Chemotherapy For Solid Cancer Research Articles

Hepatitis B Virus Screening and Real Life Data in Patients with Solid Tumor Receiving Chemotherapy.

Reactivation of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) either during or after chemotherapy may cause serious and sometimes fatal hepatitis. All patients undergoing chemotherapy should therefore be screened in terms of HBV before chemotherapy. The purpose of this research was to identify HBV screening rates in patients with solid cancer undergoing parenteral chemotherapy and to determine the outcomes of patients undergoing HBV screening. Data for patients undergoing parenteral chemotherapy for solid cancer from January 1, 2012 to December 30, 2018 were retrieved from our electronic health record patient files in this retrospective study. Screening was defined as hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and/or hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) tests carried out within six months prior the first chemotherapy session. Four thousand fifty-eight (63%) of the 6440 patients who underwent parenteral chemotherapy were screened for HBsAg and/or HBcAb. The proportions of patients screened for HBsAg and HBcAb improved from 38.8% (2012) to 76.3% (2018), and from 0.2% (2012) to 43% (2018), respectively (P<0.001). The HBsAg and HBcAb positivity rates were 2.9% and 36.5%, respectively. Antiviral prophylaxis was started in 11.8% of HBsAg-negative/HBcAb-positive patients and 40.5% of HBsAg-positive patients. HBV reactivation did not occur in patients receiving antiviral prophylaxis, but was identified in 7.2% of HBsAg-positive patients and 0.6% of HBsAg-negative/HBcAb-positive patients without antiviral prophylaxis. Although HBV screening rates before chemotherapy are increasing among solid cancer patients, the rate of initiation of antiviral prophylaxis is still low. It is therefore important to raise awareness regarding HBV reactivation during/after chemotherapy.

Noninvasive Molecular Imaging of the Enhanced Permeability and Retention Effect by 64Cu-Liposomes: In vivo Correlations with 68Ga-RGD, Fluid Pressure, Diffusivity and 18F-FDG.

BackgroundThe accumulation of liposome encapsulated chemotherapy in solid cancers is dependent on the presence of the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with a liposome encapsulated radioisotope, such as liposome encapsulated Cu-64 (64Cu-liposome) may help to identify tumors with high liposome accumulation, and thereby stratify patients based on expected benefit from liposomal chemotherapy. However, intravenous administration of liposomes without a cytotoxic content is complicated by the accelerated blood clearance (ABC) phenomenon for succeeding therapeutic liposome dosing. Alternative markers for assessing the tumor’s EPR level are therefore warranted.Materials and MethodsTo increase our understanding of EPR variations and to ultimately identify an alternative marker for the EPR effect, we investigated the correlation between 64Cu-liposome PET/CT (EPR effect) and 68Ga-RGD PET/CT (neoangiogenesis), 18F-FDG PET/CT (glycolysis), diffusion-weighted MRI (diffusivity) and interstitial fluid pressure in two experimental cancer models (CT26 and COLO 205).Results64Cu-liposome and 68Ga-RGD SUVmax displayed a significant moderate correlation, however, none of the other parameters evaluated displayed significant correlations. These results indicate that differences in neoangiogenesis may explain some EPR variability, however, as correlations were only moderate and not observed for SUVmean, 68Ga-RGD is probably insufficient to serve as a stand-alone surrogate marker for quantifying the EPR effect and stratifying patients.

External validation of two predictive scores of chemotherapy toxicities among older patients with solid cancer, from ELCAPA prospective cohort.

12050 Background: Severe chemotherapy toxicities are frequent among older patients, and may have a major impact on mortality, comorbidities, and quality of life. Two scores were developed to predict severe toxicities: Chemotherapy Risk Assessment Scale for High-age patients (CRASH) score, and Cancer and Aging Research Group Study (CARG) score. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the predictive value of both scores on an external cohort. Secondary objective was to identify individual predictive factors of severe chemotherapy toxicities. Methods: The Elderly Cancer Patients (ELCAPA) survey consists in a prospective cohort including patients aged 70 years or older referred for a geriatric assessment (GA) before anticancer treatment, such as chemotherapy for solid cancer. CARG and CRASH score were retrospectively collected. Main endpoint was grade 3/4/5 toxicities for CARG-score, hematologic grade 4/5 and non-hematologic grade 3/4/5 toxicities for CRASH-score. Calibration and discrimination (Area Under ROC Curve, AUC) were evaluated. Results: From July 2010 to March 2017, 248 patients were included. Among them, 150 (61%) experienced severe toxicity as defined in CARG study, and 126 (51%) as defined in CRASH study. There was no increased risk of toxicity in intermediate and high risk groups of CARG-score compared to low risk group (OR = 0.3, IC95% [0.1 – 1.4], p= 0.1; and OR = 0.4, IC95%[0.1 – 1.7], p= 0.2 respectively, AUC-ROC = 0.55). Similarly, there was no more risk of severe toxicities in intermediate low, intermediate high, and high risk groups compared to low risk groups of CRASH combined score (respectively OR = 1, IC95% [0.3 – 3.6], p= 0.99; OR = 1, IC95% [0.3 – 3.4], p= 0.9; OR = 1.5, IC95% [0.3 – 8.1], p= 0.67; AUC-ROC = 0.52). A multivariate predictive model including cancer type, performance status (PS 0 vs. PS 1-2), number of severe comorbidities (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics, CIRS-G, ≥1 grade 3 or 4 comorbidity), body mass index (BMI &gt; 25 kg/m² protective vs. normal BMI), and Chemotox score (1 vs. 0) had an AUC of 0.78. Conclusions: Neither CARG nor CRASH score was predictive of severe chemotherapy toxicities in the ELCAPA cohort. There is a need to identify new predictors of chemotherapy toxicity in older patients with solid cancers.

Association of Chemotherapy for Solid Tumors With Development of Therapy-Related Myelodysplastic Syndrome or Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the Modern Era

Therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia (tMDS/AML) is a rare, usually fatal complication of chemotherapy, including certain alkylating agents, topoisomerase II inhibitors, and platinum compounds. With the introduction of new chemotherapeutic agents, expanded indications for established agents, and increased neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy, tMDS/AML risks in the modern age are poorly understood. To quantify tMDS/AML risk after chemotherapy for solid cancer among United States adults since 2000 and correlate tMDS/AML risk patterns with chemotherapy treatment practices. A population-based cohort study was conducted using cancer registries from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program and Medicare claims. Risk analyses included 1619 tMDS/AML cases among 700 612 adults (age, 20-84 years) who were diagnosed with first primary solid cancer during 2000 to 2013 (followed up through 2014), received initial chemotherapy, and survived 1 year or longer, as reported to SEER. Descriptive analyses were conducted of SEER records linked with Medicare claims for chemotherapy in 165 820 older adults (age, 66-84 years) receiving initial chemotherapy for a first primary solid cancer in 2000-2013. Data analysis was conducted from October 2017 to April 2018. Receipt of initial chemotherapy for solid cancer. Second primary tMDS/AML. Based on 1619 tMDS/AML cases in the SEER database (mean [SD] age, 64.3 [12.2] years; 1148 [70.9%] female), tMDS/AML risks were statistically significantly elevated after chemotherapy for 22 of 23 solid cancers (all except colon). Relative risks ranged from 1.5 to greater than 10 and excess absolute risks from 1.4 to greater than 15 cases per 10 000 person-years compared with the general population. Overall survival following tMDS/AML diagnosis was poor (1270 of 1619 patients [78.4%] died; median overall survival, 7 months). For patients treated with chemotherapy at the present time, approximately three-quarters of tMDS/AML cases expected to occur within the next 5 years will be attributable to chemotherapy. In the SEER-Medicare database, use of known leukemogenic agents, particularly platinum compounds, in initial chemotherapy increased substantially since 2000, most notably for gastrointestinal tract cancers (esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectum; 10% in 2000-2001 to 81% during 2012-2013). Large-scale, United States population-based data demonstrate excess tMDS/AML risks following chemotherapy for nearly all solid tumor types, consistent with expanded use of known leukemogenic agents in the 21st century. Continued efforts to reduce treatment-related adverse events, particularly for solid cancer patients with favorable prognosis, are needed.

Safety and efficacy of addition of VEGFR and EGFR-family small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors to cytotoxic chemotherapy in solid cancers: A meta-analysis.

415 Background: The approach of combining cytotoxic chemotherapy with small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has been explored in a large number of randomized trials, in a diverse range of tumor. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this therapeutic approach. Methods: PubMed and the ASCO databases were searched up to March 2013. Eligible studies included randomized trials in which the FDA approved TKI in combination with chemotherapy was compared with chemotherapy alone in patients with any type of solid cancer. The endpoints included safety [fatal adverse events (FAEs), treatment discontinuation, any severe (grade 3 or 4) adverse events (AEs), and individual severe AEs] and efficacy [progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS)]. The pooled relative risk (RR) or hazard ratio (HR), with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: A total of 16,011 patients from 43 trials were included. Among the 43 trials, ten met their primary efficacy endpoints. Among the 21 phase III trials, two led to Food and Drug Administration approval for the combination. Compared with chemotherapy alone, the addition of a TKI significantly increased the risk of FAEs (RR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.32-2.01), treatment discontinuation (RR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.58-2.06), and any severe AE (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.16-1.36). Compared with chemotherapy alone, the addition of a TKI was associated with a significant improvement in PFS (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.76-0.89), but not OS (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.95-1.03). Chemotherapy plus TKI was also associated with a significant higher risk of seven of the 11 evaluated individual AEs: neutropenia (RR, 1.18; P =.004), thrombocytopenia (RR, 1.70; P &lt;.001), febrile neutropenia (RR, 1.48; P &lt;.001), hypertension (RR, 3.01; P &lt;.001), skin toxicities (RR, 6.38; P &lt;.001), diarrhea (RR, 2.57; P =.002) and fatigue (RR, 1.35; P &lt;.001). Conclusions: The addition of a VEGFR or EGFR-family TKI to chemotherapy in solid cancers increases the risk of severe toxicities and treatment discontinuations. These findings might explain the general lack of a survival benefit with these regimens.