Modified bi-weekly cetuximab-cisplatin and 5-FU/leucovorin based regimen for effective treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma to reduce chemotherapy exposure of patients.

BACKGROUND: The standard chemotherapy treatment protocol for patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) requires as long as 56 days of hospitalization over six months. Where the 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) pump is available, most treatment will be on outpatient bases, however patients will still be under chemotherapy treatment for a comparable period of time (around 50 days). AIM: A modified protocol was assessed to decrease hospitalization and/or chemotherapy treatment time without sacrificing outcomes, to potentially increase patient quality of life. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective analysis (2005-2018) of recurrent/metastatic HNSCC patients with a modified treatment protocol was performed. Treatment consisted of cisplatin, cetuximab, 5-fluorouracil bolus and leucovorin administered on day 1 of a 2-week cycle, and a continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil on days 1-2 of the cycle. Outcomes were measured by progression-free survival, overall survival, and patient hospitalization time. Analysis was done using the Kaplan-Meier survival function curve. The study cohort consisted of 27 patients. The modified treatment protocol resulted in a median progression-free survival of nine months and median overall survival of 14 months, while hospitalization time was reduced by almost 80% in the first six months of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Modification of the cisplatin, cetuximab, 5-FU and leucovorin protocol to a bi-weekly regimen utilizing alternative drug delivery methods, significantly reduced patient hospitalization from 56 days to 12 days in the first 6 months of treatment. This was achieved without compromising treatment outcome, while significantly reducing the days patients were exposed to chemotherapy, and thus potentially improving quality of life.

Renal tubular acidosis secondary to capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and cetuximab treatment in a patient with metastatic colon carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

We report a case of renal tubular acidosis (RTA) secondary to capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and cetuximab administration in a 63-year-old woman with liver metastasis from colon carcinoma who had partial treatment response. On day 5 posttreatment, she arrived to the emergency room with severe weakness, and blood tests demonstrated hypokalemia with metabolic acidosis. Urine potassium levels were elevated, and the transtubular potassium gradient (TTKG) was 6.6, consistent with hypokalemic RTA with associated Fanconi syndrome, which presented as hyperphosphaturia, uricaciduria, and loss of protein and sugar in the urine. She was treated with intravenously administered potassium and fluids. RTA is one type of nephrotoxicity induced by chemotherapy, and it is reversible in mild cases when appropriately treated. The mechanism of RTA induced by chemotherapy in cancer patients has not yet been clearly elucidated. Oncologists should therefore be aware of the potential for RTA to occur after capecitabine, oxaliplatin, and cetuximab treatment, especially in the context of other predisposing factors.

Agents of support: psychometric properties of the Cancer Perceived Agents of Social Support (CPASS) questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: The current study presents the development and the evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Cancer Perceived Agents of Social Support (CPASS). The CPASS is a new self-rating instrument devised in order to enable both cancer patients and their spouses to report on the level of perceived social support they get. The CPASS evaluates the support given by different agents of support (spouse, family, friends and spiritual or religious beliefs) in several dimensions (emotional, cognitive and instrumental). METHODS: The study sample comprised 662 cancer patients and their spouses recruited during a routine medical evaluation from three major cancer centers in Israel. The participants completed the CPASS and two other standardized instruments: The ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). RESULTS: Principal component analysis confirmed a three-factor structure based upon the agent of support (spouse; friends/family; spiritual/religious beliefs). Cronbach's α coefficients for the agent of support indexes were high (0.80-0.95), while Cronbach's α levels for the kind of support were lower (0.45-0.72). Smallest Space Analysis (SSA) also confirmed the theoretical structure of the CPASS. Pearson correlation coefficients to the other study variables were high and significant. CONCLUSIONS: As a whole, the CPASS was found to be a valid tool for the current Israeli sample. Theoretical and practical conclusions and socio-cultural implications are discussed.