The impact of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor use in patients with metastatic breast cancer treated with palliative chemotherapy: a single-institution retrospective review.

PURPOSE: The goal of chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) is palliation of symptoms while minimizing treatment-related toxicities. It remains unclear whether use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) to maintain relative dose intensity of chemotherapy for MBC is associated with improved clinical outcomes. METHODS: The medical records of MBC patients treated with chemotherapy in 1st-3rd-line settings between May 2010 and April 2014 were reviewed. Time to progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients who received G-CSF and those who did not. Antibiotic use, total clinic visits, and pre- and post-treatment Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status were also compared between the groups. RESULTS: Of the 169 patients included, 55 (32.5%) received > 1 G-CSF dose and 114 (67.5%) did not receive any G-CSF. The median TTP was similar between the two groups (5.0 months (95% CI 3.4-7.1) vs. 5.2 months (95% CI 4.8-6.2) respectively; p = 0.998). The median PFS (p = 0.955; 5.0 months (95% CI 3.4-5.9) vs. 5.2 months (95% CI 4.7-6.0), respectively) and OS (14.6 (95% CI 9.0-26.6) vs. 18.5 months (95% CI 15.2-22.0) in G-CSF and non-G-CSF groups, respectively; p = 0.628) were also similar between groups. No significant between-group differences were noted in rate of decline in ECOG performance status, antibiotic use, and number of clinic visits and hospitalizations. CONCLUSION: This retrospective analysis did not find any evidence that the use of G-CSF to maintain chemotherapy dose intensity for the treatment of MBC improves TTP, PFS, and OS or results in improved ECOG performance status compared with lack of G-CSF use in patients with MBC treated in 1st to 3rd-line settings.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP): a community hospital experience and review of the literature.

We reviewed the records of 51 patients with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) who underwent Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) at Charleston Area Medical Center between June 1992 and September 2005. There were 41 males and 10 females with a median age of 68 years (range 49-87). Four patients had a previous splenectomy, one of whom had it performed concomitantly with the CABG. Three patients were on chronic corticosteroids on admission. The median pump time was 114 minutes (range: 42-244 minutes). The median cross-clamp time was 62 minutes (range 22-192 minutes). The median total chest tube drainage postoperatively was 1,346 cc (range: 265-9875cc). The mean preoperative and 24 hour postoperative platelet count was 126,000 (range 58,000-323,000) and 99,000/mm3 (range: 27,000-194,000), respectively. Twenty-one (40%) patients received platelet transfusions. Platelets were given intraoperatively or postoperatively in all but two of those patients. The median number of units of platelets given was 10 (range: 6-52). Twenty-seven (53%) received packed red cells intraoperatively or postoperatively. The median number of red cells given was 2 (range: 1-34). Other hemostatic agents given intraoperatively/ postoperatively included aprotinin (8 patients), aminocaproic acid (10 patients), DDAVP (5 patients), and intravenous gammaglobulin (IgG) in 3 patients. Thirteen patients were given corticosteroids preoperatively with little improvement in platelet count. CABG may be successfully performed in ITP patients with moderate thrombocytopenia (> or = 50,000/mm3) using conventional therapies (e.g., transfusions, IV IgG, hematinics) without the need for preoperative splenectomy or prolongation of hospital stay. However, a prospective study on the ideal management of ITP patients undergoing CABG would be beneficial.

Metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma presenting as multifocal liver lesions with elevated alpha-fetoprotein.

Significant elevations in alpha-fetoprotein should raise suspicion for hepatocellular carcinoma as malignancies with metastasis to the liver can elevate the alpha-fetoprotein level but typically <300 ng/mL. Diagnosis should be confirmed with typical characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma on imaging and or liver biopsy to confirm diagnosis.

Cumulative incidence, risk factors, and management of atrial fibrillation in patients receiving ibrutinib.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been reported in up to 16% of patients taking ibrutinib. Data regarding the management of AF in this patient population are limited, and stroke prevention poses a challenge because of increased risk of bleeding with ibrutinib treatment. Our study sought to describe the incidence of AF in adult patients treated with ibrutinib for a hematologic malignancy, assess management strategies, evaluate stroke and bleeding outcomes, and identify risk factors for occurrence. Of 582 patients treated with ibrutinib, 76 developed AF. With a median follow-up of 32 months, the estimated cumulative incidence at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years was 5.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.2-8.0), 7.5% (95% CI: 5.5-9.9), and 10.3% (95% CI: 8.0-13.0), respectively. Median time to onset of AF was 7.6 months. History of AF and Framingham Heart Study (FHS) AF risk score were found to be significant risk factors for development of AF. Most patients were treated with rate control-only strategies (61.8%), and concomitant aspirin or anticoagulant therapy with ibrutinib was used in 52.6% and 28.9% of patients, respectively. One patient on aspirin developed symptoms consistent with stroke. Nine major bleeds were noted in 7 patients, and 34 clinically relevant nonmajor bleeds were noted in 24 patients. Twenty-one bleeds (4 major bleeds) occurred in 18 patients on aspirin, and 10 bleeds (all clinically relevant nonmajor bleeds) occurred in 6 patients with anticoagulant therapy. These results provide risk factor assessment, impact of management strategies, and outcomes of patients with AF on ibrutinib and serve as basis for formal guidelines.

Biomarkers of Angiogenesis in Colorectal Cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and accounts for 10% of all new cancer diagnoses. Angiogenesis is a tightly regulated process that is mediated by a group of angiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors. Given the widespread use of antiangiogenic agents in CRC, there has been considerable interest in the development of methods to identify novel markers that can predict outcome in the treatment of this disease with angiogenesis inhibitors. Multiple biomarkers are in various phases of development and include tissue, serum, and imaging biomarkers. The complexity of the angiogenesis pathway and the overlap between the various angiogenic factors present a significant challenge to biomarker discovery. In our review, we discuss the angiogenesis pathway and the most promising evolving concepts in biomarker discovery, as well as highlight the landmark studies that identify subgroups of patients with CRC who may preferentially benefit from angiogenesis inhibitors.