Impact of Prior Platinum-Based Therapy on Patients Receiving Salvage Systemic Treatment for Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Trials of salvage therapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma have required prior platinum-based therapy. This practice requires scrutiny because non-platinum-based first-line therapy may be offered to cisplatin-ineligible patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data of patients receiving salvage systemic chemotherapy were collected. Data on prior first-line platinum exposure were required in addition to treatment-free interval, hemoglobin, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, albumin, and liver metastasis status. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to evaluate their association with overall survival (OS) after accounting for salvage single-agent or combination chemotherapy. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 455 patients previously exposed to platinum-based therapy and 37 not exposed to platinum. In the group exposed to prior platinum therapy, salvage therapy consisted of a single-agent taxane (n = 184) or a taxane-containing combination chemotherapy (n = 271). In the group not exposed to prior platinum therapy, salvage therapy consisted of taxane or vinflunine (n = 20), 5-fluorouracil (n = 1), taxane-containing combination chemotherapy (n = 12), carboplatin-based combinations (n = 2), and cisplatin-based combinations (n = 2). The median OS for the prior platinum therapy group was 7.8 months (95% confidence interval, 7.0, 8.1), and for the group that had not received prior platinum therapy was 9.0 months (95% confidence interval, 6.0, 11.0; P = .50). In the multivariable analysis, prior platinum therapy versus no prior platinum exposure did not confer an independent impact on OS (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.75, 1.64; P = .62). CONCLUSION: Prior platinum- versus non-platinum-based chemotherapy did not have a prognostic impact on OS after accounting for major prognostic factors in patients receiving salvage systemic chemotherapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma. Lack of prior platinum therapy should not disqualify patients from inclusion onto trials of salvage therapy.

[Pain assessment in terminally-ill cancer patients on admission in hospice and its modification after the first three days of care. A monocentric experience]. / Il dolore nel paziente oncologico terminale: valutazione del sintomo all'ingresso in hospice e delle sue modifi cazioni nei primi tre giorni di assistenza. Esperienza monocentrica.

AIMS: Pain is among the most frequent and distressing symptoms in terminally-ill cancer and, to date, many patients still experience uncontrolled pain. In this paper we evaluated prevalence and intensity of pain on admission in our palliative care center and during the first three days of care. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From September 2009 to October 2009 we consecutively recruited 96 terminally-ill cancer patients : on admission more than 50% had severe pain and only 4% referred to be pain-free. 54% of patients was on treatment with strong opioids. RESULTS: After three days from admission in our palliative care unit only 7% of patients experienced severe pain, 25% reported absence of pain and 80% of patients was on treatment with strong opioids. CONCLUSIONS: The beginning of palliative care led to a meaningful and rapid reduction of pain in the vast majority of terminally-ill cancer patients evaluated in this study.

Correlation between O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and survival in elderly patients with glioblastoma treated with radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide.

Epigenetic silencing of the O(6)-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) gene by promoter methylation is correlated with improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who receive alkylating agents. The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between MGMT and survival in elderly patients with GBM treated with radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ). Eighty-three patients aged 70 years or older with histologically confirmed GBM treated with RT plus TMZ between February 2005 and September 2009 were investigated in this study. The methylation status of the MGMT promoter was determined by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Median PFS and OS were 7.5 and 12.8 months, respectively. The MGMT promoter was methylated in 42 patients (50.6%) and unmethylated in 41 patients (49.4%). Median OS was 15.3 months in methylated patients and 10.2 months in unmethylated patients (P = 0.0001). Median PFS was 10.5 months in methylated tumors and 5.5 months in unmethylated tumors (P = 0.0001). On multivariate analysis MGMT methylation status emerged as the strongest independent prognostic factor for OS and PFS (P = 0.004 and P = 0.005, respectively). The results of the present study suggest that MGMT methylation status might be an important prognostic factor associated with better OS and PFS in elderly patients with GBM treated with RT and TMZ.

Fractionated stereotactic reirradiation and concurrent temozolomide in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the efficacy of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) and concomitant temozolomide (TMZ) as a salvage treatment option in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). Between May 2006 and December 2009, 36 patients with recurrent GBM received FSRT plus concomitant TMZ at University of Rome La Sapienza, Sant' Andrea Hospital. All patients had Karnofsky performance score ≥60 and were previously treated with standard conformal radiotherapy (RT) (60 Gy) with concomitant and adjuvant TMZ for 6-12 cycles. The median time interval between primary RT and reirradiation was 14 months. At the time of recurrence, all patients received FSRT plus concomitant daily TMZ at the dose of 75 mg/m(2), given 7 days per week from the first day of RT. Radiation dose was 37.5 Gy delivered in 15 fractions over 3 weeks. Median overall survival after FSRT was 9.7 months, and the 6- and 12-month survival rates were 84 and 33%, respectively. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5 months, and 6- and 12-month PFS rates were 42 and 8%, respectively. In univariate analysis, KPS (P = 0.04), the interval between primary RT and reirradiation (P = 0.02), and O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) methylation status at the time of diagnosis (P = 0.009) had an effect on survival; however, in multivariate analysis, only MGMT methylation was statistically significant (P = 0.03). In general, FSRT was well tolerated and the treatment was completed in all patients. Neurological deterioration due to radiation-induced necrosis occurred in three patients (8%). FSRT plus concomitant TMZ is a feasible treatment option associated with survival benefits and low risk of complications in selected patients with recurrent GBM. The potential advantages of combined chemoradiation schedules in patients with recurrent GBM need to be explored in future studies.

Stereotactic radiosurgery plus whole-brain radiotherapy for treatment of multiple metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate local control and survival rates after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) plus whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) for the treatment of multiple brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between June 2004 and September 2008, sixty-six patients with multiple brain metastases from NSCLC were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients were required to have 2-3 brain metastases and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) > or = 70. WBRT treatment dose was 30 Gy in 10 fractions followed by SRS. A matched control population treated with WBRT alone to a dose of 30 Gy in 10 fractions was used for comparison. RESULTS: The median survival was 10.3 months in the WBRT plus SRS group and 7.2 months in the WBRT group (p=0.005). The 6-month and 12-month survival rates were 90% and 38% in the SRS plus WBRT group and 84% and 19% in the WBRT group (p=0.01). Stable extracranial disease and KPS were significant predictive factors of survival in both groups (p=0.001). Death due to neurological causes occurred in 18% and 35% of patients treated with WBRT plus SRS and WBRT (p=0.02), respectively. Disease control in the brain was 10 months in the SRS plus WBRT group and 7 months in the WBRT group (p=0.001); the 6-month and 12-month control rates were 82% and 42% for WBRT plus SRS, and 75% and 18% for WBRT (p=0.001), respectively. The 6-month and 12-month control rates of treated lesions (local control) were 90% and 47% in the WBRT group, and 100% and 93% in the WBRT plus SRS group (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: WBRT plus SRS is a safe, minimally invasive and well-tolerated treatment for patients with up to three brain metastases from NSCLC. The treatment is associated with longer survival and better disease control in comparison with WBRT alone. Survival benefits need to be confirmed by large randomized studies.

Weekly regimen of paclitaxel and carboplatin as first-line chemotherapy in elderly patients with stage IIIB-IV non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): results of a phase II study.

Single-agent chemotherapy is the preferred treatment option in chemonaive elderly patients with advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The role of combination chemotherapy in this setting is uncertain although several studies report satisfactory efficacy and safety using weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin (AUC=6) as first-line chemotherapy in elderly patients. It is still unclear which schedule of this regimen which could offer the best therapeutic index. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity and tolerability of concomitant weekly administration of paclitaxel and carboplatin in untreated elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. From february 2005 to April 2008 36 consecutive elderly patients with advanced NSCLC were enrolled. Median age was 74 years (range, 70-83 years) and median ECOG PS was 1 (range, 0-1). patients received carboplatin (AUC=2) and paclitaxel 80 mg/m² on days 1,8 and 15 every 28 days. All patients were evaluable for efficacy and toxicity; a median of 4 cycles was administered. Twelve patients had partial response (33%; 95% C.I. 15,8-52,3%), 10 patients (28%) showed stable disease. The median time to progression (TTP) was 5.7 months (95% C.I. 3.1-8.6 months) with a median overall survival (MOS) of 9 months (95% C.I. 4.4-13.9 months). Toxicity was mild with no cases of febrile neutropenia; 5 patients (14%) developed grade 2 neuropathy. Our study confirms the substantial activity of weekly regimen of paclitaxel and carboplatin. Due to its favorable profile of toxicity this schedule could represent an interesting therapeutic option in selected chemonaive elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.

Chemotherapy for glioblastoma: current treatment and future perspectives for cytotoxic and targeted agents.

Glioblastoma is the most frequent and devastating primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Surgery followed by standard radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide is the standard of care in patients with glioblastoma, however the prognosis remains poor with a median survival in the range of 12-15 months. Common genetic abnormalities in glioblastoma are associated with aberrant activation or suppression of cellular signal transduction pathways and resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. Special attention has been focused on targets such as epidermal growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and on pathways such as the phosphatidylinositol-3kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin and Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein-kinase pathways. Several signal transduction inhibitors have been examined in preclinical and clinical malignant glioma trials, including antiangiogenic agents (bevacizumab, enzastaurin), and inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase (gefitinib and erlotinib), mammalian target of rapamycin (temsirolimus, everolimus) and integrin (cilengitide). Although preliminary clinical results of the use of targeted agents have not translated into significantly better survival, more recent phase II trials are exploring the combination of multitargeted drugs with cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy in order to overcome the resistance of tumors to single-agent targeted therapies. This review summarizes the current results with cytotoxic and targeted molecular agents in glioblastoma and the development of new chemoradiation strategies under evaluation to increase their effectiveness.

Hypofractionated radiotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide in elderly patients with glioblastoma.

OBJECTIVES: The optimal treatment for elderly patients (age >70 years) with glioblastoma (GBM) remains controversial. We conducted a prospective trial in 43 consecutive elderly patients with GBM treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) followed by adjuvant temozolomide. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-three patients 70 years of age or older with a newly diagnosed GBM and a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) > or = 60 were treated with hypofractionated RT (6 fractions of 5 Gy each for a total of 30 Gy over 2 weeks) followed by up to 12 cycles of adjuvant temozolomide (150-200 mg/m(2) for 5 days during each 28 day cycle). The HRQOL was assessed with the EORTC Quality of Life Questionnaire C30. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints included progression free survival (PFS), toxicity and quality of life. RESULTS: The median OS was 9.3 months and the median PFS was 6.3 months. The 6 and 12 month survival rates were 86% and 35%, respectively. The 6 and 12 month PFS rates were 55% and 12%, respectively. In multivariate analysis KPS was the only significant independent predictive factor of survival (P = 0.008). Neurological deterioration occurred during or after RT in 16% of patients and was resolved in most cases with the use of steroids. Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicity occurred in 28% of patients during the adjuvant chemotherapy treatment with temozolomide. The treatment had no negative effect on HRQOL, however, fatigue (P = 0.02) and constipation (P = 0.01) scales worsened over time. CONCLUSIONS: Hypofractionated RT followed by temozolomide may provide survival benefit maintaining a good quality of life in elderly patients with GBM. It may represent a reasonable therapeutic approach especially in patients with less favourably prognostic factors.

Radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide for glioblastoma in elderly patients.

OBJECTIVES: The optimal treatment for elderly patients (age > 70 years) with glioblastoma remains controversial. We conducted a prospective trial in 32 consecutive elderly patients with glioblastoma who underwent surgery followed by radiotherapy (RT) plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 32 patients 70 years of age or older with a newly diagnosed glioblastoma and a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) > or = 70 were treated with RT (daily fractions of 2 Gy for a total of 60 Gy) plus temozolomide at the dose of 75 mg/m(2) per day followed by six cycles of adjuvant temozolomide (150-200 mg/m(2) for 5 days during each 28-day cycle). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints included progression free survival (PFS) and toxicity. RESULTS: The median OS was 10.6 months and the median PFS was 7 months. The 6-month and 12-month survival rates were 91% and 37%, respectively. The 6-month and 12-month PFS rates were 56% and 16%, respectively. In multivariate analysis KPS was the only significant independent predictive factor of survival (P = 0.01). Adverse effects were mainly represented by neurotoxicity (40%), which resolved in most cases with the use of steroids, and Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicity in 28% of patients. Chemotherapy was stopped in 2 patients, delayed in 9 patients and reduced in 4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Standard RT plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide is a feasible treatment for elderly patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma who present with good prognostic factors.

Darbepoetin alfa for the treatment of anemic patients with low- and intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

BACKGROUND: The hematological and quality of life (QoL) changes associated with darbepoetin alfa (DA) therapy were assessed in anemic patients with previously untreated low- and intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-three patients received DA administered subcutaneously once a week for 24 weeks. Treatment was initiated at 150 microg fixed dose and was doubled if after the first 12 weeks there was no or suboptimal erythroid response. RESULTS: The final response rate was 24/53 (45%), with 21 major and three minor responses. Most of the responses (21/24; 87.5%) were obtained at the dose of 150 microg. With a median follow-up of 9.4 months, 17 patients maintain their response. Treatment was well tolerated with no relevant side-effects. MDS progression was observed in one case. Increases in hemoglobin levels were positively correlated with improved QoL scores using both the linear analog scale assessment (energy level, r = 0.429, P = 0.036; daily activities, r = 0.653, P < 0.001; overall well-being, r = 0.457, P = 0.024) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Anemia questionnaire (r = 0.247, P = 0.025). In multivariate analysis, only low levels (<200 IU/l) of endogenous erythropoietin predicted response to DA therapy. CONCLUSIONS: DA is an active, safe and well tolerated treatment for anemia in a substantial proportion of patients with low- and intermediate-1-risk MDS, and has a positive impact on the patients' QoL.

Transsphenoidal adenomectomy for GH-, PRL- and ACTH-secreting pituitary tumours: outcome analysis in a series of 125 patients.

Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is a well recognised treatment for secreting pituitary adenomas, however a very wide variation of clinical outcomes and recurrence rates has been reported, depending on the different criteria used to define the cure. We reported the clinical outcome of a large series of patients operated on for a secreting pituitary adenoma according to the most recent stringent criteria of biochemical remission nowadays accepted. One hundred and twenty-five consecutive patients with a secreting pituitary adenoma (42 PRL-, 67 GH- and 16 ACTH-secreting adenomas) who were operated on by the two same neurosurgeons were considered for the study. Biochemical remission of disease was achieved in 56% of patients; 78% for patients with microadenoma and 47% for patients with macroadenomas, respectively. No cases of mortality or major immediate postoperative complications were observed. Tumour size, high hormone levels and dural invasion were significantly correlated to a poor surgical outcome. The recurrence rates ranged between 0 and 24%, being higher for PRL-secreting tumours. In conclusion, TSS is safe and effective in secreting pituitary tumours. It is still the first treatment for GH- and ACTH-secreting adenomas, whereas in patients with prolactinomas, surgery should be reserved for cases of resistance or intolerance to dopamine agonists.

Temozolomide in radio-chemotherapy combined treatment for newly-diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme: phase II clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Continuous research into new strategies and chemotherapy agents for the treatment of malignant high-grade gliomas have led to the synthesis of a new chemotherapy drug, temozolomide (TMZ), with a lower toxicity profile compared to conventional chemotherapy agents, such as nitrosoureas. Temozolomide is an oral alkylating chemotherapy agent licensed for the treatment of recurrent high-grade gliomas, anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Because of its favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and improved tolerability, TMZ is now under investigation for concomitant use with radiotherapy in patients with newly-diagnosed GBM. We present a phase II clinical trial investigating the efficacy and safety of radio-chemotherapy combined treatment using TMZ, followed by six cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with TMZ, in patients with newly-diagnosed GBM who have undergone debulking surgery or biopsy only. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-one patients with newly histologically-diagnosed GBM were enrolled into this phase II clinical trial. In phase I of the study, TMZ (75 mg/m2/day per 7 days/wk for 6 weeks) was orally administered to patients concomitantly with radiotherapy (RT) (2 Gy per fraction once daily, per 5 days/wk for 6 weeks). In phase II of the study, four weeks after completion of RT, a monochemotherapy using TMZ was administered at the dosage of 200 mg/m2/day per 5 days every 28 days for 6 cycles. Primary end-points were the safety and tolerability profile of this two-phase combined treatment and secondary end-points were the objective response and survival rates at twelve months and eighteen months from study entry. RESULTS: The one-year survival rate of patients treated with the investigated multimodality treatment was 58% and median survival time was 15.7 months. Concomitant RT plus TMZ (phase I) followed by adjuvant TMZ (phase 2) were well-tolerated; indeed, nonhematological adverse events were rare and mild to moderate in severity; grade 3 and 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were the major-related hematological side-effects observed in only 2 and 3 of all patients in phase I and 4 patients in phase II. We found that the combination of radio- and chemo-therapy, in phase I of the study did not significantly increase the incidence and severity of hematological toxicity caused by the adjuvant TMZ-based chemotherapy administered in phase II of the study. CONCLUSION: The investigated multimodality treatment regimen was well-tolerated and prolonged survival while improving patients' quality of life.

Antiblastic chemotherapy in the presence of abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA): guidelines.

Concomitant neoplasm and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is not a rare clinical association and can pose problems if antiblastic treatment is required. The literature shows lack of consensus owing to the fact that AAA can modify the liquid load and the hemodynamic setting so that chemotherapy toxicity profile becomes important and hydration overload increases the AAA-breakage risk. We have analyzed the possibility of treatment with a non-critical water load related chemotherapy in these patients, and if it can offer benefit it terms of overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QL). We concluded that in chemotherapy the presence of AAA does not have to be excluded first, if such critical parameters such as response to chemotherapy AAA-breakage risk vascular and extravascular toxicity do not compromise the OS and QL of the patients.

Concurrent chemoimmunotherapy in metastatic clear cell sarcoma: a case report.

Clear cell sarcoma is a rare tumor with a poor prognosis. The therapeutic approach in the metastatic disease stage is controversial: to the authors' knowledge the use of concurrent chemoimmunotherapy has not been previously reported. We present a case of a 57-year-old male with metastatic clear cell sarcoma treated simultaneously with subcutaneous interferon-a 2b and six courses of chemotherapy according to the CyVEDIC regimen. Disease stabilization lasting 17 months was achieved.

Comparison of CEA, MCA, CA 15-3 and CA 27-29 in follow-up and monitoring therapeutic response in breast cancer patients.

In order to define the most useful tumor marker panel in breast cancer patients' follow-up and in monitoring treatment response, serological levels of CEA, MCA, Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 were evaluated in 220 patients. 180 patients had no evidence of disease (NED) after primary treatment, and 40 had metastases at first diagnosis time; in a 4 years follow-up, 30 of the NED patients relapsed, and were then included in the group of metastatic patients subjected to anticancer treatment. Overall sensitivity in metastatic patients was: CEA 40%, MCA 35%, Ca 15-3 79%, Ca 27-29 70%, with the highest percentages and mean values in liver and bone localizations. Combination of Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 improved sensitivity in bone lesion (85% vs 80%), in locoregional relapses only association with CEA increased sensitivity (60% vs 40%). Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 values increased on average 3 months before clinical diagnosis. In treated patients there was a better correlation with a clinical course of disease for Ca 15-3 and Ca 27-29 (both 81%) as compared to the other determined markers.

Contralateral solitary testis metastasis antedating renal cell carcinoma: a case-report and review.

A 56-year-old Caucasian smoker male patient underwent right orchiectomy and spermatic cord resection for intrascrotal transilluminating mass. Histology findings suggested diagnosis of metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC). After positive CT-scan for primary neoplasm, total left nephrectomy was accomplished. Patient referred to our institution and started interferon immunotherapy; nowadays, after 21 months is disease free and in good health. We have reviewed and summarized the international literature regarding testicular metastasis from renal cell carcinoma; this is the first case of histology-proved-RCC ("clear cell" type)-solitary-contralateral-testicular-recurrence antedating clinical evidence of the primary neoplasm, which underwent orchiectomy before nephrectomy.