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Vemurafenib is approved for the treatment of metastatic melanoma in patients with BRAF V600 mutation. In pivotal clinical trials, BRAF testing has always been done with the approved cobas 4800 BRAF test. In routine practice, several methods are available and are used according to the laboratories usual procedures. A national, multicenter, non-interventional study was conducted with prospective and consecutive collection of tumor samples. A parallel evaluation was performed in routine practice between the cobas 4800 BRAF V600 mutation test and home brew methods (HBMs) of 12 national laboratories, labelled and funded by the French National Cancer Institute (INCa). For 420 melanoma samples tested, the cobas method versus HBM showed a high concordance (93.3%; kappa = 0.86) in BRAF V600 genotyping with similar mutation rates (34.0% versus 35.7%, respectively). Overall, 97.4% and 98.6% of samples gave valid results using the cobas and HBM, respectively. Of the 185 samples strictly fulfilling the cobas guidelines, the concordance rate was even higher (95.7%; kappa = 0.91; 95%CI [0.85; 0.97]). Out of the 420 samples tested, 28 (6.7%) showed discordance between HBM and cobas. This prospective study shows a high concordance rate between the cobas 4800 BRAF V600 test and home brew methods in the routine detection of BRAF V600E mutations.

Background: Knowledge about tumour gene mutation status is essential for the treatment of increasing numbers of cancer patients, and testing quality has a major impact on treatment response and cost. In 2012, 4,629 tests for BRAF p.V600 were performed in France, in patients with melanomas., Methods: Two batches of unstained melanoma sections were sent, in May and November 2012, to the 46 laboratories supported by the French National Institute of Cancer (INCa). An external quality assessment (EQA) evaluated mutation status, response times and compliance with INCa recommendations., Results: All the French laboratories involved in testing participated in the EQA. Fourteen different methods were used to detect BRAF mutations, most consisting of combinations of in-house techniques. False responses were noted in 25/520 cases (4.8%), 11 of which concerned confusion between p.V600E and p.V600K. Thus, 2.7% of responses would have led to inappropriate treatment. Within six months, mean response times decreased from 22 to 12 days (P<0.001), and the percentage of samples evaluated by a pathologist for tumour cell content increased, from 75.2% to 96.9% (P<0.001)., Conclusion: Despite the use of non-certified methods, the false response rate was low. Nationwide EQA can improve the quality of molecular pathology tests on tumours.

A regimen consisting of 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin plus oxaliplatin (FOLFOX-6) is widely used in France in the first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC). The aim of our study was to demonstrate the non-inferiority of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) versus FOLFOX-6 for this indication. Patients were randomly assigned to receive XELOX or FOLFOX-6 for 6 months. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR) in the per-protocol (PP) population; however, progression-free and overall survival (OS), time to response and response duration were also assessed. A total of 306 patients were enrolled (XELOX n = 156; FOLFOX-6 n = 150). ORR was 42 and 46% with XELOX and FOLFOX-6, respectively, in the PP population. The difference between groups was 4.7%; the upper limit of the unilateral 95% confidence interval (14.4%) was below the non-inferiority margin of 15%. In the intent-to-treat population, median progression-free survival was 8.8 months with XELOX and 9.3 months with FOLFOX-6, and median OS was 19.9 and 20.5 months, respectively. XELOX patients had significantly more grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (12% vs. 5%) and diarrhoea (14% vs. 7%), but significantly less grade 3/4 neutropenia (5% vs. 47%), febrile neutropenia (0% vs. 6%) and neuropathy (11% vs. 26%) than FOLFOX-6 patients. We conclude that XELOX is non-inferior in terms of efficacy to FOLFOX-6 in the first-line treatment of MCRC, but has a different toxicity profile.

Background: The Hermine study observed the use of trastuzumab for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in routine practice, including patients who received trastuzumab treatment beyond progression (TBP)., Patients and Methods: The study observed 623 patients for > or = 2 years. Treatment was given according to oncologists' normal clinical practices. Endpoints included duration of treatment, efficacy, and cardiac safety. The TBP subanalysis compared overall survival (OS) in 177 patients who received first-line trastuzumab and either continued trastuzumab for > or = 30 days following progression or stopped at or before progression., Results: The median treatment duration was 13.3 months. In the first-, second-, and third-line or beyond treatment groups, the median time to progression (TTP) were 10.3 months, 9.0 months, and 6.3 months, and the median OS times were 30.3 months, 27.1 months, and 23.2 months, respectively. Heart failure was observed in 2.6% of patients, although no cardiac-associated deaths occurred. In the TBP subanalysis, the median OS duration from treatment initiation and time of disease progression were longer in patients who continued receiving trastuzumab TBP (>27.8 months and 21.3 months, respectively) than in those who stopped (16.8 months and 4.6 months, respectively). However, the groups were not completely comparable, because patients who continued trastuzumab TBP had better prognoses at treatment initiation. The median TTP was longer in patients who continued trastuzumab TBP (10.2 months) than in those who stopped (7.1 months)., Conclusion: The Hermine findings confirm that the pivotal trials of first-line trastuzumab treatment in MBC patients are applicable in clinical practice. The subanalysis suggests that trastuzumab TBP offers a survival benefit to MBC patients treated with first-line trastuzumab.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of epoetin beta once-weekly in anemic patients with solid tumors treated with chemotherapy., Method: Prospective, open-label, multicenter, single-arm study of epoetin beta 30 000 I.U. once-weekly in anemic patients with solid tumors receiving chemotherapy (n = 365)., Results: Epoetin beta increased mean haemoglobin (Hb) levels from 10.3 +/- 0.9 g/dL at baseline to 12.3+/-2.0 g/dL at week 12. The response rate was achieved in 61% (CI 95%: 55-68) of the patients. The mean Hb level increased was 1.8 g/dL (CI 95%: 1.5-2,0); in lung cancer patients (n = 102) Hb increase was 2.7 g/dL. Treatment with epoetin beta was well tolerated; only 1.4 % patients had thrombotic events., Conclusion: Epoetin beta (30 000 I.U. once weekly) increased Hb levels and was well-tolerated to correct anemia in patients with solid tumors treated with chemotherapy.

Objectives: This study aimed to provide further clinical evidence for the efficacy and safety of epoetin beta once weekly across a wide range of cancer types., Methods: This was a multicenter, open-label, prospective, single-arm study in patients with either a solid tumor or non-myeloid hematological malignancy, receiving or scheduled to receive further chemotherapy. Patients received epoetin beta 30,000 IU subcutaneously once weekly for 16 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in hemoglobin (Hb) level according to the patient's baseline Hb level., Results: A total of 691 patients were included in the intent-to-treat population. Epoetin beta effectively increased Hb levels (a mean increase from baseline of 1.1 g/dl by week 4 and 2.2 g/dl by week 12). Hb response was achieved in 60.4% of all patients and 61.2% of those with baseline Hb <11 g/dl. Hb response was similar in patients with solid tumors (60.5%) and non-myeloid hematological malignancies (60.2%). Type of chemotherapy and baseline platelet count were independent predictive factors for response. Epoetin beta treatment was well tolerated., Conclusions: Epoetin beta 30,000 IU once weekly effectively increases Hb levels, is well tolerated and has similar efficacy in anemic patients with solid tumors or non-myeloid hematological malignancies., (Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Aims: This study aimed at describing usual conditions of carvedilol use in heart failure (HF) patients., Methods: KEOPS was a one-year, multi-centre, prospective pharmaco-epidemiological study in carvedilol treated HF patients recruited by private cardiologists., Results: Two thousand nine patients (mean age: 68) with heart failure were included by 401 cardiologists. 64% of patients were in class II of NYHA and 27% in class III, 87% of patients presented stable heart failure for at least four weeks. Contraindication to beta blocking was observed in 24% of patients, mean left ventricular fraction of ejection was 39% and only 39% of patients had mean left ventricular fraction of ejection<35%. Co-medications included a diuretic agent, ACE inhibitor or ARB in 68% of cases. Eighty three percent of patients had a titration of carvedilol (median duration=1 20 days). Thirty percent reached the recommended maximal dose. The dose of carvedilol at the titration's visit for all the patients (patient in stop included) was on average 30.5 +/- 22.1 mg/day with a median on 25 [confidence interval: 23-27] During the year of follow-up, 10% of patients have stopped the treatment (3% of patients having reached the maximum recommended dose of carvedilol versus 13% for the others), for cardiovascular reasons in 50% of patients (aggravation of heart failure: 28%, symptomatic arterial hypotension: 9%, symptomatic bradycardia: 5%). Finally, symptomatology of patients has improved during the study (59% of patients in class mild to severe at inclusion, versus 36% at the end of the observation), especially for the 30% of patients followed at one year and having reached the maximum recommended dose of carvedilol. Only in univariate analysis, patients with an inclusion high weight (>85 kg) were likely less to reach recommended maximal dose (37.2 versus 8.7%, p-value<0.0001), the patients with systolic heart failure had more chance than the patients with diastolic heart failure to reach the recommended maximal dose (31 versus 17.4%, p-value=0.006), in the same way, the lack of auricular supported more the reach of recommended maximal dose (31.2 versus 24.1%, p-value=0.018), Conclusion: KEOPS study suggests an improvement of usual conditions of carvedilol compared to the last investigation but the persistence of prescription outside medical authorization and less dosage of this product compared with clinical studies.

B-cell posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disorder (B-PTLD) is a rare but severe complication of transplantation, with no consensus on best treatment practice. This prospective trial, the first to test a treatment for PTLD, was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with B-PTLD after solid organ transplantation (SOT). Forty-six patients were included and 43 patients were analyzed. Patients were eligible if they had untreated B-PTLD that was not responding to tapering of immunosuppression. Treatment consisted of 4 weekly injections of rituximab at 375 mg/m2. At day (d) 80, 37 (86%) patients were alive, and the response rate was 44.2%, including 12 complete response/unconfirmed complete response (CR/CRu). The only factor predictive of a response at d80 was a normal lactate dehydrogenase level (P = .007, odds ratio [OR] = 6.9). At d360, responses were maintained in 68% of patients, and 56% of patients were alive. The overall survival rate at 1 year was 67%. We conclude that rituximab is effective and safe in PTLD, with stable responses at 1 year. The response rate and overall survival might be improved by combining rituximab with other treatments.

The principle of an optical technique for simultaneous velocity, size, and concentration in suspension measurements of spherical droplets and cylindrical jets is proposed. This technique is based on phase Doppler anemometry working in the dual burst technique configuration. The particle size and velocity are deduced from the reflected signal phase and frequency, whereas the amplitude ratio between the refracted and the reflected signals is used for measuring the concentration of small scatterers inside the particles. Numerical simulations, based on geometrical optics and a Monte Carlo model, and an experimental validation test on cylindrical jets made of various suspensions, are used to validate the principle of the proposed technique. It is believed that this new technique could be useful in investigating processes in which liquid suspensions are sprayed for surface coating, drying, or combustion applications.

An optical device for measuring high particle concentrations is presented. The sensor consists of two optical fibers used for the emission and reception of the light scattered by particles in suspension. To describe the light path in this medium, we developed a Monte Carlo calculation including a mean free path, a phase function for particle scattering, and an absorption rate. A similarity law links concentration variations to a homothetic space transformation. A comparison between our calculation and experimental data is given for well-stirred, dense suspensions of silica particles with different sizes. A good fit is found when the model parameters (mean free path and phase function) are chosen according to the data given by a particle sizer.