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In vivo chemotaxis and phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) were evaluated in 20 patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), and in 10 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). For comparison, 20 healthy individuals were investigated. A skin-chamber technique and a phagocytosis test were used to quantify the neutrophil functions. The local leucocyte mobilisation in the skin-chamber was significantly lower in untreated patients with AML and ALL than in healthy individuals (P < 0.05). Patients with acute leukaemia in remission showed an increase in chemotactic parameters though they remained below normal levels. The phagocytosis index (PI) of peripheral blood PMN was lower than 30% (normal individuals: 60%) in untreated AML and ALL; this difference was significant (P < 0.05). The PI of peripheral blood PMN in patients with acute leukaemia in remission returned to the normal level. Investigation of granulocytic function in patients with acute leukaemia in remission may reveal evidence for reduced protection by these cells against infections and lead to adequate therapy.

Rituximab plus chemotherapy, most often CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), is the first-line standard of care for patients with advanced indolent lymphoma, and for elderly patients with mantle-cell lymphoma. Bendamustine plus rituximab is effective for relapsed or refractory disease. We compared bendamustine plus rituximab with CHOP plus rituximab (R-CHOP) as first-line treatment for patients with indolent and mantle-cell lymphomas.We did a prospective, multicentre, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial at 81 centres in Germany between Sept 1, 2003, and Aug 31, 2008. Patients aged 18 years or older with a WHO performance status of 2 or less were eligible if they had newly diagnosed stage III or IV indolent or mantle-cell lymphoma. Patients were stratified by histological lymphoma subtype, then randomly assigned according to a prespecified randomisation list to receive either intravenous bendamustine (90 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 2 of a 4-week cycle) or CHOP (cycles every 3 weeks of cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m(2), doxorubicin 50 mg/m(2), and vincristine 1.4 mg/m(2) on day 1, and prednisone 100 mg/day for 5 days) for a maximum of six cycles. Patients in both groups received rituximab 375 mg/m(2) on day 1 of each cycle. Patients and treating physicians were not masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, with a non-inferiority margin of 10%. Analysis was per protocol. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00991211, and the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices of Germany, BfArM 4021335.274 patients were assigned to bendamustine plus rituximab (261 assessed) and 275 to R-CHOP (253 assessed). At median follow-up of 45 months (IQR 25-57), median progression-free survival was significantly longer in the bendamustine plus rituximab group than in the R-CHOP group (69.5 months [26.1 to not yet reached] vs 31.2 months [15.2-65.7]; hazard ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.44-0.74; p0.0001). Bendamustine plus rituximab was better tolerated than R-CHOP, with lower rates of alopecia (0 patients vs 245 (100%) of 245 patients who recieved ≥3 cycles; p0.0001), haematological toxicity (77 [30%] vs 173 [68%]; p0.0001), infections (96 [37%] vs 127 [50%]); p=0.0025), peripheral neuropathy (18 [7%] vs 73 [29%]; p0.0001), and stomatitis (16 [6%] vs 47 [19%]; p0.0001). Erythematous skin reactions were more common in patients in the bendamustine plus rituximab group than in those in the R-CHOP group (42 [16%] vs 23 [9%]; p=0.024).In patients with previously untreated indolent lymphoma, bendamustine plus rituximab can be considered as a preferred first-line treatment approach to R-CHOP because of increased progression-free survival and fewer toxic effects.Roche Pharma AG, Ribosepharm/Mundipharma GmbH.

e15739Background: Hyperbilirubinaemia is a common disease effect in patients (pts) with metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPC). As clinical trials often exclude them, data on management of these pts ar...

3528Background: To investigate overall survival (OS) differences in FIRE-3 in context of exposure to treatments (i.e. first-, second-, third-line) in time course. Methods: We compared OS in FIRE-3 ...

617 Background: FIRE-3 reported overall survival (OS) difference in favour of arm A (FOLFIRI plus cetuximab, N= 297 pts.) compared to arm B (FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab, N= 295 pts.) in the absence of significant differences in progression-free survival and response rate. Methods: We subdivided the study into six-month time intervals, starting at the time point of randomisation and evaluated OS in a time-wise fashion. Within each interval, OS was analyzed by Cox regression. Furthermore, systemic treatment and local interventions were investigated in the respective time-frames. Results: The time-course hazard ratios of OS are summarized in the Table. Pronounced differences in overall survival by time-interval analysis are observed between 24 and 30 months and between 30 and 36 months. Within the interval of 24-30 months, 24.6% (73/297) of pts in arm A and 25.1% (74/295) of pts in arm B received systemic therapy (any treatment-line). In the subsequent interval of 30-36 months, systemic anti-tumor treatment decreased to 18.9% (56/297) of pts in arm A and 16.3% (48/295) of pts in arm B. Median time on treatment was less than 2 months in the intervals of 24-30 months and 30-36 months. Updated data including RAS wild-type population will be presented at the meeting. Conclusions: The differences in OS observed in FIRE-3 are pronounced in time intervals between 24-30 months as well as 30-36 months after randomisation into the study. A small number of patients received rather short courses of anti-tumor therapy in these observation units. The significant difference in OS that manifests in time-frames between 24 and 30 months as well as between 30 and 36 months suggests that underlying effects on OS in FIRE-3 may include multiple factors and cannot be explained by the number of patients on active treatment alone. Clinical trial information: NCT00433927. [Table: see text]

Background: Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are increasingly exposed to anthracyclines and taxanes either during treatment of primary breast cancer or during initial therapy of metastatic disease. The combination of gemcitabine and carboplatin was therefore investigated as an anthracycline- and taxane-free treatment option. Patients and Methods: MBC patients previously treated with chemotherapy were enrolled in a multicenter phase II study. Treatment consisted of gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8) and carboplatin (AUC 4 i.v. on day 1) applied every 3 weeks. Results: Thirty-nine patients were recruited, and a total of 207 treatment cycles were applied with a median of 5 cycles per patient. One complete response and 11 partial responses were observed for an overall response rate of 31% (95% CI: 17–48%). Twelve patients (31%) had stable disease. Median time to progression was 5.3 months (95% CI: 2.6–6.7 months) and median overall survival from start of treatment was 13.2 months (95% CI: 8.7–16.7 months). Grade 3/4 hematological toxicity included leukopenia (59%/5%), thrombocytopenia (26%/23%) and anemia (10%/0%). Nonhematological toxicity was rarely severe. Conclusion: Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and carboplatin is an effective and generally well-tolerated treatment option for intensively pretreated patients with MBC. Due to a considerable incidence of severe thrombocytopenia it would be reasonable to consider starting gemcitabine at the lower dose level of 800 mg/m2.

e14609 Background: The epidermal growth factor receptor is frequently expressed in colorectal carcinoma and acts as therapeutic target in RAS wild-type mCRC. Although HER2/neu- and HER3-targeted ag...

3589 Background: The FIRE-3 study (AIO KRK-0306) was designed as a randomized multicenter trial to compare the efficacy of FOLFIRI plus cetuximab (cet) to FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab (bev) as first-line treatment in KRAS WT mCRC patients. FOLFIRI plus cet as first-line treatment of KRAS WT mCRC patients resulted in comparable overall response rates (ORR) and progression free survival (PFS) when compared to FOLFIRI plus bev. Overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in the FOLFIRI plus cet arm. Methods: In this exploratory analysis outcome parameters were calculated in dependence of progression during antibody treatment. As reported before by Saltz et al. (ASCO GI 2007) an “on study treatment” population was defined using all RAS wild-type pts that were treated until progression or death occurred. To exclude early progressing patients the analysis was also performed in patients with a PFS >6 months. Results: See Table. Conclusions: In general, patients progressing during 1st-line treatment had a shorter ...

3581 Background: Recently, Prager et al. proposed the hypothesis that carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is involved in tumor angiogenesis and therefore might predict bevacizumab-based treatment response in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) (Cancer Research, 2013; Cancer Science, 2014). The present study aimed to evaluate this hypothesis in the FIRE-3 trial where patients (pts) with KRAS exon 2 wild-type mCRC were randomized to receive first-line chemotherapy with either FOLFIRI + cetuximab (cet) or FOLFIRI + bevacizumab (bev). Methods: Baseline CEA levels were analyzed either as continuous variable (ln) or categorized in two groups ( ≤ / > 25% quartile; ≤ / > 6.2ng/ml) with regard to their predictive impact on PFS and OS in the two different treatment arms. Correlations relied on Cox regression analysis. Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier. Results: For analysis of CEA, 522/592 pts (cet: 257 pts; bev: 265 pts) were eligible. When CEA baseline level was evaluated as a continuous variable, CEA (ln) was in...

515 Background: The FIRE-3 study (AIO KRK-0306) was designed to compare the efficacy of FOLFIRI + cetuximab (cet) to FOLFIRI + bevacizumab (bev) as first-line treatment in KRAS WT mCRC patients. FOLFIRI plus cet resulted in comparable overall response rates (ORR) and progression free survival (PFS) when compared to FOLFIRI + bev. Overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in the FOLFIRI + cet arm. Methods: In an exploratory subgroup analysis, patients pretreated with adjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed by Fisher's exact and log rank-test according to tumor response (ORR) and survival data. Patients of the ITT (n=592) and the final RAS wild-type population (n=400) were investigated. Results: See table. Conclusions: Results in patients treated with any adjuvant chemotherapy mirrored those in the whole study population. In adjuvant pretreated RASwt patients a significantly higher ORR was reached in the cet arm when compared to the bev arm (p=0.01). The role of adjuvant treatment on efficacy of first-line therapy remains to be further evaluated. Clinical trial information: NCT00433927. [Table: see text] [Table: see text]

Background: Docetaxel is one of the most effective antitumor agents currently available for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). This phase II multicenter study prospectively analyzed the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel given on a weekly schedule as first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Patients and Methods: All patients received docetaxel, 35 mg/m2 weekly for 6 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of rest. Subsequent cycles (3 weeks of treatment, 2 weeks of rest) were given until a maximum of 5 cycles or disease progression. Premedication consisted of 8 mg dexamethasone intravenously 30 min prior to the infusion of docetaxel. Results: Fifty-four patients at a median age of 58 years with previously untreated MBC were included in the study. A median of 10 doses (median cumulative dose 339 mg/m2) was administered (range: 2–18). The overall response rate was 48.1% (95% CI: 34–61%, intent-to-treat). Median survival was 15.8 months and median time to progression was 5.9 months (intent-to-treat). Hematological toxicity was mild with absence of neutropenia-related complications. Grade 3 neutropenia was observed in 3.7% of patients and grade 3 and 4 anemia was observed in 5.6 and 1.9% of patients, respectively. Conclusion: The weekly administration of docetaxel is highly efficient and safe as first-line treatment for MBC and may serve as an important treatment option specifically in elderly patients and patients with a reduced performance status.

Background: This multicenter, randomized, phase III study compared B-R and CHOP-R as first-line treatment in patients (pts) with indolent lymphomas or MCL and was presented at ASH 2009, ASCO 2012, and published in The Lancet in 2013. The final published analysis at a median follow-up of 45 months demonstrated a significantly prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) in the B-R group, compared to the CHOP-R group (hazard ratio [HR] 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.44–0.74; p Methods: 549 pts with indolent lymphomas or MCL were randomized to receive B-R or CHOP-R for a maximum of 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was PFS; secondary endpoints included OS, TTNT, and sNPL. Results: 514 randomized pts were evaluable (261 B-R; 253 CHOP-R). Patient characteristics were well balanced between arms; median age was 64 years. Fewer pts treated initially with B-R needed second-line treatments due to disease progression compared to CHOP-R treated pts: 93 pts (36%) in the B-R group received salvage treatment compared with 140 pts (55%) in the CHOP-R group. Of those in the CHOP-R group, 69 pts (49%) received B-R as salvage. TTNT was significantly prolonged with B-R compared with CHOP-R (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.40-0.68; p The difference in complete response (CR) rates (independent of treatment arms) between male (n=272, median age 63 years) and female (n=242, median age 64 years) pts was statistically significant: 28.6% for male pts versus 42.1% for female pts (p=0.0016). Female pts had a longer median TTNT compared to male pts (not yet reached vs. 52.2 months, respectively; HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.54-0.90; p=0.006). The achievement of a CR was associated with significantly prolonged OS, with an estimated 10-year survival rate of 72.6% for pts with a CR and 63.6% for pts with a partial response (p=0.006). The difference in OS between the treatment arms was not statistically significant, with 65 and 76 deaths in the B-R and CHOP-R arms, respectively. The estimated 10-year survival rates were 67.4% for B-R and 60.1% for CHOP-R (p=0.262). In pts with indolent lymphomas (total group without MCL), there was a trend toward longer survival for the B-R group compared with the CHOP-R group, with 43 deaths out of 215 pts (20.0%) in B-R and 58 deaths out of 205 pts (28.3%) in CHOP-R. The estimated 10-year survival rates for pts with indolent lymphomas were 71.9% for B-R and 61.5% for CHOP-R (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.48-1.04; p=0.076). No difference in OS was found in the subgroup of pts with MCL (n=95) (HR 1.28, 95% CI 0.69-2.39; p=0.429). Twenty sNPL were observed in the B-R group compared with 23 in the CHOP-R group, with 1 hematological malignancy in each group (1 MDS in B-R, 1 AML in CHOP-R) to date. Updated sNPL results will be presented at the ASH meeting. Conclusions: In pts with previously untreated indolent lymphomas, and in elderly pts with MCL, B-R demonstrates a PFS and TTNT benefit over CHOP-R. OS for the entire group of patients was not significantly different while treatment with B-R resulted in a trend toward survival benefit in the group of pts with indolent lymphomas. Disclosures Off Label Use: Indication and dosage of bendamustine.

3600 Background: FIRE-3 compared first-line therapy with FOLFIRI plus either cetuximab or bevacizumab in 592 KRAS exon 2 wild-type mCRC patients. We analyzed the efficacy dependent on gender and pr...

3558^ Background: AIO KRK0306 (FIRE 3) trial compared first-line therapy with FOLFIRI plus either cetuximab (arm A) or bevacizumab (arm B) in 592 patients with KRAS exon 2 wild-type metastatic colo...

3522 Background: Our aim was to investigate the impact of EREG/AREG expression and RAS (KRAS/NRAS) mutations in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) receiving systemic treatment withou...

3592^ Background: To examine the impact of tumor marker response of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate-antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) on overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS...

LBA3506 Background: In patients (pts) with KRAS, wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) a head to head comparison of anti-EGFR- and anti-VEGF-directed first-line therapy has not been reported with regard to the FOLFIRI backbone. The AIO KRK-0306 study was therefore designed as a randomized multicenter trial to compare the efficacy of FOLFIRI plus cetuximab to FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab in mCRC pts not pretreated for metastatic disease. Methods: Pts were randomized to FOLFIRI (Tournigand regimen) every two wks plus cetuximab (400 mg/m² day 1, followed by 250 mg/m² wkly = arm A) or bevacizumab (5 mg/kg every two wks = arm B). The intent-to-treat (ITT) population comprised all pts who had at least completed one application of therapy. While recruitment initially was independent of KRAS status, an amendment confined inclusion to KRAS wildtype (WT) tumors. Recruitment was completed in October 2012. The primary study endpoint was objective response rate (ORR, investigators read). Results: Among 735 pts of ...

550 Background: Pmab monotherapy significantly improves progression-free survival versus best supportive care in pts with chemorefractory KRAS wild-type (WT) mCRC. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of pmab in routine clinical practice in Germany. Methods: To ensure a representative sample, eligibility criteria were largely unrestricted. Consenting pts were >18 years old, had histologically confirmed KRAS WT mCRC, >4 weeks pmab therapy, failure of fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-containing chemotherapy (CTx) regimens, and women of child-bearing age received contraception. Predefined endpoints were overall response rate (ORR; investigator`s assessment) and skin toxicity (NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0). Results: A total of 428 pts were included in the full analysis set. At the start of pmab therapy, median age was 69 (range 22-89) years, 268 pts (63%) were male and 343 (80%) had an ECOG performance status of 0-1. Overall, 400 pts (93%) had undergone prior surgery and 154 (36%) had received ≥1 cycle of adjuvant CTx. Pts had received a median of 3 cycles (range: 1‑12) of prior CTx for mCRC. The most common regimens were FOLFOX/FOLFIRI ±antibody therapy; 65% of regimens were given with palliative, 32% with curative/palliative and 3% with curative intent. The median pmab dose was 6 mg/kg (range 2.4-7.2) q2w for a median of 8 (range 2‑45) cycles, with 143 pts (33%) receiving >10 cycles. The ORR during pmab therapy was 20% (complete response: n=7 [2%]; partial response: n=77 [18%]); disease control (including stable disease) was achieved in 261 pts (61%). Skin reactions occurred in 324 pts (67%) with 52% experiencing a maximum grade ≥2. Most pts had some type of rash (48% acne, 5% desquamation, 4% hand-foot skin reaction, 1% erythema multiforme). Overall, 21% of pts had other toxicities. Three serious adverse drug reactions (infection/fever; thrombosis/embolism; erythema multiforme) and two grade 1 infusion reactions were reported. Conclusions: In this observational study, pmab monotherapy had efficacy at least as good as was seen in the randomised pmab trial and safety was also similar.

Abstract 2724 Background: The NHL 1 study, a prospective, multicenter, randomized, phase 3 study which compared B-R and CHOP-R as first-line treatment in indolent lymphomas and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), demonstrated a significant benefit in progression-free survival (PFS) as well as improved tolerability for B-R compared with CHOP-R. Here we present an analysis of the impact of response quality on outcome. Methods: 514 patients (pts) with indolent or MCL were randomized to receive B-R or CHOP-R for a maximum of 6 cycles. Results: The overall response rate in the 514 pts (261 B-R; 253 CHOP-R) was 92.7% and 91.3% in the B-R and CHOP-R arms, respectively (as presented at the last ASCO meeting, J Clin Oncol 30, 2012 (suppl; abstr 3). A complete response (CR) was observed in 39.8% in the B-R arm and in 30% in the CHOP-R arm (p=0.021). The achievement of CR was associated with a significantly prolonged PFS and overall survival (OS) (Table 1). Analysis by treatment arm revealed a trend for superior PFS and a significantly improved OS for patients achieving CR following treatment with B-R. In the CHOP-R arm, patients in CR had a significantly superior PFS compared to those in PR with a trend to superior OS. Regardless of the quality of response, PFS was superior with B-R versus CHOP-R: For patients in CR, the median PFS was not reached with B-R, whereas for CHOP-R it was 53.7 months (p=0.0204). In patients achieving PR, treatment with B-R resulted in a median PFS of 57.2 months, and this was 30.9 months with CHOP-R (p=0.0002). We noted a statistically significant difference in CR rates between male (n=272, median age 63 years) and female (n=242, median age 64 years) patients. The CR rate was 28.6% in male patients and 42.1% in female patients (p=0.0016). Female patients had a longer median PFS (51.4 months) compared to male patients (38.6 months), however, this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.0866). Conclusions: Patients in CR following first-line treatment in our study had a significantly longer PFS and OS compared to those achieving a PR. Therefore, our results strongly suggest an association between quality of response and outcome. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Abstract 3936 Introduction: A substantial improvement of treatment outcomes in patients with CLL was achieved during the last decades, but almost all patients (pts) eventually relapse. According to ESMO-guidelines, a repetition of 1st-line therapy is a reasonable approach in case of a relapse >24 months after initial treatment [Eichhorst et al., Ann Oncol., 2011]. This recommendation has not yet been confirmed by clinical trials and little is known which therapy should be chosen in case of an earlier relapse. Methods: 1558 pts treated in five prospective trials of the GCLLSG were included in the analysis. Three randomised phase-III-trials for 1st-line treatment evaluated fludarabine (F) vs. F + cyclophosphamide (FC) [CLL4], chlorambucile (Clb) vs. F [CLL5] and FC without or with rituximab (FCR) [CLL8]. Two trials were designed for both 1st-line and relapse treatment and tested FC + alemtuzumab (FCC) [CLL2L] as well as bendamustine + rituximab (BR) [CLL2M]. For statistical analyses Kaplan-Meier estimators and curves, as well as log-rank tests were used. Results: Most common 1st-line therapies were those tested in the above mentioned five GCLLSG-trials: 588 pts received FC (38%), 402 pts FCR (26%), 299 pts F (19%), 134 pts Clb with/without steroids (9%) and 116 pts BR (7%). Treatment-free (TFS) and overall survival (OS) were shorter in pts treated with Clb, F or FC in comparison to patients treated with FCR or BR chemoimmunotherapy (see figure 1). So far, 704 of 1558 pts received 2nd-line treatment for progressive CLL. These 2nd-line therapies were quite heterogeneous, most common regimen were: FC (79 pts, 11%), BR (75 pts, 11%), F (65 pts, 9%), B with/without steroids (63 pts, 9%), CHOP-R (56 pts, 8%), Clb with/without steroids (55pts, 8%), FCR (54 pts, 8%), as well as alemtuzumab with/without steroids (43 pts, 6%) and FCC (32 pts, 5%). Patients treated with antibody-based regimen had a significantly longer OS than patients never treated with antibodies (OS after 60 months: 76% vs 64%, p 315 pts requiring a 2nd-line therapy within 24 months after initial treatment were identified. Treatment regimen were heterogeneous, most common therapies were the combination of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicine, vincristine, and prednisolone either with rituximab (R-CHOP, n=32) or without (CHOP, n=24) and alemtuzumab (n=27). Treatment regimens were summarized to 3 different groups: therapies containing an antibody with/without Conclusion: This metaanalysis confirms that the use of monoclonal antibodies in 1st-line and relapse therapy leads to a prolongation of TFS and OS. In patients with a relapse ≤24 months, the use of standard-chemoimmunotherapies or single-agent alemtuzumab seems to be more efficient compared to therapies that contain ≥3 cytotoxic agents and/or anthracyclines (e.g. R-CHOP, CHOP or FCM). In addition, the poor outcome of early relapsing patients underscores the need for alternative treatment approaches with either allogeneic stem cell transplantation or use of novel drugs in order to further improve the survival of these pts. Disclosures: Cramer: Roche: Travel grant Other; Mundipharma: Travel grant, Travel grant Other. Bahlo:Roche: Honoraria. Fink:Roche: Travel grant Other. Goede:Roche: Honoraria, Travel grant Other. Elter:Roche: Honoraria, Travel grant Other. Stilgenbauer:Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Wendtner:Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; GSK: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Fischer:Roche: Honoraria, travel grants Other; Mundipharma: Honoraria. Hallek:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Mundipharma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Gilead: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pharmacyclics: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Eichhorst:Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

3 Background: This multicenter, randomized, phase III study compared B-R and CHOP-R as first-line treatment in indolent lymphoma and MCL and was presented at ASH 2009 including a comprehensive safety analysis. Here we present an updated analysis with a cut-off date for 31 Oct 2011. Methods: 549 patients (pts) with indolent or MCL were randomized to receive B-R or CHOP-R for a max of 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was PFS. Results: 514 pts randomized pts were evaluable (261 B-R; 253 CHOP-R). Patient characteristics were well balanced between arms; median age was 64 years. At a median follow-up of 45 months, PFS was significantly prolonged with B-R compared with CHOP-R (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.44–0.74; P 60 years (n=315). In pts with...

3588 Background: This study investigated the impact of early tumor-shrinkage (ETS) on progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated within the AIO KRK-0104-trial. ETS was previously shown to be a predictor of treatment response to cetuximab. The present analysis, for the first time, evaluates the correlation of ETS with outcome parameters in patients undergoing capecitabine-based therapy. It also aims to correlate the predictive value of ETS and cetuximab-induced skin toxicity. Methods: The AIO KRK0104 trial was performed as a randomised study comparing capecitabine/oxaliplatin (CAPOX) plus cetuximab to capecitabine/irinotecan (CAPIRI) plus cetuximab in the first-line treatment of mCRC. 121 patients were available for evaluation of ETS at 6 weeks. ETS was defined as a relative change of ≥20% in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions compared to baseline. Results: Tumors of 63 patients (71% KRAS wild-type (wt), 100% skin reactions) developed ETS, 58 tumors did not develop ETS (53% KRAS wt, 86% skin reactions). ETS was associated with prolonged PFS (8.9 vs. 4.7 months, p-line therapy ETS correlates with prolonged PFS and OS. ETS also correlates with cetuximab-induced skin toxicity. Both parameters may therefore serve as post-randomisation surrogate markers of favourable outcome for cetuximab-based treatment.

3519^ Background: We investigated the expression of the EGFR ligands amphiregulin (AREG) and epiregulin (EREG) as well as the amplification of the EGFR-gene in tumor specimens of mCRC patients (pts) treated first-line with anti-EGFR targeted cetuximab together with CAPOX or CAPIRI. Expression levels were correlated with overall response rate (ORR), progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) to determine their relationship with effectiveness in this setting. Methods: A total of 185 mCRC pts were randomized to cetuximab (400mg/m² day 1, followed by 250mg/m² weekly) plus CAPIRI (irinotecan 200mg/m², day 1; capecitabine 800mg/m² twice daily days 1-14, every 3 weeks; 20% dose reduction of both agents for pts older than 65 years) or plus CAPOX (oxaliplatin 130mg/m² day 1; capecitabine 1000mg/m² twice daily days 1-14, every three weeks). The primary study endpoint was ORR. KRAS mutational status did not correlate with treatment outcome. The cut-offs for EGFR-amplification using FISH, AREG and EREG levels determined by RT-qPCR were calculated using ROC analysis for ORR. Results: Within the subgroup of KRAS wildtype tumors, analysis of EREG- and AREG-expression was possible in 99 pts and of EGFR-amplification in 63 pts. Higher AREG levels correlated significantly with higher ORR (83% vs 46%, p=0.006, OR 0.31), longer PFS (9.6mo vs 4.9, p

Abstract 2860 Introduction: In the last decade, important progress has been achieved in the treatment of CLL through the use of purine analog-based chemoimmunotherapies. Several conditions remain a challenge, often with a poor outcome. Amongst these therapeutic problems are Richter's transformation (RT), refractoriness to F-based therapies (Fref), and the occurrence of AIC, which are sometimes induced by F. Fref and RT pts have a very poor prognosis with an estimated overall survival (OS) of only 10 and 8 months (mos), respectively. Therefore, therapeutic alternatives are urgently warranted. CHOP-R has improved the outcome of pts with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. To test the efficacy and tolerability of the CHOP-R regimen in CLL patients with RT, Fref, or AIC, the GCLLSG initiated a prospective phase II trial. Material and Methods: 62 patients were included in the study. Due to protocol violations, 2 patients were excluded. Within the group of Fref pts, the medical review detected 11 patients who had received pre-treatment with F (Fpret), but were not refractory according to the updated guidelines (Hallek et al., Blood 2008). Thus, 26 pts were classified as Fref/pret, 19 pts as AIC and 15 pts as RT. All patients received CHOP every 3 weeks (cyclophosphamide 750mg/m2, adriamycin 50mg/m2 and vincristine 1, 4mg/m2 d1; prednisone 100mg/m2 d1–5). Rituximab was added starting with the 2nd cycle (375mg/m2 on each d0, and 21 days after the last CHOP-R). RT pts received up to 8, Fref/pret and AIC up to 6 courses of CHOP-R. In case of PD after 3 cycles, pts went off-study. The primary endpoints were remission rate, quality and duration of response. Results: 79%, 73%, and 40% of AIC, Fref/pret, and RT pts were male, respectively. The median age was 65 years (y) for Fref/pret-pts, 66y in the AIC and 69y in the RT group. Binet stages for Fref/pret pts were: A: 8%; B: 27% C: 65 %. All but 3 AIC pts were at Binet stage C. Initial RT stages according to Ann Arbor were: II: 13%, III: 13%, IV 73%. The median number of previous therapies were 3 for Fref/pret, 2 for AIC and 2 for RT. A total of 314 cycles were administered, with a median number of 3 cycles for AIC and Fref pts and a median number of 4 cycles for the RT group. Due to toxicity 73% of cycles in the Fref/pret group, 66% in the AIC and 87% in the RT group were dose-reduced. 69% of Fref/pret-pts and 58% of AIC-pts received full 6 cycles of therapy and only 40% of RT-pts completed 8 cycles of therapy. Treatment was stopped in 6 pts because of PD. Due to treatment related toxicity treatment was stopped in 16 pts (27%). Treatment related mortality was 3% (2 pts). Treatment toxicity was reported according to NCI common toxicity criteria (CTC) version 2.0. Adverse events grade 3 or 4 for anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were documented in 75%, 55% and 65% of patients, respectively. Infections were the most common non-hematologic toxicity and occurred in 67%; severe infections CTC grade 3 or 4 occurred in 28%. All 26 Fref/pret-pts were available for response evaluation. CHOP-R achieved 54% PR, 35% SD and 12% PD. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and median treatment-free survival (TFS) were 11 and 14 mos. OS was 27 mos with a significant difference concerning F-ref (n=15) and F-pret (n=11) pts (17 vs. 35m; p=0.05). We evaluated the response of all 15 RT-pts with 60% PR, 7% CR, 13% SD and 20% PD. The PFS was 15 mos, TFS was 17 mos and OS 27 mos. 17 AIC pts were available for response evaluation with 82% PR, 6% SD and 12% PD. The PFS and TFS were only 14 and 16 mos. The OS was 50 mos. The population had a high incidence of unfavourable genetic markers: deletion of chromosome 17p [del(17p)] was detected in 24%, del(11q) in 34% and unmutated IGHV in 70%. 85% had high levels of serum thymidine kinase (sTK > 10 U/l), and 49% had high levels of ß2-microglobulin (ß2M > 3.5 mg/l). Patients with del(17p) had an unfavourable response rate and achieved significant less a PR or CR (36% vs. 76%; p=0.03). Multivariate analyses showed that del(17p) and ECOG performance status had a negative prognostic impact on OS (p Conclusion: CHOP-R achieves promising response rates in CLL patients with Fref and RT and very good response rates in patients with AIC. However, the progression-free survival and overall survival remain unsatisfactory. Therefore, CHOP-R might be used as induction therapy prior to allogeneic stem cell transplantation in physically fit patients. Disclosures: Eichhorst: Hoffmann La Roche: Honoraria, Research Funding, Travel Grants; Mundipharma: Research Funding, Travel Grants; Gilead: Consultancy. Dreyling:Roche: Research Funding, Scientific advisory board, Speakers Bureau. Bergmann:Celgene: Honoraria. Stilgenbauer:Hoffmann La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Travel Grants. Fink:Hoffmann La Roche: travel grants. Fischer:Hoffmann La Roche:. Wendtner:Hofmann-La Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Hallek:Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Mundipharma: Research Funding; Celgene: Honoraria.

3589 Background: The AIO KRK-0104 randomized phase II trial investigated the efficacy and safety of two capecitabine-based regimens: CAPIRI plus cetuximab (CAPIRI-C) and CAPOX plus cetuximab (CAPOX-C) in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Treatment related skin toxicity was evaluated separately for capecitabine and cetuximab. The present analysis investigates the correlation of capecitabine-attributed skin toxicity (Cape-ST) and parameters of treatment efficacy. Methods: mCRC patients were randomized to cetuximab (400mg/m2 day 1, followed by 250mg/m2 weekly) plus CAPIRI (irinotecan 200mg/m2, day 1; capecitabine 800mg/m2 twice daily, days 1-14, every 3 weeks) or cetuximab plus CAPOX (oxaliplatin 130mg/m2 day 1; capecitabine 1000mg/m2 twice daily, days 1-14, every 3 weeks). Results: Of 185 recruited patients, 149 patients (CAPIRI-C, n=78; CAPOX-C, n=71) received study treatment beyond the first tumor assessment and were evaluable for efficacy. While cetuximab-specific skin toxi...

Abstract 856 Introduction: Promising results have been observed in two phase II studies evaluating the combination of bendamustine plus rituximab (B-R) in patients (pts) with relapsed/refractory follicular, other indolent or mantle cell lymphomas (MCL) (Rummel et al. JCO 2005; Robinson et al. JCO 2008). Fludarabine plus rituximab (F-R) is an established treatment option in this setting. Therefore, we initiated in 2003 a multicenter, randomized phase III study to compare the efficacy and safety of B-R versus F-R for pts with relapsed follicular (FL), indolent or MCL. Patients and methods: 219 pts with relapsed FL, indolent or MCL in need of treatment were randomized to rituximab 375 mg/m2 (day 1) plus either bendamustine 90 mg/m2 (days 1+2) or fludarabine 25 mg/m2 (days 1–3) q 28 days for a maximum of 6 cycles. Prophylactic use of antibiotics or granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was not generally recommended; however in cases of severe granulocytopenia, G-CSF use was permitted. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). The protocol was amended in 2006 to allow rituximab maintenance therapy (rituximab 375 mg/m2 q 3 months for up to 2 years) in both arms, following regulatory approvals in this setting. Results: 11 pts were not evaluable due to protocol violations, and were not followed further. A total of 208 pts were evaluable for the final analysis (109 B-R; 99 F-R). There were no significant differences between arms for patient characteristics, including age, stage, LDH, International Prognostic Index (IPI), follicular IPI (FLIPI), bone marrow infiltration and extranodal involvement. Most pts had stage IV (71.6% B-R; 60.6% F-R) or stage III disease (21.1% B-R and 25.3% F-R, respectively). Median patient age was 68 yrs (range 38–87). Patients had received a median of 1 prior therapy (range 1–7). Histological subtypes were distributed equally between the B-R and F-R arms: follicular 45.9 % and 47.5%, respectively; immunocytoma 11.9% and 11.1%; MCL 20.2% and 21.2%; other indolent lymphomas 23% and 20.2%. A median number of 6 cycles were given in both treatment arms, with 75.2% of B-R pts and 53.4% of F-R pts receiving 6 cycles, respectively. At the time of this analysis (June 2010), the median observation time was 33 months. Median PFS was significantly prolonged with B-R compared with F-R (30 vs 11 months; hazard ratio [HR] 0.51, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.34–0.67; p There were no significant differences in the rates of alopecia, stomatitis, erythema, allergic reactions, peripheral neuropathy or infectious episodes between groups. Hematologic toxicities were also similar between arms: 8.9% grade 3/4 neutropenia with B-R vs 9.1% with F-R; 11.8% grade 3/4 leukocytopenia with B-R vs 12.4% with F-R. The overall incidence of serious adverse events was similar for the B-R and F-R groups (17.4 and 22.2%, respectively). An unplanned subanalysis showed that rituximab maintenance therapy significantly prolonged overall survival (HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.22–0.67; p=0.0008) and PFS (HR 0.27, 95% CI 0.27–0.59; p< 0.0001) in the small group of 40 pts who received this treatment (23 B-R, 17 F-R), compared with those who did not. Although the numbers are too small in this non-randomized comparison to draw some validated conclusions, these results appear to confirm the favorable role of rituximab maintenance. Conclusions: These data confirm the efficacy of B-R in pts with relapsed FL, indolent or MCL, and, in this setting, demonstrate a superior PFS benefit for this regimen in comparison with F-R. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

3540 Background: Cetuximab combined with 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid plus irinotecan or oxaliplatin has shown activity in the treatment of mCRC. This randomized phase II trial investigated the effi...

LBA4506 Background: The course of pts with APC is often complicated by venous thromboembolic events (VTE). Anticoagulation therapy with LMWH may prevent VTE and is under discussion to improve overall survival (OS) in cancer. Based on our previous pilot study (Hilbig et al, Onkologie 2005;28(suppl 3)) indicating the safety and feasibility to the addition of the LMWH enoxaparin to chemotherapy in pts with APC we started the open, prospective, randomized, multicenter study to investigate the role of enoxaparin in these pts. Methods: Primary endpoint was the reduction of symptomatic VTE (sVTE) from an expected 10% to 3% within the first 12 weeks of treatment. The occurrence of sVTE (secured by an independent, blinded event review board) in 24 pts was calculated to be necessary in order to define the role of enoxaparin in decreasing the risk of VTE. Toxicity, time to progression (TTP), and OS were among the secondary endpoints of the study approved by the ethics committees of the participating centers. VTE-naive and chemotherapy-naive pts with histologically or cytologically confirmed APC were randomized to receive or not to receive additional LMWH (enoxaparin 1mg/kg once daily) starting in parallel to palliative systemic chemotherapy. Results: In January 2009 after recruitment of 312 pts the study was closed. There were 22 sVTE in 152 pts of the observation group (O) and 8 in 160 pts of the enoxaparin group (E). ITT and PP analyses demonstrated significant risk reductions from 14.5% to 5.0% (65% RRR) and 14.5% to 3.8% (74% RRR) for E, respectively. Major bleeding events were 9.9% for O and 6.3% for E (ITT; n.s.). In each group there was one tumor-related fatal hemorrhage. Preliminary data show no difference in TTP (O:19 vs. E:22 w) and OS (O:29 vs. E:31 w). Conclusions: Enoxaparin is effective and safe in the primary prevention of sVTE applied in parallel with cytotoxic chemotherapy in pts with APC. Final results on TTP and OS are pending. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Background: Promising results have been observed in our previous phase-II study evaluating the combination of Bendamustine plus Rituximab (B-R) in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent or mantle cell lymphomas. An overall response rate (ORR) of 90%, including a 60% rate of complete remissions (CR) was documented. Objective: In October 2003, we initiated a multicenter randomized phase-III study to compare efficacy and safety of the combination B-R versus CHOP plus Rituximab (CHOP-R) as first-line therapy for follicular, indolent and mantle cell lymphomas. Methods: Patients (pts) were randomized to receive Rituximab 375 mg/qm (day 1) plus either Bendamustine 90 mg/qm (days 1+2) every 28 days or the standard CHOP regimen every 21 days for a maximum of 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was event-free survival (EFS). The trial was calculated to power the study to demonstrate a non-inferior EFS associated with B-R treatment, as defined by a difference in EFS between the two regimes of less than 10% after 3 years. An event was defined by a response less than a partial response, disease progression, relapse, or death from any cause. The study is closed according to the planned recruitment schedule. Results: 546 patients have been randomized. For this second interim analysis, 437 patients are evaluable for response (B-R: n=221; CHOP-R: n=212). Median patient age is 64 years. Histologies are equally distributed between arms: follicular 52%, mantle cell 20%, and other indolent lymphomas 28% in both treatment groups, each. The ORR for pts treated with B-R was similar to that associated with CHOP-R (94% vs 93%, respectively). CR was also similar at 41% for B-R compared to 33% for CHOP-R. The median follow-up time for both groups is 28 months. Thus far, 50 deaths have been observed (B-R: 25; CHOP-R: 25). Progressive or relapsed disease has been documented during the follow-up period: 58 in pts treated with B-R and 75 in the CHOP-R group. The median EFS for B-R is not yet reached, the median EFS for CHOP-R is 39 months with no statistical significant difference for the EFS between both groups. The B-R regimen appears to have a better toxicity profile, as evidenced by a lower rate of total alopecia (0% with B-R vs. 89% CHOP-R) and a lower number of infectious complications (number of patients with infections of any grade were 56 (25%) in the B-R group vs. 78 (37%) in CHOP-R group). Correlating, the CHOP-R regimen was more hematotoxic: WHO grade 3/4 leukocytopenia was reported in 36% CHOP-R treated pts compared with 19% in pts treated with B-R, while in the CHOP-R group more frequently G-CSF was used. Conclusions: In this second interim analysis, the combination of Bendamustine plus Rituximab appears to be non-inferior to the standard CHOP-R while showing a better tolerability profile. Further updated results will be presented at this time.

4033 Background: Cetuximab combined with 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid (5-FU/FA) plus irinotecan or oxaliplatin has shown activity in the treatment of mCRC. This randomized trial compared the first-l...

8572 Background: Promising results have been observed in both our previous phase-II and phase-III studies evaluating the combination of Bendamustine plus Rituximab (B-R) in patients with relapsed/r...

4512 Background: Based on promising phase II studies, this randomized, multicenter phase III study compared DC with a commonly used regimen, FLC. Methods: Patients (pts) aged 18–75 years with stage III (T4, nonresectable) or IV gastric cancer, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥60%, and life expectancy ≥3 months were randomized to receive ≤6 cycles of DC (D 75 mg/m² and C 75 mg/m²; both as 1-h infusions d1q3w) or ≤4 cycles of FLC (5-FU 2,000 mg/m² [24-h infusion] and L 500 mg/m² [2-h infusion], both d1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36 q7w, plus C 50 mg/m² [1-h infusion], d1, 15, 29 q7w). C was omitted in FLC Cycle 4. Treatment was stopped in the event of disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or consent withdrawal. Tumors were staged on D 40, 85, 135, and 190. The study endpoints were time to progression (primary) and toxicity, response rate, quality of life, and overall survival (secondary). Results: At 12 months’ follow-up, of 273 randomly assigned pts preliminary data are available for 235 pts (DC: 112, FLC: 12...

Background: Promising results have been observed in our previous phase-II study evaluating the combination of Bendamustine plus Rituximab (B-R) in patients with relapsed/refractory indolent or mantle cell lymphomas. An overall response rate (ORR) of 90%, including a 60% rate of complete remissions (CR) was documented. Objective: In October 2003 we initiated a multicenter randomized phase-III study to compare efficacy and safety of the combination B-R versus CHOP plus Rituximab (CHOP-R) as first-line therapy for follicular, indolent and mantle cell lymphomas. Methods: Patients (pts) were randomized to receive Rituximab 375 mg/qm (day 1) plus either Bendamustine 90 mg/qm (days 1+2) every 28 days or the standard CHOP regimen every 21 days for a maximum of 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was event-free survival (EFS). A sample size of 474 pts were calculated to power the study sufficiently to demonstrate a non-inferior EFS associated with B-R treatment, as defined by a difference in EFS between the two regimes of less than 10% after 3 years. An event was defined by a response less than a partial response, disease progression, relapse, or death from any cause. Results: So far 439 patients have been randomized. 273 patients are evaluable for response for this first interim analysis (B-R: n=139; CHOP-R: n=134). Median patient age is 63 years. Histologies are equally distributed between arms: follicular 52%, mantle cell 20%, and other indolent lymphomas 28% in both treatment groups, each. The ORR for pts treated with B-R was similar to that associated with CHOP-R (94% vs 93%, respectively). CR was also similar at 51% for B-R compared to 40% for CHOP-R. The median observation time for both groups is 17 months. Thus far, 15 deaths have been observed (B-R: 7; CHOP-R: 8). Progressive or relapsed disease has been documented during the follow-up period: 27 in pts treated with B-R and 32 in the CHOP-R group. The B-R regimen appears to have a better toxicity profile, as evidenced by a lower rate of total alopecia (40% CHOP-R vs. 0% with B-R) and a lower number of infectious complications (41 in CHOP-R pts vs. 19 in the B-R group). Correlating, the CHOP-R regimen was more hematotoxic: WHO grade 3/4 leukocytopenia was reported in 41% CHOP-R treated pts compared with 12% in pts treated with B-R. Conclusions: In this first interim analysis the combination of Bendamustine plus Rituximab appears to be non-inferior to the standard CHOP-R while showing a better tolerability profile. The study will be closed in December 2007 according to the planned patient recruitement schedule. Updated results will be presented at this time.

Introduction: Treatment regimens based on purine analogues as F have become standard in first line therapy of younger or physically fit CLL pts. In these pts purine analogue-based regimens resulted in higher response rates and prolongation of progression free survival (PFS). Because it is not clear if elderly or physically non-fit pts benefit from more intense first line strategies as well, Clb is still widely used in first line therapy of elderly CLL pts. The GCLLSG initiated a phase III study (CLL5 protocol) to evaluate the effect of F versus (vs.) Clb in first line therapy of elderly patients with advanced CLL. Patients: 206 pts (F 101; Clb 105), older than 64 years, were enrolled between July 1999 and September 2004. 13 pts had to be excluded due to violation of exclusion/inclusion criteria. 15% of the pts were in Binet stage A, 47% in stage B, and 38% in stage C. The median pt age was 70 years (range 64 to 80). Pts were randomized to receive either F 25mg/mi.v. d1–5 q 28 days for 6 courses or Clb 0,4mg/kg ideal bodyweight (BW) (dose escalation up to 0.8mg/kg) q15d for up to 12 months. The mean number of administered courses was 4.9 in the F arm, the median duration of Clb treatment was 6.5 months (median dose 0.5 mg/kg). Results: After a median observation time of 41,5 months (mo) (range 1–89 mo) 165 pts (F 78; Clb 87) were evaluable for response and 184 (F 88; Clb 96) for progression free survival (PFS). In spite of a significantly higher complete remission rate (CRR) and overall response rate (ORR) in the F arm (CRR8% vs. 0%; p=0.008; ORR86% vs. 59%; p Conclusion: This long-term follow-up analysis shows that elderly pts have no significant clinical benefit from first line therapy with F in comparison to Clb. Though higher CRR and ORR F failed to show any benefit in terms of PFS and OS. A possible explanation for this phenomenon is the longer treatment period with Clb, that might prevent earlier relapses. Moreover, in case of relapse F treated pts received either no treatment at all or more intense regimen in comparison to Clb. In conclusion, Clb and F are similar potent first-line treatment options for elderly CLL pts.

10635 Background: In search for treatment regimens which can be applied in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated patients, the combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin was shown to be effective in several trials. To improve on tolerability and handling of the regimen, cisplatin was replaced by carboplatin in the present trial. Methods: Patients with intensively pretreated, metastatic breast cancer (age 18 to 70 years) and measurable disease were treated with gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 iv on days 1 and 8) and carboplatin (AUC 4 iv on day 1) in a 3-week regimen. The trial was performed as a 2-stage phase II study according to the optimal design described by Simon (p0 = 0.1, p1 = 0.3, α = 0.05, β = 0.1) with overall remission rate (according to RECIST) as the the primary objective. Results: Of 39 recruited patients (median age: 60 years, range 29 to 77 years) response data are available from 35 patients. A positive hormone receptor status was observed in 77% of patients, and 31% of patients were Her-2 overexpressing. All patients had received prior chemotherapy, and 49% of patients had been subjected to 2 or more treatment regimens for metastastatic disease. Prior treatment consisted of anthracyclines (87%), alkylating agents (77%), taxanes (67%), and antimetabolites (62%). Prior endocrine therapy had been applied to 77% of patients. At the time of evaluation, a total of 183 treatment cycles were documented with a median number of 5 cycles per patient (range 1 to 11). Treatment is presently ongoing in 8 patients. A CR was observed in 1/35 patients, a PR in 8/35 patients for an overall remission rate of 26% (95%-CI: 12% to 43%). Stable disease was documented in 49% (17/35) of patients. Median time to progression was 4.9 months (95%-CI: 2.9 to 6.8 months). In 39 evaluable pts, CTC grade 3/4 leukopenia was observed in 22/2 pts, neutropenia in 14/8 pts, anemia in 3/0 pts, and thrombocytopenia in 11/8 pts. Treatment delays and/or dose reductions were performed in 49% of cycles. Conclusion: Gemcitabine in combination with carboplatin is an effective combination for second- or third-line treatment in patients with metastatic breast cancer. [Table: see text]

3550 Background: Combinations of infusional 5-FU/FA with either oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or irinotecan (FOLFIRI) have become standards of care in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. In this trial, 5-FU/FA was replaced by capecitabine, an oral fluoropyrimidine. In addition, cetuximab, an antibody directed against the EGF-receptor was added to further improve treatment efficacy. Methods: Patients (pts) with metastatic CRC (age 18 to 75 years) and measurable disease were randomized to 3-week cycles of therapy. In the CCI-arm, pts received cetuximab (400 mg/m2 iv on day 1 of cycle 1 and 250 mg/m2 iv subsequently), capecitabine (2 × 800 mg/m2 po on days 1 to 14), and irinotecan (200 mg/m2 iv on day 1). In patients >65 years doses of irinotecan and capecitabine were reduced by 20%. In the CCO arm, cetuximab (as described above) was combined with capecitabine (2 × 1000 mg/m2 po on days 1 to 14) and oxaliplatin (130 mg/m2 iv on day 1). Both treatment arms were planned separately according to the optimal design described by Simon (p0 = 0.3, p1 = 0.5, α = 0.1, β = 0.1) with objective response rate (ORR) according to RECIST) as the primary endpoint. Results: The recruitment goal of 92 patients has been achieved. Among evaluable patients, median age in the CCI arm was 63 yrs (range 38–72) and 58 yrs (range 38–74) in the CCO arm. Median Karnofsky performance status was 90% (range 70–100) and 100% (range 70–100), the EGFR-status was positive in 64% and 69% of pts, respectively. The ORR in the CCI arm was 41% (11/27) (95%-CI: 22% to 61%), while in the CCO arm an ORR of 71% (15/21) (95%-CI: 48% to 89%) was documented. Toxicity data were available for 25 pts in each arm. The most common grade 3–4 CTC- toxicities observed in the CCI and the CCO-arm respectively were skin toxicity (4 vs 5 pts), allergic reactions (0 vs 5 pts), diarrhea (5 vs 3pts), neurotoxicity (1 vs 3 pts), and leucopenia (4 vs 5 pts). Conclusion: The preliminary evaluation of this randomized phase II trial suggests the feasibility of both treatment arms. Updated results regarding response rate and progression-free survival will be presented at the meeting. [Table: see text]

5030 Background: Topotecan combined with etoposide (GINECO 1998) and gemcitabine (NOGGO 2001) proved effective for second-line treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer. It is, however, unclear whether combined treatment improves survival and tumor control compared to topotecan alone. Methods: Women with recurrent ovarian cancer after primary surgery and platinum therapy were enrolled in an open-label randomized phase-III trial at 93 German institutions. Stratifying for treatment-free intervals (TFI) of less or more than 12 months, subjects were centrally allocated to topotecan 1.25 mg/m2/d (TM), topotecan 1.0 mg/m2/d plus oral etoposide 50 mg/d (TE) on day 6–12, or topotecan 0.5 mg/m2/d plus gemcitabine (TG) 800 mg/m2/d1 and 600 mg/m2/d8 every three weeks. Local institutional review boards approved this study, and all patients provided written informed consent. With 145 subjects each arm, this study yielded 90% power to detect a Hazard Ratio (HR) of 0.60 in overall survival (OS) at a two-sided alpha of 0.01. We employed Cox regression for primary endpoint analysis, and addressed progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicity descriptively. Results: Between September 1999 and November 2004, 3036 courses were administered to 505 patients (mean age 60.4 [SD 11.3] years), 208 of whom had a TFI No significant financial relationships to disclose.

4110 Background: Approximately 20% of patients (pts) diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) develop venous thromboembolism, which may contribute to the dismal prognosis of PA. A small phase II trial suggested an improved survival by the addition of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) to chemotherapy (Icli et al., ASCO 2003). We conducted a small pilot study which indicated that the addition of enoxaparin to chemotherapy GFFC chemotherapy (see below) is safe and feasible in pts with advanced PA. Furthermore, results of several phase III studies suggest that pts in good performance status may benefit from more intensive chemotherapy regimen (Riess et al; Heinemann et al; ASCO 2005). Based on these considerations we started the multicenter phase III study CONKO 004. Methods: 540 patients are to be recruited into this study. Primary stratification takes place according to Karnowsky performance status and kidney function. Patients with KPS > 80% and normal kidney function receive GFFC ± LMWH (gemcitabine 1 g/m2 (30 min), cisplatin 30 mg/m2 (90 min), 5-fluorouracil 750 mg/m2 (24 h), folinic acid 200 mg/m2 (30 min), d1, 8; q3w ± Enoxaparin 1mg/kg daily s.c.). Pts with KPS < 80 % and increased creatinin plasma levels (>1.3 mg/dl) receive the current standard therapy (gemcitabine 1 g/m2 (30 min), d1, 8, 15; q4w) ± LMWM ± Enoxaparin 1mg/kg daily s.c. After 12 weeks of initial chemotherapy all patients who have not progressed received the standard therapy (gemcitabine 1 g/m2 (30 min), d1, 8, 15; q4w) ± Enoxaparin 40mg daily s.c. Results: From April 2004 to Dezember 2005 140 pts have been recruited in this study. Until now no unexpected serious adverse events concerning severe bleedings were observed in the enoxaparin treatment group. No heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT II) was documented. The first interim analysis per protocol is planned after 12 pts. with deep vein thrombosis or thromboembolic events. This interim analysis is expected to be completed in May 2006. Conclusions: Our observations indicate that the addition of enoxaparin—given the dosage mentioned above—to GEM/GFFC is safe, does not change toxicity and maintains activity of chemotherapy in pts with advanced PA. This study is open to recruitment. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

LBA4009 Background: The combination of gemcitabine 1 g/m2 and 5-FU 750 mg/m2 as a continuous 24 h-infusion, modulated by folinic acid 200 mg/m2 given on d1, 8, 15, 22 every six weeks (GFF) showed interesting results in a multicenter phase II study (Oettle, Ann Oncol 2000). It was thus further explored in a phase III randomised study comparing it to gemcitabine standard therapy (G) (1 g/m2 weekly 7q8w, followed by 3q4w). Methods: Patients were randomised to receive GFF or G after stratification for disease extend and Karnofsky performance status (KPS). Eligibility criteria included KPS>= 60%, locally advanced or metastatic disease, no prior chemotherapy. Primary endpoint was median overall survival (mOS). Study was powered to detect a significant difference with 80% probability at a significance level of 0,05 when 392 death were observed. Secondary end-points include time to progression (TTP) and toxicity. Results: 473 pts. were randomised between 08/00 and 11/03. 235 pts. were allocated to GFF and 238 to ...

4108 Objective: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of three different combination regimens, CapOx, CapGem, and GemOx for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients: Of 165 planned pts, 135 pts have been enrolled between June 2002 and December 2003 from 37 centres. Patients (pts) received either capecitabine 2 x 1000mg/m2 po d1–14 plus oxaliplatin 130mg/m2 iv d1 (CapOx) or capecitabine 2 x 825mg/m2 po d1–14 plus gemcitabine 1000mg/m2 iv d 1+8 (CapGem) or or gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 iv d1+8 plus oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 d8 (GemOx). In all three treatment arms, cycles were repeated every 3 wks. Progression-free survival after 3 months was evaluated as a primary end-point. Results: At the interim analysis, 44, 45, and 46 pts had been included into the respective treatment arms. Median age was 63 yrs (range 40–74), 92% of pts presented with a KPS >70%, and 76% had metastatic disease. Stratification was performed with regard to KPS and stage of disease, and pts were accordingly well balanced between tre...

Background The 3-weekly combination of trastuzumab and paclitaxel has been approved for the treatment of advanced breast cancer based on a large pivotal study. However, mono and combination chemotherapy trials suggest that weekly paclitaxel has a better therapeutic index, especially in the palliative setting. The present trial examined the efficacy and safety of weekly paclitaxel over a limited duration combined with continued trastuzumab in HER2+ patients. Methods Patients with histologically confirmed metastatic breast cancer overexpressing HER2 were eligible if pretreated with anthracycline in either the adjuvant or palliative setting. Treatment consisted of weekly trastuzumab (2 mg/kg/week for up to one year after a loading dose of 4 mg/kg in week 1) and paclitaxel (90 mg/m², administered in weeks 1–6 and 8–13). Results Twenty-seven German centers enrolled 121 patients. The median number of metastatic sites was two (range 1–5); 38% of patients had received chemotherapy for advanced disease. After a median 42 weeks of trastuzumab treatment, limited by disease progression in roughly half the patients, a best objective response rate (complete response + partial response) of 76% was achieved, including complete remissions in 29%. 74% of patients lived without tumor progression at six months. Median progression-free and overall survival were 9.4 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.1–11.3) and 22 months (95% CI: 17–46). After alopecia, Common Toxicity Criteria grade ≥2 toxicity was predominantly hematological (leukopenia [31%] and anemia [41%]); however, thrombocytopenia occurred in only 5%. Neurotoxicity was remarkably low. Two cardiac events (grades 2 and 3) were presumed treatment-related. Conclusions Weekly paclitaxel plus trastuzumab allows an increased dose density and offers an attractive and effective alternative to the conventional schedule. Limiting the duration of cytotoxic therapy to 3 months seems to be an option to reduce neurotoxicity without impairing long-term outcome.