Nutritional status is superior to the ECOG performance status in predicting the dose-intensity of the GEMOX chemotherapy regimen in patients with advanced cancer.

The increasing number of unfit patients calls for better risk assessment prior to initiating anti-tumor treatment. This is a major concern in the prevention and reduction of treatment-related complications. The aim of our study was to evaluate the nutritional status for the risk assessment of patients qualifying to receive the gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) regimen. This single-center, retrospective study examined baseline clinical and biological characteristics in a cohort of 165 unselected, consecutive cancer patients receiving GEMOX. Malnutrition was defined as either body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m(2), body weight loss >10% over 3 mo, or albuminemia <35 g/L. A total of 165 patients (median age 61 yr, PS 0-1: 71%) were studied. Malnutrition was seen in 43% of PS 0-1 patients, vs. 60% of PS 2 and 66% of PS 3 patients (P > 0.05). Median relative dose-intensity was 0.90 (0.17-1.04). GEMOX dose-intensity correlated negatively with loss of baseline weight (r = -0.24, P < 0.02). In patients who did not complete more than 2 cycles of chemotherapy, median PS (P < 0.01), mean C-reactive protein (CRP; P < 0.01), and mean albuminemia (P < 0.05) were, respectively, significantly higher, higher, and lower. Malnutrition is associated with a high risk of early discontinuance of treatment. Systematic basal evaluation of the nutritional status, including albuminemia and BMI, is recommended.

Interaction between serotonin reuptake inhibitors, 5-HT3 antagonists, and NK1 antagonists in cancer patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports suggested that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) could decrease the activity of 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) antagonists against acute chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), possibly through serotonin accumulation for 5-HT3 receptors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Chemonaive cancer patients receiving SSRI and antiemetic agents, including the 5-HT3 antagonist ondansetron and the neurokinin 1 (NK1) antagonist aprepitant for highly emetogenic chemotherapy (etoposide-platinum), were matched to control patients for the following variables: age, gender, primary tumor, past history of gestational emesis, chronic intake of benzodiazepines and/or corticosteroids, chronic alcohol intake, and aprepitant use. The primary evaluation criterion was the occurrence of acute vomiting during the first two cycles of treatment. RESULTS: Forty-four patients were eligible for this analysis. The proportion of patients, who experienced at least one episode of grade ≥ 1 acute vomiting in patients receiving SSRI, compared to patients who did not, was significantly higher (59.1 vs. 22.7%, respectively, p = 0.03, odds ratio 4.72, 95% confidence interval 1.13-22.88). Grade ≥ 2 acute vomiting was also significantly more frequent in patients receiving SSRI, even after the implementation of aprepitant to antiemetic prophylaxis (41.2 vs. 5.9%, p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reinforce the hypothesis that SSRI decrease the antiemetic activity of the 5-HT3 serotonin antagonist ondansetron, resulting in higher rates of acute vomiting in cancer patients despite adequate antiemetic prophylaxis. Adding the NK1 antagonist aprepitant do not counterbalance the deleterious effect of SSRI, probably due to the synergistic effects of SSRI and NK1 antagonists on serotonin transmission.

[Multidisciplinary oncopalliative meeting: Aims and pratical recommendations]. / La réunion de concertation pluridisciplinaire onco-palliative : objectifs et préconisations pratiques.

Progress leads to increase life duration at the metastatic stage but metastatic disease is most often lethal. Decision-making is necessary for an increasing period of care, beyond evidence-based medicine, dealing with complexity and uncertain benefit/risk ratio. This requires to inform the patient realistically, to discuss prognostication, to develop anticipated written preferences. These changes mean to pass from a medicine based on informed consent to medicine based on respect of the patient wishes even if it can be complex to determine. A new multidisciplinarity is needed, centered on the meaning of the care, the proportionality of the care, the anticipated patient trajectory. The ASCO has published recommendations on early palliative care. The timing and the quality of the discussion between palliative care specialists and oncologists is crucial. We propose 10 steps to organize a multidisciplinary onco-palliative meeting, as it appears the key for the organization of care in non-curable disease.

Drug monitoring of sunitinib in patients with advanced solid tumors: a monocentric observational French study.

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) could be helpful in oral targeted therapies. Data are sparse to evaluate its impact on treatment management. This study aimed to determine a threshold value of plasma drug exposure associated with the occurrence of grade 3-4 toxicity, then the potential impact of TDM on clinical decision. Consecutive outpatients treated with sunitinib were prospectively monitored between days 21 and 28 of the first cycle, then monthly until disease progression. At each consultation, the composite AUCƬ,ss (sunitinib + active metabolite SU12662) was assayed. The decisions taken during each consultation were matched with AUCƬ,ss and compared to the decisional algorithm based on TDM. A total of 105 cancer patients and 288 consultations were matched with the closest AUCƬ,ss measurement. The majority (60%) of the patients had metastatic renal clear-cell carcinoma (mRCC). Fifty-five (52%) patients experienced grade 3-4 toxicity. Multivariate analysis identified composite AUCƬ,ss as a parameter independently associated with grade 3-4 toxicity (P < 0.0001). Using the ROC curve, the threshold value of composite AUCƬ,ss predicting grade ≥3 toxicity was 2150 ng/mL/h (CI 95%, 0.6-0.79%; P < 0.0001). At disease progression in patients with mRCC, AUCƬ,ss tended to be lower than the one assayed during the first cycle (1678 vs. 2004 ng/mL/h, respectively, P = 0.072). TDM could have changed the medical decision for sunitinib dosing in 30% of patients at the first cycle of treatment, and in 46% of the patients over the whole treatment course. TDM is routinely feasible and may both contribute to improve toxicity management and to identify sunitinib underexposure at the time of disease progression.

Patient-specific blood pressure correction technique for arterial stiffness: evaluation in a cohort on anti-angiogenic medication.

Arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) depends on blood pressure (BP). Correction of PWV for BP is commonly performed using a statistical approach, requiring a patient cohort. We recently developed a mechanistic, model-predictive approach to assess BP-independent changes in carotid PWV (cPWV) at the level of the individual. The goal of the present study is to compare our novel technique to conventional statistical correction, in the context of anti-cancer therapy using anti-angiogenic drugs (AADs). AADs frequently lead to a PWV increase, but also to hypertension, underlining the need for BP correction of PWV measurements. We obtained carotid artery systolic and diastolic cross-sectional areas (echotracking) and corresponding BPs (tonometry) in 48 patients before starting AAD treatment (sorafenib/sunitinib), and at four follow-up visits spaced 2 weeks apart. For each patient, we derived cPWV and a baseline single-exponential BP cross-sectional area curve. Based on these baseline curves and follow-up BPs, we predicted cPWV at follow-up due to BP. By comparing predicted and measured cPWVs at follow-up, we assessed the BP-independent cPWV increase. In the same way, we assessed whether diastolic cross-sectional area (Ad) changed beyond the BP-induced amount. The AAD-induced BP-independent increase in cPWV was 0.43(0.09,0.77) m s-1 (mean (95%CI), P=0.014, mechanistic approach) and 0.48(0.14,0.82) m s-1 (P=0.006, statistical approach). Ad increased with 1.92(0.93,2.92) mm2 (P<0.001) and 2.14(1.06,3.23) mm2 (P<0.001), respectively. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the feasibility and potential of our mechanistic, model-predictive approach to quantify BP-independent effects on arterial stiffness at the level of the individual, in a clinically relevant setting of AAD therapy.

Large artery stiffness and hypertension after antiangiogenic drugs: influence on cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: Systemic hypertension is a frequent side effect of antiangiogenic drugs (AADs) and may represent a marker of efficacy on cancer. We hypothesized that large artery properties are affected by AADs, and contribute to the rise of blood pressure and may be better related to cancer progression and mortality than hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS: Participants were studied before AADs (V0), 10 days later (V1) and then every 2 weeks for 6 weeks (V1-V4). We included 57 consecutive patients in whom treatment with sorafenib (400 mg twice daily) or sunitinib (37.5-50 mg once daily) was indicated. The target dose could be adjusted according to tolerance and response. Aortic and carotid stiffness, brachial and central blood pressure and augmentation index were measured noninvasively at each visit. Data regarding cancer progression and mortality were collected at 6 months. Twenty-eight patients (49%) developed hypertension. Brachial SBP significantly increased during follow-up (V0-V1: +9.6 ±â€Š15.2 mmHg, P < 0.001; V0-V4: +6.0 ±â€Š17.8 mmHg, P = 0.04). Central BP, and aortic and carotid stiffness increased independently of brachial BP changes. Aortic and carotid stiffening were associated with cancer progression independently of BP changes [hazard risk 1.24 (1.01-1.51) and 1.34 (1.03-1.73), respectively; P < 0.05], but not with cancer mortality. Brachial SBP had no predictive value. CONCLUSION: Large arteries stiffen during AAD treatment partly independently of BP changes. Arterial mechanical properties are associated with BP rise. Arterial stiffening is related with the effects of AAD on cancer progression independently of BP changes. Large artery properties might help monitor AAD therapy in cancer patients.

Effect of glucuronidation on transport and tissue accumulation of tyrosine kinase inhibitors: consequences for the clinical management of sorafenib and regorafenib.

INTRODUCTION: UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) are a multigenic family of enzymes responsible for the glucuronidation reaction. Many therapeutic classes of drugs used in solid tumors are UGT substrates, including cancer therapies. AREAS COVERED: This article describes the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) undergoing hepatic glucuronidation; its effect on transport and tissue accumulation and the clinical consequences of this particular metabolism. A PubMed search concerning the pharmacokinetics of the TKIs was performed. All are extensively metabolized by CYP450. Two TKIs, sorafenib and regorafenib, also have a major UGT-mediated metabolism and were therefore studied. EXPERT OPINION: The prescription of the same dose of sorafenib and regorafenib for all patients may be inappropriate since at each enzymatic step of this multistep metabolism inter-individual fluctuations exist. Having a non-exclusive CYP-mediated route of metabolism may reduce the risk of variability in drug exposure when CYP3A4 substrates are concomitantly given. Several clinical consequences derive from this pharmacokinetic particularity of sorafenib and regorafenib. Since no clear difference distinguishes TKIs in efficacy in large randomized trials, the differences for the clinical management of their toxicity is a critical aspect.

Drug safety evaluation of sorafenib for treatment of solid tumors: consequences for the risk assessment and management of cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION: Sorafenib is a multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Considerable clinical experience has been accumulated since its first Phase III clinical trial in metastatic renal cancer patients in 2007. The management of its early acute toxicity in fit patients is well known. The management of prolonged treatment becomes the new challenge. AREAS COVERED: Using sorafenib as a key word for PubMed search, we review preclinical and clinical data and discuss the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of sorafenib, its acute and cumulative toxicities and their consequences for patient management. EXPERT OPINION: The systematic multi-disciplinary risk assessment of cancer patients prior to TKI initiation reduces the risks of acute and late toxicity, especially drug-drug interactions and arterial risks. Sarcopenia is now identified as a major risk of severe toxicity. The very diverse clinical pictures of cumulative toxicity must be known. The monitoring of sorafenib systemic exposure is helpful especially in elderly patients. Moreover, at disease progression, it allows distinguishing between underexposure to sorafenib and truly acquired resistance to the drug. The optimal use of sorafenib should allow improving the reported results of flat-dose. Finally, most of this knowledge could be used for the development and optimal use of the other TKIs.

Pemetrexed, oxaliplatin and bevacizumab as first-line treatment in patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Oxaliplatin has less haematological toxicity than cisplatin and carboplatin. The combination of pemetrexed, oxaliplatin and bevacizumab appeared well tolerated and active as second- or third-line treatment in a previous phase II study. Its role as first-line therapy remains to define. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From August 2008 to May 2011, consecutive chemo-naïve patients with stage IV non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) received pemetrexed 500mg/m(2), oxaliplatin 100mg/m(2) and bevacizumab 7.5mg/kg every 3 weeks for 6 cycles, in the outpatient setting. Maintenance therapy including pemetrexed and bevacizumab was given to patients with non-progressive disease. The primary evaluation criterion was safety. Secondary evaluation criteria were response rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients (50% males, median age: 55 years, range 38-76) received a total of 199 cycles (median per patient: 6, range 2-6), plus 98 cycles of maintenance therapy. Twenty patients (52.6%) had a PS of 2, and 6 (15.8%) had brain metastases. The most frequent toxicities were hypertension (all grades: 42.1%) and peripheral neuropathy (grade 2-3: 21.1%). Haematological toxicities included grade 4 neutropenia, grade 3 anaemia and thrombopenia (5.3% each). Neither febrile neutropenia nor arterial thrombo-embolic event occurred. The objective response rate was 55.3% (95%CI: 39.5-71.1). The median PFS and OS were 6.2 (95%CI: 5.4-9.0) and 14.6 (95%CI: 9.8-19.5) months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this single centre experience, the combination of pemetrexed, oxaliplatin and bevacizumab was well tolerated and had promising activity as first-line therapy in unselected patients with stage IV non-squamous NSCLC.

[Brain metastases in breast cancer. Epidemiology and natural history. The Institut Curie experience]. / Métastases cérébrales dans les cancers du sein. Épidémiologie et histoire naturelle. Expérience de l'Institut Curie à travers deux études : les patientes HER2- de moins de 65 ans et les patientes de plus de 65 ans.

Breast cancer is the second cause for brain metastases. Their incidence is rising, partly due to the therapeutic improvements which alter the natural history of breast cancer. Predictive factors for brain metastases have been identified: HER2 oncogene overexpression, lack of expression of hormone receptors, young age and triple negative status. Brain metastases prognosis remains poor with a median survival shorter than 1 year, except for solitary lesions treated by surgery or radiosurgery. We have analysed two series of data from Institut Curie (Paris and Saint-Cloud). In women younger than 65 years, with HER2 negative breast carcinoma, median survival was 7.1 months. In women older than 65 years, median survival was 4 months.