Venetoclax plus LDAC for newly diagnosed AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy: a phase 3 randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Effective treatment options are limited for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who cannot tolerate intensive chemotherapy. Adults age ≥18 years with newly diagnosed AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy were enrolled in this international phase 3 randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Patients (N = 211) were randomized 2:1 to venetoclax (n = 143) or placebo (n = 68) in 28-day cycles, plus low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) on days 1 to 10. Primary end point was overall survival (OS); secondary end points included response rate, transfusion independence, and event-free survival. Median age was 76 years (range, 36-93 years), 38% had secondary AML, and 20% had received prior hypomethylating agent treatment. Planned primary analysis showed a 25% reduction in risk of death with venetoclax plus LDAC vs LDAC alone (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.52-1.07; P = .11), although not statistically significant; median OS was 7.2 vs 4.1 months, respectively. Unplanned analysis with additional 6-month follow-up demonstrated median OS of 8.4 months for the venetoclax arm (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50-0.98; P = .04). Complete remission (CR) plus CR with incomplete blood count recovery rates were 48% and 13% for venetoclax plus LDAC and LDAC alone, respectively. Key grade ≥3 adverse events (venetoclax vs LDAC alone) were febrile neutropenia (32% vs 29%), neutropenia (47% vs 16%), and thrombocytopenia (45% vs 37%). Venetoclax plus LDAC demonstrates clinically meaningful improvement in remission rate and OS vs LDAC alone, with a manageable safety profile. Results confirm venetoclax plus LDAC as an important frontline treatment for AML patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03069352.

Venetoclax exposure-efficacy and exposure-safety relationships in patients with treatment-naïve acute myeloid leukemia who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

This study evaluated venetoclax population pharmacokinetics (popPK) in patients with treatment-naïve acute myeloid leukemia and assessed the relationship between venetoclax exposure and clinical response for venetoclax in combination with either a hypomethylating agent (HMA) or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC). A total of 771 patients who received venetoclax from 5 Phase 1-3 studies were included in the popPK model. Exposure-response analyses included data from 575 patients for venetoclax/placebo plus HMA and 279 patients for venetoclax/placebo plus LDAC. The popPK model successfully characterized venetoclax plasma concentrations over time and confirmed venetoclax exposure did not vary significantly with age, weight, sex, mild to moderate hepatic impairment, or mild to severe renal impairment. Asian patients had 67% higher mean relative bioavailability than non-Asian patients, however the range of exposures in Asian patients was similar to non-Asian patients. For all efficacy endpoints with both treatment combinations, efficacy was higher in the venetoclax treatment groups compared with the respective control arm of placebo plus azacitidine or LDAC. Within patients who received venetoclax, no significant exposure-efficacy relationships were identified for either treatment combination, indicating that the beneficial effects of venetoclax were already maximized in the dose ranges studied. There was no apparent effect of venetoclax exposure on treatment-emergent Grade ≥3 thrombocytopenia or infections for either combination. Rates of treatment-emergent Grade ≥3 neutropenia were higher in the venetoclax treatment arms compared with the respective control arms; however, within patients who received venetoclax, there was only a shallow relationship or no apparent relationship with venetoclax exposure for venetoclax plus HMA or LDAC, respectively. Along with the efficacy and safety data previously published, the exposure-response analyses support the venetoclax dose regimens of 400 mg once daily (QD) plus HMA and 600 mg QD plus LDAC in treatment-naïve AML patients who are ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

Optimizing venetoclax dose in combination with low intensive therapies in elderly patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia: An exposure-response analysis.

The objective of this research was to characterize the venetoclax exposure-efficacy and exposure-safety relationships and determine its optimal dose in elderly patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving venetoclax in combination with low intensity therapies (hypomethylating agent [HMA; azacitidine or decitabine] or low-dose cytarabine [LDAC]). A total of 212 patients from the HMA study and 92 patients from the LDAC study were included in the exposure-safety analyses. Those who received at least one dose of venetoclax and had at least one measurable response (201 and 83 in the HMA and LDAC studies, respectively) were included in the exposure-efficacy analyses. The probability of response based on International Working Group (IWG) for AML response criteria, adverse events of grade 3 or worse neutropenia or infection or a serious adverse event was modeled using logistic regression analyses to characterize the venetoclax exposure-response relationships. In combination with an HMA, increasing concentrations of venetoclax, up to those associated with a less than or equal to 400-mg once daily (QD) dose, were associated with a higher probability of response, with a trend for flat or decreasing probabilities of response thereafter. In combination with LDAC, increasing concentrations of venetoclax were associated with higher probabilities of response, with no plateau observed. Increasing concentrations of venetoclax were not associated with increasing probability of any safety event except for a slight increase in grade 3 or worse infections with HMAs; however, tolerability issues were observed at doses of greater than or equal to 800 mg QD in each study. Exposure-response analyses support the use of venetoclax 400 mg QD in combination with an HMA and 600 mg QD in combination with LDAC (ie, the next highest dose evaluated below 800 mg in each combination) to safely maximize the probability of response in elderly patients with newly diagnosed AML.

Shared decision making in oncology practice: what do oncologists need to know?

BACKGROUND: There is growing interest by patients, policy makers, and clinicians in shared decision making (SDM) as a means to involve patients in health decisions and translate evidence into clinical practice. However, few clinicians feel optimally trained to implement SDM in practice, and many patients report that they are less involved than they desire to be in their cancer care decisions. SDM might help address the wide practice variation reported for many preference-sensitive decisions by incorporating patient preferences into decision discussions. METHODS: This paper provides a perspective on how to incorporate SDM into routine oncology practice to facilitate patient-centered communication and promote effective treatment decisions. Oncology practice is uniquely positioned to lead the adoption of SDM because of the vast number of preference-sensitive decisions in which SDM can enhance the clinical encounter. RESULTS: Clinicians can facilitate cancer decision making by: (a) determining the situations in which SDM is critical; (b) acknowledging the decision to a patient; (c) describing the available options, including the risks, benefits, and uncertainty associated with options; (d) eliciting patients' preferences; and (e) agreeing on a plan for the next steps in the decision-making process. CONCLUSION: Given recent policy movements toward incorporating SDM and translating evidence into routine clinical practice, oncologists are likely to continue expanding their use of SDM and will have to confront the challenges of incorporating SDM into their clinical workflow. More research is needed to explore ways to overcome these challenges such that both quality evidence and patient preferences are appropriately translated and incorporated into oncology care decisions.

Immunonutrition: does it have a role in improving recovery in patients receiving a stem cell transplant?

Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated that immunomodulating diets (IMDs) reduce treatment complications such as the risk of acquired infections, length of hospital stay, and wound complications in patients receiving planned surgery. These complications are possibly exacerbated by malnutrition at the time of surgery, resulting in decreased cell-mediated and humoral immune responses, which can be improved with the utilization of IMDs both prior to and following surgery. Although numerous randomized studies have investigated IMDs in the surgical setting, IMDs have not been well studied to evaluate whether their use improves outcomes for other patient groups with high incidence of malnutrition and acquired infections. Patients receiving stem cell transplantation following preparative myeloablative chemotherapy for treatment of a hematologic malignancy would be a prime example of another patient group who would share these characteristics. Given the proposed mechanism of action by which IMDs have aided recovery after surgery, it is reasonable to expect that IMDs may aid recovery after stem cell transplantation, and current preclinical and clinical data support the need for further clinical studies.

Decision making and distress among individuals diagnosed with follicular lymphoma.

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent lymphoma that generally responds well to treatment. However, individuals with FL commonly face multiple complex treatment decision-making (TDM) experiences because it frequently follows a relapsing and remitting course. This study explored TDM and distress among individuals with FL (N = 32). Results indicated that most participants reported little decisional conflict or regret and wanted to be actively involved in TDM. However, more than 25% of participants reported clinically-relevant cancer-specific distress, and 60% indicated moderate or higher anxiety symptoms. Research is needed to clarify the cause and course of the psychological distress revealed in this study.

Safety and efficacy of navitoclax, a BCL-2 and BCL-XL inhibitor, in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoid malignancies: results from a phase 2a study.

Navitoclax, a novel BCL-2 and BCL-XL inhibitor, demonstrated promising antitumor activity in the dose-escalation part of a phase 1/2a study (NCT00406809) in lymphoid tumors. Herein, we report the continued safety and efficacy results of the phase 2a portion. Twenty-six adult patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma (n = 11, Arm A) and other relapsed/refractory lymphoid malignancies (n = 15, Arm B) were enrolled. Navitoclax administration schedule consisted of a 150-mg 7-day lead-in dose followed by 250-mg daily dosing with the option to further increase to 325 mg after 14 days if the 250-mg dose was tolerated. All patients experienced at least 1 treatment-related adverse event (TRAE). Seventeen (65.4%) patients reported grade 3/4 TRAEs; thrombocytopenia (38.5%) and neutropenia (30.8%) were the most common. Two patients reported serious AEs; none were fatal (no deaths occurred within 30 days of last dose of study drug). The objective response rate (complete and partial) was 23.1% (6/26; Arm A: 9.1%, Arm B: 33.3%). Median progression-free survival and time to progression were identical: 4.9 months (95% CI: 3.0, 8.2); median overall survival: 24.8 months (95% CI could not be computed). Navitoclax monotherapy has an acceptable safety profile and meaningful clinical activity in a minority of patients with relapsed/refractory lymphoid malignancies.

6-month follow-up of VIALE-C demonstrates improved and durable efficacy in patients with untreated AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy (141/150).

VIALE-C compared the safety and efficacy of venetoclax or placebo plus low-dose cytarabine (+LDAC) in patients with untreated AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. Overall, 211 patients were enrolled (n = 143, venetoclax; n = 68, placebo). At the primary analysis, the study did not meet its primary endpoint of a statistically significant improvement in overall survival (OS), however, ~60% of patients had been on study for ≤6-months. Here, we present an additional 6-months of follow-up of VIALE-C (median follow-up 17.5 months; range 0.1-23.5). Median OS was (venetoclax +LDAC vs. placebo +LDAC) 8.4 vs. 4.1 months (HR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.50,0.99; P = 0.040); a 30% reduction in the risk of death with venetoclax. Complete response (CR)/CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi) rates were 48.3% vs. 13.2%. Transfusion independence rates (RBC) were 43% vs.19% and median event-free survival was 4.9 vs. 2.1 months (HR = 0.61; 95% CI 0.44,0.84; P = 0.002). These results represent improved efficacy over the primary analysis. Incidence of grade ≥3 adverse events were similar between study arms and overall safety profiles were comparable to the primary analysis. These data support venetoclax +LDAC as a frontline treatment option for patients with AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03069352.

Venetoclax Combined With Low-Dose Cytarabine for Previously Untreated Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Results From a Phase Ib/II Study.

PURPOSE: Effective treatment options are limited for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who cannot tolerate intensive chemotherapy. An international phase Ib/II study evaluated the safety and preliminary efficacy of venetoclax, a selective B-cell leukemia/lymphoma-2 inhibitor, together with low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) in older adults with AML. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adults 60 years or older with previously untreated AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy were enrolled. Prior treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome, including hypomethylating agents (HMA), was permitted. Eighty-two patients were treated at the recommended phase II dose: venetoclax 600 mg per day orally in 28-day cycles, with LDAC (20 mg/m2 per day) administered subcutaneously on days 1 to 10. Key end points were tolerability, safety, response rates, duration of response (DOR), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Median age was 74 years (range, 63 to 90 years), 49% had secondary AML, 29% had prior HMA treatment, and 32% had poor-risk cytogenetic features. Common grade 3 or greater adverse events were febrile neutropenia (42%), thrombocytopenia (38%), and WBC count decreased (34%). Early (30-day) mortality was 6%. Fifty-four percent achieved complete remission (CR)/CR with incomplete blood count recovery (median time to first response, 1.4 months). The median OS was 10.1 months (95% CI, 5.7 to 14.2), and median DOR was 8.1 months (95% CI, 5.3 to 14.9 months). Among patients without prior HMA exposure, CR/CR with incomplete blood count recovery was achieved in 62%, median DOR was 14.8 months (95% CI, 5.5 months to not reached), and median OS was 13.5 months (95% CI, 7.0 to 18.4 months). CONCLUSION: Venetoclax plus LDAC has a manageable safety profile, producing rapid and durable remissions in older adults with AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. High remission rate and low early mortality combined with rapid and durable remission make venetoclax and LDAC an attractive and novel treatment for older adults not suitable for intensive chemotherapy.

Cost-effectiveness of extended adjuvant rituximab for US patients aged 65-70 years with follicular lymphoma in second remission.

PURPOSE: A recent Intergroup trial showed that receiving adjuvant rituximab after having a second remission from follicular lymphoma (FL) improved progression-free and overall survival (OS). The current study was conducted to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of this strategy in the United States. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We constructed a transition state model to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of extended adjuvant rituximab for 2 years for patients having a second FL remission. Event-free and OS rates were estimated from the recently published Intergroup trial. These were adjusted to reflect the contribution of non-cancer-specific mortality for patients aged 65-70 years, a more commonly affected age group than in the Intergroup trial, which had a median age of 54 years. Previously reported quality of life and cost estimates were obtained from peer-reviewed sources. RESULTS: Five years after a second induction with R-CHOP (rituximab with cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/ prednisone), disease-free survival is expected to be 47% and 22%, and the OS rates are estimated to be 73% and 61% for extended adjuvant rituximab and observation, respectively, during the second remission. The discounted incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for the addition of adjuvant rituximab is estimated to be $19,522 per quality-adjusted life-years gained. CONCLUSION: Extended adjuvant rituximab offers a clinical benefit to patients aged 65-70 years who have a second remission from FL at a cost generally acceptable to the US healthcare system.

Voxtalisib (XL765) in patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: an open-label, phase 2 trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia have a poor prognosis. Therapies targeting more than one isoform of PI3K, as well as mTOR, might increase antitumour activity. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of voxtalisib (also known as XL765 or SAR245409), a pan-PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma, or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. METHODS: We did a non-randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial at 30 oncology clinics in the USA, Belgium, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Australia. Patients aged 18 years or older with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (EGOG) performance status score of 2 or lower and relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma were enrolled and treated with voxtalisib 50 mg orally twice daily in 28-day continuous dosing cycles until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients in each disease-specific cohort who achieved an overall response, defined as a complete response or partial response. All patients who received more than 4 weeks of treatment and who completed a baseline and at least one post-baseline tumour assessment were analysed for efficacy and all patients were analysed for safety. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01403636, and has been completed. FINDINGS: Between Oct 19, 2011, and July 24, 2013, 167 patients were enrolled (42 with mantle cell lymphoma, 47 with follicular lymphoma, 42 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and 36 with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. The median number of previous anticancer regimens was three (IQR 2-4) for patients with lymphoma and four (2-5) for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Of 164 patients evaluable for efficacy, 30 (18·3%) achieved an overall response (partial, n=22; complete, n=8); 19 (41·3%) of 46 with follicular lymphoma, five (11·9%) of 42 with mantle cell lymphoma, two (4·9%) of 41 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and four (11·4%) of 35 with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. The safety profile was consistent with that of previous studies of voxtalisib. The most frequently reported adverse events were diarrhoea (in 59 [35%] of 167 patients), fatigue (in 53 [32%]), nausea (in 45 [27%]), pyrexia (in 44 [26%,]), cough (in 40 [24%]), and decreased appetite (in 35 [21%]). The most frequently reported grade 3 or worse adverse events were anaemia (in 20 [12%] of 167 patients), pneumonia (in 14 [8%]), and thrombocytopenia (in 13 [8%]). Serious adverse events occurred in 97 (58·1%) of 167 patients. INTERPRETATION: Voxtalisib 50 mg given orally twice daily had an acceptable safety profile, with promising efficacy in patients with follicular lymphoma but limited efficacy in patients with mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. FUNDING: Sanofi.

Phase I Study of the Investigational Aurora A Kinase Inhibitor Alisertib plus Rituximab or Rituximab/Vincristine in Relapsed/Refractory Aggressive B-cell Lymphoma.

PURPOSE: The aurora A kinase inhibitor alisertib demonstrated single-agent clinical activity and preclinical synergy with vincristine/rituximab in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). This phase I study aimed to determine the safety and recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of alisertib in combination with rituximab ± vincristine in patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B-NHL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with relapsed/refractory, diffuse, large, or other aggressive B-NHL received oral alisertib 50 mg b.i.d. days 1 to 7, plus i.v. rituximab 375 mg/m2 on day 1, for up to eight 21-day cycles (MR). Patients in subsequent cohorts (3 + 3 design) received increasing doses of alisertib (30 mg starting dose; 10 mg increments) b.i.d. days 1 to 7 plus rituximab and vincristine [1.4 mg/m2 (maximum 2 mg) days 1, 8] for 8 cycles (MRV). Patients benefiting could continue single-agent alisertib beyond 8 cycles. Cell-of-origin and MYC/BCL2 IHC was performed on available archival tissue. RESULTS: Forty-five patients participated. The alisertib RP2D for MR was 50 mg b.i.d. For MRV (n = 32), the RP2D was determined as 40 mg b.i.d. [1 dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) at 40 mg; 2 DLTs at 50 mg]. Drug-related adverse events were reported in 89% of patients, the most common was neutropenia (47%). Seven patients had complete responses (CR), 7 had partial responses (PRs); 9 of 20 (45%) patients at the MRV RP2D responded (4 CRs, 5 PRs), all with non-germinal center B-cell (GCB) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of alisertib 50 mg b.i.d. plus rituximab or alisertib 40 mg b.i.d. plus rituximab and vincristine was well tolerated and demonstrated activity in non-GCB DLBCL.

Dose-adjusted EPOCH-R (etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab) in untreated aggressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with MYC rearrangement: a prospective, multicentre, single-arm phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: MYC gene rearrangement is present in approximately 10% of aggressive B-cell lymphomas, with half also harbouring a BCL2 gene rearrangement. Multiple retrospective studies of R-CHOP (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone or prednisolone) have shown a worse outcome in patients with MYC rearrangement (alone or with rearrangement of BCL2 or BCL6, or both) than in patients without MYC rearrangement, and suggest improved outcomes after more intensive treatment. We aimed to determine the outcome of dose-adjusted EPOCH-R (etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab; DA-EPOCH-R), an intensive infusional treatment regimen, in untreated aggressive B-cell lymphoma with MYC rearrangement. METHODS: We present the final analysis of a prospective, multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 study of DA-EPOCH-R in patients with untreated aggressive B-cell lymphoma with MYC rearrangement. DA-EPOCH-R was scheduled to be administered with CNS prophylaxis for six cycles. Primary endpoints included event-free and overall survival. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01092182). FINDINGS: 53 patients were enrolled, with median age of 61 years (range 29-80; IQR 50-70); 43 (81%) patients had stage III-IV disease and 26 (49%) had high-intermediate or high international prognostic index (IPI) scores. 19 patients had confirmed MYC rearrangement alone (single-hit) and 24 also had rearrangement of BCL2, BCL6, or both (double-hit), with similar characteristics between these two groups. After a median follow-up of 55·6 months (IQR 50·5-61·1), 48-month event-free survival was 71·0% (95% CI 56·5-81·4) and 48-month overall survival was 76·7% (95% CI 62·6-86·1) for all patients. Toxicity included grade 4 neutropenia in 160 (53%) of 301 cycles, grade 4 thrombocytopenia in 40 (13%) cycles, and any grade of fever with neutropenia in 56 (19%) cycles. There were three treatment-related deaths (all infections). INTERPRETATION: In this study, DA-EPOCH-R produced durable remission in patients with MYC-rearranged aggressive B-cell lymphomas and should be considered for the treatment of these diseases. FUNDING: Cancer Trials Support Unit and Center for Cancer Research of the National Cancer Institute and Genentech.

Bortezomib in combination with celecoxib in patients with advanced solid tumors: a phase I trial.

BACKGROUND: COX-2 inhibitors, such as celecoxib, and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway inhibitors, such as bortezomib, can down-regulate NF-kappaB, a transcription factor implicated in tumor growth. The objective of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicities of bortezomib in combination with celecoxib in patients with advanced solid tumors. METHODS: Patients received escalating doses of bortezomib either on a weekly schedule (days 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29 repeated every 42 days) or on a twice-weekly administration schedule (days 1, 4, 8, and 11 repeated every 21 days), in combination with escalating doses of celecoxib twice daily throughout the study period from 200 mg to 400 mg twice daily. RESULTS: No dose-limiting toxicity was observed during the study period. Two patients had stable disease lasting for four and five months each, and sixteen patients developed progressive disease. CONCLUSION: The combination of bortezomib and celecoxib was well tolerated, without dose limiting toxicities observed throughout the dosing ranges tested, and will be studied further at the highest dose levels investigated. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT00290680.

Tumor suppressor gene methylation in follicular lymphoma: a comprehensive review.

Transcriptional silencing of tumor suppressor genes, associated with DNA methylation, is a common epigenetic event in hematologic malignancies. Although DNA hypermethylation of CpG islands is well described in acute leukemias and myelodysplastic syndromes, much less is known of the specific methylation changes that commonly occur in follicular B cell lymphomas. Earlier methylation studies of follicular lymphoma involved only cell lines; however there is a growing literature of methylation changes in primary human FL samples. Published studies of primary follicular lymphoma specimens have demonstrated that: androgen receptor, SHP1, and death-associated protein kinase genes are commonly methylated. By contrast, the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors p15, p16, and p57 are uncommon epigenetic events in follicular lymphoma. Methylation of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors is more common in high grade lymphomas, and may be an important step in the progression and transformation of follicular lymphoma. Further methylation studies in follicular lymphoma should investigate the prognostic and therapeutic significance of these epigenetic changes and investigate methylation of other genes. Finally, reactivation of methylated tumor suppressor genes through the use of hypomethylating agents is a promising and novel approach to the treatment of indolent and transformed follicular lymphomas.

Single-dose rasburicase 6 mg in the management of tumor lysis syndrome in adults.

Rasburicase is currently approved at a dosage of 0.15-0.2 mg/kg once/day for 5 days in pediatric patients with cancer to lower plasma uric acid concentrations and manage tumor lysis syndrome (TLS). Information on rasburicase dosing in adults is limited, with some data on using rasburicase as a single dose instead of multiple daily doses. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of a single dose of rasburicase for preventing or managing TLS in adults. We collected retrospective data for 11 adults with hematologic malignancies who received a single 6-mg dose of rasburicase. All patients received intravenous hydration with urinary alkalinization and allopurinol; however, due to adverse reactions, two patients received short courses of allopurinol. Only patients at high risk for TLS (e.g., large tumor burden, increasing uric acid concentration) or those with TLS received rasburicase. The single dose of rasburicase 6 mg resulted in a median 0.0773-mg/kg dose (range 0.0232-0.1361 mg/kg). The single 6-mg dose rapidly lowered uric acid concentrations in 10 of the 11 patients. The median uric acid concentration of 11.7 mg/dl (range 7.4-17.4 mg/dl) declined to 2.0 mg/dl (range 0.5-15.4 mg/dl) within a day after rasburicase administration (p=0.022). In these 10 patients, uric acid concentrations remained low despite subsequent chemotherapy, and none required additional rasburicase doses. The only patient who did not respond to the single 6-mg rasburicase dose was a morbidly obese man (259 kg, body mass index 87 kg/m2) who subsequently responded to an additional dose of rasburicase 12 mg. These results warrant further investigation of a single 6-mg dose of rasburicase in adults with TLS or at high-risk for developing TLS.

Plasma TNF-α and Soluble TNF Receptor Levels after Doxorubicin with or without Co-Administration of Mesna-A Randomized, Cross-Over Clinical Study.

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment (CICI) is a common sequelae of cancer therapy. Recent preclinical observations have suggested that CICI can be mediated by chemotherapy-induced plasma protein oxidation, which triggers TNF-α mediated CNS damage. This study evaluated sodium-2-mercaptoethane sulfonate (Mesna) co-administration with doxorubicin to reduce doxorubicin-induced plasma protein oxidation and resultant cascade of TNF-α, soluble TNF receptor levels and related cytokines. METHODS: Thirty-two evaluable patients were randomized using a crossover design to receive mesna or saline in either the first or second cycle of doxorubicin in the context of a standard chemotherapy regimen for either non-Hodgkin lymphoma or breast cancer. Mesna (360 mg/m2) or saline administration occurred 15 minutes prior and three hours post doxorubicin. Pre-treatment and post-treatment measurements of oxidative stress, TNF-α and related cytokines were evaluated during the two experimental cycles of chemotherapy. RESULTS: Co-administration of mesna with chemotherapy reduced post-treatment levels of TNF-related cytokines and TNF-receptor 1 (TNFR1) and TNF-receptor 2 (TNFR2) (p = 0.05 and p = 0.002, respectively). Patients with the highest pre-treatment levels of each cytokine and its receptors were the most likely to benefit from mesna co-administration. CONCLUSIONS: The extracellular anti-oxidant mesna, when co-administered during a single cycle of doxorubicin, reduced levels of TNF-α and its receptors after that cycle of therapy, demonstrating for the first time a clinical interaction between mesna and doxorubicin, drugs often coincidentally co-administered in multi-agent regimens. These findings support further investigation to determine whether rationally-timed mesna co-administration with redox active chemotherapy may prevent or reduce the cascade of events that lead to CICI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov NCT01205503.

Simvastatin interacts synergistically with tipifarnib to induce apoptosis in leukemia cells through the disruption of RAS membrane localization and ERK pathway inhibition.

Tipifarnib, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor (FTI), was initially designed to disrupt RAS farnesylation and membrane localization necessary for RAS function. However, alternative geranylgeranylation has been postulated as an escape mechanism by which RAS bypasses the effect of FTI treatment. In this study, we demonstrate that simvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, augments the cytotoxic effect of tipifarnib by blocking the alternative geranylgeranylation of RAS. Notably, this effect was accompanied by disruption of RAS membrane localization and ERK downregulation. In addition, the apoptotic effect of this combination was associated with downregulation of the antiapoptotic Mcl-1 protein and activation of the caspase cascade. These findings demonstrate that combining tipifarnib and simvastatin was successful in targeting RAS/ERK signaling and inducing apoptosis in leukemia cells. Both simvastatin and tipifarnib were used at clinically achievable doses, which make the combination promising for future clinical studies.

Pharmacokinetics of high-dose simvastatin in refractory and relapsed chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the pharmacokinetics of simvastatin at the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of 7.5 mg/kg, twice daily, in the context of a pilot trial enrolling patients with recurrent and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia. METHODS: Patients received simvastatin orally at MTD for 7 days during a 21-day cycle for 6 cycles. Blood samples were collected during cycle 1. Simvastatin lactone and carboxylate concentrations were measured in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using a validated HPLC-MS/MS assay. RESULTS: Patients accrued to this study showed high variability in their exposure to simvastatin. Exposure was dose proportional (AUC and C max) as compared to those receiving standard hyperlipidemia therapy. Peak plasma concentrations ranged from 0.08 to 2.2 and from 0.03 to 0.6 µM for simvastatin lactone and carboxylate, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that when simvastatin is administered at its MTD, only low micro-molar concentrations are achieved in plasma and PBMCs, which is consistent with the results observed in previous studies with lovastatin, but far lower than the concentrations required for anticancer effects in vitro. However, whether simvastatin at its MTD can confer therapeutic benefits to patients still remains to be determined.