Topical heparin as an effective and safe treatment for patients with capecitabine-induced hand-foot syndrome: results of a phase IIA trial supported by proteomic profiling of skin biopsies.

Background: Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a common adverse reaction associated with capecitabine chemotherapy that significantly affects the quality of life of patients. This study evaluates the safety and effectiveness of a topical heparin (TH) treatment on the clinical manifestations and anatomopathological alterations of capecitabine-induced HFS. In addition, we performed proteome profiling of skin biopsies obtained from patients with HFS at baseline and after heparin treatment. Methods: Patients with grade ⩽ 2 HFS associated with capecitabine were included in this study. The primary end point was the effectiveness of TH in reducing HFS of any grade. Clinical improvement was evaluated by clinicians, and an improvement was perceived by patients who performed a weekly visual analog scale questionnaire. Secondary end points included a comparative histological analysis and protein expression in skin biopsies at baseline and after 3 weeks of HT treatment. Proteomic profiling was carried out using quantitative isobaric labelling and subsequently validated by a T-array. Results: Twenty-one patients were included in the study. The median TH treatment time was 7.6 weeks (range = 3.6-41.6 weeks), and the median response time was 3.01 weeks (95% CI = 2.15-3.97). At the end of treatment, 19 of 21 patients (90.48%) responded to treatment with a decrease in one or more grades of HFS. None of the patients experienced adverse effects related to TH usage, nor did they suspend chemotherapy treatment. The main findings observed in skin biopsies after treatment were a decrease in hyperkeratosis and lymphocytic infiltrates. The proteomic analysis showed altered expression of 34 proteins that were mainly related to wound healing, cell growth, and the immune response. Conclusion: Based on our results, topical heparin is an effective and safe treatment for clinical manifestations of HFS, probably due to the restauration of skin homeostasis after heparin treatment, as supported by our proteomics-derived data. Trial registration: EudraCT 2009-018171-13.

Mechanistic added value of a trans-Sulfonamide-Platinum-Complex in human melanoma cell lines and synergism with cis-Platin.

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin is a potent antitumor agent. However, toxicity and primary and secondary resistance are major limitations of cisplatin-based chemotherapy, leading to therapeutic failure. We have previously reported that mono-sulfonamide platinum complexes have good antitumor activity against different tumoral cell lines and with a different and better cytotoxic profile than cisplatin. Besides, N-sulfonamides have been used extensively in medicinal chemistry as bactericides, anticonvulsant, inhibitors of the carbonic anhydrase, inhibitors of histone deacetylases, and inhibitors of microtubule polymerization, among others. METHODS: We aimed to compare the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin and a trans-sulfonamide-platinum-complex (TSPC), in two human melanoma cell lines that differ in their TP53 status: SK-MEL-5, TP53 wild type, and SK-MEL-28, TP53 mutated. We performed cytotoxicity assays with both drugs, alone and in combination, cell cycle analyses, western blotting and immunoprecipitation, and fluorescence immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: TSPC had similar antiproliferative activity than cisplatin against SK-MEL-5 (3.24 ± 1.08 vs 2.89 ± 1.12 µM) and higher against SK-MEL-28 cells (5.83 ± 1.06 vs 10.17 ± 1.29 µM). Combination of both drugs inhibited proliferation in both cell lines, being especially important in SK-MEL-28, and showing a synergistic effect. In contrast to cisplatin, TSPC caused G1 instead G2/M arrest in both cell lines. Our present findings indicate that the G1 arrest is associated with the induction of CDKN1A and CDKN1B proteins, and that this response is also present in melanoma cells containing TP53 mutated. Also, strong accumulation of CDKN1A and CDKN1B in cells nuclei was seen upon TSPC treatment in both cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these findings provide a new promising TSPC compound with in vitro antitumor activity against melanoma cell lines, and with a different mechanism of action from that of cisplatin. Besides, TSPC synergism with cisplatin facilitates its potential use for co-treatment to reduce toxicity and resistance against cisplatin. TSPC remains a promising lead compound for the generation of novel antineoplastic agent and to explore its synergism with other DNA damaging agents.

Factors Associated with the Selection of First-line Bevacizumab plus Chemotherapy and Clinical Response in HER2-negative Metastatic Breast Cancer: ONCOSUR AVALOX Study.

AIM: To evaluate factors associated with the selection of first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy and clinical response in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in clinical practice in Spain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All consecutive adult female patients with HER2-negative MBC who had received first-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy for at least 3 months were enrolled in the present study. RESULTS: A total of 292 evaluable patients were included; 25% had triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and 75% had hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (HRPBC). Nearly 40% of patients had ≥3 metastatic sites, mainly located in the bone (48%) and liver (40%). Bevacizumab was mostly combined with paclitaxel (67.1%). ER-positive tumors were only identified as an independent factor associated with the choice of treatment (odds ratio (OR): 0.538; p=0.02). The overall response rate (ORR) was 63.7% (TNBC: 57.5%; HRPBC: 65.9%). Patients aged 36-50 years (OR: 3.03; p=0.028) and those with metastases at sites other than the bone (OR: 0.38; p=0.001) and ≥3 metastatic sites (OR: 1.41; p=0.018) were more likely to achieve objective responses. CONCLUSION: First-line bevacizumab plus chemotherapy, mainly paclitaxel, is an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for HER2-negative MBC, particularly in more aggressive disease.

Final 10-year results of the Breast International Group 2-98 phase III trial and the role of Ki67 in predicting benefit of adjuvant docetaxel in patients with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer.

AIM: Breast International Group (BIG) 2-98 is a randomised phase III trial that tested the effect of adding docetaxel, either in sequence to or in combination with anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy, in women with node-positive breast cancer (BC). Here, we present the 10-year final trial safety and efficacy analyses. We also report an exploratory analysis on the predictive value of Ki67 for docetaxel efficacy, in the BIG 2-98 and using a pooled analysis of three other randomised trials. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 2887 patients were randomly assigned in a 2×2 trial design to one of four treatments. The primary objective was to evaluate the overall efficacy of docetaxel on disease free survival (DFS). Secondary objectives included comparisons of sequential docetaxel versus sequential control arm, safety and overall survival (OS). Ki67 expression was centrally evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 10.1years, the addition of docetaxel did not significantly improve DFS or OS (hazard ratio (HR)=0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.81-1.04; P=0.16 and HR=0.88, 95% CI=0.76-1.03; P=0.11, respectively). Sequential docetaxel did not improve DFS compared to the sequential control arm (HR=0.86, 95% CI=0.72-1.03; P=0.10). In oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumours with Ki67⩾14%, the addition of docetaxel resulted in 5.4% improvement in 10-year OS (P=0.03, test for interaction=0.1). In a multivariate model, there was a trend for improved DFS and OS in ER-positive patients with high Ki67 and treated with docetaxel (HR=0.79, 95% CI=0.63-1.01; P=0.05 and HR=0.76, 95% CI=0.57-1.01; P=0.06, respectively). A pooled analysis of four randomised trials showed a benefit of taxanes in highly proliferative ER-positive disease but not in low proliferating tumours (interaction test P=0.01). CONCLUSION: The DFS benefit previously demonstrated with sequential docetaxel is no longer observed at 10years. However, an exploratory analysis suggested a benefit of docetaxel in patients with highly proliferative ER-positive BC.

Relevance of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor gene expression as a prognostic factor in non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Signalling through the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) is implicated in carcinogenesis, metastasis, and resistance to cytotoxic cancer therapies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prognostic role of IGF-1R expression in surgically resected non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and responses to IGF-1R tyrosine kinase inhibitor NVP-ADW742 in a panel of lung cancer cell lines. METHODS: Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) expression was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR in 115 NSCLC samples and in a panel of 6 NSCLC cell lines. Cytotoxicity experiments with IGF-1R inhibitor and conventional systemic drugs such as paclitaxel in cell lines were realised. RESULTS: Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) was differentially expressed across histologic subtypes, with the lowest levels observed in squamous cell tumours. Median survival was longer in patients with squamous tumour histology expressing low IGF-1R levels. In multivariable analysis, ageing and high tumour stage were significant predictors of worse overall survival. The hazard of death was lower in patients with squamous histology and low IGF-1R gene expression. There was no correlation between IGF-1R expression and response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor in cell lines tested. However, combination drug treatment resulted in synergistically enhanced antiproliferative effects on several cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that IGF-1R is a potential target for therapy in NSCLC patients. Combination therapies will have an important role in treatment.

Risk factors associated with Clostridium difficile infection in adult oncology patients.

PURPOSE: Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) prevention is particularly important for cancer patients, because diarrhea often results in dose reductions or delays of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. We conducted this study to better ascertain the incidence, susceptibility, and risk factors for CDI in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at our hospital. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study among adult cancer patients admitted at "12 de Octubre" University Hospital between January 2009 through April 2013 who were diagnosed with diarrhea. Inpatient data were available on hospital medical records. We screened by immunochromatography system detecting glutamate dehydrogenase antigen, and C. difficile toxins A and B. Later, a polymerase chain reaction for detecting toxin B gene was performed. RESULTS: A total of 225 patients were included in the study, and 39 of them (17.3 %) were diagnosed with CDI. Type of tumor significantly differed between CDI patients, thus relative risk in each type of cancer was calculated after adjusting for age, antibiotic exposure, corticosteroid, and proton-pump inhibitor use. Patients with gastrointestinal tumors were less prone to CDI. Conversely, breast cancer patients have a greater predisposition to CDI. Antibiotic treatment was found to be associated with an increasing risk for CDI in breast cancer patients. Curiously, exposure to proton-pump inhibitors appeared protective in our cohort, except for lung cancer patients. However, we have not been able to find an association between a particular type of chemotherapy and CDI. CONCLUSIONS: We underscore the urgent need for early recognition and diagnosis of CDI in cancer patients. Our findings indicate a probable association between antibiotic use and CDI incidence, at least in certain cancer, such as breast cancer.

Prognostic value of dual-specificity phosphatase 6 expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

Dual-specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6/MKP-3) is a mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase that regulates extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) activity via feedback mechanisms, with an increasingly recognized role in tumour biology. The aim of this study was to explore the role of DUSP6 expression in the prognosis of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DUSP6 expression levels were evaluated by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 60 NSCLC samples from patients who underwent pulmonary resection at 12 de Octubre University Hospital. We performed a statistical analysis to investigate the correlation of DUSP6 expression and the clinical outcomes. We found that 66.7% of the tumour samples show the downregulation of DUSP6 at the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels compared to benign epithelial lung tissues and 55% of them show at least twofold downregulation of DUSP6 gene expression. Patients were classified into three groups according to their DUSP6 expression levels and those with very low levels (at least twofold downregulation) had the worst outcomes. Using the value of twice below the mean value in benign epithelial lung tissue as a cutoff, the overall survival of patients with very low DUSP6 levels was significantly lower than that in the rest of patients (31.9 ± 18.8 months vs. not reached, P = 0.049). This was most pronounced in adenocarcinoma histology and high-stage tumour samples. Our results suggest that DUSP6 gene expression in tumour samples may be a prognostic marker in NSCLC.

Clinical experience with plerixafor as a mobilization regimen for autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with refractory germ cell tumors.

The purpose of this study was to report our experience with administration of plerixafor for the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in patients with refractory or recurrent germ cell tumors who were candidates for salvage therapy with high-dose chemotherapy and HSC transplantation and for whom mobilization of HSCs had not been achieved by standard therapies. This retrospective and observational study selected patients who were eligible for autologous HSC transplantation (AHSCT) and received plerixafor after failure of HSC mobilization by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). A total of 5 patients (4 male and 1 female), aged 19-41 years (mean age, 29.6 years) were initially selected. Four patients (80%) achieved an adequate HSC mobilization with plerixafor and subsequently received high-dose chemotherapy followed by HSC transplantation. In these patients, the number of CD34+ cells collected following plerixafor mobilization was 1.8×106-10.3×106 cells/kg, with a peak CD34+ cell count of 7.0-32.0 cells/µl. Following HSC infusion, these 4 patients achieved a neutrophil count of >0.5×103/mm3 and a platelet count of >20,000/µl between days 10 and 14. Therefore, patients with high-risk germ cell tumors eligible for AHSCT who are refractory to mobilization by G-CSF, may benefit from the use of plerixafor, possibly to the same extent as patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

A prognostic factor index for overall survival in patients receiving first-line chemotherapy for HER2-negative advanced breast cancer: an analysis of the ATHENA trial.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based definitions of 'poor-prognosis' or 'aggressive' advanced breast cancer are lacking. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We developed a prognostic factor index using data from 2203 patients treated with first-line chemotherapy plus bevacizumab for HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. RESULTS: The risk factors most closely associated with worse OS were: disease-free interval ≤24 months; liver metastases or ≥3 involved organ sites; prior anthracycline and/or taxane therapy; triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); and performance status 2 or prior analgesic/corticosteroid treatment. Risk of death was increased threefold in patients with ≥3 versus ≤1 risk factors (hazard ratio 3.0 [95% CI 2.6-3.4; p < 0.001]; median 16.0 vs 38.8 months, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: This prognostic index may enable identification of patients with a poorer prognosis in whom more intensive systemic regimens may be appropriate. The index may also be considered in designing new trials, although it requires validation in other datasets before extrapolation to non-bevacizumab-containing therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00448591.

Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia: comparisons from real-world clinical experience.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this paper is to report real-world data on the relative effectiveness of a biosimilar erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA; Binocrit(®)), and other available ESAs for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively from single centers in Spain (n=284) and Germany (n=145). Hemoglobin outcomes, transfusion requirements, and serious drug-related adverse events were assessed for each ESA. RESULTS: Hemoglobin outcomes and transfusion requirements were generally similar in the different ESA treatment groups assessed. No serious drug-related adverse events were recorded in any of the treatment groups. CONCLUSION: These data confirm the real-world effectiveness and safety of a biosimilar ESA (Binocrit(®)) for the treatment of cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced anemia.

The therapeutic role of fulvestrant in the management of patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Although selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), such as tamoxifen, or aromatase inhibitors (AIs), such as anastrozole, are the preferred endocrine treatment approach for most patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, many patients progress despite this therapy or become resistant. Fulvestrant is a selective estrogen receptor down-regulator (SERD) that has demonstrated activity and efficacy in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer previously untreated or treated with hormonal therapy. The efficacy of fulvestrant has been demonstrated in the neoadjuvant and metastatic settings, either alone or in combination with other therapies such as anastrozole or targeted drugs. Additionally, 500 mg of fulvestrant have been shown to be more effective than 250 mg, without significant differences in the toxicity profile. In this review, the unique mode of action of fulvestrant and the clinical data for different dosing regimens both alone or in combination with other drugs is critically assessed.

Chemotherapy for cholangiocarcinoma: An update.

Cholangiocarcinomas (bile duct cancers) are a heterogeneous group of malignancies arising from the epithelial cells of the intrahepatic, perihilar and extrahepatic bile ducts. Patients diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma must be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team and be treated with individualized management. First of all, it is very important to define the potential resectability of the tumor because surgery is the main therapeutic option for these patients. Overall, cholangiocarcinomas have a very poor prognosis. The 5-year survival rate is 5%-10%. In cases with a potentially curative surgery, 5-year survival rates of 25%-30% are reported. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the cure rate from surgery, exploring the survival benefit of any adjuvant strategy. It is difficult to clarify the role of adjuvant treatment in localized and locally advanced cholangiocarcinomas. There are limited data and the role of adjuvant chemotherapy/chemoradiation in patients with resected biliary tract cancer is poorly defined. The most relevant studies in the adjuvant setting are one from Japan, the well known ESPAC-3 and BILCAP from the United Kingdom and a meta-analysis. We show the results of these trials. According to medical oncology guidelines, postoperative adjuvant therapy is widely recommended for all patients with intrahepatic or extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who have microscopically positive resection margins, as well as for those with a complete resection but node-positive disease. Clinical trials are ongoing. The locally advanced cholangiocarcinoma setting includes a heterogeneous mix of patients: (1) patients who have had surgery but with macroscopic residual disease; (2) patients with locally recurrent disease after potentially curative treatment; and (3) patients with locally unresectable disease at presentation. In these patients, surgery is not an option and chemoradiation therapy can prolong overall survival and provide control of symptoms due to local tumor effects. Nowadays, no neoadjuvant therapy can be considered a standard approach for the treatment of patients with cholangiocarcinoma. There are promising results and randomized trials are needed in patients with a metastatic cholangiocarcinoma. In systemic therapy, no single drug or combination has consistently increased median survival beyond the expected 8-12 mo. It is always recommended that patients enrol in clinical trials. Clinical trials have shown that the more standard chemotherapy for a first line regimen of gemcitabine plus cisplatin (or oxaliplatin as a potentially better tolerated agent) is superior to gemcitabine alone. Leucovorin-modulated 5-fluorouracil, capecitabine monotherapy or single agent gemcitabine are reasonable options for patients with a borderline performance status. After progression in patients with an adequate performance status, active regimens that could be considered include gemcitabine plus capecitabine, or erlotinib plus bevacizumab, for second line treatment.

Role of inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin in the treatment of luminal breast cancer.

Approximately 75% of patients with breast cancer present hormone receptor-positive tumors. This subtype of breast cancer initially shows a high overall response rate to hormonal treatments. However, resistance eventually develops, resulting in tumor progression. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway regulates several cellular functions in cancer such as cell growth, survival, and proliferation. In addition, a high activation level of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is related to resistance to conventional chemotherapy and hormone therapy. The mTOR inhibitor everolimus, in combination with hormonal treatments, has led to excellent results in progression-free survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer resistant to hormone therapies. Therefore, everolimus has entered the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines 2012 and its combination with exemestane was approved recently by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. This is the first time that a drug will have been approved for the restoration of hormone sensitivity in breast cancer.

Guidelines for the management of breakthrough pain in patients with cancer.

The moral imperative to adequately manage pain is being increasingly recognized worldwide. A comprehensive pain management approach that addresses the various presentations of pain in patients with cancer is required, including appropriate management of breakthrough pain. Breakthrough pain commonly occurs in patients with advanced cancer and is disabling to the individual and burdensome to society, yet it is often inadequately managed. Because pain is heterogeneous, the best management of an individual's pain, including breakthrough pain in cancer, requires a thorough assessment to tailor the treatment strategies. Recently developed guidelines support this approach and recommend treating breakthrough pain using rapid- or short-acting opioids with pharmacodynamics that mirror the rapid onset and short duration of the presenting pain. This approach should be part of a comprehensive strategy to treat pain within the context of the primary disease trajectory, offering continuity of care and access to specialized palliative care when appropriate.

DICER1, DROSHA and miRNAs in patients with non-small cell lung cancer: implications for outcomes and histologic classification.

The clinical and functional significance of RNA-interference machinery in lung cancer is poorly understood. Besides, microRNAs (miRNA) have the potential to serve both as biomarkers and therapeutic agents, by personalizing diagnosis and therapy. In this study, we investigated whether the expression levels of DICER1 and DROSHA, components of the RNA-interference machinery, can predict survival, and whether the miRNA expression profiles can differentiate histologic subtypes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Levels of DICER1, DROSHA and five different miRNAs were measured in NSCLC specimens (N = 115) by qRT-PCR assay and correlated with clinical outcomes. Low expression of DROSHA was associated with an increased median survival (154.2 versus 39.8 months, P = 0.016). Also, high DROSHA expression was associated with decreased median survival in the following subgroups: adenocarcinoma (P = 0.011), grade III tumors (P = 0.038) and low-stage patients (P = 0.014). In multivariate analyses, we found two independent predictors of reduced disease-specific survival: high DROSHA expression [hazards ratio = 2.24; P = 0.04] and advanced tumor stage (hazards ratio = 1.29, P = 0.02). In general, the overall tumor miRNA expression was downregulated in our cohort compared with normal tissues. Expression levels of hsa-let-7a (P = 0.005) and miR-16 (P = 0.003) miRNA were significantly higher in squamous cell carcinoma than in adenocarcinoma samples. This study supports the value of the expression profiling of the components of the miRNA-processing machinery in the prognosis of NSCLC patients, especially DROSHA expression levels. In addition, differential expression of miRNAs, such as hsa-let-7a and miR-16 may be helpful tools in the histologic subclassification of NSCLC.

A randomized phase II study to compare oxaliplatin plus 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFOX4) versus oxaliplatin plus raltitrexed (TOMOX) as first-line chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare TOMOX versus FOLFOX4 as first-line treatment of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 191 chemotherapy-naïve patients were randomized to receive TOMOX or FOLFOX4. Patients were evaluated every 3 months and chemotherapy was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Overall response rate was the primary endpoint. RESULTS: 183 patients were included in the intent-to-treat analysis (92 TOMOX and 91 FOLFOX4). Overall response rate was 45.6 and 36.3 % (p = 0.003) for TOMOX and FOLFOX4, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed in overall survival (15.6 and 17.2 months; p = 0.475); progression-free survival (7.7 and 8.7 months; p = 0.292), and response duration (6.4 and 7.6 months; p = 0.372) for TOMOX and FOLFOX4, respectively. Grades 3 and 4 neutropenia (p < 0.0001) and leukopenia (p = 0.028) were more common with the FOLFOX4 regimen, while hepatic disorders and asthenia were higher in TOMOX group (p = ns). There were two treatment-related deaths in the FOLFOX4 arm and one in the TOMOX arm. Quality of life analysis based on the SF-36 revealed differences between the two regimens for physical and mental composite scores after 6 weeks, and for body pain and emotional role functioning after 6 and 12 weeks; all of these favored the FOLFOX4 arm (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TOMOX and FOLFOX4 seem to have similar efficacy and are well tolerated in the first-line treatment for advanced CRC with different profiles of toxicity. The convenient TOMOX regimen may offer an alternative to fluoropyrimidine-based regimens.

Behaviour of breast cancer molecular subtypes through tumour progression.

UNLABELLED: INTRODUCTION Breast cancer (BC) becomes more aggressive throughout disease progression. Clinical stage is correlated with patient outcome. We hypothesised that BC molecular subtypes are associated with a poor prognosis in advanced clinical stages. We analysed the distribution and behaviour of molecular subtypes at different BC tumour size and variation of molecular subtype in recurrent lesions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 1647 consecutive patients with non-metastatic invasive and microinvasive (Tmi) BC treated from January 1997 to December 2007. Patients were categorised by tumour size and molecular subtype. A chi-square method was used for multiple group comparisons. Kaplan-Meier product limit method was used to calculate overall survival and disease-free survival. RESULTS: Median follow-up was 7.2 years. For patients with invasive BC the median age was 56 years. Four hundred and fifteen patients recurred and 225 died. Larger tumours were more frequently of triple-negative (TN) subtype than small ones or Tmi lesions. Any molecular subtype change from primary tumour to recurrent lesions is more likely to happen from a good prognosis to a subtype of worse prognosis than the opposite. Larger tumours of luminal A, luminal B and TN, but not HER2 subtype, are more likely to carry aggressive markers and to have worse outcomes than small ones. CONCLUSION: We found accumulation of TN subtype, migration to a poor prognosis subtype and increasing aggressiveness of luminal and TN subtypes throughout tumour progression. Tumours belonging to the HER2 subtype behave aggressively regardless of the primary size.

Biological markers of cisplatin resistance in advanced testicular germ cell tumours.

INTRODUCTION: Germ cell tumours (GCTs) of the testis show exquisite sensitivity to treatment with cisplatin. Despite the high cure rates provided by platinum-based chemotherapy, 10-20% of patients die from progressive disease. Although various cellular pathways may influence cisplatin efficacy, their actual impact has not been comprehensively investigated in advanced GCTs. The objective of the present study was to clarify the role of the expression status of proteins involved in the Rb and p53 tumour suppressor pathways in sensitivity and resistance of GCTs to cisplatin-based chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Paraffin-embedded tumour tissues from 84 patients with advanced GCT treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy were analysed. Immunohistochemical expression of proteins p53 and mdm2, and the G1-phase cyclins D1 and D2 (CD1 and CD2) was assessed and correlated with the clinical course. RESULTS: The percentages of positive expression of p53, mdm2, CD1 and CD2 were 56, 57, 37.5 and 55%, respectively. From univariate analysis, there was no significant association between p53, mdm2 or CD1 expression and outcome. Instead, positive CD2 expression was found to be marginally associated with shorter median duration of progression-free survival (PFS) (p=0.06). In multivariate analysis, none of the molecular markers retained statistical significance with treatment response or survival. CONCLUSIONS: Tissular expression of p53, mdm2 and CD1 is not associated with prognosis or treatment response in patients with advanced GCT. Aberrant CD2 expression appears to further determine a shorter PFS. Larger and further studies are required to validate CD2 as a marker of cisplatin resistance.

First-line bevacizumab-containing therapy for triple-negative breast cancer: analysis of 585 patients treated in the ATHENA study.

BACKGROUND: The prognosis for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is poor and treatment options are limited. Bevacizumab improves the efficacy of standard first-line therapy in locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer (LR/mBC). The benefit of bevacizumab seen in patients with TNBC appears similar to that observed in the overall population. We conducted an exploratory analysis of patients with TNBC treated in the single-arm routine oncology practice ATHENA study. METHODS: Patients with previously untreated LR/mBC received standard first-line chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab (10 mg/kg every 2 weeks or 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks, until progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient/physician decision). RESULTS: Of 2,264 patients treated in ATHENA, 585 (26%) had TNBC. Most patients received single-agent taxane with bevacizumab. In the TNBC subgroup, the overall response rate was 49%, including complete responses in 10%; only 16% had primary resistant disease. Median time to progression was 7.2 months (95% CI 6.6-7.8) and median overall survival was 18.3 months (95% CI 16.4-19.7). The 1-year overall survival rate was 60%. The safety profile in TNBC was consistent with results in the overall population. CONCLUSION: This exploratory subgroup analysis suggests that first-line chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab is an active regimen in patients with metastatic TNBC.

Trabectedin in pre-treated patients with advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma: a phase II study evaluating co-treatment with dexamethasone.

PURPOSE: This study assesses the efficacy, toxicity and pharmacokinetic profile of trabectedin with or without prophylactic dexamethasone co-treatment in patients with recurrent advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive trabectedin as a 3-h infusion every 3 weeks with dexamethasone or placebo in the first cycle, with the alternate in the second cycle and with the patient's choice subsequently. Due to toxicity, the randomized design was modified to open-label to make dexamethasone mandatory and the initial dose (1,650 µg/m(2)) was reduced to 1,500 µg/m(2) and then to 1,300 µg/m(2). RESULTS: Forty-one patients were enrolled and 35 were evaluable for efficacy. One partial response and 18 disease stabilizations were found. The median PFS and OS were 2.1 and 10.2 months, respectively, with the 3- and 6-month PFS rates indicating activity in pretreated STS. Twenty-three and 27 patients developed transient asymptomatic grade 3/4 AST and ALT elevation, respectively, and 21 patients had grade 3/4 neutropenia. Dose reduction from 1,650 µg/m(2) to 1,300 µg/m(2) decreased the incidence of grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (26% vs. 0%), neutropenia (51% vs. 25%) and AST increase (76% vs. 25% of patients). Four patients died due to drug-related toxicities (3 with placebo). The total body clearance of trabectedin was 28% higher and half-life was 21% lower with dexamethasone compared to placebo, with no differences in volume of distribution. CONCLUSIONS: Trabectedin has confirmed activity in patients with pretreated STS. This study shows that co-treatment with dexamethasone improves the safety of trabectedin by reducing drug-induced hepatotoxicity and myelosuppression.