First-line XELOX plus bevacizumab followed by XELOX plus bevacizumab or single-agent bevacizumab as maintenance therapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: the phase III MACRO TTD study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this phase III trial was to compare the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab alone with those of bevacizumab and capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) as maintenance treatment following induction chemotherapy with XELOX plus bevacizumab in the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to receive six cycles of bevacizumab, capecitabine, and oxaliplatin every 3 weeks followed by XELOX plus bevacizumab or bevacizumab alone until progression. The primary endpoint was the progression-free survival (PFS) interval; secondary endpoints were the overall survival (OS) time, objective response rate (RR), time to response, duration of response, and safety. RESULTS: The intent-to-treat population comprised 480 patients (XELOX plus bevacizumab, n = 239; bevacizumab, n = 241); there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics. The median follow-up was 29.0 months (range, 0-53.2 months). There were no statistically significant differences in the median PFS or OS times or in the RR between the two arms. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicities in the XELOX plus bevacizumab versus bevacizumab arms were diarrhea, hand-foot syndrome, and neuropathy. CONCLUSION: Although the noninferiority of bevacizumab versus XELOX plus bevacizumab cannot be confirmed, we can reliably exclude a median PFS detriment >3 weeks. This study suggests that maintenance therapy with single-agent bevacizumab may be an appropriate option following induction XELOX plus bevacizumab in mCRC patients.

First-line panitumumab plus FOLFOX4 or FOLFIRI in colorectal cancer with multiple or unresectable liver metastases: A randomised, phase II trial (PLANET-TTD).

BACKGROUND: In first-line wild-type (WT)-Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homologue (KRAS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), panitumumab (Pmab) improves outcomes when added to FOLFOX [folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin] or FOLFIRI [folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, and irinotecan]. However no trial has directly compared these combinations. METHODS: Multicentre, open-label study in untreated patients ≥ 18 years with (WT)-KRAS mCRC and multiple or unresectable liver-limited disease (LLD) randomised to either Pmab-FOLFOX4 or Pmab-FOLFIRI. The primary end-point was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary end-points included liver metastases resection rate (R0 + R1), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), adverse events and perioperative safety. Exploratory end-points were: response by RAS status, early tumour shrinkage (ETS) and depth of response (DpR) in WT-RAS patients. RESULTS: Data on 77 patients were analysed (38 Pmab-FOLFOX4; 39 Pmab-FOLFIRI; WT-RAS: 27/26, respectively). ORR was 74% with Pmab-FOLFOX4 and 67% with Pmab-FOLFIRI (WT-RAS: 78%/73%). Out of the above, 45% and 59% underwent surgical resection, respectively (WT-RAS: 37%/69%). The R0-R1 resection rate was 34%/46% (WT-RAS:26%/54%). Median PFS was 13/14 months (hazard ratio [HR] Pmab-FOLFIRI versus Pmab-FOLFOX4: 0.9; 95% confidence interval: [0.6-1.5]; WT-RAS:13/15; HR: 0.7 [0.4-1.3]). Median OS was 37/41 months (HR:1.0 [0.6-1.8]; WT-RAS: 39/49; HR:0.9 [0.4-1.9]). In WT-RAS patients with confirmed response, median DpR was 71%/66%, and 65%/77% of patients showed ETS ≥ 30%/ ≥ 20% at week 8, without significant differences between arms; these patients had longer median PFS and OS and higher resectability rates. Surgery was associated with longer survival. Perioperative and overall safety were similar, except for higher grade 3/4 neutropenia (40%/10%; p = 0.003) and neuropathy (13%/0%; p = 0.025) in the Pmab-FOLFOX4 arm. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with WT-KRAS mCRC and LLD, both first-line Pmab-FOLFOX4 and Pmab-FOLFIRI resulted in high ORR and ETS, allowing potentially curative resection. No significant differences in efficacy were observed between the two regimens. (clinicaltrials.gov:NCT00885885).

Neoadjuvant and conversion treatment of patients with colorectal liver metastasis: the potential role of bevacizumab and other antiangiogenic agents.

More than 50 % of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastases. Surgical resection is the only available treatment that improves survival in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). New antiangiogenic targeted therapies, such as bevacizumab, aflibercept, and regorafenib, in combination with neoadjuvant and conversion chemotherapy may lead to improved response rates in this population of patients and increase the proportion of patients eligible for surgical resection. The present review discusses the available data for antiangiogenic targeted agents in this setting. One of these therapies, bevacizumab, which targets the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has demonstrated good results in this setting. In patients with initially unresectable CRLM, the combination of 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) plus bevacizumab has led to high response and resection rates. This combination is also effective for patients with unresectable CRLM. Moreover, the addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant setting of liver metastasis has a higher impact on pathological response rate. This drug also has a manageable safety profile, and according to recent data, bevacizumab may protect against the sinusoidal dilation provoked in the liver by certain cytotoxic agents. In phase II trials, antiangiogenic therapy has demonstrated benefits in the presurgical treatment of CRLM and may represent a new treatment pathway for these patients.

Neoadjuvant gemcitabine therapy for breast cancer.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has become a standard treatment in the management of locally advanced breast cancer. Patients with earlier-stage disease may also benefit from neoadjuvant treatment in terms of improved rates of breast-conserving surgery and thus better quality of life. Gemcitabine is a pyrimidine analogue that has shown activity in a variety of solid tumors, a good toxicity profile, and nonoverlapping toxicity with other chemotherapeutic agents. Several phase II/III studies are assessing gemcitabine combined with anthracyclines, taxanes, and/or vinorelbine both in the neoadjuvant and metastatic disease settings. This article reviews developments in neoadjuvant use of gemcitabine in combination with anthracyclines and taxanes. Several phase II trials of gemcitabine combined with doxorubicin/epirubicin or with doxorubicin/paclitaxel have been carried out. Preliminary findings demonstrate increased complete response rates and good tolerability of these regimens in patients with breast cancer.

Phase II study of bevacizumab, capecitabine, and oxaliplatin followed by bevacizumab plus erlotinib as first-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

This phase II trial investigated the efficacy of an induction regimen of bevacizumab, capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) followed by maintenance therapy with bevacizumab plus erlotinib as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer received intravenous bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg plus oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) on day 1 followed by oral capecitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14 every 3 weeks for six cycles. In the absence of disease progression, patients then received bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg every 3 weeks plus oral erlotinib 150 mg once daily. The primary study endpoint was progression-free survival. In the intention-to-treat population (n = 90), the median progression-free survival was 9.2 [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.9-11.9] months, and the median overall survival was 25.8 (95% CI: 18.0-30.9) months. In the patient subpopulation who received both induction and maintenance therapy (n = 52), median progression-free survival was 11.1 (95% CI: 9.0-15.7) months, and the median overall survival was 29.5 (95% CI: 23.7-36.7) months. KRAS status did not predict efficacy. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were diarrhea, asthenia, and neutropenia. XELOX-bevacizumab for 6 cycles followed by bevacizumab-erlotinib maintenance therapy has been shown to be a highly active and well-tolerated first-line regimen in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Incidence of hand-foot syndrome with capecitabine in combination with chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with advanced and/or metastatic gastric cancer suitable for treatment with a fluoropyrimidine-based regimen.

INTRODUCTION: Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a limiting toxicity of capecitabine, which is not life-threatening but could compromise capecitabine efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This phase II, multicenter, non-controlled study assessed the safety, particularly grade three HFS incidence, and efficacy of four capecitabine-based chemotherapy regimens [cisplatin/capecitabine (CX), epirubicin/cisplatin/capecitabine (ECX), epirubicin/oxaliplatin/capecitabine (EOX) and docetaxel/cisplatin/capecitabine (DCX)] as first-line treatment for advanced and/or metastatic gastric cancer. RESULTS: One hundred and eight patients were assigned to one of the four treatment groups, according to investigator's criteria, and grouped together for both safety and efficacy primary analyses. HFS was reported in 31 patients (19.6%) and its first presentation occurred at a median of 72 days (range 19-209 days). Grade 3 HFS developed in 6.3, 5.2, 3.7 and 2.4%, of patients receiving ECX, DCX, EOX or CX chemotherapy regimen, respectively. Capecitabine dose reduction/discontinuation due to HFS was required in 5.7% of patients (9/158). The most common (> 10%) grade 3-4 treatment-related AEs were neutropenia (15.2%), asthenia (12.0%) and diarrhoea (11.4%). CONCLUSIONS: A moderate incidence of HFS was reported in patients treated with capecitabine, which generally presented late and required dose reduction in < 1/3 of patients. The results suggest that capecitabine may be useful in combination with standard fluorouracil-based regimens in patients with advanced and/or metastatic gastric cancer with favourable safety profile.

Oxaliplatin in combination with infusional 5-fluorouracil as first-line chemotherapy for elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a phase II study of the Spanish Cooperative Group for the Treatment of Digestive Tumors.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported a 35% overall response rate (ORR) with biweekly 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) continuous infusion (TTD [Spanish Cooperative Group for Digestive Tumour Therapy] schedule) plus irinotecan as first-line therapy in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The present study also was carried out in elderly patients to determine the efficacy and safety of the same 5-FU schedule plus oxaliplatin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients (aged ≥72 years old) with mCRC, measurable disease, ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) ≤2, and no prior treatment were treated with oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2) plus 5-FU 3000 mg/m(2) as a 48-hour infusion every 2 weeks. RESULTS: The study included 134 patients, of whom, 129 were eligible. The main comorbidities were hypertension (44%), diabetes (17%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (11%). The ORR and disease control rate (ORR plus stable disease) were 52% and 80%, respectively. With a median follow-up of 14 months, the median progression-free survival and overall survival were 9.1 and 16.3 months, respectively. The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse events included neutropenia (16%), diarrhea (11%), and grade 3 neurotoxicity (18%). No correlation was found between efficacy or safety and comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the largest phase II prospective study in elderly patients with mCRC. The observed efficacy and safety of this schedule compared favorably with those reported in this population, including regimens with monoclonal antibodies.

Detection of breast cancer cells in the peripheral blood is positively correlated with estrogen-receptor status and predicts for poor prognosis.

We investigated whether detection of cytokeratin-positive (CK+) cells in the peripheral blood (PB) of breast cancer patients before chemotherapy could be a prognostic factor. Blood from a total of 92 breast cancer patients was evaluated for the presence of CK+ cells. Blood samples were collected before chemotherapy. Patients entered in the study included: neoadjuvant (n = 25), adjuvant (n = 42) and metastatic (n = 25). Blood samples (10 ml) were centrifuged using a double density-gradient to recovering the mononuclear cell (MNC) and granulocyte cell (GC) fractions. Subsequently, positive immunomagnetic cell separation was carried out to isolating CK+ cells. The enriched cell fraction was cytocentrifuged and then immunocytochemically labeled using an anti-cytokeratin antibody. Our results indicated that breast tumor cells sediment with both MNC and GC fractions. We therefore recommend examination of both fractions in all enrichment protocols. CK+ cells in PB were identified in 57 of 92 (62%) patients when MNC and GC fractions were assessed (range = 1-61 cells, median = 8). No CK+ cells were detected in blood samples of 16 healthy donors. There were significant differences in the presence of CK+ cells according to estrogen receptor expression (p = 0.049), and lymph node status (p = 0.033), but not to the age, menopausal status, type of patient (neoadjuvant, adjuvant or metastatic), TNM stage, histological type, progesterone receptor expression, c-erbB2 expression, p53 expression or Ki67 expression. Regarding the relationship between tumor size (T) and the presence of CK+ cells, a borderline significant trend was observed (p = 0.07). The median follow-up of the patients was 21 months and statistical analysis (Kaplan-Meier analysis) showed that using the method we present, the detection of CK+ cells in PB before starting the chemotherapy in breast cancer patients was significantly correlated with both progression-free survival (p = 0.058) and overall survival (p = 0.003). In conclusion, the present study suggests that detection of CK+ cells in PB before chemotherapy might identify breast cancer patients with poor prognosis.