Overall prognostic impact of C-reactive protein level in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with sorafenib.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an independent prognostic factor for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the overall prognostic impact of CRP in patients with metastatic RCC treated with sorafenib. Between April 2008 and December 2014, 40 consecutive patients with metastatic RCC were treated with sorafenib at our institution. The patients were divided into two cohorts according to the pretreatment CRP level: (i) a normal CRP cohort (≤0.30 mg/dl) and (ii) an elevated CRP cohort (>0.30 mg/dl). Kaplan-Meier overall survival analysis was carried out. The effects of selected variables on survival were assessed by multivariate regression using the Cox proportional hazards model. The normal CRP cohort included 16 patients (40.0%) and the elevated CRP cohort included 24 patients (60.0%). The normal CRP cohort showed significantly longer overall survival than the elevated CRP cohort (median, 52.0 vs. 17.0 months; P=0.0072). On multivariate analysis, normal CRP predicted longer overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.367; 95% confidence interval, 0.147-0.914; P=0.0313). Pretreatment normal CRP predicted better overall survival in patients with metastatic RCC treated with sorafenib and CRP level may be a useful biomarker for predicting overall survival of patients treated with sorafenib.

High-dose-rate brachytherapy and hypofractionated external beam radiotherapy combined with long-term hormonal therapy for high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer: outcomes after 5-year follow-up.

The purpose of this study was to report the outcomes of high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and hypofractionated external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) combined with long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) criteria-defined high-risk (HR) and very high-risk (VHR) prostate cancer. Data from 178 HR (n = 96, 54%) and VHR (n = 82, 46%) prostate cancer patients who underwent (192)Ir-HDR brachytherapy and hypofractionated EBRT with long-term ADT between 2003 and 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. The mean dose to 90% of the planning target volume was 6.3 Gy/fraction of HDR brachytherapy. After five fractions of HDR treatment, EBRT with 10 fractions of 3 Gy was administered. All patients initially underwent ≥ 6 months of neoadjuvant ADT, and adjuvant ADT was continued for 36 months after EBRT. The median follow-up was 61 months (range, 25-94 months) from the start of radiotherapy. The 5-year biochemical non-evidence of disease, freedom from clinical failure and overall survival rates were 90.6% (HR, 97.8%; VHR, 81.9%), 95.2% (HR, 97.7%; VHR, 92.1%), and 96.9% (HR, 100%; VHR, 93.3%), respectively. The highest Radiation Therapy Oncology Group-defined late genitourinary toxicities were Grade 2 in 7.3% of patients and Grade 3 in 9.6%. The highest late gastrointestinal toxicities were Grade 2 in 2.8% of patients and Grade 3 in 0%. Although the 5-year outcome of this tri-modality approach seems favorable, further follow-up is necessary to validate clinical and survival advantages of this intensive approach compared with the standard EBRT approach.

Erythema multiforme induced by sorafenib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Sorafenib is one of the few standard agents for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Although sorafenib-induced erythema multiforme is rarely reported, we evaluated the cases of erythema multiforme induced by sorafenib for metastatic renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: From November 2006 to November 2011, 36 eligible patients who had been treated with sorafenib were enrolled in this study. Patients received sorafenib 200 or 400 mg orally, twice daily, at 12 h intervals, on a continuous dosing schedule. All patients who experienced rash or erythema multiforme underwent a skin biopsy, and the histopathological diagnosis was confirmed. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (78%) experienced a skin reaction of any toxicity grade. Hand-foot skin reactions occurred in 17 (47%), erythema multiforme in 9 (25%), rash/desquamation in 6 (17%) and alopecia in 9 (25%). Skin biopsy was performed and histopathological diagnosis was confirmed for all nine patients (25%) who experienced erythema multiforme. All nine showed a positive reaction to sorafenib on a subsequent patch test. CONCLUSIONS: Sorafenib-induced erythema multiforme may not be rare in Japanese patients. Patients who once showed erythema multiforme after sorafenib treatment are never to be treated with sorafenib again. Patients treated with sorafenib should be monitored carefully, with a multidisciplinary approach. Consultation with a dermatologist is critical because some cases quickly become severe.

[Myocardial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma treated with sorafenib].

We present a case of myocardial metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) during the treatment with sorafenib. A 63-year-old male, who had undergone right radical nephrectomy, received interferon-alpha (IFN), interleukin (IL-2) and 5-flurouracil (5-FU) for the treatment of lung and pleural metastases. However, since this metastasis showed progressive disease, we administered sorafenib. Nine months after the introduction of sorafenib, he complained of dyspnea. Chest computed tomography and cardiac ultrasonography revealed a low density mass at the cardiac muscle of the left cardiac ventricle, suggesting myocardial metastasis of RCC. Molecular targeted therapy achieved a longer survival in advanced RCC patients in comparison with the immunotherapy using cytokines. Therefore, in metastasis evaluation, some organs which have been regarded as rare sites should be carefully evaluated.

Cost comparison of curative therapies for localized prostate cancer in Japan: a single-institution experience.

PURPOSE: In addition to open surgery, curative therapies for prostate cancer now include endoscopic surgery and radiation therapies. Because of the expansion and subdivision of treatment methods for prostate cancer, the medical fee point schedule in Japan was revised in fiscal year 2006. We examined changes in medical income and expenditure after this revision of the medical fee system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied income and expenditure, after institution of the new medical fee schedule, for the five types of therapies for prostate cancer performed at our hospital: two surgical therapies (radical retropubic prostatectomy and laparoscopic prostatectomy) and three radiation therapies (three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy, (192)Ir high-dose-rate brachytherapy, and (125)I low-dose-rate brachytherapy). RESULTS: Low-dose-rate brachytherapy was found to be associated with a profit of yen199 per patient. Laparoscopic prostatectomy, a highly advanced medical treatment that the fee revision changed from a partially insured to an insured procedure, yielded a profit of yen75,672 per patient. However, high-dose-rate brachytherapy was associated with a loss of yen654,016 per patient. CONCLUSION: Given the loss in hospital income per patient undergoing high-dose-rate brachytherapy, the medical fee point system for this procedure should be reassessed.