Intraarterial chemotherapy with polyoxyethylated castor oil free paclitaxel, incorporated in albumin nanoparticles (ABI-007): Phase I study of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and anal canal: preliminary evidence of clinical activity.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to determine the feasibility, maximum tolerated dose, and toxicities of intraarterial administration of paclitaxel-albumin nanoparticles in patients with advanced head and neck and recurrent anal canal squamous cell carcinoma. Antitumor activity also was assessed. METHODS: Forty-three patients (31 with advanced head and neck and 12 with recurrent anal canal squamous cell carcinoma) were treated intraarterially with ABI-007 every 4 weeks for 3 cycles. In total, 120 treatment cycles were completed, 86 in patients with head and neck carcinoma (median, 3 cycles; range, 1-4) and 34 in patients with anal canal carcinoma (median, 3 cycles; range, 1-4). ABI-007 was compared preliminarily with Taxol for in vitro cytostatic activity. Increasing dose levels from 120 to 300 mg/m2 were studied in 18 patients. Pharmacokinetic profiles after intraarterial administration were obtained in a restricted number of patients. RESULTS: The dose-limiting toxicity of ABI-007 was myelosuppression consisting of Grade 4 neutropenia in 3 patients. Nonhematologic toxicities included total alopecia (30 patients), gastrointestinal toxicity (3 patients, Grade 2), skin toxicity (5 patients, Grade 2), neurologic toxicity (4 patients, Grade 2) ocular toxicity (1 patient, Grade 2), flu-like syndrome (7 patients, Grade 2; 1 patient, Grade 3). In total, 120 transfemoral, percutaneous catheterization procedure-related complications occurred only during catheterization of the neck vessels in 3 patients (2 TIA, 1 hemiparesis) and resolved spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS: Intraarterial administration of ABI-007 by percutaneous catheterization does not require premedication, is easy and reproducible, and has acceptable toxicity. The maximum tolerated dose in a single administration was 270 mg/m2. Most dose levels showed considerable antitumor activity (42 assessable patients with 80.9% complete response and partial response). The recommended Phase II dose is 230 mg/m2 every 3 weeks.

Effect of two-4-hydroxyandrostenedione doses on serum insulin-like growth factor I levels in advanced breast cancer.

A number of endocrine treatments for advanced breast cancer seem to affect serum insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). The aim of our study was to investigate IGF-I levels in 33 postmenopausal patients with metastatic disease receiving the selective aromatase inhibitor 4-hydroxyandrostenedione: 250 mg (16 patients) or 500 mg (17 patients) i.m. fortnightly. Blood samples were collected before, and at one month and 3 months after the beginning of treatment for radioimmunoassay determinations. The median patient age was 56 and 60 years in the 250 and 500 mg groups respectively. Most patients had a disease free interval > or = 2 years and were oestrogen receptor positive. Objective responses were obtained in 3 patients (complete response, 1) in the 250 mg group, and in 7 patients (complete response, 3) in the 500 mg group. No significant IGF-I variations were seen in the 250 mg group, whereas a significant increase after 3 months (181.57 +/- 84.78 ng/ml versus 272.47 +/- 213.22 ng/ml, p = 0.0032) was observed in the 500 mg group. No IGF-I variations were seen between responsive and unresponsive patients in either treatment group. Our results in the 500 mg group are close to those obtained with aminoglutethimide and seem to agree with the hypothesis of an oestrogen-induced suppression of IGF-I circulating levels.

3H-thymidine labeling index, hormone receptors, and ploidy in breast cancers from elderly patients.

Breast cancers from 476 elderly patients, 70 years and older, operated on since 1972, were analyzed for proliferative activity, hormone receptors, and DNA content. Tumor proliferative activity, expressed as 3H-thymidine labeling index (3H-TdR LI), had a median value of 3.4%, which progressively increased from 1972 to 1990. Estrogen and progesterone receptors were present respectively in 83% and 61% of the cases; the positivity for estrogen receptors slightly increased with time. Aneuploid clones were detected in 74% of the cases, and this incidence was relatively stable during the time of observation. 3H-TdR LI, hormone receptors, and ploidy were generally unrelated to the local-regional extension of the disease in these elderly patients, in agreement with observations on cancer from younger patients. However, the absence of hormone receptors and the presence of aneuploidy were markedly indicative of fast cell proliferation. As in younger patients, these biologic findings in elderly patients could be considered as a complement to clinico-pathologic features in a 'risk-factor profile system' for treatment planning.