Everolimus in combination with vandetanib in children, adolescents, and young adults: a phase I study.

BACKGROUND: Combined use of inhibitors of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-2) receptors is a potential strategy to overcome resistance to either class of drugs when used alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We designed a phase 1 trial to test the drug combination of a multikinase VEGF receptor 2 inhibitor, vandetanib, and an mTOR inhibitor, everolimus, in a pediatric and young adult patient cohort with advanced cancers. Exceptional responders were probed for tumor mutational profile to explore possible molecular mechanisms of response. RESULTS: Among 21 enrolled patients, clinical benefit was observed in 38% (one patient with partial response and eight patients with stable disease) with a median progression-free survival of 3.3 months. The most common treatment-related adverse event was rash (n = 13). Other treatment-related toxicities included diarrhea, fatigue, hypertension, QT prolongation, hypertriglyceridemia/hypercholesterolemia, transaminitis, thrombocytopenia, and weight loss. None of the patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities. Three exceptional responders were analyzed and were found to harbor genetic alterations including kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) Q472H mutation, EWSR1-CREB3L1, CDKN2A/B loss, and ASPL/ASPSCR1-TFE3 fusion. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of vandetanib and everolimus showed early activity and tolerable toxicity profile in pediatric patients with advanced cancers.

Serum ghrelin levels are higher in Caucasian men than Japanese men aged 40-49 years.

BACKGROUND: Ghrelin, a 28-amino-acid gastric peptide hormone, has an appetite-stimulating effect and controls the energy balance. Serum ghrelin levels inversely correlate with body mass index. Recently, several papers reported the ethnic difference in the ghrelin levels. To our knowledge, however, no studies have compared the serum ghrelin levels between Caucasians in the USA and the Japanese in Japan. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 189 men 40-49 years of age (91 US Caucasians in the U.S. and 98 Japanese in Japan) to examine serum ghrelin levels and metabolic and other factors. RESULTS: Serum ghrelin levels correlated with waist circumferences and lipid profiles among Caucasian Americans and the Japanese. Serum ghrelin levels were significantly higher among Caucasian Americans than among the Japanese (904.5 (632.0, 1132.0) pg/mL, 508.0 (399.0, 1378.3) pg/mL (median and 95% confidence interval), respectively, P < 0.01), although Caucasian Americans were much more obese (BMI: 26.9 +/- 3.3 kg/m(2) versus 23.3 +/- 3.1 kg/m(2) respectively, P < 0.01). The ethnic difference remained after adjusting for metabolic factors, smoking status, and other factors (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We have shown in our population-based study that serum ghrelin levels among men aged 40-49 are significantly higher in Caucasian Americans than in the Japanese in Japan. Reasons for the ethnic difference in the ghrelin levels are largely unknown and warrant further investigation.