Patient knowledge, personal experience, and impact of the first wave of the COVD-19 pandemic in an Irish oncology cohort.

BACKGROUND: Oncology patients have had to make many changes to minimise their exposure to COVID-19, causing stress. Despite education, some patients still do not recognise potential COVID symptoms. AIMS: We assessed patient knowledge of COVID, and its impact on their behaviours, concerns, and healthcare experience. METHODS: A 16-page questionnaire was distributed to 120 oncology patients attending the day unit of a tertiary Irish cancer centre for systemic anti-cancer therapy (May/June 2020). The Irish 7-day COVID incidence during this period ranged from 2 to 11 cases/100,000 people. RESULTS: One hundred and one responses were received, 1% had tested positive for COVID, and 31% had undergone testing. Participant insight into their knowledge about COVID and their own behaviour was limited in some cases. Seventy-five percent reported total compliance with restrictions, but many were not fully compliant. Self-reported confidence in knowledge was high, but did not predict demonstrated knowledge. Sixty percent did not recognise two or more symptoms; 40% did not self-identify as high-risk. Patients reported more health-related worry (72%), loneliness (51%), and lower mood (42%) since the pandemic began. Financial toxicity worsened, with increased financial worry (78%), reductions in household income (40%), and increased costs due to lockdown (62%). Use of facemasks introduced new communications barriers for 67% of those with hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: Despite self-reported confidence in knowledge, some patient's recognition of COVID symptoms and the preventative strategies they should use are not optimal, highlighting the need for further education in this regard. COVID has been a significant stressor for patients and more practical, financial, and psychological supports are needed.

A permanent legacy of the pandemic? Outcomes of and staff views on the introduction of virtual clinics to an Irish oncology service.

BACKGROUND: Virtual clinics were introduced to our practice in March 2020. We aimed to assess outcomes from virtual clinics and to assess staff views on them and their barriers to implementation nationally. METHODS: We prospectively assessed outcomes from 53 planned virtual consultations in a cancer centre oncology outpatient department (April-July 2020). Thirty-two oncologists completed an online survey. RESULTS: Visit durations ranged from < 5 min (n = 2, 4%) to 30 + min/patient (n = 9, 20%) (median: 18 min (range 4-141, IQR 10-30 min)). Median time spent preparing for patients who did not attend (n = 6, 11%) was 15 min (range 9-15 min). Most patients were scheduled for routine follow-up (n = 41, 87%), with some planned for an early in-person visit (n = 3) or investigation (n = 3). Where bloods had been requested (n = 25), samples had often not been taken (n = 20, 80%) or results were unavailable (n = 3, 12%). Different plans may have been agreed with two patients (4%) had they attended in-person. Virtual visits were perceived as faster by most doctors in the online survey (n = 26, 84%), with some (n = 5, 16%) reporting a difference of 10 min per patient. Many (n = 13, 42%) arranged earlier follow-up appointments. Low satisfaction was associated with difficulty with patient assessment (81%) or communication (63%), resource limitation (48%), or poor access to results of investigations (40%). The majority (n = 21, 67%) do not feel their virtual clinic quality is as good as in-person. CONCLUSIONS: If virtual clinics are to play a long-term role in oncology, it is essential to monitor clinic quality and plan visits proactively.

Genomic Analysis of Tumors from Patients with Glioblastoma with Long-Term Response to Afatinib.

Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of central nervous system tumor. Recurrence rates following primary therapy are high, and few second-line treatment options provide durable clinical benefit. Aberrations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene are observed in up to 57% of glioblastoma cases and EGFR overexpression has been identified in approximately 60% of primary glioblastomas. In preclinical studies, afatinib, a second-generation ErbB blocker, inhibited cell proliferation in cells harboring mutations commonly found in glioblastoma. In two previous Phase I/II studies of afatinib plus temozolomide in patients with glioblastoma, limited efficacy was observed; however, there was notable benefit in patients with the EGFR variant III (EGFRvIII) mutation, EGFR amplification, and those with loss of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). This case series report details treatment histories of three long-term responders from these trials. Next-generation sequencing of tumor samples identified alterations in a number of cancer-related genes, including mutations in, and amplification of, EGFR. Tumor samples from all three patients shared favorable prognostic factors, eg O6-methylguanine-DNA methyl-transferase (MGMT) gene promoter methylation; however, negative prognostic factors were also observed, suggesting that these shared genetic features did not completely account for the favorable responses. The genetic profile of the tumor from Patient 1 showed clear differences from the other two tumors: lack of involvement of EGFR aberrations but with a mutation occurring in PTPN11. Preclinical studies showed that single-agent afatinib and temozolomide both separately inhibit the growth of tumors with a C-terminal EGFR truncation, thus providing further rationale for combining these two agents in the treatment of glioblastomas harboring EGFR aberrations. These findings suggest that afatinib may provide treatment benefit in patients with glioblastomas that harbor ErbB family aberrations and, potentially, other genetic aberrations. Further studies are needed to establish which patients with newly diagnosed/recurrent glioblastomas may potentially benefit from treatment with afatinib.

Survival of childhood and adolescent/young adult (AYA) cancer patients in Ireland during 1994-2013: comparisons by age.

BACKGROUND: Some studies indicate that survival of adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer may be inferior to that of younger children with similar cancers, possibly related (in part) to differences in access to centralized or standardized treatment. AIMS: This study aims to evaluate differences in survival for AYA patients when compared with paediatric patients treated in Ireland over a 20-year time period. METHODS: This study compares relative survival for patients diagnosed in Ireland at ages 0-15 (paediatric group) and 16-24 (AYA group) during 1994-2013, followed to the end of 2014, for cancers defined by the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC) (Third Edition) group or subgroup. Five-year relative survival estimates, and excess hazard ratios (EHR) comparing excess mortality associated with a cancer diagnosis among AYA with that in the paediatric group, are presented. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. RESULTS: Significantly higher excess mortality was found for AYA with leukaemias, lymphomas, astrocytomas, malignant bone tumours, and Ewing and related bone sarcomas, soft tissue sarcomas and 'other/unspecified' epithelial cancers, rhabdomyosarcomas, and 'other and unspecified' carcinomas. In contrast, lower excess mortality was found in the AYA group for all cancers and intracranial/intraspinal tumours, and for gliomas other than astrocytomas or ependymomas. Comparing 1994-2003 and 2004-2013 cohorts, age-related survival differences narrowed for lymphoid leukaemias, but widened for all cancers combined and intracranial/intraspinal tumours combined. Centralization of services varied depending upon cancer subtype, with leukaemias, CNS tumours and bone sarcomas most centralized. Within these, improvements in survival for leukaemias and CNS tumours have been seen for the AYA population. CONCLUSIONS: Reasons for age-related survival differences, and differences in time-trend by age group, are not clear. The significant narrowing of survival differences by age in more recent years for lymphoid leukaemias reflects a more marked recent increase in survival among AYA. More work is required to explain and improve other age-related survival differences.

Safety, efficacy and survival of patients with primary malignant brain tumours (PMBT) in phase I (Ph1) trials: the 12-year Royal Marsden experience.

BACKGROUND: Primary malignant brain tumours (PMBT) constitute less than 2% of all malignancies and carry a dismal prognosis. Treatment options at relapse are limited. First-in-human solid tumour studies have historically excluded patients with PMBT due to the poor prognosis, concomitant drug interactions and concerns regarding toxicities. METHODS: Retrospective data were collected on clinical and tumour characteristics of patients referred for consideration of Ph1 trials in the Royal Marsden Hospital between June 2004 and August 2016. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, Cox proportional hazards model. Chi squared test was used to measure bivariate associations between categorical variables. RESULTS: 100pts with advanced PMBT were referred. At initial consultation, patients had a median ECOG PS 1, median age 48 years (range 18-70); 69% were men, 76% had glioblastoma; 68% were on AEDs, 63% required steroid therapy; median number of prior treatments was two. Median OS for patients treated on a Ph1 trials was 9.3 months (95% CI 5.9-12.9) versus 5.3 months (95% CI 4.1-6.1) for patients that did not proceed with a Ph1 trial, p = 0.0094. Steroid use, poor PS, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and treatment on a Ph1 trial were shown to independently influence OS. CONCLUSIONS: We report a survival benefit for patients with PMBT treated on Ph1 trials. Toxicity and efficacy outcomes were comparable to the general Ph1 population. In the absence of an internationally recognized standard second line treatment for patients with recurrent PMBT, more Ph1 trials should allow enrolment of patients with refractory PMBT and Ph1 trial participation should be considered at an earlier stage.

Managing teenage/young adult (TYA) brain tumors: a UK perspective.

Tumors of the CNS are among the commonest malignancies occurring in teenage/young adult patients (i.e., those aged between 15 and 24 years). The treatment of this patient population is challenging. Adolescence and young adulthood are a turbulent period of life, with physical, emotional, social and cognitive changes. Best practice advocates their treatment in dedicated teenage/young adult units, with multidisciplinary team input and access to clinical trials. Treatment of CNS malignancies is dependent upon histological subtype and staging, with varying combinations of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy used. Clinical trials directly targeted at this patient population are rare; treatments are based on pediatric protocols as studies have demonstrated improved outcomes in patients (with other malignancies) treated as such. Scope for improvement lies in minimizing patient risk of recurrence and long-term sequelae of treatment. Molecular characterization of tumors may provide further information.

Late-onset paraplegia after complete response to two cycles of ipilimumab for metastatic melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Ipilimumab has been shown to improve overall survival in patients with metastatic melanoma; however, complete responses (CRs) are uncommon. Immune-related side effects usually involve the skin or gastrointestinal tract. Neurologic events occur less frequently but are well described. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 58-year-old man with metastatic melanoma who commenced ipilimumab post spinal decompression and radiation. He developed a colitis post cycle 2 and ipilimumab was discontinued. Imaging, however, documented a radiological CR. 8 weeks later, he developed paraplegia and a myelitis despite an ongoing radiological CR. Steroid use resulted in some improvement radiologically, without clinical improvement. CONCLUSION: We report myelitis with consequent paraplegia as a potential neurological immune-related side effect of ipilimumab. We further describe a patient with a CR after 2 cycles of ipilimumab in the setting of radiation.

Benefit risk assessment and update on the use of docetaxel in the management of breast cancer.

The objective of this paper is to review the data supporting the use of docetaxel in the treatment of breast cancer, focusing on pharmacokinetics, efficacy in adjuvant and metastatic trials alone and in combination with chemotherapeutic and targeted agents, and the toxicity of docetaxel in comparison to paclitaxel. Docetaxel is a semisynthetic product derived from the European yew tree Taxus baccata L. It promotes the assembly of microtubules, stabilizes them, and thereby prevents their depolymerization. Docetaxel has been incorporated into neo-adjuvant chemotherapy regimens, both with and without anthracyclines. The inclusion of taxanes such as docetaxel in polychemotherapy regimens in early breast cancer is associated with a statistically significant reduction in mortality. As a single agent, docetaxel is highly active in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. In first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer, the combination of docetaxel and capecitabine was associated with an improvement in overall survival; however, toxicity was higher. The toxicity profile of docetaxel has been well documented and is predictable; the most frequent adverse effects are neutropenia and febrile neutropenia. Taxane-specific adverse effects, such as peripheral neuropathy, are also expected but are manageable with appropriate dosing and scheduling.