Chemotherapy and radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: an update of the MAC-NPC meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: A previous individual patient data meta-analysis by the Meta-Analysis of Chemotherapy in Nasopharynx Carcinoma (MAC-NPC) collaborative group to assess the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy showed that it improves overall survival in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This benefit was restricted to patients receiving concomitant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to update the meta-analysis, include recent trials, and to analyse separately the benefit of concomitant plus adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Controlled Trials meta-register, ClinicalTrials.gov, and meeting proceedings to identify published or unpublished randomised trials assessing radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy in patients with non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma and obtained updated data for previously analysed studies. The primary endpoint of interest was overall survival. All trial results were combined and analysed using a fixed-effects model. The statistical analysis plan was pre-specified in a protocol. All data were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. FINDINGS: We analysed data from 19 trials and 4806 patients. Median follow-up was 7·7 years (IQR 6·2-11·9). We found that the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy significantly improved overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0·79, 95% CI 0·73-0·86, p<0·0001; absolute benefit at 5 years 6·3%, 95% CI 3·5-9·1). The interaction between treatment effect (benefit of chemotherapy) on overall survival and the timing of chemotherapy was significant (p=0·01) in favour of concomitant plus adjuvant chemotherapy (HR 0·65, 0·56-0·76) and concomitant without adjuvant chemotherapy (0·80, 0·70-0·93) but not adjuvant chemotherapy alone (0·87, 0·68-1·12) or induction chemotherapy alone (0·96, 0·80-1·16). The benefit of the addition of chemotherapy was consistent for all endpoints analysed (all p<0·0001): progression-free survival (HR 0·75, 95% CI 0·69-0·81), locoregional control (0·73, 0·64-0·83), distant control (0·67, 0·59-0·75), and cancer mortality (0·76, 0·69-0·84). INTERPRETATION: Our results confirm that the addition of concomitant chemotherapy to radiotherapy significantly improves survival in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first analysis that examines the effect of concomitant chemotherapy with and without adjuvant chemotherapy as distinct groups. Further studies on the specific benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy after concomitant chemoradiotherapy are needed. FUNDING: French Ministry of Health (Programme d'actions intégrées de recherche VADS), Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer, and Sanofi-Aventis.

Strategies of radioiodine ablation in patients with low-risk thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND: It is not clear whether the administration of radioiodine provides any benefit to patients with low-risk thyroid cancer after a complete surgical resection. The administration of the smallest possible amount of radioiodine would improve care. METHODS: In our randomized, phase 3 trial, we compared two thyrotropin-stimulation methods (thyroid hormone withdrawal and use of recombinant human thyrotropin) and two radioiodine ((131)I) doses (i.e., administered activities) (1.1 GBq and 3.7 GBq) in a 2-by-2 design. Inclusion criteria were an age of 18 years or older; total thyroidectomy for differentiated thyroid carcinoma; tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, ascertained on pathological examination (p) of a surgical specimen, of pT1 (with tumor diameter ≤1 cm) and N1 or Nx, pT1 (with tumor diameter >1 to 2 cm) and any N stage, or pT2N0; absence of distant metastasis; and no iodine contamination. Thyroid ablation was assessed 8 months after radioiodine administration by neck ultrasonography and measurement of recombinant human thyrotropin-stimulated thyroglobulin. Comparisons were based on an equivalence framework. RESULTS: There were 752 patients enrolled between 2007 and 2010; 92% had papillary cancer. There were no unexpected serious adverse events. In the 684 patients with data that could be evaluated, ultrasonography of the neck was normal in 652 (95%), and the stimulated thyroglobulin level was 1.0 ng per milliliter or less in 621 of the 652 patients (95%) without detectable thyroglobulin antibodies. Thyroid ablation was complete in 631 of the 684 patients (92%). The ablation rate was equivalent between the (131)I doses and between the thyrotropin-stimulation methods. CONCLUSIONS: The use of recombinant human thyrotropin and low-dose (1.1 GBq) postoperative radioiodine ablation may be sufficient for the management of low-risk thyroid cancer. (Funded by the French National Cancer Institute [INCa] and the French Ministry of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00435851; INCa number, RECF0447.).

Outcome after ablation in patients with low-risk thyroid cancer (ESTIMABL1): 5-year follow-up results of a randomised, phase 3, equivalence trial.

BACKGROUND: In ESTIMABL1, a randomised phase 3 trial of radioactive iodine (131I) administration after complete surgical resection in patients with low-risk thyroid cancer, 92% of patients had complete thyroid ablation at 6-10 months, defined as a recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone (rhTSH)-stimulated serum thyroglobulin concentration of 1 ng/mL or less and normal findings on neck ultrasonography. Equivalence was shown between low-activity (1·1 GBq) and high-activity (3·7 GBq) radioactive iodine and also between the use of rhTSH injections and thyroid hormone withdrawal. Here, we report outcomes after 5 years of follow-up. METHODS: This multicentre, randomised, open-label, equivalence trial was done at 24 centres in France. Between March 28, 2007, and Feb 25, 2010, we randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) adults with low-risk differentiated thyroid carcinoma who had undergone total thyroidectomy to one of four strategies, each combining one of two methods of thyrotropin stimulation (rhTSH or thyroid hormone withdrawal) and one of two radioactive iodine activities (1·1 GBq or 3·7 GBq). Randomisation was by computer-generated sequence, with variable block size. Follow-up consisted of a yearly serum thyroglobulin measurement on levothyroxine treatment. Measurement of rhTSH-stimulated thyroglobulin and neck ultrasonography were done at the discretion of the treating physician. No evidence of disease was defined as serum thyroglobulin of 1 ng/mL or less on levothyroxine treatment and normal results on neck ultrasonography, when performed. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00435851. FINDINGS: 726 patients (97% of the 752 patients originally randomised) were followed up. At a median follow-up since randomisation of 5·4 years (range 0·5-9·2), 715 (98%) had no evidence of disease. The other 11 had either structural disease (n=4), raised serum thyroglobulin concentration (n=5), or indeterminate findings on neck ultrasonography (n=2). At ablation, six of these patients had received 1·1 GBq radioactive iodine (five after rhTSH and one after withdrawal) and five had received 3·7 GBq (two after rhTSH and three after withdrawal). TSH-stimulated (either after rhTSH injections or thyroid hormone withdrawal according to the treatment group) thyroglobulin concentration measured at the time of ablation was prognostic for structural disease status at ablation, ablation status at 6-10 months, and the final outcome. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that disease recurrence was not related to the strategy used for ablation. These data validate the use of 1·1 GBq radioactive iodine after rhTSH for postoperative ablation in patients with low-risk thyroid cancer. FUNDING: French National Cancer Institute (INCa), French Ministry of Health, and Sanofi Genzyme.

Platelet transfusion containing ABO-incompatible plasma and hepatic veno-occlusive disease after hematopoietic transplantation in young children.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic veno-occlusive disease is a major limiting factor of high-dose chemotherapy in children. The cells lining the hepatic vascular endothelium express blood group A and/or B antigens according to the patient's blood group. We designed a study evaluating the impact of platelet concentrates containing ABO-incompatible plasma transfused to young children with a high risk of hepatic veno-occlusive disease. METHODS: In all, 186 consecutive children (median age: 4 years, range: 0.75-17 years), treated with high-dose chemotherapy containing busulfan followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for neuroblastoma (n=112) or brain tumor (n=74) between 1988 and 1998, were investigated. The main endpoint was the occurrence of hepatic veno-occlusive disease. Multivariate analysis was performed using a Cox's regression model with transfusion of platelet concentrates containing ABO-incompatible plasma as a time-dependent covariate. RESULTS: We found that 73 out of 186 (39%) children developed hepatic veno-occlusive disease after transplantation. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that two factors significantly increased the risk of hepatic veno-occlusive disease occurrence: transfusion of platelet concentrates containing ABO-incompatible plasma (P=0.003) and use of melphalan in the conditioning regimen (P=0.006). Conversely, the number of platelet concentrates transfusions per week, child's age, weight, sex, and use of cyclophosphamide in the conditioning regimen had no effect. CONCLUSIONS: Transfusion of platelet concentrates containing ABO-incompatible plasma increases the risk of hepatic veno-occlusive disease in young children treated with a busulfan-containing regimen. Binding of A and/or B antigens expressed on the surface of hepatic endothelial cells may promote this complication. Transfusion of platelet concentrates containing ABO-incompatible plasma should be avoided in these children.

Quality of Life and Cost-Effectiveness Assessment of Radioiodine Ablation Strategies in Patients With Thyroid Cancer: Results From the Randomized Phase III ESTIMABL Trial.

PURPOSE: In the ESTIMABL phase III trial, the thyroid ablation rate was equivalent for the two thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation methods (thyroid hormone withdrawal [THW] and recombinant human TSH [rhTSH]) and the two iodine-131 ((131)I) activities (1.1 or 3.7 GBq). The objectives of this article were to present health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) results and a cost-effectiveness evaluation performed alongside this trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: HRQoL and utility were longitudinally assessed, from random assignment to the follow-up visit at 8 ± 2 months for the 752 patients with thyroid cancer, using the Short Form-36 and the EuroQoL-5D questionnaires, respectively. A cost-effectiveness analysis was performed from the societal perspective in the French context. Resource use (hospitalization for (131)I administration, rhTSH, sick leaves, and transportation) was collected prospectively. We used the net monetary benefit approach and computed cost-effectiveness acceptability curves for both TSH stimulation methods and (131)I activities. Sensitivity analyses of the costs of rhTSH were performed. RESULTS: At (131)I administration, THW caused a clinically significant deterioration of HRQoL, whereas HRQoL remained stable with rhTSH. This deterioration was transient with no difference 3 months later. rhTSH was more effective than THW in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs; +0.013 QALY/patient) but more expensive (+€474/patient). The probability that rhTSH would be cost effective at a €50,000/QALY threshold was 47% in France. The use of 1.1 GBq of (131)I instead of 3.7 GBq reduced per-patient costs by €955 (US$1,018) but with slightly decreased efficacy (-0.007 QALY/patient). CONCLUSION: rhTSH avoids the transient THW-induced deterioration of HRQoL but is unlikely to be cost effective at its current price.

Randomized phase III trial (GORTEC 98-03) comparing re-irradiation plus chemotherapy versus methotrexate in patients with recurrent or a second primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, treated with a palliative intent.

PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial investigated the potential benefit of concurrent re-irradiation, fluorouracil and hydroxyurea versus methotrexate for patients treated with palliative intent for recurrent or second primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in previously irradiated area. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with recurrent HNSCC or a second primary not amenable to curative-intent treatment were randomized to the R-RT arm (concurrent re-irradiation, fluorouracil and hydroxyurea) or to the Ch-T arm (methotrexate). The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Due to a very slow accrual, the trial was closed after inclusion of 57 patients. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients were included. All patients died in the two arms with a maximal follow-up of 5years. Although four complete responses were achieved in R-RT arm, (none in Ch-T arm) re-irradiation did not improve OS compared with methotrexate (23% versus 22% at 1year, NS). Sixteen patients experienced clinical grade ⩾3 late toxicities (>6months), 11 in R-RT arm and five in Ch-T arm. CONCLUSIONS: Premature discontinuation of the trial did not allow us to draw firm conclusions. However, there was no suggestion that concurrent re-irradiation, fluorouracil and hydroxyurea improved OS compared to methotrexate alone in patients treated with palliative intent for a recurrent or second primary HNSCC.

Randomized trial of postoperative reirradiation combined with chemotherapy after salvage surgery compared with salvage surgery alone in head and neck carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Full-dose reirradiation combined with chemotherapy has been shown to be feasible after salvage surgery with acceptable toxicity. The Groupe d'Etude des Tumeurs de la Tête et du Cou and Groupe d'Oncologie Radiothérapie Tête Et Cou groups performed a randomized study to assess its efficacy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1999 and 2005, 130 patients with head and neck cancer were treated with salvage surgery and randomly assigned to full-dose reirradiation combined with chemotherapy (RT arm) or to observation (a "wait and see" approach; WS arm). Eligibility criteria were recurrence or a second primary tumor in a previously irradiated area, no major sequelae resulting from the first radiotherapy, good general condition, no distant metastasis, and salvage surgery with macroscopic complete resection. Patients in the RT arm received 60 Gy over 11 weeks combined with concomitant fluorouracil and hydroxyurea. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were randomly assigned to each arm. There was no imbalance in the distribution of the main tumor and patients characteristics. The most serious acute toxicity in the RT arm was mucositis, attaining grade 3 or 4 in 28% of patients. At 2 years, 39% of patients in the RT arm and 10% in the WS arm experienced grade 3 or 4 late toxicity according to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria (P = .06). Disease-free survival (DFS) was significantly improved in the RT arm, with a hazard ratio of 1.68 (95% CI, 1.13 to 2.50; P = .01), but overall survival (OS) was not statistically different. CONCLUSION: Full-dose reirradiation combined with chemotherapy after salvage surgery significantly improved DFS, but had no significant impact on OS. An increase in both acute and late toxicity was observed.

Phase III randomized trial of very accelerated radiation therapy compared with conventional radiation therapy in squamous cell head and neck cancer: a GORTEC trial.

PURPOSE: With the aim to increase the dose intensity of radiation therapy (RT), and subsequently the locoregional control rate, a very accelerated RT regimen was compared with conventional RT in a series of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1994 and 1998, 268 patients with T3 or T4, N0 to N3 HNSCC (staged by 1997 International Union Against Cancer criteria) that was not eligible for surgery were randomly assigned to receive either conventional RT, delivering 70 Gy in 7 weeks to the primary tumor and 35 fractions of 2 Gy over 49 days, or to receive very accelerated RT, delivering 62 to 64 Gy in 31 to 32 fractions of 2 Gy over 22 to 23 days (2 Gy/fraction bid). RESULTS: The most common tumor site was the oropharynx and most of the patients (70%) had T4 and N1 to N3 tumors in 72% of patients. The main patient and tumor characteristics were well-balanced between the two arms. The median total doses were 63 Gy (accelerated) and 70 Gy (conventional), with a median overall time of 22 days and 48 days, respectively. Acute mucositis was markedly increased in the accelerated-RT arm (P < .001). The locoregional control rate was improved by 24% at 6 years with accelerated RT. In contrast, disease-free survival and overall survival were not significantly different between the two arms. There was no difference in late effects between the two arms. CONCLUSION: The very accelerated RT regimen was feasible and provided a major benefit in locoregional control but had a modest effect on survival.

Reliability and validity of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy General (FACT-G) in French cancer patients.

This report describes the reliability and validity of a French version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G) with a French sample of 493 cancer patients. The FACT-G consists of 27 items and four subscales: Physical (PWB), Functional (FWB), Social/Family (SFWB) and Emotional well-being (EWB). The study sample includes 64% with localized disease, 26% with metastases, 11% in remission, and 71% receiving radiation/chemotherapy. Internal consistency Cronbach alphas of the global FACT-G scale (0.90) and subscales (>0.75) are satisfactory (n = 126). Test-retest reproducibility is satisfactory for all subscales and the global scale (n = 87 to 93, r = 0.74 to 0.90). ANOVA models show that PWB differentiated between the three disease stages; the global FACT-G and FWB discriminated between patients with metastases and others with localized disease or in remission; EWB only discriminated between metastases and localized disease; while SFWB did not discriminate between groups at different stages of cancer. Only the PWB subscale discriminated between patients with no history from those receiving chemotherapy (p < or = 0.05). None of the scales discriminated between groups based on radiotherapy. These results may be useful in the design and interpretation of clinical trials involving French patients when the FACT-G is the outcome measure.

Treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis from colorectal cancer: impact of complete cytoreductive surgery and difficulties in conducting randomized trials.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is a frequent and very lethal event. However, cure may be possible with maximal cytoreductive surgery associated with early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC). METHODS: Between 1996 and 2000, we conducted a two-center prospective randomized trial comparing EPIC plus systemic chemotherapy with systemic chemotherapy alone, both after complete cytoreductive surgery of colorectal PC. Only 35 patients could be included among the 90 who were theoretically required, mainly because of patient dissatisfaction with the inclusion criteria. For this reason, the trial was stopped prematurely. RESULTS: Analysis of these 35 patients showed that complete resection of PC resulted in a 2-year survival rate of 60%-far above the classic 10% survival rate among patients with colorectal PC treated with systemic chemotherapy and symptomatic surgery. In this small series, EPIC did not demonstrate any advantage for survival. CONCLUSIONS: This supports the use of complete cytoreductive surgery in selected patients and calls for a prospective randomized trial comparing adjuvant systemic chemotherapy with intraperitoneal chemohyperthermia after complete resection.