Tumor Response Predicts Survival Time of Nivolumab Monotherapy for Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Subgroup Analysis of the DELIVER Trial (JACCRO GC-08).

BACKGROUND: This prospective observational study evaluated the real-world effectiveness of nivolumab monotherapy in previously treated advanced gastric cancer (GC). A preplanned 2-year final analysis was performed to confirm survival and tumor behavior with nivolumab monotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The data regarding tumor size were prospectively collected and evaluated using the RECIST criteria. Exploratory analyses were performed for survival according to the tumor response and depth of response (DpR) in patients with measurable lesions who were receiving nivolumab monotherapy as third- or later-line therapy. RESULTS: In 487 patients, the median OS and progression-free survival (PFS) were 5.8 (95% CI 5.3-6.9) months and 1.8 (95% CI 1.7-2.0) months, respectively. The response rate (RR) was 14.5% in 282 patients with measurable lesions. In 234 patients treated with third- or later-line, the DpR was found to be associated with PFS and OS in the Spearman analysis (r = 0.55 and 0.44, respectively) as well as using a discrete variable. When the DpR was divided into 5 groups (-20%≥DpR; -20%

CA125 Kinetics as a Potential Biomarker for Peritoneal Metastasis Progression following Taxane-Plus-Ramucirumab Administration in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer.

Currently, no established marker exists for predicting peritoneal metastasis progression during chemotherapy, although they are major interruptive factors in sequential chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). This multicenter retrospective study was conducted from June 2015 to July 2019, analyzing 73 patients with AGC who underwent taxane-plus-ramucirumab (TAX/RAM) therapy and had their serum carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) concentrations measured. Of 31 patients with elevated CA125 levels above a cutoff of 35 U/mL, 25 (80.6%) had peritoneal metastasis. The CA125 concentrations before TAX/RAM treatment were associated with ascites burden. The overall survival was significantly shorter in the CA125-elevated group. CA125 kinetics, measured at a median of 28 days after chemotherapy, were associated with the ascites response (complete or partial response: -1.86%/day; stable disease: 0.28%/day; progressive disease: 2.33%/day). Progression-free survival in the CA125-increased group, defined by an increase of 0.0067%/day using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, was significantly poorer among patients with peritoneal metastases. In conclusion, this study highlights that CA125 kinetics can serve as an early predictor for the progression of peritoneal metastasis during TAX/RAM treatment.

A Phase II Study of FOLFIRI Plus Ziv-Aflibercept After Trifluridine/Tipiracil Plus Bevacizumab in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: WJOG 11018G.

BACKGROUND: Non-inferiority of trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) plus bevacizumab (BEV) to irinotecan/fluoropyrimidine plus BEV in metastatic colorectal cancer was investigated in the phase III TRUSTY study, and we conducted a phase II study of FOLFIRI (5-FU+leucovorin+irinotecan) plus zib-aflibercept (AFL) after FTD/TPI plus BEV. However, the TRUSTY study failed during the recruitment of our patients. OBJECTIVE: We present the findings of a phase II study on the efficacy of FOLFIRI plus zib-aflibercept (AFL) after FTD/TPI plus BEV, including clinical results with plasma biomarker analyses. METHODS: This was a multicenter, single-arm, phase II study in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer refractory or intolerant to oxaliplatin, fluoropyrimidine, BEV, and FTD/TPI. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. Fifteen plasma angiogenesis-associated biomarkers were analyzed using a Luminex® multiplex assay U-kit. RESULTS: Between January 2020 and May 2022, 26 patients (median age, 68 years) from 15 sites were enrolled. The median progression-free survival was 4.9 months (85% confidence interval, 3.4 month-not estimated). The overall response and disease control rates were 8% and 62%, respectively. The median levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A and placental growth factor, both targets of AFL, were below the measurable limit of 30 pg/mL and 16 pg/mL, respectively. Patients were divided into two groups at the median levels of baseline biomarkers. The progression-free survival did not differ between high and low expressers of placental growth factor (p = 0.7), while it tended to be shorter in those with high levels of osteopontin (p = 0.05), angiopoietin-2 (p = 0.07), and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (p = 0.1). CONCLUSIONS: This study did not meet the primary endpoint. Hence, FOLFIRI plus AFL should not be used after FTD/TPI plus BEV for metastatic colorectal cancer. Further studies are needed to determine factors not targeted by AFL that may affect the efficacy of the treatment. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: jRCTs041190100.

Nivolumab Rechallenge After Prior Nivolumab Therapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Single-Center Case Series and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pivotal phase III trials indicated that the anti-PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab prolongs overall survival in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Nivolumab is currently used in the first- or later-line treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer in Japan. The efficacy of immune check inhibitor rechallenge after progression has been reported in other cancers. Therefore, this study investigated the clinical outcome of nivolumab rechallenge in patients with advanced gastric cancer who received nivolumab in a previous systemic line. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of six patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer who received nivolumab rechallenge. RESULTS: During initial nivolumab therapy, three patients experienced partial responses, and one patient achieved stable disease. The reasons for discontinuing initial nivolumab therapy were progressive disease in five patients and immune-related adverse events in one patient. The median interval duration of treatment for patients receiving both nivolumab regimens was 13.7 (range: 5.1-17.8) months. During nivolumab rechallenge, no patients achieved partial responses, whereas two patients had stable disease. Median progression-free survival was 2.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6-not available [NA]) months, and median overall survival was 7.4 (95% CI = 2.3-NA) months. Although one patient had discontinued prior nivolumab therapy because of immune-related adverse events, there were no immune-related adverse events associated with nivolumab rechallenge. CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of nivolumab rechallenge in patients with advanced gastric cancer was limited. Rechallenge with the same immune check inhibitor might be ineffective in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Trifluridine/Tipiracil Plus Bevacizumab for Vulnerable Patients With Pretreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Study (WJOG14520G).

BACKGROUND: Trifluridine/tipiracil (FTD/TPI) plus bevacizumab has shown clinical benefit for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) refractory to standard therapy. However, few data have been available for patients with pretreated mCRC who are intolerant of intensive therapy (vulnerable). METHODS: We performed a multicenter retrospective study (WJOG14520G; TWILIGHT) of FTD/TPI plus bevacizumab for vulnerable patients with pretreated mCRC. Eligibility criteria included previous chemotherapy (although patients treated with all key cytotoxic agents, a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan, were excluded) and intolerance of full-dose combination therapy with oxaliplatin or irinotecan at the start of FTD/TPI plus bevacizumab. RESULTS: The median age of 93 evaluable patients was 79 years (range, 21-90). Intolerance of intensive therapy was attributable to an older age in 60 (65%) patients, serious concomitant disease in 24 (26%) patients, and a poor performance status in 19 (20%) patients. FTD/TPI plus bevacizumab was administered as second-line treatment in 74 (80%) patients and as third- or fourth-line treatment in 19 (20%) patients. The objective response rate was 4.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4%-12.2%), and the disease control rate was 67.9% (95% CI, 56.6%-77.8%). With a median follow-up time of 21.6 months, median overall survival and progression-free survival were 18.6 months (95% CI, 12.1-23.2) and 6.3 months (95% CI, 5.0-8.3), respectively. Neutropenia of grade ≥3 developed in 50 (54%) patients, whereas 2 (2%) patients experienced febrile neutropenia, and no treatment-related death was observed. CONCLUSION: Our data show the potential efficacy and acceptable safety profile of FTD/TPI plus bevacizumab for vulnerable patients with pretreated mCRC.

Real-World Treatment Sequencing in Vulnerable Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Data regarding treatment sequence for vulnerable patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in a real-world setting are lacking. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess treatment outcomes in second-line or later chemotherapy for vulnerable patients with mCRC in a real-world setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Vulnerable patients with mCRC who received less intensive treatment ('vulnerable') regimens, i.e. fluoropyrimidines with or without biologics (FP), reduced-dose doublet regimens with or without biologics (Doublet), and anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monotherapy (Anti-EGFR), as first-line therapy between June 2015 and December 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 210 patients from 15 hospitals were analyzed. The median age was 78 years (range 28-90), and 44 patients (21%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) score of 2. In the entire population, the median time to treatment failure (TTF) and overall survival (OS) were 7.6 and 21.4 months, respectively. Following the failure of first-line therapy in 195 patients, 74 (38%), 24 (12%), and 13 (7%) patients received vulnerable regimens, full-dose doublet regimens with or without biologics, and other regimens, respectively, whereas 84 (43%) received best supportive care (BSC). In patients receiving vulnerable regimens as second-line therapy, the median TTF and OS were 4.4 and 13.7 months, respectively, while response rate and disease control rate were 18% and 62%, respectively. In 84 patients who received BSC, the median OS was 3.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: Second-line chemotherapy for vulnerable patients with mCRC showed clinically meaningful outcomes; however, few patients received second-line therapy, and survival among patients who received BSC was dismal.

Soluble programmed cell death ligand 1 predicts prognosis for gastric cancer patients treated with nivolumab: Blood-based biomarker analysis for the DELIVER trial.

BACKGROUND: The clinical value of soluble forms of programmed cell death-1 (sPD-1), PD ligand 1 (sPD-L1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (sCTLA-4) for gastric cancer (GC) patients treated with nivolumab monotherapy has remained unknown. METHODS: Blood samples collected before nivolumab treatment from 439 GC patients enrolled in the DELIVER (Japan Clinical Cancer Research Organisation GC-08) trial were analysed for sPD-1, sPD-L1 and sCTLA-4. Corresponding baseline clinical data were also retrieved. RESULTS: Higher plasma levels of sPD-1 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.27, p = 0.020), sPD-L1 (HR = 1.86, p < 0.001) and sCTLA-4 (HR = 1.33, p = 0.008) were significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS), whereas only higher sPD-L1 levels was significantly associated with shorter progression-free survival (HR = 1.30, p = 0.008). The sPD-L1 concentration was significantly associated with the Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) (p < 0.001), but both sPD-L1 (HR = 1.67, p < 0.001) and GPS (HR = 1.39, p = 0.009 for GPS 0 versus 1; HR = 1.95, p < 0.001 for GPS 0 versus 2) were independently associated with OS. Patients with a GPS of 0 and low sPD-L1 thus showed the longest OS (median, 12.0 months) and those with a GPS of 2 and high sPD-L1 showed the shortest OS (median, 3.1 months), yielding a HR of 3.69 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Baseline sPD-L1 levels have the potential to predict survival for advanced GC patients treated with nivolumab, with the prognostic accuracy of sPD-L1 being improved by its combination with GPS.

Ureteral Metastasis of Colonic Adenocarcinoma with Enteroblastic Differentiation: A Rare Case to be Distinguished from Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma of the Urinary Tract.

Adenocarcinomas with enteroblastic differentiation are rare clear cell tumors that are positive for enteroblastic markers. Enteroblastic differentiation is particularly uncommon in colorectal adenocarcinomas. Herein, we report a case of clear cell adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation in the sigmoid colon of a 38-year-old Japanese woman that metastasized to the lower left ureter. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the patient underwent low anterior resection. The tumor consisted of tubular, cribriform, and focal micropapillary proliferation of clear cells immunopositive for spalt-like transcription factor 4 (SALL4), glypican 3, and alpha-fetoprotein. Six months after the colonic resection, a tumor was found in the left lower ureter, which was resected. The ureteral tumor revealed clear cell adenocarcinoma, which was identical to the colonic tumor proliferating in the ureteral mucosa. Metastatic ureteral tumors are rare. We performed a literature search and found only 50 reported cases of ureteral metastases from colorectal cancer. Of these, only 10 metastatic tumors were identified in the ureteral mucosa. No case of ureteral metastasis of clear cell colorectal adenocarcinoma or colorectal adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation has been reported. Hence, it can be challenging to distinguish them from clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urinary tract and/or clear cell urothelial carcinoma. This paper discussed the differential diagnosis of these tumors and reviewed the clinicopathological features of colorectal carcinomas metastasizing to the ureter.

Pattern of disease progression during third-line or later chemotherapy with nivolumab associated with poor prognosis in advanced gastric cancer: a multicenter retrospective study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Accelerated tumor growth during immunotherapy in pre-existing measurable lesions, hyperprogressive disease (HPD), has been reported. However, progression of non-measurable lesions and new lesions are frequently observed in patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC). METHODS: This retrospective study involved AGC patients at 24 Japanese institutions who had measurable lesions and received nivolumab after ≥ 2 lines of chemotherapy. HPD was defined as a ≥ two-fold increase in the tumor growth rate of measurable lesions. The pattern of disease progression was classified according to new lesions in different organs and ascites appeared/increase of ascites. RESULTS: Of 245 patients, 147 (60.0%) showed progressive disease (PD) as the best response and 41 (16.7%) showed HPD during nivolumab monotherapy. There was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between patients with HPD and those with PD other than HPD (median OS 5.0 vs 4.8 months; hazard ratio [HR] 1.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.6-1.5; p = 1.0). Fifty-three patients developed new lesions in different organs and 58 had appearance/increase of ascites; these patients showed shorter OS than those without each of these features (median OS 3.3 vs 7.1 months, HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.7, p = 0.0031 for new lesions, and 3.0 vs 7.8 months, HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.8-3.8, p < 0.0001 for ascites). Thirty-one patients who had both features showed the worst prognosis (median OS 2.6 months). CONCLUSIONS: New lesions in different organs and appearance/increase of ascites, rather than the original definition of HPD, are the patterns of disease progression associated with poor prognosis in AGC patients receiving nivolumab whose best response was PD.

WJOG13219G: The Efficacy and Safety of FOLFOXIRI or Doublet plus Anti-VEGF Therapy in Previously Untreated BRAFV600E Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: A Multi-Institutional Registry-Based Study (BRACELET Study).

BACKGROUND: The real-world survival benefit of FOLFOXIRI (fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan) plus anti-VEGF therapy (Triplet) over doublet chemotherapy (Doublet) remains controversial in patients with BRAFV600E mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: WJOG13219G was a multicenter, retrospective, registry-based study of patients with BRAFV600E mutant mCRC who received first-line triplet or doublet chemotherapy from January 2014 to December 2019 in Japan. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to adjust for patient background. RESULTS: The analysis included 79 and 91 patients in the Triplet and Doublet groups, respectively. The Triplet group was significantly younger and had better performance status. No statistical difference was noted in progression-free survival (PFS; HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.60-1.13; P = .22) and overall survival (OS; HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.62-1.25; P = .48) between both groups. IPTW analysis also showed no difference between the 2 groups in PFS (HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.69-1.08; P = .20) and OS (HR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.73-1.20; P = .59). The Triplet and Doublet groups had an objective response rate of 53% and 41%, respectively (P = .10). At least one grade 3 or 4 adverse event was seen in 51 (65%) and 43 (47%) patients in the Triplet and Doublet groups, respectively, with the incidence of neutropenia being significantly higher in the former. CONCLUSION: Triplet therapy had no survival benefit versus doublet therapy in the overall and IPTW cohorts or specific subgroups for real-world patients with BRAFV600E mutant mCRC.

Real-world effectiveness of nivolumab in advanced gastric cancer: the DELIVER trial (JACCRO GC-08).

BACKGROUND: There is no large real-world data regarding efficacy and safety of immunotherapy in gastric cancer (GC). Although some tumors can grow rapidly after immunotherapy, the patient proportions and survival outcomes are unclear in GC. METHODS: A multicenter, prospective observational study was performed to evaluate clinical outcomes including survival time, safety, and tumor behavior of nivolumab treatment for patients with advanced GC. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and secondary endpoints included response rate (RR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), tumor growth rate (TGR) at first evaluation, and safety. RESULTS: Of 501 enrolled patients, 487 were evaluable (median age 70 years, 71% male, performance status 0/1/2 [42%/44%/14%], 21% HER2-pos, 42% patients with ascites). Median OS was 5.82 months (95% CI 5.29-7.00) with a 1-year survival rate of 30% and median PFS of 1.84 months (95% CI 1.71-1.97). The DCR was 39.4% and the RR was 14.2% (95% CI 10.3-18.8) in 282 patients with measurable lesions. In 219 patients evaluable for TGR, 20.5% were identified as hyperprogressive disease (HPD). OS from the first evaluation of patients with HPD was shorter compared with non-HPD (HR 1.77, 95% CI 1.25-2.51, P = 0.001), but it was not worse than that of patients with progression and non-HPD (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.72-1.53, P = 0.8). A multivariate analysis revealed the presence of peritoneal metastasis was a prognostic factor for OS and PFS. CONCLUSIONS: Our real-world data demonstrated the comparable survival time to a previous clinical trial and revealed the frequency and prognosis of patients with HPD in advanced GC treated with nivolumab.

Prominent PD-L1-positive M2 macrophage infiltration in gastric cancer with hyper-progression after anti-PD-1 therapy: A case report.

RATIONALE: Anti-PD-1 antibody is the standard therapy for treatment-resistant gastric cancer, but only a limited number of patients respond. Additionally, cases of hyper-progressive disease (HPD) in which tumor growth accelerates after anti-PD-1 antibody administration have been reported; however, the biological mechanism has not been elucidated. PATIENT CONCERNS: In the present case, metastatic gastric cancer was treated with the anti-PD-1 antibody, nivolumab, as third-line treatment. DIAGNOSIS: After the initiation of nivolumab therapy, a rapidly enlarging para-aortic lymph nodes were observed leading to the diagnosis of HPD. INTERVENTIONS: Multiplex immunohistochemistry was used to examine immune cells infiltrating in the primary tumor and in liver metastasis which were obtained before nivolumab treatment, and in lymph node metastasis which presented with HPD after nivolumab therapy. OUTCOMES: In the primary tumor, helper T (Th) cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), regulatory T (Treg) cells, and PD-L1-negative macrophages were observed. On the other hand, in metastatic lymph nodes presenting with HPD, PD-L1-positive macrophages prominently increased, while Treg cells, CTLs, and Th cells decreased. PD-L1 expression was not observed in gastric cancer cells among the three specimens. LESSONS: The findings suggest the possibility that PD-L1-positive M2 macrophage might contribute to acceleration of tumor growth with anti-PD-1 therapy in the present case.

[Number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding as a predictive factor for readmission:an exploratory study].

Colonic diverticular bleeding often recurs and requires hospital readmission. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the rate of readmission and the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding. We retrospectively studied 98 patients first admitted between January 2008 and July 2017 for the treatment of colonic diverticular bleeding. We investigated the subsequent number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding and classified the patients into 3 groups:those admitted for the first time (first group), those admitted for the second time (second group), and those admitted for the third time or later (third group). Generally, the readmission rate increased as the number of hospitalizations increased (P<0.01). The 1-year readmission rates were 11.6%, 23.2%, and 34.2% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 2-year readmission rates were 15.1%, 50.1%, and 62.4% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The 3-year readmission rates were 21.7%, 50.1%, and 74.9% in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. Thus, the number of hospitalizations due to colonic diverticular bleeding could be a predictive factor for readmission. We also classified the patients into 2 additional groups:those who had been readmitted (readmission group) and those who had not (no readmission group). Furthermore, we examined background and therapeutic factors, and found hypovolemic shock on admission to be an independent risk factor (odds ratio 14.1). Preventive treatments for such high-risk patients should be considered.

White globe appearance is an endoscopic predictive factor for synchronous multiple gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: White globe appearance (WGA) is a small white lesion with a globular shape identified during magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging. However, the association between WGA and synchronous multiple gastric cancer (SMGC) remains unclear. METHODS: Consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection for gastric cancer (GC) between July 2013 and April 2015 at our institution were eligible for this study. We excluded patients with a history of gastric tumor or gastrectomy. Patients who had more than 2 GCs in their postoperative pathological evaluation were classified as SMGC-positive, and patients who had at least 1 WGA-positive GC were classified as WGA-positive patients. The primary outcome was a comparison of the prevalence of WGA in patients classified as SMGC-positive and SMGC-negative. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the following variables: WGA, age, sex, atrophy, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) status. RESULTS: There were 26 and 181 patients classified as SMGC-positive and SMGC-negative, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that WGA-positive classification (50% vs. 23%, P=0.008) and male sex (88% vs. 66%, P=0.02) were significant factors associated with SMGC classification, while age ≥65 years (81% vs. 81%, P>0.99), severe atrophy (46% vs. 46%, P>0.99), and H. pylori positivity (69% vs. 65%, P=0.8) were not. In the multivariate analysis, only WGA-positive classification (odds ratio 2.78, 95% confidence interval 1.16-6.67; P=0.02) was a significant independent risk factor for SMGC. CONCLUSIONS: Our exploratory study showed the possibility of WGA as a predictive factor for SMGC. In cases of WGA-positive gastric cancer, careful examination might be needed to diagnose SMGC.

Does previous biopsy lead to cancer overdiagnosis of superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors?

Background and study aims We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging (M-NBI) in superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADETs) regarding the absence or presence of biopsy before M-NBI diagnosis. Patients and methods Clinicopathological data were retrospectively reviewed for 99 SNADETs from 99 patients who underwent endoscopic resection. The 99 tumors were divided into the non-biopsy group (32 lesions not undergoing biopsy before M-NBI examination) and the biopsy group (67 lesions undergoing biopsy before M-NBI examination). We investigated the correlation between the M-NBI diagnosis and the histopathological diagnosis of the SNADETs in both groups. Results According to the modified revised Vienna classification, 31 tumors were classified as category 3 (C3) (low-grade adenoma) and 68 as category 4/5 (C4/5) (high-grade adenoma/cancer). The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of preoperative M-NBI diagnoses in the non-biopsy group vs the biopsy group were 88 % (95 % confidence interval: 71.0 - 96.5) vs 66 % (51.5 - 75.5), P  = 0.02; 95 % (77.2 - 99.9) vs 89 % (76.4 - 96.4), P  = 0.39; and 70 % (34.8 - 93.3) vs 14 % (3.0 - 36.3), P  < 0.01, respectively. Notably, in the biopsy group, the specificity of M-NBI in SNADETs was low at only 14 % because we over-diagnosed most C3 lesions as C4/5. M-NBI findings might have been compromised by the previous biopsy procedure itself. Conclusions In the non-biopsy group, the accuracy of M-NBI in SNADETs was excellent in distinguishing C4/5 lesions from C3. The M-NBI findings in SNADETs should be evaluated while carefully considering the influence of a previous biopsy.

Docetaxel-induced fluid retention during adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 plus docetaxel.

S-1 plus docetaxel is the standard postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy regimen for patients with stage III gastric cancer in Japan, which has increased the use of docetaxel. One of the most common adverse events of docetaxel, which is widely used to treat several malignancies, is fluid retention. Conversely, the most worrisome cause of ascites in patients who receive adjuvant chemotherapy is recurrence. Sometimes, the differential diagnosis of ascites is difficult if ascitic cytology is negative. In this study, we presented the case of a patient with massive ascites that appeared during adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 plus docetaxel.

Colitis induced by Lenvatinib in a patient with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Lenvatinib is a standard molecular targeted agent for the first-line treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Here, we report a case of colitis induced by Lenvatinib treatment in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A 78-year-old man previously treated with Lenvatinib for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma was admitted to our hospital complaining of right lateral abdominal pain without diarrhea. Our endoscopic findings showed multiple ulcers and erosions on his ascending colon, and he was diagnosed with colitis induced by Lenvatinib treatment. After the discontinuation of Lenvatinib, his colitis improved, and he resumed Lenvatinib at a lower dose. Colitis is a rare adverse event of Lenvatinib, and this is the first detailed report of colitis induced by Lenvatinib with endoscopic findings.

Phase Ib study of FOLFOXIRI plus ramucirumab as first-line treatment for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Ramucirumab, an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor2 monoclonal antibody, inhibits VEGF-A, VEGF-C, and VEGF-D binding and endothelial cell proliferation. We conducted a phase Ib study to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of fluorouracil, l-leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI) plus ramucirumab. METHODS: This phase Ib study investigated three dose levels of FOLFOXIRI plus ramucirumab (three dose levels of irinotecan and fluorouracil with fixed dose of oxaliplatin 85 mg/m2 and ramucirumab 8 mg/kg on day 1, repeated every 2 weeks) in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was assessed during the first cycle. RESULTS: A total of ten patients were enrolled. The first four patients received the treatment at dose level 0 (irinotecan 150 mg/m2 and fluorouracil 2400 mg/m2), and subsequent six patients were treated at dose level 1 (irinotecan 165 mg/m2 and fluorouracil 3200 mg/m2). No DLT was observed in the nine DLT-evaluable patients, which indicated that the RP2D was dose level 1. Grade 3 or worse adverse events included neutropenia (70%), hypertension (20%), and febrile neutropenia (10%). No treatment-related death was observed in any cycle. The overall response rate was 70%. CONCLUSION: The RP2D of FOLFOXIRI plus ramucirumab was determined to be 8 mg/kg of ramucirumab, 165 mg/m2 of irinotecan, 85 mg/m2 of oxaliplatin, 200 mg/m2 of l-leucovorin, and 3200 mg/m2 of fluorouracil. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000023277.

Phase II study of S-1 plus oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 in Japanese patients with advanced gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: Although oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 every 3 weeks was approved for advanced gastric cancer in Japan, data regarding S-1 plus oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 (SOX130) are limited in Japanese patients with advanced gastric cancer. We investigated the feasibility and safety of SOX130 in Japanese patients with advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: Patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric adenocarcinoma, no previous chemotherapy, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status of 0-1 were treated with SOX130. The primary endpoint was the 3-cycle completion rate, defined as the proportion of patients who completed the first three cycles with ≥ 80% relative dose intensity of oxaliplatin. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients were enrolled from April 2015 to 2016. The 3-cycle completion rate was 72.0% (90% confidence interval: 53.8-86.1), which was higher than the predetermined threshold rate of 50%. With the median number of cycles being 6 (range, 1-19+), grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurred in 10 patients (40%). Major grade 3 adverse events were anorexia (24%), thrombocytopenia (16%), and neutropenia (12%). No febrile neutropenia or treatment-related deaths occurred. Among 12 patients with measurable lesions, the overall response rate was 58.3%. Median progression-free and overall survival were 5.7 months (95% confidence interval 2.9-8.5) and 13.1 months (95% confidence interval 7.4-19.0), respectively. CONCLUSION: Results indicated that SOX130 was feasible in Japanese patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Risk factors for esophageal fistula in thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma invading adjacent organs treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy: a monocentric case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Standard treatment for unresectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) without distant metastasis is definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT), in which the incidence of esophageal fistula (EF) is reported to be 10-12%. An ad hoc analysis of JCOG0303, a phase II/III trial of dCRT for patients with unresectable ESCC (including non-T4b), suggested that esophageal stenosis is a risk factor for EF. However, risk factors for EF in patients limited to T4b ESCC treated with dCRT have yet to be clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors for EF in T4b thoracic ESCC treated with dCRT. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of consecutive T4b thoracic ESCC patients who were treated with dCRT (cisplatin and fluorouracil) at Shizuoka Cancer Center between April 2004 and September 2015. RESULTS: Excluding 8 patients with esophageal fistula clearly attributable to other iatrogenic interventions, the data of 116 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Esophageal fistula was observed in 28 patients (24%). Although the fistula was closed in 5 patients, overall survival was significantly shorter in patients who experienced esophageal fistula (8.0 vs. 26.8 months; p < 0.0001). Among four potential variables extracted in univariate analysis, namely, total circumferential lesion, elevated CRP level, elevated white blood cell count, and anemia, the first two were revealed as risk factors for esophageal fistula in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that total circumferential lesion and CRP ≥1.00 mg/dL are risk factors for esophageal fistula in T4b thoracic ESCC treated with dCRT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was retrospectively registered.