Mature results of a prospective randomized trial comparing a three-weekly with an accelerated weekly schedule of cisplatin in advanced ovarian carcinoma.

In a retrospective analysis of a series of clinical trials by Levin and Hryniuk in 1987, the average relative dose intensity of first-line chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer correlated significantly with clinical response and survival, and cisplatin was the only drug for which the outcome correlated with the individual drug relative dose intensity. There was a need to test whether and to what extent this evidence would be confirmed in a prospective evaluation. In this study 101 patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma were randomized to receive the same total dose of cisplatin but at the conventional 3-weekly schedule (CTWS) (100 mg/m2 every 3 weeks for six cycles) (51 patients) or at an experimental accelerated weekly schedule (AWS) (100 mg/m2 every week for two triplets of three cycles separated by a 5-week interval) (50 patients). To benefit from a multidrug regimen at the same extent, patients in both arms sequentially received four cycles of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. The median follow-up period of this study is 9.7 years. In 42 and 40 patients of the two arms having evaluable response, the clinical complete response rates to cisplatin were 14% and 22% and the complete plus partial response rates were 48% and 55% in the CTWS and in the AWS arm, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. However, the survival curves were similar during the first 2 years but clearly diverged thereafter in favor of the AWS arm (p = 0.07). At 5 years, 12% and 30% of the patients were still alive in the CTWS and in the AWS arm, respectively. Hematologic toxicity was not relevant in either arm of the study. Nonhematologic toxicity, especially ototoxicity, was substantial and significantly higher in the AWS arm. Although statistically nonsignificant, this AWS regimen of cisplatin is associated with long-term better survival compared to the CTWS regimen in advanced ovarian carcinoma. This accelerated approach administering cisplatin should be further investigated, especially in patients with low residual disease after primary surgery.

A randomized trial of alternating chemotherapy versus best supportive care in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

From April 1985 to September 1988, 128 patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were enrolled in a prospective randomized trial evaluating chemotherapy (arm A) versus best supportive care (arm B). Chemotherapy consisted of cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) day 1, epirubicin 50 mg/m2 IV day 1, and cisplatin 80 mg/m2 IV day 1 (CE'P regimen) alternating every 4 weeks with methotrexate 30 mg/m2 IV day 1, etoposide 200 mg/m2 IV day 1, and lomustine (CCNU) 70 mg/m2 orally day 1 (MEC' regimen) until progression. Of the 123 patients (62 treated and 61 controls) eligible for survival, 115 were fully evaluable for response (58 treated and 57 controls). Response rates were 21% partial response, 53% stable disease, and 26% progressive disease in arm A, and 47% stable disease and 53% progressive disease in arm B. Median survival was 34.3 weeks (range, 4.3 to 218.6+ weeks) in arm A versus 21.1 weeks (range, 4.3 to 188.6 weeks) in arm B; the difference was not significant at P = .153 (Mantel-Cox). Subgroups of patients retrospectively analyzed by age, performance status, stage M0/M1, and weight loss or not showed no significant difference in survival. Poor-risk patients (at least two of the following: poor performance status, stage M1, weight loss) of arm A survived significantly longer than poor-risk patients of arm B (23.6 weeks v 12.4 weeks, Mantel-Cox P = .008); a significant difference in survival was also observed between nonsquamous cell patients of arm A and those of arm B (median survival, 38.6 weeks v 16.7 weeks; Mantel-Cox P = .041). Toxicity on the chemotherapy arm was hematologic (World Health Organization [WHO] grade greater than 3) in 12% of CE'P and in 13% of MEC' courses and gastroenteric (WHO grade greater than 3) in 24% of CE'P courses and in 8% of MEC' courses. Our alternating treatment was not significantly superior to supportive care. It is likely that certain subgroups of the NSCLC category may have an advantage with chemotherapy.

Phase II trial with alternating two drug schedules, CAP/MEC', for advanced (stage III Mo/M1) non-small-cell lung cancer.

Sixty-eight evaluable patients with advanced squamous cell carcinoma (48), large cell carcinoma (2) and adenocarcinoma (18) of the lung were treated with a six-drug regimen delivering two monthly alternated combinations. The combinations were cisplatin, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (CAP) and methotrexate, etoposide and CCNU (MEC'). Following a minimum of two courses, the overall response rate was 22% (confidence limits, 12% to 32%) (15/68, 2 complete responses and 13 partial responses); 47% (32/68) had stable disease and 31% (21/68) had progressive disease. The responses lasted a median of 3 months (range, 1-15 months). The actuarial median survival was 11 months in responsive patients, 10 months in stable disease patients, and 5 months in progressive patients. The overall median survival obtained was 9 months (range, 2-28+ months). Toxicity was minimal, and subjective tolerance of the treatment appeared good. However, this alternating program did not improve response rate or survival.

A phase I study of human natural interferon-beta in cancer patients.

In this phase I study 15 patients with metastatic tumors were given interferon (IFN)-beta by i.v. bolus injections. Twelve individual doses of 1, 2, 3.3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 21, 27, 35, and 46 x 10(6) IU were administered every other day. The single maximal tolerated dose ranged from 9 to 46 x 10(6) IU. Eight patients tolerated the dose of 46 x 10(6) IU without side effects. Disturbances of cardiac rhythm were observed, but were closely related temporally to severe chills and appeared to be the consequence of adrenergic stimulation associated with this side-effect. In addition, no significant variations in the left ventricular function as assessed by nuclear stethoscope were observed. Neurotoxicity was not a major side-effect. The toxicity of IFN-beta given as scheduled in this study was significant, but acceptable.

Non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A prospective randomized trial with alternating chemotherapy CEP/MEC' versus no treatment.

From April 1985 to September 1987, 92 patients with advanced NSCLC were randomized to receive cytotoxic chemotherapy, Arm A (treated), or supportive care, Arm B (control). Chemotherapy consisted of the CEP combination (cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2 i.v. day 1; epirubicin 50 mg/m2 i.v. day 1; cisplatin 80 mg/m2 i.v. day 1) alternated every 4 weeks with the MEC' combination (methotrexate 30 mg/m2 i.v. day 1; etoposide 200 mg/m2 i.v. day 1; CCNU 70 mg/m2 per os, day 1) until progression. Eight-nine patients (44 treated and 45 controls) were eligible for survival and 77 evaluable for response (38 treated and 39 controls). Response rate was: in Arm A, 8/38 (21%) partial response, 20/38 (53%) stable disease and 10/38 (26%) progressive disease; in Arm B, 18/39 (46%) stable disease and 21/39 (54%) progressive disease. Median time to progression was 4 months (range = 1-14) for treated and 2 months (range = 1-9) for controls (P = 0.001). Median survival was 8.5 months (range = 1+ to 25) for Arm A versus 5 months (range = 1+ to 28+) for Arm B; this difference was not statistically significant (Breslow test: chi-square = 2.75, P = 0.097; Mantel-Cox: chi-square = 0.32, P = 0.56). Treatment related toxicity was gastrointestinal WHO grade 3 in 22/102 (22%) CEP courses and in 10/91 (11%) MEC' courses respectively. Other observed side-effects were not clinically important. From these data our treatment was not clearly superior to supportive care in prolonging survival. This suggests the need for the inclusion of a control group in future chemotherapeutic trials of NSCLC.

Biochemical host response to interferon-beta.

To assess influence of host response to interferon-beta (IFN-beta), on biochemical parameters, beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) and neopterin were evaluated in 15 and 12 patients respectively before and 24 h after 1-46 X 10(6) IU intravenously (i.v.) IFN-beta given every other day. In 4 additional patients, both molecules were determined before and after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of weekly IFN-beta injections. Serum beta2-M levels significantly increased 24 h after IFN-beta administration in the overall group of 15 patients treated with the alternate day schedule (p = 0.003) as well as in the group of patients treated with the weekly schedule (p = 0.00003). Maximum induction of beta 2-M was observed 24 h after a single weekly IFN-beta injection, but the levels of this protein 72 h after still remained significantly higher than baseline values (p = 0.001). This demonstrates the progressive accumulation of beta 2-M in the circulation produced by the continuous IFN administration. Nevertheless, in patients treated with both IFN treatment schedules, a clear correlation between the increments of beta 2-M and the IFN-beta doses was observed (p = 0.00002 and p = 0.0016 for the alternate day and the weekly schedule respectively). Furthermore the under curve area (AUC) of 48 h beta 2-M levels after IFN administration significantly rose (p less than 0.05) with increasing IFN doses in 4/6 patients. In spite of the accumulation of beta 2-M in the circulation, the overall serum values of this protein 24 h after each successive IFN-injection, in the 15 patients receiving the alternate-day treatment, were significantly higher than before the immediate preceding dose both in patients with initially normal and those with initially high base levels (p = 0.00055 and p = 0.011, respectively). As with beta 2-M, neopterin levels significantly rose during IFN treatment (p less than 0.05) in the group of patients as a whole. After single weekly IFN-beta injections, maximum induction of neopterin was observed 24 h after administration, then the levels of this molecule slowly declined towards the baseline levels, but 96 h after, its levels were still significantly elevated (p less than 0.00001). Neopterin induction was not related to IFN-beta doses, but the levels of this molecule both before and after IFN administration were correlated with an increase in the number of IFN injections (p = 0.0006 and p = 0.0009, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Preliminary observation on the clinical tolerance of interferon-beta in cancer patients.

Nine patients with metastatic solid tumors were given IFN-beta by i.v. bolus injections. Six escalating doses (from 1 to 9 X 10(6) IU) followed by 6 additional injections at the dose of 9 X 10(6) IU were administered every other day (schedule A) in 3 of the 9 patients. IFN dose was also increased to a maximum of 46 X 10(6) IU, and 12 individual injections of 1, 2, 3.3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 16, 21, 27, 34 and 46 X 10(6) IU of IFN were given over a minimum of a 24-day period (schedule B) in 6 of the 9 patients. The single maximal tolerated dose ranged from 9 to 46 X 10(6) IU. The toxicity of IFN-beta given as scheduled in this study was significant but acceptable.

5-Fluorouracil, vincristine and hydroxyurea combination chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

Twenty consecutive patients who had biopsy proven metastatic colorectal cancer were treated with combination chemotherapy. The drug regimen (FVH), in a 4 week cycle, consisted of 5-fluorouracil (600 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1, 8, 15 and 22), vincristine (1.4 mg/m2 i.v. on day 4), and hydroxyurea (2400 mg/m2 p.o. on days 3, 10, 17 and 24). Three of the 18 evaluable patients achieved an objective tumor remission (2 CR and 1 PR) and 15 patients had stable disease. The overall response rate to FVH was therefore not superior to that achieved in patients who received 5-fluorouracil alone, and the overall survival in this study was comparable to that of other studies involving patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Combination chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and methyl-CCNU for the treatment of advanced gastrointestinal cancer.

Sixteen patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer (colorectal 12/16, gastric 4/16) were treated with a combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus 1-(2-chlorethyl)-3(4-methyl-cycloexyl)-1-nitrosourea (Me-CCNU). The therapeutic program consisted of orally administered Me-CCNU (140 mg/m2) and intravenous 5-FU (9.5 mg/kg by bolus injection for 5 days). The cycles were repeated at 6-week intervals. At the beginning of the therapy, 11/16 patients were in performance status (PS) 0-1 and 5 patients in PS 2-3. Eight patients developed early progressive disease between the 1st and 2nd course of therapy. Only a minor tumor response was observed in the remaining 50% of the patients. However, the patients with stabilized disease lived longer (11.8 months) than non-responders (3.5 months).