Phase I study of vinblastine in combination with nilotinib in children, adolescents, and young adults with refractory or recurrent low-grade glioma.

BACKGROUND: New rescue regimens are needed for pediatric refractory/recurrent low-grade glioma. Nilotinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has potential synergistic effects with vinblastine on angiogenesis, tumor cell growth, and immunomodulation. METHODS: This phase I trial aimed to determine the recommended doses of this combination for phase II trials (RP2D) using the dual-agent Bayesian continual reassessment method. Nilotinib was given orally twice daily (BID) in combination with once-weekly vinblastine injections for a maximum of 12 cycles of 28 days (clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01884922). RESULTS: Thirty-five pediatric patients were enrolled across 4 dose levels. The median age was 7 years and 10 had neurofibromatosis type 1. Patients had received a median of 3 prior treatment lines and 25% had received more than 4 previous treatment lines. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) during cycle 1 was hematologic, dermatologic, and cardiovascular. The RP2D was identified at 3 mg/m2 weekly for vinblastine with 230 mg/m2 BID for nilotinib (estimated probability of DLT = 18%; 95% credibility interval, 7-29%). Fifteen patients completed the 12 cycles; 2 stopped therapy prematurely due to toxicity and 18 due to disease progression. Three patients achieved a partial response leading to an objective response rate of 8.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9-23.7), and the disease control rate was 85.3% (95% CI, 68.9-95.1). The 12-month progression-free survival was 37.1% (95% CI, 23.2-53.67). CONCLUSIONS: Vinblastine and nilotinib combination was mostly limited by myelosuppression and dermatologic toxicity. The efficacy of the combination at the RP2D is currently evaluated in a randomized phase II trial comparing this regimen to vinblastine alone.

Prognostic impact of blood and urinary angiogenic factor levels at diagnosis and during treatment in patients with osteosarcoma: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Angiogenesis is essential for the progression and metastatic spread of solid tumours. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been linked to poor survival among osteosarcoma patients but the clinical relevance of monitoring blood and urine angiogenic factors is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of blood VEGF and blood and urinary basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels in osteosarcoma patients, both at diagnosis and during treatment. METHODS: Patients with localised or metastatic osteosarcoma enrolled in OS2005 and OS2006 studies between 2005 and 2011 were prospectively included in this study. VEGF and bFGF levels in serum and plasma and bFGF levels in urine were measured by ELISA at diagnosis, before surgery, and at the end of treatment. Endpoints considered for the prognostic analysis were histological response, progression-free and overall survival. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare the distribution of baseline biomarker values across the different subgroups, and paired sample Wilcoxon rank tests were used to analyze changes over time. Association between biomarker levels and outcomes were assessed in multivariable models (logistic regression for histologic response, and Cox models for survival). RESULTS: Samples were available at diagnosis for 269 patients (54% males; age ≤ 18 years: 73%; localised disease in 68%, doubtful lung lesions in 17%, and metastases in 15%). High serum VEGF and bFGF levels were observed in respectively 61% and 51% of patients. Serum and plasma VEGF values were not strongly correlated with one another (r = 0.53). High serum and plasma VEGF levels were significantly more frequent in patients with large tumours (≥10 cm; p = 0.003 and p = 0.02, respectively). VEGF levels fell significantly during pre-operative chemotherapy (p < 0.0001). No significant correlation was found between this variation and either the histological response, progression-free survival or overall survival (p = 0.26, p = 0.67, and p = 0.87, respectively). No significant association was found between blood or urinary bFGF levels and clinical characteristics, histological response, or survival. CONCLUSIONS: Levels of VEGF and bFGF angiogenic factors are high in most osteosarcoma patients, but have no significant impact on response to chemotherapy or outcome in this large prospective series. OS 2006 TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: clinicaltrials.gov NCT00470223; date of registration: May 3th 2007.

Outcome of children with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma: A meta-analysis of ITCC/SIOPEN European phase II clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: Few randomized trials have been conducted in children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma and data about outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS) in these patients are scarce. PROCEDURE: A meta-analysis of three phase II studies of children with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma conducted in Europe (temozolomide, topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin and topotecan-temozolomide) was performed. Individual patient data with extended follow-up were collected from the trial databases after publication to describe trial outcomes (response rate, clinical benefit ratio, duration of treatment, PFS, and overall survival [OS]). Characteristics of subjects with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma were compared. RESULTS: Data from 71 children and adolescents with relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma were collected. Response definitions were not homogeneous in the three trials. Patients were on study for a median of 3.5 months (interquartile range [IQR] 1.9-6.2). Of those, 35.2% achieved a complete or partial response, 26.3% experienced a response after more than two cycles, and 23.9% received more than six cycles. Median PFS from study entry for all, refractory, and relapsed patients was 6.4 ± 1.0, 12.5 ± 6.8, and 5.7 ± 1.0 months, respectively (P = 0.006). Median OS from study entry for all, refractory, and relapsed patients was 16.1 ± 4.3, 27.9 ± 20.2, and 11.0 ± 1.6 months, respectively (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Baseline data for response rate, clinical benefit ratio, duration of treatment, PFS, and OS were provided. Two subpopulations (relapsed/refractory) were clearly distinct and should be included in the interpretation of all trials. These results should help informing the design of forthcoming studies in relapsed/refractory neuroblastoma.

Zoledronate in combination with chemotherapy and surgery to treat osteosarcoma (OS2006): a randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Based on preclinical data for the antitumour effect of zoledronate in osteosarcoma, we assessed whether zoledronate combined with chemotherapy and surgery improved event-free survival in children and adults with osteosarcoma. METHODS: In this randomised, multicentre, open-label, phase 3 trial (OS2006), patients aged between 5 years and 50 years with newly diagnosed high-grade osteosarcoma were randomly assigned to receive standard chemotherapy with or without ten zoledronate intravenous infusions (four preoperative and six postoperative). Adults older than 25 years received 4 mg zoledronate per infusion, patients aged 18-25 years received 0·05 mg/kg for the first two infusions and 4 mg for the remaining eight infusions, and younger patients received 0·05 mg/kg per infusion. Chemotherapy comprised high-dose methotrexate based chemotherapy in patients younger than 18 years, and doxorubicin, ifosfamide, and cisplatin in adults older than 25 years; patients aged 18-25 years were treated with either regime at the discretion of the treating centre. Balanced randomisation between the two groups was done centrally with online randomisation software, based on a minimisation algorithm taking into account centre, age, combined with chemotherapy regimen, and risk group (resectable primary and no metastasis vs other). Patients and investigators were not masked to treatment assignment, but the endpoint adjudication committee members who reviewed suspected early progressions were masked to group allocation. The primary endpoint was event-free survival, estimated from the randomisation to the time of first failure (local or distant relapse, progression, death) or to the last follow-up visit for the patients in first complete remission, analysed on a modified intention-to-treat population, which excluded patients found not to have a malignant tumour after central review. Three interim analyses were planned. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00470223. FINDINGS: Between April 23, 2007, and March 11, 2014, 318 patients, median age 15·5 years (range 5·8-50·9), were enrolled from 40 French centres; of whom 158 were assigned to the control group (chemotherapy alone) and 160 to the zoledronate group, including 55 (17%) patients with definite metastases. The trial was stopped for futility after the second interim analysis. With a median follow-up of 3·9 years (IQR 2·7-5·1), 125 events occurred (55 in the control group and 70 in the with zoledronate group). Event-free survival at 3 years for all 315 randomly assigned patients was 60·3% (95% CI 64·5-65·9); 3-year event-free survival was 63·4% (55·2-70·9) for the control group and 57·1% (48·8-65·0) for the zoledronate group. The risk of failure was not reduced and was even marginally higher in the zoledronate group than in the control group (hazard ratio [HR] 1·36 [95% CI 0·95-1·96]; p=0·094). No major increase in severe toxic effects of grade 3 or higher associated with zoledronate, barring expected hypocalcaemia (45 [29%] of 153 participants in the zoledronate group vs ten [6%] of 155 participants in the control group; p<0·0001) and hypophosphataemia (61 [40%] of 151 in the zoledronate group vs 26 [17%] of 156 in the control group; p<0·0001). No significant difference in orthopaedic complications was noted between the two groups (27 in the control group and 29 in the zoledronate group). Two treatment-related deaths were reported (one from cardiomyopathy in the control group and one from multiorgan failure in the zoledronate group before the first zoledronate infusion). INTERPRETATION: From the results observed in this study, we do not recommend zoledronate in osteosarcoma patients. Further biological studies are required to understand the discordance between the results of OS2006 trial and preclinical data. FUNDING: French National Cancer Institute (INCa), Novartis, Chugai, Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer, Fédération Enfants et Santé, Société Française des Cancers et Leucémies de l'Enfant.

Contour plot assessment of existing meta-analyses confirms robust association of statin use and acute kidney injury risk.

OBJECTIVES: Robustness of an existing meta-analysis can justify decisions on whether to conduct an additional study addressing the same research question. We illustrate the graphical assessment of the potential impact of an additional study on an existing meta-analysis using published data on statin use and the risk of acute kidney injury. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: A previously proposed graphical augmentation approach is used to assess the sensitivity of the current test and heterogeneity statistics extracted from existing meta-analysis data. In addition, we extended the graphical augmentation approach to assess potential changes in the pooled effect estimate after updating a current meta-analysis and applied the three graphical contour definitions to data from meta-analyses on statin use and acute kidney injury risk. RESULTS: In the considered example data, the pooled effect estimates and heterogeneity indices demonstrated to be considerably robust to the addition of a future study. Supportingly, for some previously inconclusive meta-analyses, a study update might yield statistically significant kidney injury risk increase associated with higher statin exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The illustrated contour approach should become a standard tool for the assessment of the robustness of meta-analyses. It can guide decisions on whether to conduct additional studies addressing a relevant research question.

A longitudinal study of ankle brachial pressure indices in a cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVES: Digital ischaemia, often progressing beyond RP to digital ulceration and sometimes even gangrene, is the most common vascular manifestation of SSc. Both microvascular and macrovascular disease can contribute and coexistence of microvascular and macrovascular (proximal vessel) disease in patients with SSc is potentially limb threatening. The aims of this study were to examine the change over time in the ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) in a cohort of patients with SSc and to examine whether age, gender, smoking status, disease duration, disease subtype and ACA are associated with ABPI. METHODS: The clinical and laboratory data of 217 patients attending the SSc clinic at a tertiary referral centre and who had their ABPIs checked between 1996 and 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Data were analysed to see how the ABPI changed with time and linear mixed effects modelling was used to determine which factors were associated with ABPI. RESULTS: In most patients with SSc, the ABPI remained constant over time [median rate of change 0 units/year, interquartile range (IQR) -0.01-0.01]. There was a significant association between lower ABPI and increasing age (P = 0.04), the limited cutaneous subtype of SSc (P = 0.01) and ACA positivity (P = 0.03). Additionally there was an association between ABPI and smoking status of borderline statistical significance (P = 0.08). CONCLUSION: This study provides further evidence for associations between the severity of vascular disease in patients with SSc and increasing age, smoking, limited cutaneous disease and positive ACA. Reassuringly, in most patients ABPI remains stable over time.

Acro-osteolysis in systemic sclerosis is associated with digital ischaemia and severe calcinosis.

OBJECTIVES: Acro-osteolysis (bony resorption of the terminal digital tufts) is a well-recognized, but under-researched, manifestation of SSc. Our aim was to investigate the hypothesis that acro-osteolysis is associated with (i) the severity of digital ischaemia and (ii) the presence of calcinosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 101 patients with SSc in whom hand radiographs taken between 2001 and May 2008 were available for review. These radiographs were graded for severity of acro-osteolysis on a 0-4-point scale for each finger (0 = normal bone structure, 4 = severe pencilling of the terminal phalanges). From these scores, patients were subdivided into the following two groups: normal/minimal acro-osteolysis and moderate/severe acro-osteolysis. The presence or absence of calcinosis (mild, moderate or severe) was also documented. RESULTS: Of the 101 patients, 68 were grouped as normal/minimal acro-osteolysis and 33 as moderate/severe acro-osteolysis. Forty-five had severe digital ischaemia: 25 (76%) of the patients with moderate/severe acro-osteolysis compared with 20 (29%) of those with normal/minimal acro-osteolysis (multifactorial analysis: P < 0.001). Patients with moderate/severe acro-osteolysis were more likely to have severe calcinosis (33% vs 13%), but this was not statistically significant after adjustment for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Acro-osteolysis was strongly associated with severe digital ischaemia. The potential association with severe calcinosis merits further study. Prospective studies are required to investigate acro-osteolysis as a marker of digital vascular disease progression and of treatment response.