Relevance of the Updated Recursive Partitioning Analysis (U-RPA) Classification in the Contemporary Care of Patients with Brain Metastases.

Patients with brain metastases (BMETS) need information about the prognosis and potential value of treatment options to make informed therapeutic decisions, but tools to predict survival in contemporary practice are scarce. We propose an Updated Recursive Partitioning Analysis (U-RPA) instrument to predict survival and benefit from brain-directed treatment (BDT) of contemporary patients. This was a retrospective analysis of patients with BMETS treated between 2017 and 2019. With survival as the primary endpoint, we calculated the U-RPA and generated estimates using Kaplan-Meier curves and hazard ratios. Of 862 eligible patients, 752 received BDT and 110 received best supportive care (BSC). Median overall survival with BDT and BSC was 9.3 and 1.3 months, respectively. Patients in RPA class 1, 2A, 2B and 3 who underwent BDT had median survival of 28.1, 14.7, 7.6 and 3.3 months, respectively. The median survival for patients in RPA 3 who received BDT (n = 147), WBRT (n = 79) and SRS (n = 54) was 3.3, 2.9 and 4.1 months, respectively. The U-RPA defines prognosis estimates, independent of tumor type and treatment modality, which can assist to make value-based care treatment decisions. The prognosis for patients in U-RPA class 2B and 3 remains poor, with consideration for early palliative care involvement in these cases.

Management of venous thromboembolism in high-grade glioma: Does low molecular weight heparin increase intracranial bleeding risk?

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurs in up to 30% of patients with high-grade glioma (HGG). Concern for increased risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) with therapeutic anticoagulation (AC) complicates VTE treatment. Some retrospective studies have reported an increased risk of ICH associated with therapeutic AC; however, effective alternatives to AC are lacking. The aim of our study is to assess the risk of ICH in HGG patients with VTE on low molecular weight heparin (LMWH). METHODS: We performed a retrospective matched cohort study of HGG patients from January 2005 to August 2016. Blinded review of neuroimaging for ICH was performed. For analysis of the primary endpoint, estimates of cumulative incidence (CI) of ICH were calculated using competing risk analysis with death as competing risk; significance testing was performed using the Gray's test. Median survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty patients were included, 88 (40%) with VTE treated with LMWH, 22 (10%) with VTE, not on AC, and 110 (50%) without VTE. A total of 43 measurable ICH was recorded: 19 (26%) in LMWH, 3 (14%) in VTE not on AC, and 21 (19%) in non-VTE cohort. No significant difference was observed in the 1-year CI of ICH in the LMWH cohort and non-AC with VTE group (17% vs 9%; Gray's test, P = .36). Among patients without VTE, the 1-year CI of ICH was 13%. Median survival was similar among all 3 cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that therapeutic LMWH is not associated with substantially increased risk of ICH in HGG patients.

Severe Treatment-Related Lymphopenia in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Although treatment-related lymphopenia (TRL) is common in many cancers no data exists in rectal cancer. METHODS: Serial lymphocyte counts were analyzed retrospectively in patients with newly diagnosed rectal cancer, serial blood counts, and complete records at Johns Hopkins Hospital. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients with normal pretreatment lymphocyte counts were studied. Two months after beginning chemoradiation, 35% of these patients developed grade III-IV lymphopenia [median lymphocyte counts fell from 1590 to 490 cell/mm3 (p < 0.001)] which persisted throughout one year of observation. CONCLUSION: Severe and prolonged TRL is common in rectal cancer. Further studies are required to determine TRL's relationship to survival.

High-dose methotrexate with or without rituximab in newly diagnosed primary CNS lymphoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of rituximab (R) when added to high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) in patients with newly diagnosed immunocompetent primary CNS lymphomas (PCNSLs). METHODS: Immunocompetent adults with newly diagnosed PCNSL treated at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between 1995 and 2012 were investigated. From 1995 to 2008, patients received HD-MTX monotherapy (8 g/m2 initially every 2 weeks and after complete response [CR] monthly to complete 12 months of therapy). From 2008 to 2012, patients received the same HD-MTX with rituximab (375 mg/m2) with each HD-MTX treatment. CR rates and median overall and progression-free survival were analyzed for each patient cohort in this single-institution, retrospective study. RESULTS: A total of 81 patients were identified: 54 received HD-MTX (median age 66 years) while 27 received HD-MTX/R (median age 65 years). CR rates were 36% in the HD-MTX cohort and 73% in the HD-MTX/R cohort (p = 0.0145). Median progression-free survival was 4.5 months in the HD-MTX cohort and 26.7 months in the HD-MTX/R cohort (p = 0.003). Median overall survival was 16.3 months in the HD-MTX cohort and has not yet been reached in the HD-MTX/R cohort (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of rituximab to HD-MTX appears to improve CR rates as well as overall and progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed PCNSL. Comparisons of long-term survival in the 2 cohorts await further maturation of the data. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class III evidence that in immunocompetent patients with PCNSL, HD-MTX plus rituximab compared with HD-MTX alone improves CR and overall survival rates.

Association between severe treatment-related lymphopenia and progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed squamous cell head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: Severe treatment-related lymphopenia occurs commonly in many cancers and is associated with early tumor progression. Data are lacking as to whether this occurs in squamous cell head and neck cancer. METHODS: Serial total lymphocyte counts were retrospectively reviewed in patients with newly diagnosed squamous head and neck cancer undergoing chemoradiation and associated with treatment outcomes. RESULTS: The median baseline total lymphocyte count in 56 patients was 1660 cells/mm(3) , which fell by 73% to 445 cells/mm(3) 2 months after initiating chemoradiation (p < .0001). Human papillomavirus negative (HPV-) patients with a total lymphocyte count <500 cells/mm(3) at 2 months had significantly earlier disease progression than those with higher total lymphocyte counts (hazard ratio [HR], 5.75; p = .045). CONCLUSION: Baseline total lymphocyte counts were normal, but at 2 months approximately 60% of patients had severe treatment-related lymphopenia regardless of HPV status. Severe treatment-related lymphopenia in HPV- patients is independently associated with earlier disease progression. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings, which suggest that immune preservation is important in this cancer.