Optimizing the Dosing Regimen During Rotation From Subcutaneous to Transdermal Administration of Fentanyl.

CONTEXT: Subcutaneous (SC) administration of fentanyl allows for rapid dose titration to treat urgent cancer-related pain. After establishing the optimal fentanyl dose, patients typically rotate towards transdermal (TD) fentanyl patches. Continuing the SC fentanyl up to 12h after application of the patch led to elevated fentanyl concentrations and fentanyl-related toxicities. Based on these findings, and simulations using a pharmacokinetic (PK) model, SC fentanyl administration was discontinued immediately following the application of the patch. OBJECTIVES: To validate the fentanyl rotation schedule by assessing the PK equivalence in fentanyl exposure before and after rotation. METHODS: PK samples and clinical data were prospectively collected from 12 hours prior to rotation until 12 hours after rotation in patients with cancer-related pain undergoing fentanyl rotation. RESULTS: Between December 2021 and September 2023, 29 evaluable patients were enrolled in the study. The 90% confidence interval (CI) of the geometric mean ratio between the post- over pre-rotation area under the curve (AUC) fell within the prespecified 0.8-1.25 equivalence interval (90% CI 1.05-1.16). Patient-reported intensity of both nausea (P = 0.047) and transpiration (P = 0.034) decreased post-rotation. Pain intensity and other adverse events did not differ significantly pre and post-rotation. One patient needed adjustment of opioid therapy 40 hours after rotation due to fentanyl-related toxicities. CONCLUSION: The updated rotation scheme, implying a 1:1 dose conversion and discontinuation of SC fentanyl directly after rotation, resulted in equivalent fentanyl exposure pre and post-rotation. Moreover, the dosing regimen showed to be safe and efficacious during rotation. The new dosing regimen when rotating from SC to TD fentanyl can be effectively and safely implemented in routine palliative care.

Reasons for non-feasibility of therapeutic drug monitoring of oral targeted therapies in oncology - an analysis of the closed cohorts of a multicentre prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) - performing dose adjustments based on measured drug levels and established pharmacokinetic (PK) targets - could optimise treatment with drugs that show large interpatient variability in exposure. We evaluated the feasibility of TDM for multiple oral targeted therapies. Here we report on drugs for which routine TDM is not feasible. METHODS: We evaluated drug cohorts from the Dutch Pharmacology Oncology Group - TDM study. Based on PK levels taken at pre-specified time points, PK-guided interventions were performed. Feasibility of TDM was evaluated, and based on the success and practicability of TDM, cohorts could be closed. RESULTS: For 10 out of 24 cohorts TDM was not feasible and inclusion was closed. A high incidence of adverse events resulted in closing the cabozantinib, dabrafenib/trametinib, everolimus, regorafenib and vismodegib cohort. The enzalutamide and erlotinib cohorts were closed because almost all PK levels were above target. Other, non-pharmacological reasons led to closing the palbociclib, olaparib and tamoxifen cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Although TDM could help personalising treatment for many drugs, the above-mentioned reasons can influence its feasibility, usefulness and clinical applicability. Therefore, routine TDM is not advised for cabozantinib, dabrafenib/trametinib, enzalutamide, erlotinib, everolimus, regorafenib and vismodegib. Nonetheless, TDM remains valuable for individual clinical decisions.

Systemic Treatment Strategies and Outcomes of Patients With Synchronous Peritoneal Metastases of Gastric Origin: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Palliative systemic treatment is currently standard of care for metastatic gastric cancer. However, patients with peritoneal metastases of gastric origin are often underrepresented in clinical studies due to unmeasurable radiologic disease. This study describes the systemic treatment strategies and outcomes in patients with peritoneal metastases in a nationwide real-world setting. METHODS: Patients with gastric adenocarcinoma and synchronous peritoneal metastases (with or without other metastases) diagnosed in the Netherlands between 2015 and 2020 were identified from the nationwide Netherlands Cancer Registry. Median overall survival (OS) and time-to-treatment failure were determined and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to compare treatment groups, corrected for relevant tumor and patient characteristics. RESULTS: In total, 1,972 patients were included, of whom 842 (43%) were treated with palliative systemic therapy. The majority received capecitabine + oxaliplatin (CAPOX; 44%), followed by fluorouracil/leucovorin/oxaliplatin (FOLFOX; 19%), and epirubicin + capecitabine + oxaliplatin (EOX; 8%). Of the 99 (45%) patients who received second-line systemic treatment, ramucirumab + paclitaxel were administered most frequently (63%). After adjustment for sex, age, comorbidities, performance status, tumor location, Lauren classification, and the presence of metastases outside of the peritoneum, patients treated with a triplet containing docetaxel and those treated with a regimen containing trastuzumab had a significantly longer OS compared with patients treated with a doublet containing a fluoropyrimidine derivate + oxaliplatin (hazard ratio [HR], 0.69; 95% CI, 0.52-0.91, and HR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.51-0.91, respectively). Monotherapy was associated with a shorter OS (HR, 2.08, 95% CI, 1.53-2.83). CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial heterogeneity in systemic treatment choices in patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases in the Netherlands. In this study, patients treated with triplets containing docetaxel and with trastuzumab-containing regimens survived longer than patients who received doublet therapy. Despite this, median OS for all treatment groups remained below one year.

The OCT2/MATE1 Interaction Between Trifluridine, Metformin and Cimetidine: A Crossover Pharmacokinetic Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Trifluridine/tipiracil, registered for the treatment of patients with metastatic gastric and colorectal cancer, is a substrate and inhibitor for the organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) and the multidrug and toxin extrusion protein 1 (MATE1), which raises the potential for drug-drug interactions with other OCT2/MATE1 modulators. Therefore, we prospectively examined the effect of an OCT2/MATE1 inhibitor (cimetidine) and substrate (metformin) on the pharmacokinetics of trifluridine. METHODS: In this three-phase crossover study, patients with metastatic colorectal or gastric cancer were sequentially treated with trifluridine/tipiracil alone (phase A), trifluridine/tipiracil concomitant with metformin (phase B) and trifluridine/tipiracil concomitant with cimetidine (phase C). The primary endpoint was the relative difference in exposure of trifluridine assessed by the area under the curve from timepoint zero to infinity. A > 30% change in exposure was considered clinically relevant. A p-value of < 0.025 was considered significant because of a Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were included in the analysis. Metformin did not significantly alter the exposure to trifluridine (- 12.6%; 97.5% confidence interval - 25.0, 1.8; p = 0.045). Cimetidine did alter the exposure to trifluridine significantly (+ 18.0%; 97.5% confidence interval 4.5, 33.3; p = 0.004), but this increase did not meet our threshold for clinical relevance. Metformin trough concentrations were not influenced by trifluridine/tipiracil. CONCLUSIONS: Our result suggests that the OCT2/MATE1 modulators cimetidine and metformin can be co-administered with trifluridine/tipiracil without clinically relevant effects on drug exposure. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NL8067 (registered 04-10-2019).

Evaluating the Clinical Impact and Feasibility of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Pazopanib in a Real-World Soft-Tissue Sarcoma Cohort.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Pazopanib is registered for metastatic renal cell carcinoma and soft-tissue sarcoma (STS). Its variable pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics and narrow therapeutic range provide a strong rationale for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Prior studies have defined target levels of drug exposure (≥ 20.5 mg/L) linked to prolonged progression-free survival (PFS), but the added value of using TDM remains unclear. This study investigates the effect of TDM of pazopanib in patients with STS on survival outcomes and dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and evaluates the feasibility of TDM-guided dosing. METHODS: A TDM-guided cohort was compared to a non-TDM-guided cohort for PFS, overall survival (OS) and DLTs. PK samples were available from all patients, though not acted upon in the non-TDM-guided cohort. We evaluated the feasibility of TDM by comparing the proportion of underdosed patients in our TDM cohort with data from previous publications. RESULTS: A total of 122 STS patients were included in the TDM-guided cohort (n = 95) and non-TDM-guided cohort (n = 27). The average exposure in the overall population was 30.5 mg/L and was similar in both groups. Median PFS and OS did not differ between the TDM-guided cohort and non-TDM-guided cohort (respectively 5.5 vs 4.4 months, p = 0.3, and 12.6 vs 10.1 months, p = 0.8). Slightly more patients in the non-TDM-guided cohort experienced DLTs (54%) compared to the TDM-guided cohort (44%). The proportion of underdosed patients (13.3%) was halved compared to historical data (26.7%). CONCLUSION: TDM reduced the proportion of patients with subtherapeutic exposure levels by ~ 50%. Nonetheless, the added value of TDM for achieving target trough levels of ≥ 20.5 mg/L for pazopanib on survival outcomes could not be confirmed in STS patients.

Intraperitoneal chemotherapy for peritoneal metastases of gastric origin: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer with peritoneal metastases is associated with a dismal prognosis. Normothermic catheter-based intraperitoneal chemotherapy and normothermic pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) are methods to deliver chemotherapy intraperitoneally leading to higher intraperitoneal concentrations of cytotoxic drugs compared to intravenous administration. We reviewed the effectiveness and safety of different methods of palliative intraperitoneal chemotherapy. METHODS: Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science and Cochrane were searched for articles studying the use of repeated administration of palliative intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases, published up to January 2024. The primary outcome was overall survival. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included, representing a total of 999 patients. The pooled median overall survival was 14.5 months. The pooled hazard ratio of the two RCTs using intraperitoneal paclitaxel and docetaxel favoured the intraperitoneal chemotherapy arm. The median overall survival of intraperitoneal paclitaxel, intraperitoneal docetaxel and PIPAC with cisplatin and doxorubicin were respectively 18.4 months, 13.2 months and 9.0 months. All treatment methods had a relatively safe toxicity profile. Conversion surgery after completion of intraperitoneal therapy was performed in 16% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, regardless of method of administration, is safe for patients with gastric cancer and peritoneal metastases. Conversion surgery after completion of the intraperitoneal chemotherapy is possible in a subset of patients.

Intraperitoneal pharmacokinetics of systemic oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil and bevacizumab in patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal metastases (PM) commonly occur in colorectal cancer patients. Systemic chemotherapy yields poor outcomes for these patients. It is hypothesised that traditional systemic chemotherapy is not very effective for this patient population. This study investigates to what extent systemic anti-cancer therapy crosses the peritoneal barrier. METHODS: In a Phase I study, eighteen patients received systemic oxaliplatin, 5-FU, and bevacizumab. Plasma and peritoneal fluid samples were collected to measure drug concentrations. A non-compartmental analysis determined the Area Under the Curve (AUC) for oxaliplatin and 5-FU in both matrices. Intraperitoneal (IP) and intravenous (IV) exposure ratios were calculated, along with the bevacizumab concentration IP/IV ratio. The relationship between tumour load and IP/IV ratios and the correlation between the IP/IV ratios of different treatments were assessed statistically. RESULTS: A total of 438 5-FU samples and 578 oxaliplatin samples were analysed in plasma and peritoneal fluid. Bevacizumab was quantified with 17 measurements in plasma and 15 measurements IP. Median IP/IV ratios were 0.143, 0.352 and 0.085 for 5-FU, oxaliplatin and bevacizumab, respectively. Oxaliplatin exhibited a longer IP half-life than 5-FU. A correlation was found between oxaliplatin and bevacizumab IP/IV ratios (R=0.69, p=0.01). No statistical correlations were found between the other investigated drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that only a small percentage of systemically administered anti-cancer treatment reaches the IP cavity, questioning their efficacy against PM. This strengthens the hypothesis for repeated intraperitoneal chemotherapy to reach adequate anti-cancer drug levels.

Clinical Utility of Circulating Tumor DNA in Patients With Advanced KRASG12C-Mutated NSCLC Treated With Sotorasib.

INTRODUCTION: For patients with KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC who are treated with sotorasib, there is a lack of biomarkers to guide treatment decisions. We therefore investigated the clinical utility of pretreatment and on-treatment circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and treatment-emergent alterations on disease progression. METHODS: Patients with KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC treated with sotorasib were prospectively enrolled in our biomarker study (NCT05221372). Plasma samples were collected before sotorasib treatment, at first-response evaluation and at disease progression. The TruSight Oncology 500 panel was used for ctDNA and variant allele frequency analysis. Tumor response and progression-free survival were assessed per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1. RESULTS: Pretreatment KRASG12C ctDNA was detected in 50 of 66 patients (76%). Patients with detectable KRASG12C had inferior progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] 2.13 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06-4.30], p = 0.031) and overall survival (HR 2.61 [95% CI: 1.16-5.91], p = 0.017). At first-response evaluation (n = 40), 29 patients (73%) had a molecular response. Molecular nonresponders had inferior overall survival (HR 3.58 [95% CI: 1.65-7.74], p = 0.00059). The disease control rate was significantly higher in those with a molecular response (97% versus 64%, p = 0.015). KRAS amplifications were identified as recurrent treatment-emergent alterations. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest detectable pretreatment KRASG12C ctDNA as a marker for poor prognosis and on-treatment ctDNA clearance as a marker for treatment response. We identified KRAS amplifications as a potential recurring resistance mechanism to sotorasib. Identifying patients with superior prognosis could aid in optimizing time of treatment initiation, and identifying patients at risk of early progression could allow for earlier treatment decisions.

Population pharmacokinetics of intraperitoneal irinotecan and SN-38 in patients with peritoneal metastases from colorectal origin.

Peritoneal metastases (PM) are common in patients with colorectal cancer. Patients with PM have a poor prognosis, and for those who are not eligible for cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with or without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), palliative chemotherapy is currently the only option. Recently, we conducted a phase I trial (INTERACT) in which irinotecan was administered intraperitoneally (IP) to 18 patients ineligible for CRS-HIPEC. The primary objective was to evaluate covariates influencing the PK profile of irinotecan and SN-38 after IP administration. Secondly, a population PK model was developed to support the further development of IP irinotecan by improving dosing in patients with PM. Patients were treated with IP irinotecan every 2 weeks in combination with systemic FOLFOX-bevacizumab. Irinotecan and SN-38 were measured in plasma (588 samples) and SN-38 was measured in peritoneal fluid (267 samples). Concentration-Time data were log-transformed and analyzed using NONMEM version 7.5 using FOCE+I estimation. An additive error model described the residual error, with inter-individual variability in PK parameters modeled exponentially. The final structural model consisted of five compartments. Weight was identified as a covariate influencing the SN-38 plasma volume of distribution and GGT was found to influence the SN-38 plasma clearance. This population PK model adequately described the irinotecan and SN-38 in plasma after IP administration, with weight and GGT as predictive factors. Irinotecan is converted intraperitoneal to SN-38 by carboxylesterases and the plasma bioavailability of irinotecan is low. This model will be used for the further clinical development of IP irinotecan by providing dosing strategies.

Tamoxifen Dose De-Escalation: An Effective Strategy for Reducing Adverse Effects?

Tamoxifen, a cornerstone in the adjuvant treatment of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, significantly reduces breast cancer recurrence and breast cancer mortality; however, its standard adjuvant dose of 20 mg daily presents challenges due to a broad spectrum of adverse effects, contributing to high discontinuation rates. Dose reductions of tamoxifen might be an option to reduce treatment-related toxicity, but large randomized controlled trials investigating the tolerability and, more importantly, efficacy of low-dose tamoxifen in the adjuvant setting are lacking. We conducted an extensive literature search to explore evidence on the tolerability and clinical efficacy of reduced doses of tamoxifen. In this review, we discuss two important topics regarding low-dose tamoxifen: (1) the incidence of adverse effects and quality of life among women using low-dose tamoxifen; and (2) the clinical efficacy of low-dose tamoxifen examined in the preventive setting and evaluated through the measurement of several efficacy derivatives. Moreover, practical tools for tamoxifen dose reductions in the adjuvant setting are provided and further research to establish optimal dosing strategies for individual patients are discussed.

Nonlinear Mixed-Effects Model of Z-Endoxifen Concentrations in Tamoxifen-Treated Patients from the CEPAM Cohort.

Tamoxifen is widely used in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. The polymorphic enzyme CYP2D6 is primarily responsible for metabolic activation of tamoxifen, resulting in substantial interindividual variability of plasma concentrations of its most important metabolite, Z-endoxifen. The Z-endoxifen concentration thresholds below which tamoxifen treatment is less efficacious have been proposed but not validated, and prospective trials of individualized tamoxifen treatment to achieve Z-endoxifen concentration thresholds are considered infeasible. Therefore, we aim to validate the association between Z-endoxifen concentration and tamoxifen treatment outcomes, and identify a Z-endoxifen concentration threshold of tamoxifen efficacy, using pharmacometric modeling and simulation. As a first step, the CYP2D6 Endoxifen Percentage Activity Model (CEPAM) cohort was created by pooling data from 28 clinical studies (> 7,000 patients) with measured endoxifen plasma concentrations. After cleaning, data from 6,083 patients were used to develop a nonlinear mixed-effect (NLME) model for tamoxifen and Z-endoxifen pharmacokinetics that includes a conversion factor to allow inclusion of studies that measured total endoxifen but not Z-endoxifen. The final parent-metabolite NLME model confirmed the primary role of CYP2D6, and contributions from body weight, CYP2C9 phenotype, and co-medication with CYP2D6 inhibitors, on Z-endoxifen pharmacokinetics. Future work will use the model to simulate Z-endoxifen concentrations in patients receiving single agent tamoxifen treatment within large prospective clinical trials with long-term survival to identify the Z-endoxifen concentration threshold below which tamoxifen is less efficacious. Identification of this concentration threshold would allow personalized tamoxifen treatment to improve outcomes in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Hepatotoxicity in patients with non-small cell lung cancer treated with sotorasib after prior immunotherapy: a comprehensive clinical and pharmacokinetic analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sotorasib given after immunotherapy could put patients at increased risk of hepatotoxicity. Therefore, there is a need to gain insight into the potential correlation between anti-PD-(L)1 treatment, anti-PD-(L)1 concentrations, sotorasib concentrations, and the incidence of hepatotoxicity during sotorasib. METHODS: Patients with KRASG12C-mutated NSCLC treated with sotorasib were prospectively enrolled in our biomarker cohort study (NCT05221372). Plasma samples were collected prior and during sotorasib treatment for anti-PD-1 and sotorasib concentrations. ALT/AST/ALP/GGT increases were collected prospectively and graded according to CTCAEv5.0. Severe hepatotoxicity was defined as grade ≥3 ALT/AST/ALP/GGT increase. FINDINGS: Of the 91 included patients, 80 (88%) received prior anti-PD-(L)1. Prior anti-PD-(L)1 and prior immune-related hepatotoxicity were associated with a higher incidence of severe hepatotoxicity (35% versus 0%, p = 0.016 and 75% versus 31%, p = 0.019, respectively). Patients with an interval of ≤6 weeks between anti-PD-(L)1 and sotorasib (n = 18) had a significantly higher incidence of severe hepatotoxicity than those with a 6-12 week (n = 24) and ≥12 week (n = 38) interval (83% versus 33% versus 13%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Sotorasib trough concentrations did not differ significantly between those with or without severe hepatotoxicity (106 versus 126 ng/mL, p = 0.16). Pembrolizumab concentrations were higher in those with severe hepatotoxicity versus those without (25.6 versus 6.1 µg/mL, p < 0.0001). INTERPRETATION: In this preliminary prospective study, sotorasib after PD-(L)1 blockade was associated with severe hepatotoxicity, especially in patients with a short interval between treatments, prior immune-related hepatitis and higher anti-PD-1 plasma concentrations. Our results suggest a minimum interval of 6 weeks between anti-PD-(L)1 and sotorasib to minimize the risk of hepatotoxicity. FUNDING: None.

Darolutamide does not interfere with OATP-mediated uptake of docetaxel.

The addition of darolutamide, an androgen receptor signalling inhibitor, to therapy with docetaxel has recently been approved as a strategy to treat metastatic prostate cancer. OATP1B3 is an SLC transporter that is highly expressed in prostate cancer and is responsible for the accumulation of substrates, including docetaxel, into tumours. Given that darolutamide inhibits OATP1B3 in vitro, we sought to characterise the impact of darolutamide on docetaxel pharmacokinetics. We investigated the influence of darolutamide on OATP1B3 transport using in vitro and in vivo models. We assessed the impact of darolutamide on the tumour accumulation of docetaxel in a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model and on an OATP1B biomarker in patients. Darolutamide inhibited OATP1B3 in vitro at concentrations higher than the reported Cmax. Consistent with these findings, in vivo studies revealed that darolutamide does not influence the pharmacokinetics of Oatp1b substrates, including docetaxel. Docetaxel accumulation in PDX tumours was not decreased in the presence of darolutamide. Metastatic prostate cancer patients had similar levels of OATP1B biomarkers, regardless of treatment with darolutamide. Consistent with a low potential to inhibit OATP1B3-mediated transport in vitro, darolutamide does not significantly impede the transport of Oatp1b substrates in vivo or in patients. Our findings support combined treatment with docetaxel and darolutamide, as no OATP1B3 transporter based drug-drug interaction was identified.

Implementing Ac-225 labelled radiopharmaceuticals: practical considerations and (pre-)clinical perspectives.

BACKGROUND: In the past years, there has been a notable increase in interest regarding targeted alpha therapy using Ac-225, driven by the observed promising clinical anti-tumor effects. As the production and technology has advanced, the availability of Ac-225 is expected to increase in the near future, making the treatment available to patients worldwide. MAIN BODY: Ac-225 can be labelled to different biological vectors, whereby the success of developing a radiopharmaceutical depends heavily on the labelling conditions, purity of the radionuclide source, chelator, and type of quenchers used to avoid radiolysis. Multiple (methodological) challenges need to be overcome when working with Ac-225; as alpha-emission detection is time consuming and highly geometry dependent, a gamma co-emission is used, but has to be in equilibrium with the mother-nuclide. Because of the high impact of alpha emitters in vivo it is highly recommended to cross-calibrate the Ac-225 measurements for used quality control (QC) techniques (radio-TLC, HPLC, HP-Ge detector, and gamma counter). More strict health physics regulations apply, as Ac-225 has a high toxicity, thereby limiting practical handling and quantities used for QC analysis. CONCLUSION: This overview focuses specifically on the practical and methodological challenges when working with Ac-225 labelled radiopharmaceuticals, and underlines the required infrastructure and (detection) methods for the (pre-)clinical application.

Quantification and clinical validation of the selective MET kinase inhibitor DO-2 and its metabolites DO-5 and M3 in human plasma.

DO-2 is a highly selective MNNG HOS transforming (MET) inhibitor. This deuterated drug is thought to diminish the formation of the Aldehyde Oxidase 1 inactive metabolite M3. For various reasons, quantification of DO-2 and its metabolites M3 and DO-5 is highly relevant. In this study, we present an ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method to quantify DO-2, M3 and DO-5. Rolipram served as the internal standard. Aliquots of 25 µL were mixed with 100 µL internal standard consisting of 10 ng/mL rolipram in acetonitrile. Separation of the analytes was achieved on an Acquity UPLC ® HSS T3 column, utilizing gradient elution with water/formic acid and acetonitrile/formic acid at a flow-rate of 0.400 mL/min. Calibration curves were linear in the range of 1.00 - 1000 ng/mL for DO-2 and DO-5, and 2.00 - 2000 ng/mL for M3 in human plasma. The within-run and between-run precisions of DO-2, DO-5 and M3, also at the level of the LLQ, were within 12.1%, while the accuracy ranged from 89.5 to 108.7%. All values for accuracy, within-run and between-run precisions met the criteria set by the Food and Drug Administration. The method was effectively employed in the analysis of samples obtained from a clinical trial.

Intraperitoneal irinotecan with concomitant FOLFOX and bevacizumab for patients with unresectable colorectal peritoneal metastases: protocol of the multicentre, open-label, phase II, INTERACT-II trial.

INTRODUCTION: The peritoneum is the second most affected organ for the dissemination of colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients with colorectal peritoneal metastases (CPM) face a poor prognosis, despite the majority of patients being treated with palliative systemic therapy. The efficacy of palliative systemic therapy is limited due to the plasma-peritoneum barrier. The poor prognosis of unresectable CPM patients has resulted in the development of new treatment strategies where systemic therapy is combined with local, intraperitoneal chemotherapy. In the recently published phase I study, the maximum tolerated dose and thus the recommended phase II dose of intraperitoneal irinotecan was investigated and determined to be 75 mg. In the present study, the overall survival after treatment with 75 mg irinotecan with concomitant mFOLFOX4 and bevacizumab will be investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this single-arm phase II study in two Dutch tertiary referral centres, 85 patients are enrolled. Eligibility criteria are an adequate performance status and organ function, histologically confirmed microsatellite stable and unresectable CPM, no previous palliative therapy for CRC, no systemic therapy<6 months for CRC prior to enrolment and no previous cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS and HIPEC). Patients will undergo a diagnostic laparoscopy as standard work-up for CPM and if the peritoneal disease is considered unresectable (eg, Peritoneal Cancer Index (PCI)>20, too extensive small bowel involvement), a peritoneal access port and a port-a-cath are placed for administration of intraperitoneal and intravenous chemotherapy, respectively. Patients may undergo up to 12 cycles of study treatment. Each cycle consists of intravenous mFOLFOX4 with bevacizumab and concomitant intraperitoneal irinotecan (75 mg), which is repeated every 2 weeks, with a maximum of 12 cycles. Modified FOLFOX-4 regimen consists of 85 mg/m2 oxaliplatin plus 200 mg/m2 LV and 5-FU 400 mg/m2 bolus on day 1 followed by 1600 mg/m2 5-FU as a 46 hours infusion. Study treatment ends after the 12th cycle, or earlier in case of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary outcome is overall survival and key secondary outcomes are progression-free survival, safety (measured by the amount of grade ≥3 adverse events (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events V.5.0)), patient-reported outcomes and pharmacokinetics of irinotecan. It is hypothesised that the trial treatment will lead to a 4 month increase in overall survival; from a median of 12.2 to 16.2 months. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study is approved by the Dutch Authority (CCMO, the Hague, the Netherlands), by a central medical ethics committee (MEC-U, Nieuwegein, the Netherlands) and by the institutional research boards of both research centres. Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed medical journals and presented to patients and healthcare professionals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT06003998.

The interplay between tamoxifen and endoxifen plasma concentrations and coagulation parameters in patients with primary breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tamoxifen is an effective treatment for primary breast cancer but increases the risk for venous thromboembolism. Tamoxifen decreases anticoagulant proteins, including antithrombin (AT), protein C (PC) and tissue factor (TF) pathway inhibitor, and enhances thrombin generation (TG). However, the relation between plasma concentrations of both tamoxifen and its active metabolite endoxifen and coagulation remains unknown. METHODS: Tamoxifen and endoxifen were measured in 141 patients from the prospective open-label intervention TOTAM-study after 3 months (m) and 6 m of tamoxifen treatment. Levels of AT and PC, the procoagulant TF, and TG parameters were determined at both timepoints if samples were available (n = 53-135 per analysis). Levels of coagulation proteins and TG parameters were correlated and compared between: 1) quartiles of tamoxifen and endoxifen levels, and 2) 3 m and 6 m of treatment. RESULTS: At 3 m, levels of AT, PC, TF and TG parameters were not associated with tamoxifen nor endoxifen levels. At 6 m, median TF levels were lower in patients in the 3rd (56.6 [33] pg/mL), and 4th (50.1 [19] pg/mL) endoxifen quartiles compared to the 1st (lowest) quartile (76 [69] pg/mL) (P=0.027 and P=0.018, respectively), but no differences in anticoagulant proteins or TG parameters were observed. An increase in circulating TF levels (3 m: 46.0 [15] versus 6 m: 54.4 [39] pg/mL, P < 0.001) and TG parameters was observed at the 6 m treatment timepoint, while AT and PC levels remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that higher tamoxifen and endoxifen levels are not correlated with an increased procoagulant state, suggesting tamoxifen dose escalation does not further promote hypercoagulability.

Early Identification of Patients at Risk of Cabazitaxel-induced Severe Neutropenia.

BACKGROUND: Cabazitaxel frequently causes severe neutropenia. A higher cabazitaxel systemic exposure is related to a lower nadir absolute neutrophil count (ANC). OBJECTIVE: To describe the effect of cabazitaxel systemic exposure on ANC by a population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (POP-PK/PD) model, and to identify patients at risk of severe neutropenia early in their treatment course using a PK threshold. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Data from five clinical studies were pooled to develop a POP-PK/PD model using NONMEM, linking both patient characteristics and cabazitaxel systemic exposure directly to ANC. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: A PK threshold, predictive of severe neutropenia (grade ≥3), was determined using a receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Ninety-six patients were included with a total of 1726 PK samples and 1081 ANCs. The POP-PK/PD model described both cabazitaxel PK and ANC accurately. A cabazitaxel plasma concentration of >4.96 ng/ml at 6 h after the start of infusion was found to be predictive of severe neutropenia, with a sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 65%. CONCLUSIONS: Early cabazitaxel plasma levels are predictive of severe neutropenia. Implementation of the proposed PK threshold results in early identification of almost 76% of all severe neutropenias. If prospectively validated, patients at risk could benefit from prophylactic administration of granulocyte colony stimulating factors, preventing severe neutropenia in an early phase of treatment. Implementation of this threshold permits a less restricted use of the 25 mg/m2 dose, potentially increasing the therapeutic benefit. PATIENT SUMMARY: Treatment with cabazitaxel chemotherapy often causes neutropenia, leading to susceptibility to infections, which might be life threatening. We found that a systemic cabazitaxel concentration above 4.96 ng/ml 6 h after the start of infusion is predictive of the occurrence of severe neutropenia. Measurement of systemic cabazitaxel levels provides clinicians with the opportunity to prophylactically stimulate neutrophil growth.

A common germline variant in CYP11B1 is associated with adverse clinical outcome of treatment with abiraterone or enzalutamide.

Extragonadal androgens play a pivotal role in prostate cancer disease progression on androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSi), including abiraterone and enzalutamide. We aimed to investigate if germline variants in genes involved in extragonadal androgen synthesis contribute to resistance to ARSi and may predict clinical outcomes on ARSi. We included ARSi naive metastatic prostate cancer patients treated with abiraterone or enzalutamide and determined 18 germline variants in six genes involved in extragonadal androgen synthesis. Variants were tested in univariate and multivariable analysis for the relation with overall survival (OS) and time to progression (TTP) by Cox regression, and PSA response by logistic regression. A total of 275 patients were included. From the investigated genes CYP17A1, HSD3B1, CYP11B1, AKR1C3, SRD5A1 and SRD5A2, only rs4736349 in CYP11B1 in homozygous form (TT), present in 54 patients (20%), was related with a significantly worse OS (HR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.09 - 2.68, p = 0.019) and TTP (HR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.08 - 2.09, p = 0.016), and was related with a significantly less frequent PSA response (OR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.24 - 0.96, p = 0.038) on abiraterone or enzalutamide in a multivariable analysis. The frequent germline variant rs4736349 in CYP11B1 is, as homozygote, an independent negative prognostic factor for treatment with abiraterone or enzalutamide in ARSi naive metastatic prostate cancer patients. Our findings warrant prospective investigation of this potentially important predictive biomarker.