Dynamic soluble changes in sVEGFR1, HGF, and VEGF promote chemotherapy and bevacizumab resistance: A prospective translational study in the BECOX (GEMCAD 09-01) trial.

Despite initial responsiveness, acquired resistance to both bevacizumab and chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer is universal. We have recently published that in vitro, chronically oxaliplatin resistance upregulates soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, downregulates vascular endothelial growth factor, and also promotes c-MET, b-catenin/transcription factor 4, and AKT activation. We tested whether variation in three serum biomarkers such as the natural c-MET ligand (hepatocyte growth factor), soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor-A was associated with efficacy in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated in the prospective BECOX study. Serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A165, soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, and hepatocyte growth factor were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method basally and every 3 cycles (at the time of computed tomography evaluation) in a preplanned translational study in the first-line BECOX trial in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with CAPOX plus bevacizumab. Response was evaluated by routine contrast-enhanced computed tomography by RECIST 1.1 by investigator assessment and by three blinded independent radiologists. Ratios between soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1/vascular endothelial growth factor-A and hepatocyte growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-A were established and variations through time were related to RECIST 1.1 by investigator assessment and independent radiologist. The BECOX trial included 68 patients, and 27 patients were analyzed in the translational trial. A total of 80 RECIST 1.1 evaluations were done by investigator assessment and 56 by independent radiologist. We found that a 3.22-fold increase in soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1/vascular endothelial growth factor-A by investigator assessment and a 3.06-fold increase in soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1/vascular endothelial growth factor-A by independent radiologist from previous determination were associated with responses compared with 1.38-fold increase by investigator assessment and 1.59 by independent radiologist in non-responders (p = 0.0009 and p = 0.03, respectively). Responders had a 3.36-fold increase in hepatocyte growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-A from previous determination by investigator assessment and 3.66-fold increase in hepatocyte growth factor/vascular endothelial growth factor-A by independent radiologist compared with 1.43-fold increase by investigator assessment and 1.53 by independent radiologist for non-responders (p = 0.002 and 0.003, respectively). In conclusion, a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor-A and an increase in soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 during chemotherapy and bevacizumab exposure can contribute to both chemotherapy (due to c-MET/b-catenin activation) and bevacizumab (due to low vascular endothelial growth factor requirements) resistance. Because hepatocyte growth factor levels decrease also during acquired resistance, alternative strategies to hepatocyte growth factor-ligand inhibition should be investigated.

First-line bevacizumab and capecitabine-oxaliplatin in elderly patients with mCRC: GEMCAD phase II BECOX study.

BACKGROUND: Subgroup analyses of clinical studies suggest that bevacizumab plus XELOX is effective and tolerable in elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). The prospective BECOX study examined the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab plus XELOX, followed by bevacizumab plus capecitabine in elderly patients with mCRC. METHODS: Patients aged ⩾70 years with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 out of 1 and confirmed mCRC were included. Patients received bevacizumab 7.5 mg kg(-1) and oxaliplatin 130 mg m(-2) on day 1, plus capecitabine 1000 mg m(-2) bid orally on days 1-14 every 21 days; oxaliplatin was discontinued after 6 cycles. The primary end point was time to progression (TTP). RESULTS: The intent-to-treat population comprised 68 patients (65% male, median age 76 years). Median TTP was 11.1 months; median overall survival was 20.4 months; overall response rate was 46%. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events included diarrhoea (18%) and asthenia (16%). Grade 3 or 4 adverse events of special interest for bevacizumab included deep-vein thrombosis (6%) and pulmonary embolism (4%). CONCLUSIONS: Bevacizumab plus XELOX was effective and well tolerated in elderly patients in the BECOX study. The adverse-event profile was similar to previous reports; no new safety concerns were identified. Fit elderly patients with mCRC should be considered for treatment with bevacizumab plus XELOX.

A combination of hydroxytyrosol, omega-3 fatty acids and curcumin improves pain and inflammation among early stage breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant hormonal therapy: results of a pilot study.

PURPOSE: Breast cancer patients receiving hormonal therapies face risks of relapse, increased rates of cardiovascular events, and toxicities of therapy such as aromatase inhibitor (AI)-associated musculoskeletal symptoms (AIMSS). C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker for inflammation, is associated with breast cancer outcomes. We evaluated whether the olive-derived polyphenol hydroxytyrosol combined with omega-3 fatty acids and curcumin would reduce CRP and musculoskeletal symptoms in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant hormonal therapies. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: This prospective, multicenter, open-label, single arm, clinical trial enrolled post-menopausal breast cancer patients (n = 45) with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) taking predominantly aromatase inhibitors to receive a combination of hydroxytyrosol, omega-3 fatty acids, and curcumin for 1 month. CRP, other inflammation-associated cytokines, and pain scores on the Brief Pain Inventory were measured before therapy, at the end of therapy and 1 month after completion of therapy. RESULTS: CRP levels declined during the therapy [from 8.2 ± 6.4 mg/L at baseline to 5.3 ± 3.2 mg/L (p = 0.014) at 30 days of treatment], and remained decreased during the additional 1 month off therapy. Subjects with the highest baseline CRP levels had the greatest decrease with the therapy. Pain scores also decreased during the therapy. There were no significant adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of hydroxytyrosol, omega-3 fatty acids, and curcumin reduced inflammation as indicated by a reduction in CRP and reduced pain in patients with aromatase-induced musculoskeletal symptoms. Longer studies comparing this combination to other anti-inflammatories in larger groups of patients with clinical outcome endpoints are warranted.

Superior efficacy of letrozole versus tamoxifen as first-line therapy for postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer: results of a phase III study of the International Letrozole Breast Cancer Group.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of tamoxifen with that of letrozole, an oral aromatase inhibitor, with tamoxifen as first-line therapy in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Nine hundred seven patients were randomly assigned letrozole 2.5 mg once daily (453 patients) or tamoxifen 20 mg once daily (454 patients). Patients had estrogen receptor- and/or progesterone receptor-positive tumors, or both receptors were unknown. Recurrence during adjuvant antiestrogen therapy or within the following 12 months or prior endocrine therapy for advanced disease precluded enrollment. One prior chemotherapy regimen for metastatic disease was allowed. The primary end point was time to progression (TTP). Secondary end points included overall objective response rate (ORR), its duration, rate and duration of clinical benefit, time to treatment failure (TTF), overall survival, and tolerability. RESULTS: TTP was significantly longer for letrozole than for tamoxifen (median, 41 v 26 weeks). Treatment with letrozole reduced the risk of progression by 30% (hazards ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.82, P =.0001). TTP was significantly longer for letrozole irrespective of dominant site of disease, receptor status, or prior adjuvant antiestrogen therapy. Similarly, TTF was significantly longer for letrozole (median, 40 v 25 weeks). ORR was higher for letrozole (30% v 20%; P =.0006), as was the rate of clinical benefit (49% v 38%; P =.001). Survival data are currently immature and not reported here. Both treatments were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Letrozole was significantly superior to tamoxifen in TTP, TTF, ORR, and clinical benefit rate. Our results support its use as first-line endocrine therapy in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.

Adjuvant regimens with trastuzumab administered for small HER2-positive breast cancer in routine clinical practice.

PURPOSE: Trastuzumab has proven to improve the prognosis of HER2-positive breast cancer, but the information available about its administration for small tumors is still limited. Therefore, we assessed the use of adjuvant regimens with trastuzumab for the treatment of small HER2-positive breast cancer in routine clinical practice. METHODS: This observational study was conducted in patients with HER2-positive breast adenocarcinoma ≤1.5 cm who received trastuzumab-based adjuvant treatment in clinical practice. Clinical/histopathological data were retrieved from patients' medical charts. RESULTS: A total of 101 evaluable patients were enrolled (median age [range], 56.7 [49.0-64.8] years; ECOG 0, 98.0 %; ductal carcinoma, 88.1 %; lymph nodes N0, 79.2 %). Only five (5.0 %) patients received neoadjuvant treatment, while all patients underwent tumor surgery. Adjuvant trastuzumab was administered at a mean (±SD) dose of 5.9 ± 1.5 mg/kg/cycle, and mostly in a three-weekly schedule (89 [89.0 %] patients). The most frequent adjuvant therapy used with trastuzumab was chemotherapy (87 [86.1 %] patients), followed by radiotherapy (63 [62.4 %] patients) and hormone therapy (52 [51.5 %] patients). Chemotherapy regimens mainly included doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel/docetaxel (n = 30), docetaxel and cyclophosphamide (n = 15), docetaxel and carboplatin (n = 13). Hormone therapy mainly included letrozole (n = 17) and tamoxifen (n = 17). Nine (8.9 %) patients reported trastuzumab-related adverse events; only one allergic reaction reached grade 3 toxicity. CONCLUSION: This study shows that trastuzumab-based adjuvant treatment of small HER2-positive breast cancer is mostly based on chemotherapy-mainly paclitaxel/docetaxel. Adjuvant administration of trastuzumab for small HER2-positive breast cancer seems to be similar to that used for larger tumors.

Detection of BRCA1 gene mutations in families with breast cancer patients and their healthy relatives.

Eighty-three families with two or more cases of breast and ovarian cancer were selected to evaluate the prevalence rate of BRCA1 gene mutations, and identify healthy carriers. Blood samples from patients and healthy relatives were obtained. Haplotype study of the 17q21 region using 7 polymorphic markers was performed. Mutational analysis of the coding exons of the BRCA1 gene was performed by the PCR-SSCP method and direct sequencing. We detected germline mutations (frameshift and missense) in 6 families (9.1%). Combining haplotype analysis and PCR-SSCP screening, 18 (15%) healthy female carriers were identified. The prevalence rate of germline BRCA1 gene mutations among our families with breast cancer syndrome is low, and relatives having the same haplotype for the 17q21 region as mutation-carrying patients usually display the same genomic sequence as the patients.

Results of a pilot study of 40 patients using high-dose therapy with hematopoietic rescue after standard-dose adjuvant therapy for high-risk breast cancer.

The study was designed to determine the toxicity, feasibility, and effectiveness of high-dose cyclophosphamide (6 g/m2), thiotepa (500 mg/m2) and carboplatin (800 mg/m2 (CTCb) with hematopoietic rescue as consolidation after standard-dose adjuvant chemotherapy treatment of primary high-risk breast cancer. From October 1991 to September 1994, 40 patients with stage II or III breast cancer involving 10 or more nodes were treated with CTCb after six cycles of adjuvant therapy with an anthracycline-containing regimen. Bone marrow (BM) was used as the source hematopoietic stem cell in the first 23 patients and G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) in the other 17. No therapy-related deaths occurred, but three life-threatening Complications were recorded which resolved: bilateral pulmonary hemorrhage, veno-occlusive disease of the liver and pulmonary thromboembolism. PBPC result in faster hemopoietic reconstitution with significantly lower transfusion requirements. With a median follow-up of 35 months (23-59) actuarial event-free survival for the study patients at 3 years is 72% (CI 95%: 66-81%). Even in patients over 50-60 years, CTCb is a relatively well tolerated regimen which appears, after a median follow-up of nearly 3 years, to decrease relapse frequency as compared with historical series, although a definite role of HDT in the treatment of high-risk primary breast cancer needs confirmation in prospective randomized trials.

Open comparative trial of formestane versus megestrol acetate in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer previously treated with tamoxifen.

The aim of the trial was to compare efficacy and safety of the aromatase inhibitor formestane (250 mg i.m. given every 2 weeks) with the progestin megestrol acetate (160 mg administered orally once daily), as second-line therapy in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer previously treated with tamoxifen. A total of 547 patients were enrolled. Analyses revealed no statistically significant or clinically relevant difference between treatments with respect to time endpoints. In the intent-to-treat analysis, the median values for time to failure and overall survival for formestane were 169 and 561 days, respectively. The corresponding values for megestrol acetate were 169 days and 597 days, respectively. Overall response rates were comparable for formestane and megestrol acetate (16.3% vs 20.3%). Formestane was better tolerated than megestrol acetate. In the megestrol acetate group, cardiovascular events, weight increase, and vaginal haemorrhage were significantly more frequent than in the formestane group. Thus, formestane is a suitable alternative to progestins in patients previously treated with tamoxifen.

Phase II study of weekly irinotecan (CPT-11) as second-line treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

This phase II trial studied the antitumor effect and toxicity of weekly irinotecan (CPT-11, 125 mg/m(2) 60 min iv infusion, weekly for 4 wk plus 2 wk rest) as second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) resistant or refractory to prior 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy. Sixty-nine patients with adenocarcinoma (57% in the colon and 43% in the rectum) were enrolled. The median number of treatment cycles received per patient was 4 (range, 1-6). Overall response rate was 18% (95% CI, 9-26), with 4 complete responses (6%) and 8 partial responses (12%), and a median duration of response of 8.1 mo (95% CI, 4.2-12.1). Stable disease was observed in 19 patients (28%). The median time to disease progression was 5.2 mo (95% CI, 4.3-6.1), and the median overall survival was 13.3 mo (95% CI, 9.8-16.8 months). The toxicity profile was favorable: grade 3/4 delayed diarrhea was observed in 10 patients (14.5%) in one cycle each, and grade 3/4 neutropenia in 6 patients (8.7%) and 6 cycles (3.3%). No febrile neutropenia or infection was documented. Grade 3/4 nausea and vomiting were reported in 1 (1.4%) and 7 patients (10.1%), respectively. In conclusion, this phase II trial showed a response rate and a toxicity profile of weekly CPT-11 in line with the results of prior phase II studies.

Superiority of letrozole to tamoxifen in the first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer: evidence from metastatic subgroups and a test of functional ability.

PURPOSE: The letrozole study 025 is a large (n = 907), international, double-blind, randomized, phase III trial in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer. This subanalysis compares the efficacies of letrozole and tamoxifen as first-line therapy in postmenopausual women with advanced breast cancer according to site of metastatic lesions and Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine hundred seven patients with advanced breast cancer were randomly assigned to once-daily oral letrozole (2.5 mg; Femara; Novartis Pharma AG; Basel, Switzerland) or tamoxifen (20 mg; Tamofen; Leiras OY; Turku, Finland). Time to progression (TTP) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method. Treatments were compared by Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: Letrozole treatment significantly prolonged TTP in all subsets of patients: those with nonvisceral metastases, those with visceral metastases without liver involvement, and those with liver metastases. The reduction in risk of progression ranged from 25%, for patients with nonvisceral metastases, to 36%, for patients with liver metastases. The distributions of baseline KPS scores for both treatment groups were similar (57% had KPS scores >/=90). Time to worsening of 20 points or more in KPS score was significantly longer with letrozole than with tamoxifen, but modest numbers of patients experienced such deterioration (letrozole, 20%, tamoxifen, 22%, in patients without visceral metastases; 23%-24% in patients with liver metastases; and letrozole, 14%, tamoxifen, 30%, in patients with visceral metastases without liver involvement). CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate the consistent superiority of letrozole over tamoxifen and support the use of letrozole as a new standard of endocrine therapy in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.

[Comprehensive cancer centers]. / Centros monográficos del cáncer.

The authors reason about the convenience of the creation of Comprehensive Cancer Centers, following the experience of the International Union Against Cancer and the policy of the French Hospitals Network. They describe the characteristics of oncological centers in Spain, making proposals for their improvement.

Sequential doxorubicin and docetaxel as first-line treatment in metastatic breast cancer: a GEICAM-9801 phase II study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and the toxicity profile of the sequential administration of doxorubicin and docetaxel as first-line chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-one patients received a total of 436 cycles of chemotherapy: 236 of doxorubicin (75 mg/m2) and 200 of docetaxel (100 mg/m2 every 21 days). The first 35 patients received doxorubicin every 14 days with G-CSF support, and in the other 46 cases doxorubicin was administered every 21 days without G-CSF. RESULTS: After entire treatment the overall response rate was 65% (18 complete responses). With a median follow-up of 19 months (range, 1-48 months), the median time to progression was 11.3 months and the median survival time was 31 months. As expected, febrile neutropenia was the most important toxicity and it appeared in 26 cycles (6%) and 19 patients (23%). In the patients that received doxorubicin every 14 days, the febrile neutropenia incidence was higher during docetaxel treatment, especially after its first administration. CONCLUSIONS: The dose and schedule of doxorubicin and docetaxel used in this trial seems to be active in first-line treatment of patients with MBC. The toxicity profile appears to be better than observed with concomitant schedules.

A randomized, open, parallel-group trial to compare the endocrine effects of oral anastrozole (Arimidex) with intramuscular formestane in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study provides a direct randomized comparison of a new-generation, non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor, anastrozole (Arimidex), with a steroidal aromatase inhibitor (formestane) with respect to oestrogen (oestradiol, oestrone, and oestrone sulphate) suppression and tolerability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer were randomized to receive either anastrozole 1 mg once daily orally (n = 29), or formestane 250 mg once every two weeks by intramuscular injection (n = 31). Treatment was continued until progression of disease or withdrawal from the study. The primary endpoints of this study were oestradiol suppression and tolerability. The secondary endpoints included oestrone and oestrone sulphate suppression. All laboratory analyses were conducted 'blind' of the randomized drug treatment. RESULTS: Anastrozole produced a greater and more consistent suppression of oestradiol levels compared with formestane. Based on two- and four-week measurements, the mean fall from baseline (pre-dose) in oestradiol level was 79% and 58% in the anastrozole and formestane groups, respectively (P = 0.0001). After four weeks of treatment, oestrone and oestrone sulphate levels were also suppressed to a greater extent by anastrozole compared with formestane (oestrone: 85% versus 67%, respectively, P = 0.0043; oestrone sulphate: 92% versus 67%, respectively, P = 0.0007). No statistical differences were seen between the two drugs in the incidence of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Anastrozole provides a more consistent and significantly more effective suppression of oestradiol compared with formestane. Similar results were observed for oestrone and oestrone sulphate. The clinical significance of these differences in total oestrogen suppression remains to be established.

Epirubicin-cyclophosphamide adjuvant chemotherapy plus tamoxifen administered concurrently versus sequentially: randomized phase III trial in postmenopausal node-positive breast cancer patients. A GEICAM 9401 study.

BACKGROUND: A prospective randomized clinical trial was implemented to assess whether the concomitant or the sequential addition of tamoxifen to chemotherapy provides improved clinical benefit in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer in postmenopausal patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four-hundred and eighty-five patients with node-positive operable disease were randomized to receive tamoxifen (20 mg/day) concomitantly (CON) or sequentially (SEQ) to EC chemotherapy (epirubicin 75 mg/m(2) + cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2) on day 1, every 21 days for four cycles). RESULTS: In the 474 fully evaluable patients there were 96 events; eight being second neoplasms and 88 being related to the breast cancer. Of these, 48 of 88 occurred in the CON arm and 40 of 88 in the SEQ arm. The Kaplan-Meier estimation of disease-free survival (DFS) at 5 years was 70% in the CON and 75% in the SEQ group (log-rank test, P = 0.43). Adjusted hazard ratio for treatment was 1.11 (95% confidence interval 0.71-1.73; P = 0.64). CONCLUSION: This study fails to show an advantage of one treatment arm over the other, but a trend, albeit non-significant, appears to favor the sequential addition of tamoxifen to epirubicin + cyclophosphamide and, as such, warrants further investigation.

Comparison of the selective aromatase inhibitor formestane with tamoxifen as first-line hormonal therapy in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.

A total of 409 postmenopausal patients with advanced metastatic breast cancer were randomized to receive either formestane (Lentaron) 250 mg every 2 weeks by intramuscular injection, or tamoxifen 30 mg/day orally. Treatment continued until tumor progression. The groups were well matched for pretreatment characteristics including age, performance status, hormone receptor status (patients with known negative receptor status of their primary tumor were excluded), site and extent of metastases, disease-free interval, and previous primary and adjuvant therapy. Patients were assessed for antitumor efficacy at 3-monthly intervals using UICC criteria. Of the 348 patients evaluable for response, 33% had an objective response to formestane (14 complete and 43 partial responses), while 37% had an objective response to tamoxifen (10 complete and 54 partial responses). Median duration of response was 15 months for formestane and 20 months for tamoxifen; survival was 35 and 38 months respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatments for all these variables, but time to disease progression and time to treatment failure significantly favoured tamoxifen. Systemic tolerability was excellent for both treatments. Local side effects due to intramuscular injection of formestane were mild and transient. In this comparative trial of first-line therapy for advanced breast cancer, formestane gave results comparable to tamoxifen for both efficacy and tolerability. We conclude that formestane is an effective and well tolerated addition to the therapeutic options available for the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer.