional control with a low incidence of toxicity at 2 years. We now present outcome and safety data at 5 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sequential cohort Phase I/II trial design was used. Patients with SCCL/H received IMRT at two dose levels (DL): DL1, 63 Gy/28 fractions to planning target volume 1 (PTV1) and 51.8 Gy/28 Fx to PTV2; DL2, 67.2 Gy/28 Fx and 56 Gy/28 Fx to PTV1 and PTV2, respectively. Patients received induction cisplatin/5-fluorouracil and concomitant cisplatin. RESULTS: Between 09/2002 and 01/2008, 60 patients (29 DL1, 31 DL2) with stage III (41% DL1, 52% DL2) and stage IV (52% DL1, 48% DL2) disease were recruited. Median (range) follow-up for DL1 was 5.7 (1.0-10.2) years and for DL2 was 6.0 (0.3-8.4) years. Five-year local control rates (95% confidence interval) for DL1 and DL2, respectively, were 68% (50.6-85.4%) and 75% (58.9-91.1%), locoregional progression-free survival rates were 54% (35.6-72.4%) and 62.6% (44.8-80.4%), and overall survival was 61.9% (44.1-79.7) and 67.6 (51.1-84.1%). Five-year laryngeal preservation rates were 66.7% (37.4-87.9%) and 71.4% (44.4-85.8%), respectively. Cumulative toxicities reported were: one patient in DL1 and 2 in DL2 developed benign pharyngeal strictures. No other G3/4 toxicities were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Dose-escalated IMRT at DL2 achieves higher 5-year local control, larynx preservation and survival rates with acceptable late toxicity. Recruitment into a Cancer Research UK Phase III study (ART-DECO), with DL2 as the experimental arm, is ongoing.

Systemic therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 3% of all cancers and is refractory to cytotoxic chemotherapy - immunotherapy has until recently been the standard of care for advanced disease. Randomised trials reported in the last 5 years have demonstrated that a number of agents including the monoclonal antibody, bevacizumab, and the kinase inhibitors - sorafenib sunitinib, temsirolimus and everolimus - are active in advanced RCC. Bevacizumab is directed against the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key mediator of angiogenesis, whilst sorafenib and sunitinib inhibit a number of targets including the VEGF and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFR) receptor tyrosine kinases. Temsirolimus and everolimus inhibit the intracellular mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase. Sunitinib and temsirolimus have demonstrated efficacy in comparison with immunotherapy in the first-line setting in patients with favourable and poor prognosis advanced disease respectively. In the second-line setting, everolimus has shown benefit over placebo in patients who progress following treatment with a VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor and sorafenib has demonstrated efficacy in comparison with placebo in patients with immunotherapy-refractory disease. We review here recent clinical trial data and discuss future developments in the systemic treatment of RCC including combination and sequential therapy, adjuvant therapy, the role of biomarkers and the prospects for the development of rational mechanism-directed therapy in this disease.