CA19-9 decrease at 8 weeks as a predictor of overall survival in a randomized phase III trial (MPACT) of weekly nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine versus gemcitabine alone in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: A phase I/II study and subsequent phase III study (MPACT) reported significant correlations between CA19-9 decreases and prolonged overall survival (OS) with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (nab-P + Gem) treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC). CA19-9 changes at week 8 and potential associations with efficacy were investigated as part of an exploratory analysis in the MPACT trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Untreated patients with MPC (N = 861) received nab-P + Gem or Gem alone. CA19-9 was evaluated at baseline and every 8 weeks. RESULTS: Patients with baseline and week-8 CA19-9 measurements were analyzed (nab-P + Gem: 252; Gem: 202). In an analysis pooling the treatments, patients with any CA19-9 decline (80%) versus those without (20%) had improved OS (median 11.1 versus 8.0 months; P = 0.005). In the nab-P + Gem arm, patients with (n = 206) versus without (n = 46) any CA19-9 decrease at week 8 had a confirmed overall response rate (ORR) of 40% versus 13%, and a median OS of 13.2 versus 8.3 months (P = 0.001), respectively. In the Gem-alone arm, patients with (n = 159) versus without (n = 43) CA19-9 decrease at week 8 had a confirmed ORR of 15% versus 5%, and a median OS of 9.4 versus 7.1 months (P = 0.404), respectively. In the nab-P + Gem and Gem-alone arms, by week 8, 16% (40/252) and 6% (13/202) of patients, respectively, had an unconfirmed radiologic response (median OS 13.7 and 14.7 months, respectively), and 79% and 84% of patients, respectively, had stable disease (SD) (median OS 11.1 and 9 months, respectively). Patients with SD and any CA19-9 decrease (158/199 and 133/170) had a median OS of 13.2 and 9.4 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: This analysis demonstrated that, in patients with MPC, any CA19-9 decrease at week 8 can be an early marker for chemotherapy efficacy, including in those patients with SD. CA19-9 decrease identified more patients with survival benefit than radiologic response by week 8.

Treatment of hairy cell leukemia in a decade of change. Appraisal of community based oncologists' opinions.

Over the past decade there have been several important new treatment options for hairy cell leukemia (HCL). These changes have centered around the emergence of new medicines starting with Alpha Interferon in the early 1980's, then Pentostatin, and finally in the early 90's with 2-CDA. The object of this study was to ascertain the treatment preference, reasons for selection, and ramifications of these new therapies on community-based oncologists. A questionnaire study was sent to 300 medical oncologists taken from the American Society of Clinical Oncology Membership Listings for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Questions ranging from demographic information of these physicians, choice of treatment for HCL reasons for their selections and the impact of these selections on the treatment of other diseases, as well as future research on HCL were asked. Seventy-eight percent of responding physicians considered 2-CDA the treatment of choice. Belief that this was the most effective treatment was their reasoning. Eighty percent felt that further research in HCL was still beneficial and needed. Perhaps some of this was based on the response that developments in the treatment of HCL had interfaced with the potential treatments of other diseases.

Initial experience with a "code-no code" resuscitation system in cancer patients.

A "code-no code" resuscitation classification was recently instituted at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Physician compliance was voluntary. Of 48 subsequent cardiopulmonary arrests, 7 patients (14.6%) were discharged from hospital. They included 4 of 17 patients (23.5%) previously assigned "code" status and 1 of 27 patients (3%) whose resuscitation status had not been designated. Reluctance on the part of the primary physician to withhold resuscitation was clearly evident in this group, of whom more than half had widespread malignancy. Stage of disease did not influence the 50% rate of successful resuscitations but no patient with metastatic or uncontrolled cancer left hospital. The discharge rate among arrest patients with recently diagnosed or localized cancer was 32%. These observations justify continued efforts to restrict cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to those with a reasonable prognosis for worthwhile palliation or cure.

Invasive aspergillosis with massive fatal hemoptysis in patients with neoplastic disease.

Two patients had fatal episodes of massive hemoptysis secondary to invasive aspergillosis, complicating in one with acute leukemia and in the other with lung carcinoma. Review of the literature reveals that these cases are among the very few in which invasive aspergillosis has been documented as the etiology of massive hemoptysis in cancer patients. Both patients had been previously treated with corticosteroids and/or other immunosuppressive agents. In one of the two patients, the diagnosis was made ante mortem and antifungal therapy instituted, but dissemination progressed despite treatment.

Effect of a zinc-deficient diet on the growth of an IgM-secreting plasmacytoma (TEPC-183).

A diet deficient in zinc resulted in a significant decrease in the number of inbred BALB/c female mice developing transplantable plasmacytoma TEPC-183 compared to pair-fed and ad libitum-fed control mice. The size of the tumor relative to body weight was decreased in the zinc-deficient group. Whereas the uptake of [3H]thymidine into tumor cells did not differ between the groups, the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into tumor cells was significantly reduced in the animals maintained on a zinc-deficient diet.

Coexisting hypertrophic heart disease and mitral valve prolapse. A continuum of hereditary cardiac disease?

The finding at autopsy of typical pathologic features of hypertrophic heart disease (idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, IHSS) and mitral valve prolapse (MVP) in a single patient prompted study of a number of close relatives of this patient. Several additional cases of IHSS or MVP were found. The HLA typing of this kindred revealed that four out of seven members tested had the Bw 35 antigen. Although the association might be due to chance, this kindred, together with prior reports of similar bizarre myocardial cellular disarray in HISS and MVP, suggest the hypothesis that in some instances, IHSS and MVP may represent a continuum of hereditary cardiac disorders.

Salicylate-induced hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis in a nondiabetic adult.

A 78-year-old nondiabetic woman was admitted to the hospital with salicylate-induced hypoglycemia. Ketosis was present with a moderate metabolic acidosis and primary respiratory alkalosis. The patient's mental status improved immediately following intravenous administration of glucose. The case illustrates salicylate's hypoglycemic activity, and that the metabolic acidosis may have exacerbated symptoms of cerebral glucopenia.