Cytotoxic Agents In Patients Research Articles

Targeting Chemotherapy to Decondensed H3K27me3-Marked Chromatin of AML Cells Enhances Leukemia Suppression.

Despite treatment with intensive chemotherapy, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) remains an aggressive malignancy with a dismal outcome in most patients. We found that AML cells exhibit an unusually rapid accumulation of the repressive histone mark H3K27me3 on nascent DNA. In cell lines, primary cells and xenograft mouse models, inhibition of the H3K27 histone methyltransferase EZH2 to decondense the H3K27me3-marked chromatin of AML cells enhanced chromatin accessibility and chemotherapy-induced DNA damage, apoptosis, and leukemia suppression. These effects were further promoted when chromatin decondensation of AML cells was induced upon S-phase entry after release from a transient G1 arrest mediated by CDK4/6 inhibition. In the p53-null KG-1 and THP-1 AML cell lines, EZH2 inhibitor and doxorubicin cotreatment induced transcriptional reprogramming that was, in part, dependent on derepression of H3K27me3-marked gene promoters and led to increased expression of cell death-promoting and growth-inhibitory genes.In conclusion, decondensing H3K27me3-marked chromatin by EZH2 inhibition represents a promising approach to improve the efficacy of DNA-damaging cytotoxic agents in patients with AML. This strategy might allow for a lowering of chemotherapy doses, with a consequent reduction of treatment-related side effects in elderly patients with AML or those with significant comorbidities. SIGNIFICANCE: Pharmacological inhibition of EZH2 renders DNA of AML cells more accessible to cytotoxic agents, facilitating leukemia suppression with reduced doses of chemotherapy.See related commentary by Adema and Colla, p. 359.

Gemcitabine in Combination with a Second Cytotoxic Agent in the First-Line Treatment of Locally Advanced or Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

It remains controversial whether the addition of a second cytotoxic agent can further improve the therapeutic effect of gemcitabine monotherapy in advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer (LA/MPC). The objective of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine-based doublet chemotherapy regimens compared to single-agent gemcitabine in the first-line treatment of unresectable LA/MPC. We searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of gemcitabine monotherapy versus gemcitabine in combination with a second cytotoxic agent in patients with LA/MPC. The last search date was December 31, 2016. Twenty-seven RCTs were identified and included in the present systematic review and meta-analysis, involving a total of 7343 patients. The meta-analysis showed that gemcitabine-based combination therapy significantly improved overall survival (OS) (HR: 0.89; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85-0.94; P < 0.0001), progression-free survival (PFS) (HR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.73-0.88; P < 0.0001), and overall response rate (ORR) (RR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.62-2.07; P < 0.0001) in comparison to single-agent gemcitabine. Subgroup analysis suggested that the antitumor activity differed between gemcitabine-based combination regimens: doublet regimens of gemcitabine plus a taxoid, and gemcitabine plus a fluoropyrimidine, in particular an oral fluoropyrimidine, resulted in a significant OS benefit for the patients. However, the combination of gemcitabine with other cytotoxic agents, such as platinum compounds or topoisomerase inhibitors failed to reduce the mortality risk. Combination therapy caused more grade 3/4 toxicities, including neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. Gemcitabine-based doublet regimens demonstrated superiority over gemcitabine monotherapy in overall efficacy, but were associated with increased toxicity. Different gemcitabine-based combinations showed different antitumor activity, and doublet regimens of gemcitabine in combination with a taxoid or a fluoropyrimidine, in particular an oral fluoropyrimidine provided significant survival benefits in the first-line treatment of unresectable LA/MPC.

Protocol of a randomised phase III clinical trial of sequential capecitabine or 5-fluorouracil plus bevacizumab (Cape/5-FU-Bmab) to capecitabine or 5-fluorouracil plus oxaliplatin plus bevacizumab (CapeOX/mFOLFOX6-Bmab) versus combination CapeOX/mFOLFOX6-Bmab in advanced colorectal cancer: the C-cubed (C3) study

IntroductionResults from several randomised trials suggest that the sequential use of cytotoxic agents in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has the potential to improve overall survival compared with combination...

Distinctive impact of pre-existing interstitial lung disease on the risk of chemotherapy-related lung injury in patients with lung cancer.

Pre-existing interstitial lung disease (pre-ILD) increases the risk of chemotherapy-related lung injury (CRLI). However, whether the risk varies by type of anti-cancer cytotoxic agent in patients with pre-ILD is unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine agent, is associated with a smaller CRLI risk than docetaxel (DTX) and investigated these agents together with radiological evaluations of pre-ILD via pre-treatment chest computed tomography (CT). After reviewing 234 and 352 patients who underwent evaluable chest CT within 6months prior to the administration of S-1 or DTX, respectively, from January 2006 to October 2014, 60 and 89, respectively, of these patients with pre-ILD were retrospectively analysed. In total, 2 persons administered S-1 (3%) and 16 treated with DTX (18%) developed CRLI (p=0.007) after the initial treatment (mean, 61days), of whom 1 and 7, respectively, died because of respiratory failure. Pre-treatment CT revealed that 9 S-1-treated patients (16%) and 15 DTX-treated patients (17%) had pre-ILD occupying more than 25% of the lung field. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that DTX administration increased the risk of CRLI by 6.47-fold versus S-1 therapy (p=0.016). Of note, the area occupied by pre-ILD was also associated with the risk of CRLI (<25%; odds ratio 0.309, p=0.045). Our results indicated that S-1 is associated with a smaller risk of CRLI than DTX. The area occupied by pre-ILD should also be noted when administrating anti-cancer agents.

Retreatment with trastuzumab after progression on lapatinib-based therapy in heavily pretreated HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer: a single-institution experience.

The study aimed to determine if retreatment with trastuzumab after progression on treatment with lapatinib is feasible in a previously heavily pretreated population of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients and if some range of activity and an acceptable toxicity profile could be shown. Women with HER2-positive metastatic breast carcinoma whose disease progressed after antracycline, taxane and trastuzumab-based regimens were treated at progression with lapatinib plus capecitabine. At progression on this combination, retreatment with trastuzumab combined with different cytotoxic agents was offered to most patients. The outcome of these patients was evaluated. Between April 2007 and February 2013, a total of 77 patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer were identified who had been treated with lapatinib plus capecitabine at our institution. At progression, 43 (55%) were treated again with a trastuzumab-based regimen, mostly gemcitabine and vinorelbine. One complete response (CR) and 17 partial responses plus 4 prolonged stable periods longer than 6 months for a 51.1% overall clinical benefit were observed. No severe toxicities were encountered except one case of heart failure reported in a heavily antracycline-pretreated patient, who, however, recovered from this toxicity. Even if our sample is a favorably selected population of HER2-positive patients responding to sequential targeted therapies, our data suggest that trastuzumab can be used again in association with a different cytotoxic agent in patients heavily pretreated with trastuzumab and after progression on lapatinib plus capecitabine, without any significant toxicity and with an encouraging clinical benefit rate, suggesting there is an opportunity to continue blockade of the HER2 receptor.

A retrospective analysis assessing effects of cytotoxic versus cytostatic agents on body mass, nutritional parameters, and performance status in patients with exocrine pancreas cancer enrolled in phase I and II trials.

438 Background: The 5-year survival for pancreatic adenocarcinoma is poor, and patients increasingly turn to experimental agents after conventional treatments have failed. Novel chemotherapeutic agents undergo rigorous phase I and II trials to confirm efficacy, safety, tolerability, and optimal dose for entry into late phase trials. Cytostatic therapies are theorized to have an improved tolerability compared to traditional cytotoxic therapies. Methods: This retrospective study compared the tolerability of cytostatic vs cytotoxic therapies in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who participated in phase I or II trials at a single institution. Nutrition parameters of weight and albumin, performance status, tumor marker CA 19-9 level, and mean tumor dimension defined by RECIST criteria were obtained for patients within four weeks of trial start date and conclusion. Results: 117 patient trials were assessed in final analysis. No statistically significant difference was observed between patients receiving cytostatic and cytotoxic agents with regards to mean weight loss (1.01 vs 1.30 kg; p =.733), decrease in albumin (0.36 vs 0.29 g/dL; p =.397), and percent change in CA 19-9 (-72% vs -76%; p =.882). Results of change in performance status were similar, with mean increase in ECOG (0.63 vs 0.61; p =.948) and decrease in Karnofsky (13 vs 12, p =.709). There was a statistically significant difference in tumor dimension with cytostatic vs cytotoxic agents (18% vs -3%, p =.043). There were no differences in trends between patients enrolled in one trial compared to those enrolled in multiple trials. Conclusions: This study did not show a significant difference between cytostatic and cytotoxic agents in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma in early phase trials with regards to nutritional parameters, performance status, or change in CA 19-9. However, there was a statistically significant change in tumor dimension. Thus, cytotoxic agents have similar tolerability to cytostatic agents and may have additional benefit on tumor burden in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Monotherapy With Cytotoxic Agents in Triple-negative Metastatic Breast Cancer in a Community Setting

PurposeThere has been considerable progress in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. However, the identification of optimal cytotoxic agents in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (negative for hormone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) remains a therapeutic challenge. We conducted a comparative effectiveness analysis of 4 cytotoxic agents in patients with TNBC. MethodsWe retrospectively identified patients who received single-agent chemotherapy with eribulin, capecitabine, gemcitabine, or vinorelbine from 19 community oncology clinics across the United States. Data collection included baseline patient and disease characteristics, prior therapies, performance status, duration of current therapy, growth-factor use and other supportive care, and dose-limiting toxicities and associated dose reductions or delays or skipped doses. Time to treatment failure (TTF) was measured from the first cycle of chemotherapy until disease progression, discontinuation due to toxicity, or death. TTF was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards modeling adjusted for clustering on the practice site. To control for selection bias, which is inherent in observational studies, a propensity score–weighted TTF analysis was also conducted. FindingsData from 225 patients were included in the analysis (eribulin, 47 patients; capecitabine, 69; gemcitabine, 56; and vinorelbine, 53). The median age of each group was <60 years, with the exception of the gemcitabine group (63 years). The 4 groups were comparable with respect to age, performance status, duration of disease-free survival, presence of comorbidities, and hemoglobin level before the start of chemotherapy. Median lines of therapy of eribulin, capecitabine, gemcitabine, and vinorelbine and were 4th, 2nd, 3rd, and 3rd, respectively. The median durations of treatment were ~2 months with eribulin, capecitabine, and gemcitabine compared with 1.6 months with vinorelbine. Using eribulin as the reference drug, and with adjustment for line of therapy and associated prognostic factors, the propensity score–weighted Cox regression analysis did not identify significant between-treatment differences in TTF (hazard ratios [95% CI] vs eribulin: capecitabine, 1.15 [0.75–1.76]; gemcitabine, 0.62 [0.34–1.13]; and vinorelbine, 1.0 [0.67–1.67]). ImplicationsIn this assessment of patients with TNBC treated in a community oncology setting, eribulin was utilized in later lines compared with the other agents. However, comparable drug activity was reported among the 4 agents.

A comparative effectiveness analysis of single-agent cytotoxics in triple-negative metastatic breast cancer patients.

157 Background: There has been considerable progress in treatments for MBC. However, the identification of optimal cytotoxic agents in patients with triple negative disease (negative for hormone receptors, ER/PR and HER-2) remains a therapeutic challenge. A comparative effectiveness analysis of four cytotoxic agents was conducted in patients with TN MBC. Methods: We retrospectively identified 225 patients treated with single agent eribulin (E=47), capecitabine (C=69), gemcitabine (G=56) or vinorelbine (V=53) in 19 community oncology clinics across the US. Data collection included baseline patient characteristics, performance status, duration of current therapy, growth factor use and all dose limiting toxicities. Time to treatment failure (TTF) was measured from the first cycle of chemotherapy until disease progression, discontinuation due to toxicity, or death. TTF was then estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard modeling adjusted for clustering on the practice site. To control for selection bias that is inherent in observational studies, a propensity score weighted TTF analysis was also conducted. Results: Patients were comparable with respect to age, performance status, duration of disease free survival, presence of comorbidities and hemoglobin level prior to the start of chemotherapy. However, the median lines of therapy for use of C, G, V and E were 2nd, 3rd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively. The median duration of treatment was approximately 2 months with C, G, and E compared to 1.6 months with V. Using eribulin as the reference and adjusting for line of therapy and associated prognostic factors, the propensity score weighted Cox regression analysis did not identify statistically significant differences in TTF: C vs. E: HR = 1.15 (0.75 to 1.76), G vs. E: HR = 0.62 (0.34 to 1.13), V vs. E: HR = 1.0 (0.60 to 1.37). Conclusions: In patients with TN-MBC treated in a community oncology setting, eribulin was utilized in later lines than other agents. However, eribulin demonstrated at least comparable drug activity even when used in more heavily pretreated patients. These findings warrant further analyses in a larger population with an evaluation of biologic heterogeneity.

Efficacy and Safety of Selumetinib Compared with Current Therapies for Advanced Cancer: a Meta-analysis

Selumetinib is a promising and interesting targeted therapy agent as it may reverse radioiodine uptake in patients with radioiodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. We conduct this meta- analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of selumetinib with current therapies in patients with advanced cancer. An electronic search was conducted using PubMed/ Medicine, EMBASE and Cochrane library databases. Statistical analyses were carried out using either random-effects or fixed-effects models according to the heterogeneity of eligible studies. Six eligible trials involved 601 patients were identified. Compared with current therapies, treatment schedules with selumetinib did not improve progression free survival (hazard ratio, 0.91; 95%CI 0.70-1.17, P= 0.448), but did identify better clinical benefits (odds ratio, 1.24; 95%CI 0.69- 2.24, P = 0.472) and less disease progression (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95%CI 0.51-1.00, P = 0.052) though its impact was not statistically significant. Sub-group analysis resulted in significantly improved progression free survival (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95%CI 0.49-0.57, P = 0.00), clinical benefits (odds ratio, 3.04; 95%CI 1.60-5.77, P = 0.001) and reduced disease progression (hazard ratio, 0.35; 95%CI 0.18-0.67, P = 0.001) in patients administrated selumetinib. Dermatitis acneiform (risk ratio, 9.775; 95%CI 3.143-30.395, P = 0.00) and peripheral edema (risk ratio, 2.371; 95%CI 1.690-3.327, P = 0.00) are the most frequently observed adverse effects associated with selumetinib. Compared with current chemotherapy, selumetinib has modest clinical activity as monotherapy in patients with advanced cancer, but combinations of selumetinib with cytotoxic agents in patients with BRAF or KRAS mutations hold great promise for cancer treatment. Dermatitis acneiform and peripheral edema are the most frequently observed adverse effects in patients with selumetinib.

European Development of Clofarabine as Treatment for Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia Considered Unsuitable for Intensive Chemotherapy

Treatment options for older patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who are not considered suitable for intensive chemotherapy are limited. We assessed the second-generation purine nucleoside analog, clofarabine, in two similar phase II studies in this group of patients. Two consecutive studies, UWCM-001 and BIOV-121, recruited untreated older patients with AML to receive up to four or six 5-day courses of clofarabine. Patients in UWCM-001 were either older than 70 years or 60 to 69 years of age with poor performance status (WHO > 2) or with cardiac comorbidity. Patients in BIOV-121 were >or= 65 years of age and deemed unsuitable for intensive chemotherapy. A total of 106 patients were treated in the two monotherapy studies. Median age was 71 years (range, 60 to 84 years), 30% had adverse-risk cytogenetics, and 36% had a WHO performance score >or= 2. Forty-eight percent had a complete response (32% complete remission, 16% complete remission with incomplete peripheral blood count recovery), and 18% died within 30 days. Interestingly, response and overall survival were not inferior in the adverse cytogenetic risk group. The safety profile of clofarabine in these elderly patients with AML who were unsuitable for intensive chemotherapy was manageable and typical of a cytotoxic agent in patients with acute leukemia. Patients had similar prognostic characteristics to matched patients treated with low-dose cytarabine in the United Kingdom AML14 trial, but had significantly superior response and overall survival. Clofarabine is active and generally well tolerated in this patient group. It is worthy of further evaluation in comparative trials and might be of particular use in patients with adverse cytogenetics.

New approaches in the management of advanced breast cancer &amp;ndash; role of combination treatment with liposomal doxorubicin

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in women worldwide. For three decades doxorubicin, alone or in combination with other cytotoxic agents, has been a mainstay of systemic therapy for MBC. However, its use is limited by cumulative cardiotoxicity. More recently liposomal formulations of doxorubicin have been developed which exhibit equal efficacy but reduced cardiotoxicity in comparison to conventional doxorubicin. The novel toxicity profile of liposomal doxorubicins has prompted their evaluation with various cytotoxic agents in patients with MBC. In addition, their favorable cardiac safety profile has prompted re-evaluation of concomitant therapy with doxorubicin and trastuzumab, a regimen of proven efficacy in MBC but previously considered to be associated with significant cardiotoxicity. We review clinical trial data addressing combination therapy with both pegylated and non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in patients with MBC.

Prostate carcinoma: defining therapeutic objectives and improving overall outcomes.

The development and progression of a prostate carcinoma from prediagnosis to death can be characterized as a series of clinical states. The states are milestones that can be used to assess prognosis, define therapeutic objectives, and assess outcomes. The antitumor effects of hormone therapies and cytotoxic agents in patients with prostate carcinoma are placed in context along with the bidrectional tumor-host interactions that contribute to the growth and resistance of osseous lesions. Identifying the factors that contribute to the growth of the disease at different points in the illness has lead to novel, systemic approaches. Proving the benefit of these approaches requires a series of unique trials with unique endpoints relevant to the clinical state of the patients and the specific therapy under evaluation.

Possible carcinogenic effect of 6-mercaptopurine on bone marrow stem cells

6-Mercaptopurine (6MP) has been regarded as nonleukemogenic, even though the cytotoxicity of 6MP depends on the incorporation of 6-thioguanine nucleotides (6TGN) into DNA. In hematopoietic cells this pathway competes with S-methylation catalyzed by thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT). However, methylated 6MP metabolites inhibit purine de novo synthesis and thus may enhance incorporation of 6TGN into DNA. Approximately 10% of white individuals have low TPMT activity as a result of polymorphisms in the TPMT gene. The authors attempted to test the hypothesis that the degree of DNA damage during 6MP therapy might reflect variations in 6MP metabolism and pharmacokinetics. The authors measured TPMT activity as well as erythrocyte levels of 6TGN (E-6TGN) and methylated 6MP metabolites (E-MeMP) during 6MP therapy in 439 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 5 of whom later developed secondary myelodysplasia or acute myeloid leukemia (sMDS/AML). The patients who developed sMDS/AML had significantly lower TPMT activity compared with the remaining patients (P = 0.03). The 55 patients with TPMT activity <14 U/mL red blood cells (RBC) (antimode of the bimodal distribution) had a 5-year risk of sMDS/AML of 9 +/- 6% versus 1 +/- 1% for the remaining patients (P = 0.002). Cox regression analysis identified TPMT activity and E-MeMP level as the strongest predictors of risk for sMDS/AML (global P value = 0.02). Patients with low TPMT activity and high E-MeMP levels had the highest risk. All 5 patients with sMDS/AML had E-6TGN and/or E-MeMP levels > the 90% percentiles or had TPMT activity < 14 U/mL RBC. These data demonstrate an increased leukemogenic risk when 6MP is administered with other cytotoxic agents in patients with low TPMT activity, and indicate that not only high 6TGN levels but also high levels of methylated metabolites may lead to DNA damage.

Prospects with docetaxel in the treatment of patients with breast cancer

Docetaxel (Taxotere®) has been shown to be one of the most active cytotoxic agents in patients with breast cancer, achieving response rates of 41% when used as second-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer (34% in anthracycline-refractory patients) and 50–72% when used as first-line therapy. In both situations meaningful response durations of 7–8 months have been obtained. Based on these results, docetaxel is a promising candidate for new therapeutic strategies in patients with breast cancer. Studies comparing docetaxel with paclitaxel or anthracyclines in first-line therapy are ongoing. These studies should allow for an unequivocal definition of activity of docetaxel, yet not alter—as such—therapeutic strategies. A number of regimens are currently being explored combining docetaxel with anthracyclines, vinorelbine, 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide and cisplatin. The preliminary conclusions are as follows: the main side-effect is non-cumulative neutropenia of short duration, and response rates are > 75%. Further, no cumulative cardiotoxicity has been observed with doxorubicin. The duration of response and length of the progression-free survival cannot yet be defined. Another option for combination chemotherapy is sequential combinations, the value of which has been demonstrated in advanced breast cancer as well as in the adjuvant setting. The short duration and non-cumulative character of docetaxel-induced neutropenia are good rationales for the use of dosedensified docetaxel-containing regimens. A dose of 100 mg/m 2/14 days can be used as single-agent therapy. A phase I trial combining cyclophosphamide at doses increased from 750 to 1200 mg/m 2 and docetaxel at doses increased from 66 to 100 mg/m 2 every 2 weeks, is ongoing; at the first dose-levels, the combination appears feasible although cumulative asthenia has been observed. Further, responses have been observed at all dose levels. The value of single-agent chemotherapy added to tamoxifen has been emphasised for stage I–II breast cancer in postmenopausal patients. A randomised phase III study comparing tamoxifen (20 mg/day for 5 years) and epirubicin (50 mg/m 2 days 1 and 8/28 days for 6 cycles) with the same regimen with epirubicin for 3 months followed by docetaxel (100 mg/m 2/21 days × 3) was initiated at the end of 1996. Thus, docetaxel is currently under study in most therapeutic situations to better define its impact on the prognosis and curability of patients with breast cancer.