Phase II trial of consolidation docetaxel and samarium-153 in patients with bone metastases from castration-resistant prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess docetaxel combined with samarium-153-ethylene diamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid (EDTMP), a radiopharmaceutical with a high affinity for bone, in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with bone metastases from CRPC who achieved a response or stabilization after four cycles of docetaxel and estramustine were given consolidation docetaxel 20 mg/m(2)/wk for 6 weeks and samarium-153-EDTMP (37 MBq/kg) during week 1. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response was assessed by using consensus criteria, and pain was assessed by using a visual analog scale (VAS). This study used a Simon two-step design with PSA-progression-free survival (PFS) as the primary end point. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were included in the trial. A PSA response was obtained in 77% (95% CI, 61% to 82%). The pain response rate was 69% (95% CI, 49% to 85%). At least five of the six planned weekly injections of docetaxel were administered to 34 patients (81%). The consolidation docetaxel-samarium-153-EDTMP regimen was well tolerated; there was no febrile neutropenia, and only two episodes (5%) of rapidly reversible grade 3 thrombocytopenia occurred. Although a serum PSA relapse eventually occurred in all patient cases, this regimen resulted in pain control in the long-term. The median PSA-PFS was 6.4 months (95% CI, 6 to 7 months). The median survival was 29 months (95% CI, 22 to 31); the 1-year survival rate was 77% (62% to 87%); and the 2-year survival rate was 56% (41% to 70%). CONCLUSION: Combining docetaxel and samarium-153-EDTMP in patients with bone metastases from CRPC is well tolerated, and it yields major pain relief that persists long after treatment. Overall survival compares favorably with that expected in this population of patients, most of whom exhibit symptoms.

Randomized trial comparing bleomycin/etoposide/cisplatin with alternating cisplatin/cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin and vinblastine/bleomycin regimens of chemotherapy for patients with intermediate- and poor-risk metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors: Genito-Urinary Group of the French Federation of Cancer Centers Trial T93MP.

PURPOSE: Two chemotherapy regimens for intermediate- and poor-risk metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors were compared for efficacy and toxicity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From February 1994 to February 2000, 190 patients were randomly assigned between either four cycles of BEP (bleomycin 30 mg d1, d8, d15; etoposide 100 mg/m(2) d1-5; cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) d1-5) or four to six alternating cycles of CISCA/VB (cyclophosphamide 400 mg/m(2) d1-2, doxorubicin 35 mg/m(2) d1-2, cisplatin 100 mg/m(2) d3/vinblastine 2.5 mg/m(2) d1-5, bleomycin 25 mg/m(2) d1-5). Risk was initially defined according to the Institut Gustave Roussy (Villejuif, France) prognostic model based on serum alpha-fetoprotein and human chorionic gonadotropin levels only. Patients were retrospectively assigned into the International Germ Cell Consensus Classification. RESULTS: Among 185 assessable patients, favorable responses did not differ statistically between the two arms: 49 in the CISCA/VB arm (56%; 95% CI, 45% to 66%), 57 in the BEP arm (65%; 95% CI, 55% to 75%). The CISCA/VB regimen induced more significant hematologic and mucous toxicities compared with the BEP arm. The 5-year event-free survival rates were 37% (95% CI, 27% to 47%) and 47% (95% CI, 37% to 57%) in CISCA/VB and BEP arms, respectively (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.52 to 1.11; P = .15). With a median follow-up of 7.8 years, the 5-year overall survival rates were 59% (95% CI, 47% to 67%) and 69% (95% CI, 58% to 77%) in CISCA/VB and BEP arms, respectively (HR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.18; P = .24). CONCLUSION: Because of equivalent efficacy and lesser toxicity, the standard treatment for patients with intermediate- and poor-risk metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors remains four cycles of BEP.

Failure of high-dose cyclophosphamide and etoposide combined with double-dose cisplatin and bone marrow support in patients with high-volume metastatic nonseminomatous germ-cell tumours: mature results of a randomised trial.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact on survival of high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic support in patients with high-volume, metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumours. METHODS: One hundred fifteen patients were randomised to receive either four cycles every 21 d of vinblastine (0.2 mg/kg on day 1), etoposide (100 mg/m2/d on days 1 through 5), cisplatin (40 mg/m2/d on days 1 through 5), and bleomycin (30 mg on days 1, 8, and 15) (arm A), or a slightly modified regimen followed by a high-dose chemotherapy including etoposide (350 mg/m2/d on days 1 through 5), cisplatin (40 mg/m2/d on days 1 through 5), and cyclophosphamide (1600 mg/m2/d on days 2 through 5) (arm B). RESULTS: In an intent-to-treat analysis, there were 32 (56%) and 24 (42%) complete responses in arms A and B, respectively (p=0.099). After a median follow-up of 9.7 yr, 31 and 27 patients have continuously shown no evidence of disease in arms A and B, respectively. There was no significant difference between the overall survival curves (p=0.167). According to the International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group prognostic classification, the 5-yr survival rates were 88% and 82% in the intermediate group and 69% and 44% in the poor group (p=0.045) in arms A and B, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This trial failed to demonstrate an impact on response and survival of high-dose chemotherapy with haematopoietic support in first-line treatment of patients with high-volume, metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumours.

Results of induction chemotherapy in children older than 1 year with a stage 4 neuroblastoma treated with the NB 97 French Society of Pediatric Oncology (SFOP) protocol.

PURPOSE: To test the metastatic response rate in stage 4 neuroblastoma, using dose-intensive induction chemotherapy in a multi-institutional setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1998 to 1999, 47 consecutive children were treated according to N7 protocol. Children received cyclophosphamide 140 mg/kg, doxorubicin 75 mg/m(2), and vincristine 0.066 mg/kg (CAV) in cycles 1, 2, 4, and 6, and cisplatinum 200 mg/m(2) and etoposide 600 mg/m(2) (P/VP) in cycles 3, 5, and 7. The International Neuroblastoma Staging system was used with an emphasis on skeletal evaluation by 123-iodine-metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy. A phase II study evaluating the metastasis complete response rate after induction chemotherapy was conducted in patients who had positive metastatic sites on MIBG scans at diagnosis. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were assessable for toxicity. Hematologic toxicity was the main toxicity observed. Neutropenia was more frequent after CAV than after P/VP (P < .001). A higher rate of thrombocytopenia was observed after P/VP (P = .03). Forty patients with positive MIBG were assessable for metastatic response, and complete regression of metastases was achieved in 17 patients (ie, 43%; 95% CI, 27% to 59%). Of all 47 patients, 21 achieved complete metastatic response. CONCLUSION: The N7 induction chemotherapy protocol was feasible in a multicentric setting. The observed metastasis complete response rate was similar to that obtained in our previous studies and significantly lower than that published in a previous series using the same regimen. In our hands, escalating doses of cyclophosphamide and prolonging conventional chemotherapy with the same drugs failed to improve the metastasis complete response rate.

Early predicted time to normalization of tumor markers predicts outcome in poor-prognosis nonseminomatous germ cell tumors.

PURPOSE: The prognostic relevance of the rate of decline of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) during the first 3 weeks of chemotherapy for nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT) was studied in the context of the International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group (IGCCCG) classification. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 653 patients prospectively recruited in clinical trials were studied. Tumor markers were obtained before chemotherapy and 3 weeks later. Decline rates were calculated using a logarithmic formula and expressed as a predicted time to normalization (TTN). A favorable TTN was defined when both AFP and HCG had a favorable decline rate, including cases with normal values. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 50 months (range, 2 to 151 months). Tumor decline rate expressed as a predicted TTN was associated with both progression-free survival (PFS; P <.0001) and overall survival (OS; P <.0001). The 4-year PFS rates were 64% and 38% in patients from the poor-prognosis group who had a favorable and an unfavorable TTN, respectively. The 4-year OS rates were 83% and 58%, respectively. This effect was independent from the initial tumor marker values, the primary tumor site, and the presence of nonpulmonary visceral metastases: tumor marker decline rate remained a strong predictor for both PFS (hazard ratio = 2.5; P =.01) and OS (hazard ratio = 4.6; P =.002) in patients from the IGCCCG poor-prognosis group in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Early predicted time to tumor marker normalization is an independent prognostic factor in patients with poor-prognosis NSGCT and may be a useful tool in the therapeutic management of these patients.

Cisplatin in combination with either gemcitabine or irinotecan in carcinomas of unknown primary site: results of a randomized phase II study--trial for the French Study Group on Carcinomas of Unknown Primary (GEFCAPI 01).

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of novel chemotherapy combinations including cisplatin with gemcitabine (GC) or irinotecan (IC) for patients with carcinomas of an unknown primary site. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty patients were randomly assigned to receive GC or IC. In the GC arm, chemotherapy consisted of cycles combining gemcitabine 1,250 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) on days 1 and 8, and cisplatin 100 mg/m2 IV on day 1 at 3-week intervals. Patients in the IC arm originally received 3-week cycles of irinotecan 200 mg/m2 IV on day 1 and cisplatin 80 mg/m2 IV on day 1. After the inclusion of 15 patients in that arm, the toxicity profile required the irinotecan doses to be reduced to 150 mg/m2 per cycle. Independent histologic and radiologic reviews were done. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients were assessable for efficacy and toxicity. The median number of cycles was four in each arm. Objective responses were observed in 21 patients (55%) in the GC arm (95% CI, 34% to 66%) and in 15 patients (38%) in the IC arm (95% CI, 23% to 54%). Treatment had to be stopped because of toxicity in seven patients in the GC arm and in eight patients in the IC arm. With a median follow-up of 22 months, the median survivals were 8 and 6 months in the GC and IC arms, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the activity of both the GC and IC regimens. There was toxicity associated with both regimens. Additional studies of combination chemotherapy regimens are required.