Phase II trial of hyperfractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy and concurrent weekly cisplatin for Stage III and IVa head-and-neck cancer.

PURPOSE: To investigate a novel chemoradiation regimen designed to maximize locoregional control (LRC) and minimize toxicity for patients with advanced head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Patients received hyperfractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy (HIMRT) in 1.25-Gy fractions b.i.d. to 70 Gy to high-risk planning target volume (PTV). Intermediate and low-risk PTVs received 60 Gy and 50 Gy, at 1.07, and 0.89 Gy per fraction, respectively. Concurrent cisplatin 33 mg/m(2)/week was started Week 1. Patients completed the Quality of Life Radiation Therapy Instrument pretreatment (PRE), at end of treatment (EOT), and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Overall survival (OS), progression-free (PFS), LRC, and toxicities were assessed. RESULTS: Of 39 patients, 30 (77%) were alive without disease at median follow-up of 37.5 months. Actuarial 3-year OS, PFS, and LRC were 80%, 82%, and 87%, respectively. No failures occurred in the electively irradiated neck and there were no isolated neck failures. Head and neck QOL was significantly worse in 18 of 35 patients (51%): mean 7.8 PRE vs. 3.9 EOT. By month 1, H&N QOL returned near baseline (mean 6.2, SD = 1.7). The most common acute Grade 3+ toxicities were mucositis (38%), fatigue (28%), dysphagia (28%), and leukopenia (26%). CONCLUSIONS: Hyperfractionated IMRT with low-dose weekly cisplatin resulted in good LRC with acceptable toxicity and QOL. Lack of elective nodal failures despite very low dose per fraction has led to an attempt to further minimize toxicity by reducing elective nodal doses in our subsequent protocol.

Randomized phase II trial of induction chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemotherapy and dose-escalated thoracic conformal radiotherapy (74 Gy) in stage III non-small-cell lung cancer: CALGB 30105.

PURPOSE: To evaluate 74 Gy thoracic radiation therapy (TRT) with induction and concurrent chemotherapy in stage IIIA/B non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with stage IIIA/B NSCLC were randomly assigned to induction chemotherapy with either carboplatin (area under the curve [AUC], 6; days 1 and 22) with paclitaxel (225 mg/m(2); days 1 and 22; arm A) or carboplatin (AUC, 5; days 1 and 22) with gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m(2); days 1, 8, 22, and 29; arm B). On day 43, arm A received weekly carboplatin (AUC, 2) and paclitaxel (45 mg/m(2)) while arm B received biweekly gemcitabine (35 mg/m(2)) both delivered concurrently with 74 Gy of TRT utilizing three-dimensional treatment planning. The primary end point was survival at 18 months. RESULTS: Forty-three and 26 patients were accrued to arms A and B, respectively. Arm B was closed prematurely due to a high rate of grade 4 to 5 pulmonary toxicity. The overall response rate was 66.6% (95% CI, 50.5% to 80.4%) and 69.2% (95% CI, 48.2% to 85.7%) on arm A and B, respectively. The median survival time (MST) and 1-year survival rate was 24.3 months (95% CI, 12.3 to 36.4) and 66.7% (95% CI, 50.3 to 78.7) and 12.5 months (95% CI, 9.4 to 27.6) and 50.0% (95% CI, 29.9 to 67.2) for arms A and B, respectively. The primary toxicities included esophagitis, pulmonary, and fatigue. CONCLUSION: Arm A reached the primary end point with an estimated MST longer than 18 months and will be compared with a standard dose of TRT in a planned randomized phase III trial in the United States cooperative groups.

Randomized phase III trial of weekly compared with every-3-weeks paclitaxel for metastatic breast cancer, with trastuzumab for all HER-2 overexpressors and random assignment to trastuzumab or not in HER-2 nonoverexpressors: final results of Cancer and Leukemia Group B protocol 9840.

PURPOSE: Phase II trials suggested that weekly paclitaxel might be more effective and less toxic than every-3-weeks administration for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) protocol 9840 was initiated to address this question. Subsequently trastuzumab was demonstrated to improve outcomes of paclitaxel therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2)-positive patients, and was therefore incorporated. Because inhibition of HER-family signaling had potential efficacy even without HER-2 overexpression, we randomly assigned for trastuzumab in this population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks or 80 mg/m(2) weekly. After the first 171 patients, all HER-2-positive patients received trastuzumab; HER-2 nonoverexpressors were randomly assigned for trastuzumab, in addition to paclitaxel schedule. A total of 577 patients were treated on 9840. An additional 158 patients were included in analyses, for combined sample of 735. The primary end point was response rate (RR); secondary end points were time to progression (TTP), overall survival, and toxicity. Primary comparisons were between weekly versus every-3-weeks paclitaxel, and trastuzumab versus no trastuzumab in HER-2 nonoverexpressors. RESULTS: In the combined sample, weekly paclitaxel was superior to every-3-weeks administration: RR (42% v 29%, unadjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.75; P = .0004), TTP (median, 9 v 5 months; adjusted HR = 1.43; P < .0001), and survival (median, 24 v 12 months; adjusted HR = 1.28; P = .0092). For HER-2 nonoverexpressors, trastuzumab did not improve efficacy. Grade 3 neuropathy was more common with weekly dosing (24% v 12%; P = .0003). CONCLUSION: Weekly paclitaxel is more effective than every-3-weeks administration for MBC. Trastuzumab did not improve efficacy for HER-2 nonoverexpressors. Neurotoxicity is a treatment-limiting toxicity for weekly paclitaxel.