Phase I Dose-Escalation and Pharmacokinetic Study of Intravenous Aflibercept in Combination with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and 5-Fluorouracil in Patients with Advanced Solid Malignancies.

PURPOSE: This phase I study (EudraCT No. 2006-001177-25) investigated aflibercept, a vascular endothelial growth factor decoy receptor protein (VEGF Trap), in combination with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil in patients with advanced solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients received 2, 4, or 6 mg/kg of intravenous aflibercept with docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cisplatin 75 mg/m2, and 5-fluorouracil 750 mg/m2 in 3-week cycles until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary objectives were to evaluate dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) during cycle 1 and to determine the recommended phase II dose. Pharmacokinetics, tolerability, and antitumor activity were also investigated. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were enrolled and treated (29 patients in a dose-escalation phase and 15 patients in an expansion cohort). Following three cases of febrile neutropenia in patients receiving aflibercept at 4 mg/kg, the protocol was amended to allow earlier granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support (from day 6) and prophylactic use of ciprofloxacin. Subsequently, there were two DLTs: febrile neutropenia (2 mg/kg) and grade 4 pulmonary embolism (6 mg/kg). An excess of free over VEGF-bound aflibercept was observed at 6 mg/kg. The most frequent grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) were neutropenia (54.5%), lymphopenia (47.7%), and stomatitis (38.6%). AEs associated with VEGF blockade (any grade) included epistaxis (61.4%), dysphonia (40.9%), hypertension (38.6%), and proteinuria (11.4%). There were 15 partial responses, including 9 in patients with gastroesophageal cancers. Thirteen patients had stable disease. CONCLUSION: Aflibercept 6 mg/kg administered every 3 weeks in combination with docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5- fluorouracil is the recommended dose for further clinical development based on tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity.

A Nomogram to Predict Distant Metastases After Multimodality Therapy for Patients With Localized Esophageal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with localized esophageal cancer (LEC), 35% or more develop distant metastases (DM) as first relapse, most in the first 24 months after local therapy. Implementation of novel strategies may be possible if DM can be predicted reliably. We hypothesized that clinical variables could help generate a DM nomogram. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with LEC who completed multimodality therapy were analyzed. Various statistical methods were used, including multivariate analysis to generate a nomogram. A concordance index (c-index) was established and validated using the bootstrap method. RESULTS: Among 629 patients analyzed (356 trimodality/273 bimodality), 36% patients developed DM as first relapse. The median overall survival from DM was only 8.6 months (95% CI, 7.0-10.2). In a multivariate analysis, the variables associated with a higher risk for developing DM were poorly differentiated histology (hazard ratio [HR], 1.76; P<.0001), baseline T3/T4 primary (HR, 3.07; P=.0006), and baseline N+ LEC (HR, 2.01; P<.0001). Although variables associated with a lower risk for DM were age of 60 years or older (HR, 0.75; P=.04), squamous cell carcinoma (HR, 0.54; P=.013), and trimodality therapy (HR, 0.58; P=.0001), the bias-corrected c-index was 0.67 after 250 bootstrap resamples. CONCLUSIONS: Our nomogram identified patients with LEC who developed DM with a high probability. The model needs to be refined (tumor and blood biomarkers) and validated. This type of model will allow implementation of novel strategies in patients with LEC.

Early versus Delayed Therapy of Advanced Gastric Cancer Patients--Does It Make a Difference?

BACKGROUND: Nearly 50% of gastric cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Therapy is palliative but results in ill effects. The median overall survival (OS) of AGC patients is often <12 months. It is unclear if the early initiation of therapy in all AGC patients is beneficial. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of AGC patients in our database was carried out. The patients were divided into two groups: asymptomatic or symptomatic. We sought to assess whether the delay of systemic therapy was harmful in asymptomatic patients. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients were analyzed. Most patients were symptomatic (68%), males (67%), and had low ECOG scores (0-1; 85%). In univariate analyses, ECOG performance status 0 (p = 0.005), delayed initiation of therapy (p = 0.03), and lack of symptoms (p = 0.03) were associated with a longer OS. The multivariate model for OS identified only ECOG performance status as an independent prognosticator of longer OS (p = 0.02). Asymptomatic patients who had delayed (≥ 4 weeks) systemic therapy had an OS rate of 77% at 1 year compared to 58% for patients treated within 4 weeks (p = 0.47). CONCLUSION: Symptomatic AGC patients had a poor outcome compared to asymptomatic AGC patients. Treatment delay in asymptomatic patients had no detrimental effect on OS, suggesting that the timing of therapy can be based on patient selection.

Distribution of Resistant Esophageal Adenocarcinoma in the Resected Specimens of Clinical Stage III Patients after Chemoradiation: Its Clinical Implications.

BACKGROUND: We have limited knowledge of the geographic distribution of resistant esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in resected specimens, but its clinical importance can be enormous. METHOD: We selected patients with baseline stage III EAC who had had chemoradiation followed by surgery and had residual EAC (resistant cases only). Outcomes were correlated with various endpoints (percentage of resistant EAC and anatomic distribution). RESULTS: A total of 100 clinical stage III patients were studied; 90% had an R0 resection, and 99% had either moderate or poorly differentiated EAC. Twelve percent had >50% residual cancer, 31% had 11-50% residual cancer, 53% had 1-10% residual cancer, and 3% had positive nodes only. Each compartment was frequently involved: mucosa/submucosa (66%), muscularis propria (76%), and serosa (62%); all compartments were involved in 35% of the cases. Lack of EAC (meaning response) was observed in the mucosa/submucosa (34%), muscularis propria (24%), serosa (38%), and nodes (42%). Although the endoscopic biopsies prior to surgery showed no EAC in 79% of the patients, in the surgical specimens, resistant EAC was frequently occurring in the mucosa/submucosa (66%). CONCLUSION: Contrary to our hypothesis that resistant EAC would be frequent in the nodes, our data show that its distribution is heterogeneous and unpredictable. Most importantly, the postchemoradiation biopsies are misleading, and a decision to delay/avoid surgery based on negative biopsies can be detrimental for the patients.

Improving the success rate of gluteal intramuscular injections.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to improve the success rate of gluteal intramuscular (IM) injection. METHODS: The outcomes of 328 intended gluteal IM injections in 115 patients receiving depot octreotide were evaluated using computed tomography performed in routine clinical practice. Patient-, nursing-, and technique-dependent factors were correlated with successful delivery of medication. Techniques associated with successful injection were taught to center nurses. RESULTS: At baseline, 52% of injections were successfully delivered (66% men, 36% women; P = 0.001). Factors associated with successful delivery included nurses' frequency of injections (P = 0.008), landmarks use to select injection site (P < 0.001), quick needle insertion (P < 0.001), and use of nonsyringe hand to compress injection site (P < 0.001). Patient-related factors included male sex (P < 0.001), lower body mass index (P < 0.001), and lower skin-to-muscle depth at injection site (P < 0.001). Techniques associated with successful injections were then taught to center nurses. After instruction, the success rate increased from 52% to 75% (P = 0.001). Importantly, improvements were observed in both men (66%-75%; P = 0.43) and women (38%-75%; P < 0.001). Successful injection was associated with better control of flushing among those with carcinoid syndrome (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Intended gluteal IM injections often are given into the subcutaneous space. Education in techniques associated with successful injections improves IM delivery rates.