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Background: Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a common adverse reaction associated with capecitabine chemotherapy that significantly affects the quality of life of patients. This study evaluates the safety and effectiveness of a topical heparin (TH) treatment on the clinical manifestations and anatomopathological alterations of capecitabine-induced HFS. In addition, we performed proteome profiling of skin biopsies obtained from patients with HFS at baseline and after heparin treatment. Methods: Patients with grade ⩽ 2 HFS associated with capecitabine were included in this study. The primary end point was the effectiveness of TH in reducing HFS of any grade. Clinical improvement was evaluated by clinicians, and an improvement was perceived by patients who performed a weekly visual analog scale questionnaire. Secondary end points included a comparative histological analysis and protein expression in skin biopsies at baseline and after 3 weeks of HT treatment. Proteomic profiling was carried out using quantitative isobaric labelling and subsequently validated by a T-array. Results: Twenty-one patients were included in the study. The median TH treatment time was 7.6 weeks (range = 3.6–41.6 weeks), and the median response time was 3.01 weeks (95% CI = 2.15–3.97). At the end of treatment, 19 of 21 patients (90.48%) responded to treatment with a decrease in one or more grades of HFS. None of the patients experienced adverse effects related to TH usage, nor did they suspend chemotherapy treatment. The main findings observed in skin biopsies after treatment were a decrease in hyperkeratosis and lymphocytic infiltrates. The proteomic analysis showed altered expression of 34 proteins that were mainly related to wound healing, cell growth, and the immune response. Conclusion: Based on our results, topical heparin is an effective and safe treatment for clinical manifestations of HFS, probably due to the restauration of skin homeostasis after heparin treatment, as supported by our proteomics-derived data. Trial registration: EudraCT 2009-018171-13

The purpose of this study was to report our experience with administration of plerixafor for the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in patients with refractory or recurrent germ cell tumors who were candidates for salvage therapy with high-dose chemotherapy and HSC transplantation and for whom mobilization of HSCs had not been achieved by standard therapies. This retrospective and observational study selected patients who were eligible for autologous HSC transplantation (AHSCT) and received plerixafor after failure of HSC mobilization by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). A total of 5 patients (4 male and 1 female), aged 19–41 years (mean age, 29.6 years) were initially selected. Four patients (80%) achieved an adequate HSC mobilization with plerixafor and subsequently received high-dose chemotherapy followed by HSC transplantation. In these patients, the number of CD34+ cells collected following plerixafor mobilization was 1.8×106–10.3×106 cells/kg, with a peak CD34+ cell count of 7.0–32.0 cells/μl. Following HSC infusion, these 4 patients achieved a neutrophil count of >0.5×103/mm3 and a platelet count of >20,000/μl between days 10 and 14. Therefore, patients with high-risk germ cell tumors eligible for AHSCT who are refractory to mobilization by G-CSF, may benefit from the use of plerixafor, possibly to the same extent as patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

Although selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), such as tamoxifen, or aromatase inhibitors (AIs), such as anastrozole, are the preferred endocrine treatment approach for most patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, many patients progress despite this therapy or become resistant. Fulvestrant is a selective estrogen receptor down-regulator (SERD) that has demonstrated activity and efficacy in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer previously untreated or treated with hormonal therapy. The efficacy of fulvestrant has been demonstrated in the neoadjuvant and metastatic settings, either alone or in combination with other therapies such as anastrozole or targeted drugs. Additionally, 500 mg of fulvestrant have been shown to be more effective than 250 mg, without significant differences in the toxicity profile. In this review, the unique mode of action of fulvestrant and the clinical data for different dosing regimens both alone or in combination with other drugs is critically assessed.

Approximately 75% of patients with breast cancer present hormone receptor-positive tumors. This subtype of breast cancer initially shows a high overall response rate to hormonal treatments. However, resistance eventually develops, resulting in tumor progression. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway regulates several cellular functions in cancer such as cell growth, survival, and proliferation. In addition, a high activation level of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is related to resistance to conventional chemotherapy and hormone therapy. The mTOR inhibitor everolimus, in combination with hormonal treatments, has led to excellent results in progression-free survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer resistant to hormone therapies. Therefore, everolimus has entered the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines 2012 and its combination with exemestane was approved recently by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency. This is the first time that a drug will have been approved for the restoration of hormone sensitivity in breast cancer.

Background Cisplatin is a potent antitumor agent. However, toxicity and primary and secondary resistance are major limitations of cisplatin-based chemotherapy, leading to therapeutic failure. We have previously reported that mono-sulfonamide platinum complexes have good antitumor activity against different tumoral cell lines and with a different and better cytotoxic profile than cisplatin. Besides, N-sulfonamides have been used extensively in medicinal chemistry as bactericides, anticonvulsant, inhibitors of the carbonic anhydrase, inhibitors of histone deacetylases, and inhibitors of microtubule polymerization, among others. Methods We aimed to compare the cytotoxic effects of cisplatin and a trans-sulfonamide-platinum-complex (TSPC), in two human melanoma cell lines that differ in their TP53 status: SK-MEL-5, TP53 wild type, and SK-MEL-28, TP53 mutated. We performed cytotoxicity assays with both drugs, alone and in combination, cell cycle analyses, western blotting and immunoprecipitation, and fluorescence immunocytochemistry. Results TSPC had similar antiproliferative activity than cisplatin against SK-MEL-5 (3.24 ± 1.08 vs 2.89 ± 1.12 μM) and higher against SK-MEL-28 cells (5.83 ± 1.06 vs 10.17 ± 1.29 μM). Combination of both drugs inhibited proliferation in both cell lines, being especially important in SK-MEL-28, and showing a synergistic effect. In contrast to cisplatin, TSPC caused G1 instead G2/M arrest in both cell lines. Our present findings indicate that the G1 arrest is associated with the induction of CDKN1A and CDKN1B proteins, and that this response is also present in melanoma cells containing TP53 mutated. Also, strong accumulation of CDKN1A and CDKN1B in cells nuclei was seen upon TSPC treatment in both cell lines. Conclusions Overall, these findings provide a new promising TSPC compound with in vitro antitumor activity against melanoma cell lines, and with a different mechanism of action from that of cisplatin. Besides, TSPC synergism with cisplatin facilitates its potential use for co-treatment to reduce toxicity and resistance against cisplatin. TSPC remains a promising lead compound for the generation of novel antineoplastic agent and to explore its synergism with other DNA damaging agents.

Metronomic administration of the same chemotherapy agents (lower doses with closer intervals) may optimize their antiangiogenic properties. The aim of our study was to determine the efficacy and safety of a metronomic regimen based in non-pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (NPLD) in advanced breast cancer patients. Clinical records of patients with pretreated advanced breast cancer and who were treated with the Metronomic-Cooper-type regimen consisting of weekly fixed doses of NPLD (30 mg IV) plus 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) (500 mg IV) plus vincristine (0.25 mg IV) and daily oral cyclophosphamide (50 mg) plus prednisone (20 mg) were reviewed. In 84 pretreated patients, a tumor response was observed in 38 patients (45 %); stable disease was observed in 23 patients (27 %). Median progression-free survival (PFS) time to progression was 8.4 months and median overall survival (OS) was 21 months. The most common grade 2–3 hematologic adverse event was neutropenia, which was observed in 47 patients (56 %). Febrile neutropenia was observed in 10 patients (12 %). The most common non-hematologic adverse events were asthenia and mucositis which were observed in 60 patients (71 %) and 26 patients (31 %), respectively. Three patients (4 %) experienced an asymptomatic decline of the left ventricular ejection fraction. NPLD-based metronomic regimen was effective and safe in pretreated advanced breast cancer patients. It could be considered as an appealing option to treat patients previously exposed to anthracyclines.

Background: microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. In the present study, we describe miRNA expression in early node-positive BC and identify a 8-miRNA score that could contribute to prognosis assessment. Methods: First, microarray analysis was performed using RNA samples extracted from primary breast cancer. The expression of miRNAs was analyzed by RT-qPCR using the TaqMan Arrays from Applied Biosystems. After a suitable normalization of the 677 miRNAs analyzed, 123 presented a good correlation between their levels of expression in frozen tissue and paraffin tissue. A supervised analysis was done in order to identify MIR that could predict relapse. Results: 172 patients with node-positive chemotherapy-treated early BC were included in the present study. The median age at diagnosis was (53.7) years, 128 cases (74.4%) had positive estrogen receptor, and 163 patients (94,7%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. After a median follow up of 8,1 years, 71p (41.2%) relapsed. Supervised analyses identified 8 microRNAs (has miR-30e, miR-30a, miR-21, miR-210, miR-93, miR-150, miR-99b, miR-572) associated with higher risk of relapse (5 year PFS 50% vs 90%, HR 3.75, 95% CI 2.27–6.19) and with estimated overall survival (median not reached, HR 4.51, 95% CI 2.36–8.61). Interestingly, miRNAs defined 2 prognostic groups (high and low risk) regardless of type of adjuvant chemotherapy (with or without anthracyclines) and histological subtype (luminal A, B or triple negative). Conclusions: This study suggests that miRNA expression could contribute to assess molecular prognosis of breast cancer and identifies clusters of miRNAs that could improve outcome prediction. A validation study in node-negative and triple negative disease is planned. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-10-11.

Hypersensitivity reaction (HSR) to antineoplastic drugs can force doctors to stop treatment and seek other alternatives. These alternatives may be less effective, not as well tolerated and/or more expensive. Another option is to use desensitization protocols that induce a temporary state of tolerance by gradually administering small quantities of the antineoplastic drug until the therapeutic dosage is reached. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of oxaliplatin desensitization protocols.A retrospective observational study was carried out between January 2006 and May 2011. The inclusion criteria were patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment with oxaliplatin who had developed an HSR to the drug and who were candidates for continuing the treatment using a desensitization protocol. The patients' clinical records were reviewed and variables were gathered relating to the patient, the treatment, the HSR, and the desensitization protocol administered. The data were analysed using version 18.0 of the statistics program SPSS.A total of 53 desensitization protocols were administered to 21 patients. In 89 % of these cases, no new reactions occurred while the drug was being administered. New reactions of mild severity only occurred in 11 % of cases, and none of these reactions were severe enough for treatment to be stopped. All patients were able to complete the desensitization protocol.This study confirms that oxaliplatin desensitization protocols are safe and effective and allow patients to continue with the treatment that initially caused an HSR.

Introduction The aim of this study was to compare TOMOX versus FOLFOX4 as first-line treatment of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Materials and methods 191 chemotherapy-naïve patients were randomized to receive TOMOX or FOLFOX4. Patients were evaluated every 3 months and chemotherapy was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Overall response rate was the primary endpoint. Results 183 patients were included in the intent-to-treat analysis (92 TOMOX and 91 FOLFOX4). Overall response rate was 45.6 and 36.3 % (p = 0.003) for TOMOX and FOLFOX4, respectively. No statistically significant differences were observed in overall survival (15.6 and 17.2 months; p = 0.475); progression-free survival (7.7 and 8.7 months; p = 0.292), and response duration (6.4 and 7.6 months; p = 0.372) for TOMOX and FOLFOX4, respectively. Grades 3 and 4 neutropenia (p

Background: PM00104 binds guanines at DNA minor grooves, impacting DNA replication and transcription. A phase I study was undertaken to investigate safety, dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), recommended phase II dose (RP2D), pharmacokinetics (PKs) and preliminary antitumour activity of PM00104 as a 1- or 3-h infusion three-weekly. Methods: Patients with advanced solid tumours received PM00104 in a dose escalation trial, as guided by toxicity and PK data. Results: A total of 47 patients were treated; 27 patients on the 1-h schedule (0.23–3.6 mg m−2) and 20 patients on the 3-h schedule (1.8–3.5 mg m−2). Dose-limiting toxicities comprised reversible nausea, vomiting, fatigue, elevated transaminases and thrombocytopenia, establishing the 1-h schedule RP2D at 3.0 mg m−2. With the 3-h schedule, DLTs of reversible hypotension and neutropenia established the RP2D at 2.8 mg m−2. Common PM00104-related adverse events at the RP2D comprised grade 1–2 nausea, fatigue and myelosuppression. In both schedules, PKs increased linearly, but doses over the 1-h schedule RP2D resulted in higher than proportional increases in exposure. A patient with advanced urothelial carcinoma had RECIST shrinkage by 49%, and three patients had RECIST stable disease ⩾6 months. Conclusion: PM00104 is well tolerated, with preliminary evidence of antitumour activity observed. The 1-h 3-weekly schedule is being assessed in phase II clinical trials.

Background: The prognosis for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is poor and treatment options are limited. Bevacizumab improves the efficacy of standard first-line therapy in locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer (LR/mBC). The benefit of bevacizumab seen in patients with TNBC appears similar to that observed in the overall population. We conducted an exploratory analysis of patients with TNBC treated in the single-arm routine oncology practice ATHENA study. Methods: Patients with previously untreated LR/mBC received standard first-line chemotherapy combined with bevacizumab (10 mg/kg every 2 weeks or 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks, until progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient/physician decision). Results: Of 2,264 patients treated in ATHENA, 585 (26%) had TNBC. Most patients received single-agent taxane with bevacizumab. In the TNBC subgroup, the overall response rate was 49%, including complete responses in 10%; only 16% had primary resistant disease. Median time to progression was 7.2 months (95% CI 6.6–7.8) and median overall survival was 18.3 months (95% CI 16.4–19.7). The 1-year overall survival rate was 60%. The safety profile in TNBC was consistent with results in the overall population. Conclusion: This exploratory subgroup analysis suggests that first-line chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab is an active regimen in patients with metastatic TNBC.

Background Infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) and infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) are the two most common histologic types of invasive breast cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated distinctive clinical and biologic characteristics, however some features of ILC are yet uncertain like the relationship with the particular subtypes according to the gene expression profile. The purpose of our study is to analyze how the patients with ILC differ from IDC regarding of percentage of luminal subtype, the tumor factors, treatment and patterns of recurrence. Patients and Methods We assessed 1190 breast cancer patients treated at the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre between 1995 and 2006 categorized as having ILC or IDC pure types. Results: One thousand one hundred ninety tumors were included, being ILC 223 patients (18, 7%), IDC 967 patients (81, 3%) and 200 patients (10%) were luminal HER2+. The current analysis is limited to the 990 patients classified as luminal HER2−. Median age was 59, 2 years for ILC and 58, 8 for IDC, with no significant differences among the groups. Compared to IDC, ILC showed a larger tumor size (≥T3: 15, 2% vs. 4, 8%, ***p With a median follow-up of 94 months, 45 ILC patients (22%) and 159(20, 2%) IDC relapsed. No differences were observed in DFS (p=0, 81) or OS (p=0, 47). The most frequent metastatic site was bone (33% for ILC and 40, 8% for IDC), followed by local relapses (17, 7% for ILC vs. 17% for IDC) and liver (15, 5% for ILC vs. 15, 7% for IDC). ILC was associated with an increased incidence of peritoneal/mesenteric metastases (8 pts 17, 7% vs. 1pts 0,6% ***p Conclusion: Luminal HER2− Infiltrating lobular carcinoma carries distinct clinicopathological features. In our study, ILC had similar prognosis as IDC. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-09-34.

The ATHENA study expanded on the safety and efficacy data derived from first-line trials of bevacizumab combined with standard chemotherapy for locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer (LR/mBC). In ATHENA, 2,264 patients received first-line bevacizumab-containing therapy in routine oncology practice. Overall survival (OS) data are now mature; additional analyses from this large data set can provide insights into treatment duration and the effect of prolonged bevacizumab exposure, where data are currently limited. Patients with HER2-negative LR/mBC received first-line bevacizumab with standard chemotherapy until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or physician/patient decision. We performed subgroup analyses on data from patients treated for ≥12 months and those who continued single-agent bevacizumab after stopping chemotherapy. After median follow-up of 20.1 months, median OS was 25.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 24.0-26.3 months) in the entire population. Median OS was 30.0 months (95% CI 28.5-32.7 months) in 1,205 patients who continued bevacizumab after discontinuation of chemotherapy and 18.4 months (95% CI 17.2-19.7 months) in 1,058 patients who discontinued bevacizumab before or at the same time as stopping chemotherapy. Bevacizumab treatment was continued for ≥12 months in 473 patients (21%). In most, bevacizumab was administered as monotherapy for extended periods after stopping chemotherapy. In the subgroup of patients treated for ≥12 months, the median time to onset of grade 3-5 adverse events was 5.0 months. There was no evidence that first onset of adverse events of special interest, except for proteinuria, was more common in later than earlier cycles. No relationship was detected between development of hypertension and OS. Findings from these analyses suggest that patients with LR/mBC can receive bevacizumab for prolonged periods without major toxicity or progression of disease. In the absence of progression, continuation of single-agent bevacizumab appears to be a reasonable approach, with minimal toxicity and the possibility of long-term disease control.

Breast cancer (BC) comprises a group of different diseases characterized by changes in tissue structure and gene expression. Recent advances in molecular biology have shed new light on the participation of genes and their products in the biology of BC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding endogenous RNA molecules that appear to modulate the expression of more than a third of human genes, and their implications in cancer have grasped the attention of the scientific community. Recently, several studies have described the association between miRNA expression profiles and pathological and clinical BC features. Moreover, these molecules represent a new type of molecular marker that can identify prognosis and guide the management of BC patients. With the increasing understanding of miRNA networks and their impact in the biology of BC, as well as the development of viable strategies to modulate specific miRNAs, we could improve the treatment of this disease.

Maximum tolerated dose (MTD), recommended dose (RD), and pharmacokinetics (PK) were evaluated for trabectedin 3-h every-3-weeks schedule in 33 cancer patients stratified according to liver dysfunction degree as per baseline alkaline phosphatase (AP). Stratification was as follows: stratum I [upper limit of normal (ULN)AP ≤ 1.5 × ULN; n = 16], stratum II [1.5 × ULNAP ≤ 2.5 × ULN; n = 12], and stratum III [AP2.5 × ULN; n = 5] (bilirubin2.5 × ULN for all 3 strata). In each stratum, patients were treated in sequential cohorts at escalating doses. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were grade 3 transaminase increases not recovering baseline values on day 21, febrile neutropenia/grade 4 neutropenia lasting5 days and AP increase more than twice over baseline. The MTD and RD for stratum I (mild baseline AP) was 1.3 mg/m(2). Recruitment was stopped early in strata II/III (moderate/severe baseline AP) without reaching the MTD due to slow accrual and difficulty in finding patients. Biochemical parameters other than AP (bilirubin, AST or ALT) were similar between strata. No relevant PK differences were found between strata. In conclusion, the MTD and RD (1.3 mg/m(2)) were confirmed only for stratum I. Stratification criteria based on baseline AP apparently did not segregate the patients according to their liver dysfunction degree. Antitumor activity was found in patients with pretreated ovarian cancer.

The bone is a very common site of metastasis in patients with advanced cancer. Skeletal metastases are most common in breast and prostate cancer, but virtually any advanced cancer may disseminate to the bone. On the basis of recent advances in the understanding of bone remodeling processes, denosumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody against RANK-L, has been developed. Phase III clinical trials have demonstrated that denosumab is well tolerated and effective in the treatment of bone loss and prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases., The diagnosis of bone metastases is an event with certain consequences for the patient. They often mean pain and can also mean pathological fractures, hypercalcemia, and spinal cord compression, all synonymous with a diminished quality of life and often also hospitalization. Since the advent of the intravenous bisphosphonates, things began to look a bit brighter for patients with bone metastases—bone destruction was kept at bay a little longer. The next generation of bone metastasis treatments is well on its way in clinical development, and among them, the most advanced drug is denosumab. Denosumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that inhibits osteoclast maturation, activation, and function by binding to receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand, with the final result being a reduced rate of bone resorption. In this review, we give an overview of relevant preclinical and clinical data regarding the use of denosumab in patients with solid tumors in general and prostate cancer in particular.

Background: First-line bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy significantly improves efficacy versus chemotherapy alone in HER2-negative locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer (LR/mBC). ATHENA, a multinational, open-label, single-arm study, further evaluated first-line bevacizumab in combination with standard chemotherapy in patients treated in routine oncology practice. Patients and methods: Eligible patients had HER2-negative LR/mBC, ECOG performance status 0-2, and had received no prior chemotherapy for LR/mBC. They received bevacizumab 10 mg/kg q2w or 15 mg/kg q3w in combination with taxane-based chemotherapy (or other non-anthracycline chemotherapy) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient withdrawal. The primary endpoint was safety; secondary endpoints included time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Results: Between September 2006 and March 2009, 2264 patients began therapy with bevacizumab, combined with single-agent paclitaxel (34%), single-agent docetaxel (33%), taxane-based combination therapy (11%), non-taxane-containing therapy (10%), or sequential chemotherapy (switching chemotherapy regimen before disease progression while continuing on bevacizumab; 12%). After final data cut-off in July 2010, the median duration of follow-up was 20.1 months (range 0.1-43.6 months). Bevacizumab therapy was continued for ≥1 year in 473 patients (21%). The safety profile and median TTP were very similar to those previously reported after median follow-up of 12.7 months and are consistent with findings from randomized phase III trials. Final OS results in the overall population and in clinically important subgroups are reported below for the first time. Conclusion: Median OS in the overall population is consistent with OS results reported from three randomized phase III trials in the first-line setting (25.2-30.2 months). OS results in subsets of patients with TN disease or aged ≥70 years suggest that bevacizumab-containing therapy is an effective option for these patients, who typically have fewer treatment options available. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-16-06.

Germ cell tumours (GCTs) represent an extraordinarily chemosensitive malignancy. However, 20-30% of patients with advanced disease cannot be cured by currently available treatments. The role of tyrosine kinase receptors has been widely studied in other malignancies. Yet, limited information is available on GCTs.One hundred and nine paraffin-embedded GCTs in 84 patients were assessed by immunohistochemistry for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2)/neu and KIT (CD117) expression. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate their role as predictive and/or prognostic factors.EGFR and HER-2/neu staining was detected in 28% and 13% of tumours, respectively, predominantly in nonseminomatous GCTs. KIT protein was almost universally expressed in seminomas (97%), being virtually absent in choriocarcinoma and teratocarcinoma subtypes. EGFR expression showed inverse association with tumour response of borderline significance. With a median follow-up of 10.6 years, no significant association was observed between the expression of any of these markers and relapse-free or overall survival.EGFR, HER-2/neu and KIT have differential patterns of expression in GCTs according to histological subtypes. The expression of these markers in our series had no prognostic or predictive significance.

Hepatobiliary cystadenocarcinomas (BCACs) with mesenchymal stroma are a rare cystic lesion. This tumour needs to be distinguished from benign biliary cystadenoma, which is antecedent in most cases. The treatment of choice is radical excision of the mass. The diagnostic evaluation, surgical management, pathological characteristics, treatment and follow-up of one patient with hepatobiliary cystadenocarcinoma with ovarian stroma is described. Preoperative diagnosis of BCACs is often difficult, because their clinical manifestations are similar to those of other hepatic cystic lesions. MRI is suitable for accurate characterisation of cystic biliary lesions, but distinguishing between cystadenoma and cystadenocarcinoma remains difficult on the basis of imaging findings. Complete surgical excision gives a relatively good chance of long-term survival because of the slow growth rate of these tumours.

A multicenter, open-label, phase 2 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of intravenous vinflunine as third-line treatment in patients with progressing metastatic breast cancer (MBC) after failure of anthracycline- and taxane-based chemotherapy.Fifty-six patients with MBC, relapsing after receiving 2 previous treatments for advanced disease, including both anthracyclines and taxanes, received 320 mg/m(2) of vinflunine once every 3 weeks (median number of 2.5 cycles, range: 1-13).According to an independent radiologist, the response rate was 12.5% (95% CI: 5.2-24.1) and 14% (95% CI: 5.3-27.9) (6 partial responses) in the treated and evaluable populations, respectively. Disease control was achieved in 42.9% and 51.2% of the patients, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 2.6 months (95% CI: 1.6-4.0 months) with a median overall survival of 11.4 months (95% CI: 7.4-14.2 months). Duration of response was 6.8 months (95% CI: 5.6 months, upper limit not reached). Leukopenia was the most frequent hematologic toxicity, with grade 3/4 severity in 49.1% of the patients. Grade 3 neutropenia in 30.9%, grade 4 in 40.0% of patients, febrile neutropenia (5.4%), and 1 case of neutropenia infection (1.8%) were reported. Other grade 3 toxicities included anemia (5.5%), fatigue (14.3%), and constipation (7.1%), which were noncumulative. The adverse events associated with vinflunine were predictable and manageable.Vinflunine is an active and well-tolerated agent as third-line treatment of patients with MBC after failure of anthracycline- and taxane-based therapy. These results warrant further investigation of vinflunine monotherapy or in combination for the treatment of MBC.

The role of molecular and biological factors in ovarian cancer is controversial. We investigated the levels of the estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, HER2/neu, p-53 and Ki 67 in patients with advanced ovarian cancer and correlated the results with the clinical course in order to define their predictive or prognostic significance.Paraffin-embedded tumor tissues from 72 patients with ovarian cancer treated from 1999 to 2003 were analyzed. Overexpression of C-erb-B2 was defined as herceptest ++/+++ and positive fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or herceptest +++/+++. Positivity for ER and PR was determined byor =10% of the cellular membranes immunostained. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic impact of the molecular markers.49 of the 72 patients were ER + (68%) and 36 PR + (50%). In 45 patients (62.5%) expression of p53 wasor =10%. Overexpression of C-erb-2 was found in 4 tumor samples (5%). A Ki67 labelled nuclear area30% was found to be associated with a higher rate of complete response (chi(2); p=0.05). None of the biological markers were significantly associated with progression free survival (PFS). By multivariate analysis residual tumor after debulking surgery and ER status were associated with OS (por =0.05).Ki67 nuclear expression30% is predictive of complete response in advanced ovarian cancer. HER2/neu overexpression is scarce in our study. Positive ER is an independent prognostic factor for OS. Further research with larger studies and hormonal treatment is guaranteed.

Purpose: To determine the recommended dose (RD) of EKB-569, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in combination with FOLFIRI chemotherapy in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Methods: Patients with previously untreated mCRC received FOLFIRI and EKB-569 at doses of 10, 25, 50, and 75 mg/day (EKB started on day 3). Three sequential skin biopsies were obtained in selected patients to assess the pharmacodynamic effects on EGFR signaling of FOLFIRI alone and with EKB-569. Complete pharmacokinetic sampling and tumor biopsies, when feasible, were conducted. Results: Forty-seven patients were enrolled. Dose-limiting toxicities (grade 3 diarrhea or asthenia) were observed in 1/7 patients at 50 mg EKB-569 and in 2/3 at 75 mg. Two additional dose levels (35 mg EKB-569/day and 50 mg EKB-569/day plus modified FOLFIRI) were evaluated. The RD was 25 mg EKB-569/full dose FOLFIRI. Grades 3 to 4 toxicities in >10% of patients were diarrhea (30%), neutropenia (21%), and asthenia (17%). Twenty-one patients had an objective response [48%; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 32-65%]. The median time to tumor progression was 7.7 months. At the RD, EKB-569 resulted in complete inhibition of phosphorylated EGFR (pEGFR) and downstream receptor signaling in skin and tumor samples. FOLFIRI alone did not affect pEGFR, but inhibited epidermal proliferation and activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and induced p27 expression in the skin. Conclusion: The RD of EKB-569 is 25 mg/day when combined with FOLFIRI and results in complete EGFR inhibition. Chemotherapy alone interferes with pharmacodynamic markers, an observation to be taken into account in future studies of targeted agents with chemotherapy.

Summary Background Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a very aggressive disease, with poor survival rates despite standard treatment with combination chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Further insights into the molecular biology of this malignant tumour are needed to improve the therapeutic approaches and outcome. KIT protein is expressed in SCLC, and its kinase activity has been implicated in the pathophysiology of many tumours, including SCLC. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of KIT expression in patients with SCLC and its prognostic value. Methods We performed an inmunohistochemical analysis of 204 SCLC samples to determine KIT protein expression. The relationship between KIT expression and clinicopathological parameters was evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to define its prognostic significance. Results KIT expression was observed in 149 of 204 tumour tissues (73%). KIT expression was associated with advanced disease and with decreased incidence of bone metastases. No significant differences were observed for time to disease progression (TTP) (9.1% versus 6.2% at 3 years, p =0.6) or overall survival (OS) (10.7% versus 6.9% at 3 years, p =0.37) among patients with KIT positive versus negative tumours, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that sex, tumour stage, albumin levels and response to therapy were the only independent predictors for survival. Conclusion KIT protein is expressed in a high percentage of SCLC tumours. In our study population, however, the expression of KIT had no significant impact on survival.

Anthracyclines such as doxorubicin, epirubicin, and daunorubicin are among the most active cytoxic agents for treatment of a wide variety of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The downside associated with chronic administration of anthracyclines is the induction of cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure, usually refractory to common treatments. Anthracycline liposomal formulations are currently the best-known alternatives to improve the index and spectrum of anticancer activity of these drugs and decrease their cardiotoxicity. In the current target therapy era in oncology, anthracyclines increase the antitumor effects in more than additive fashion, being excellent partners for other active agents like taxanes and trastuzumab. It is important to note, however, that the enhanced antitumor activity of these combination therapies is often accompanied with increased cardiotoxicity. The issue of anthracycline cardiotoxicity has not been solved so far and it is also important to stress the current lack of proper prevention and treatment strategies.

Purpose. To assess the toxicity and efficacy of biweekly gemcitabine plus vinorelbine in first-line advanced breast cancer, and to establish whether circulating HER2 ECD levels correlate with the efficacy of the combination. Patients and methods. 52 patients were treated with gemcitabine 2500 mg/m(2) plus vinorelbine 30 mg/m(2), both on day 1 of 14-day cycles, for a maximum of 10 cycles. Baseline serum levels of HER2 ECD were assessed with an ELISA. Results. All patients were evaluable for toxicity, and 50 for efficacy. Overall toxicity was moderate. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in 35% of patients and grade 4 in 19%. Other grade 3 toxicities were observed in less than 6%. There was one episode of febrile neutropenia, and one death after cycle three. Overall response rate was 52% (95% CI: 38% to 66%), with 2 patients achieving a CR (4%). Response rate did not correlate with HER2 ECD, with 50% of HER2 ECD positive patients responding, vs 48.5% of the HER2 ECD negative. Median overall survival was 24.6 months. Conclusion. Gemcitabine plus vinorelbine, given as an every-two-week schedule, is an active regimen in advanced breast carcinoma. This combination can be an option when anthracyclines and taxanes are not preferred. HER2 ECD has no predictive value in this non-taxane combination.

Women with metastatic breast cancer require tailored chemotherapy that improves outcomes without compromising quality of life. Capecitabine, a pro-drug of 5-fluorouracil, is an oral fluoropyrimidine carbamate that is sequentially activated in a three-step process. This results in the preferential production of 5-fluorouracil in tumors rather than in normal surrounding tissue, improving the tolerability and efficacy of 5-fluorouracil. In combination with docetaxel, capecitabine is the first agent that has shown superior activity to single-agent docetaxel, and it is a particularly appropriate option for younger, fitter patients with rapidly progressing disease and/or visceral metastases. However, for older patients and those with comorbidities and/or after progression to taxanes, single-agent capecitabine may be the best option. Its role in earlier disease stages (adjuvant therapy) is being investigated.

To evaluate the single agent activity, pharmacokinetics and tolerability of the novel tubulin targeted agent vinflunine (VFL) (320 mg m−2 q 21 days) as second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma (MBC). All patients had disease progression after anthracycline/taxane (A/T) therapy. They could have received a nonanthracycline adjuvant treatment and subsequently received a first-line A/T combination for advanced/metastatic disease; or relapsed >6 months after completion of adjuvant A/T therapy and were subsequently treated with the alternative agent; or relapsed within 6 months from an adjuvant A/T combination. Objective response was documented in 18 of 60 patients enrolled (RR: 30% (95% confidence interval (CI): 18.9–43.2%)). Among the responders, seven patients had relapsed during a period of

Purpose Cisplatin kills tumor cells through DNA cross linking. Alterations in the function of DNA repair genes may affect DNA repair proficiency and influence cancer patients' response to cisplatin. We studied whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DNA repair genes predict the response to cisplatin or prognosis in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Methods A polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) approach was used to determine the frequency of the SNPs: XPD-Asp312Asn, XPD-Lys751Gln, ERCC1-C8092A, and XRCC1-Arg399Gln in DNA from peripheral lymphocytes of 103 stage IV SCCHN patients. Results The frequencies of the distinct genotypes were, respectively, for the homozygous common allele, heterozygous and homozygous polymorphic variant: 53%, 40%, and 7% for ERCC1; 50%, 42%, and 8% for XPD-312; 35%, 57%, and 8% for XPD751; and 35%, 51%, and 13% for XRCC1. Patients with only common alleles at all the SNPs tested had a median overall survival of 5.1 months (range, 4.3 to 6.0 months) as compared with not reached for patients with at least one polymorphic variant (P < .001). Estimates from Cox's multivariate analysis suggest that the accumulation of each polymorphic variant decreases the probability of dying by a factor of 2.1 (P < .001; the presence of seven polymorphic variants confers a 175-fold protection). The accumulation of polymorphic variants increases by 2.94-fold the probability of achieving a complete response to treatment (P = .041). Conclusion Using a multivariate model, the presence of polymorphic variants in DNA-repair genes are powerful prognosis factors and response to cisplatin predictors among SCCHN patients.

Purpose To compare the antitumor activity and toxicity of the two induction chemotherapy treatments of paclitaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (FU; PCF) versus standard cisplatin and FU (CF), both followed by chemoradiotherapy (CRT), in locally advanced head and neck cancer (HNC). Patients and Methods Eligibility criteria included biopsy-proven, previously untreated, stage III or IV locally advanced HNC. Patients received either CF (cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 1 plus FU 1,000 mg/m2 continuous infusion on days 1 through 5) or PCF (paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 on day 1, cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on day 2, and FU 500 mg/m2 continuous infusion on days 2 through 6); both regimens were administered for three cycles every 21 days. Patients with complete response (CR) or partial response of greater than 80% in primary tumor received additional CRT (cisplatin 100 mg/m2 on days 1, 22, and 43 plus 70 Gy). Results A total of 382 eligible patients were randomly assigned to CF (n = 193) or PCF (n = 189). The CR rate was 14% in the CF arm v 33% in the PCF arm (P < .001). Median time to treatment failure was 12 months in the CF arm compared with 20 months in the PCF arm (log-rank test, P = .006; Tarone-Ware, P = .003). PCF patients had a trend to longer overall survival (OS; 37 months in CF arm v 43 months in PCF arm; log-rank test, P = .06; Tarone-Ware, P = .03). This difference was more evident in patients with unresectable disease (OS: 26 months in CF arm v 36 months in PCF arm; log-rank test, P = .04; Tarone-Ware, P = .03). CF patients had a higher occurrence of grade 2 to 4 mucositis than PCF patients (53% v 16%, respectively; P < .001). Conclusion Induction chemotherapy with PCF was better tolerated and resulted in a higher CR rate than CF. However, new trials that compare induction chemotherapy plus CRT versus CRT alone are needed to better define the role of neoadjuvant treatment.

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the antiepidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody cetuximab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Patients and Methods Ninety-six eligible patients received cetuximab (initial dose of 400 mg/m2 followed by subsequent weekly doses of 250 mg/m2) followed by platinum chemotherapy at the same dose and schedule at which progressive disease was documented before entry onto the study. Results The response rate, based on an independently read assessment, in the intent-to-treat population was 10%, with a disease control rate (complete response, partial response [PR], and stable disease) of 53%. The median time to progression and overall survival were 85 and 183 days, respectively; both were longest in patients achieving a PR (median, 203.5 and 294 days, respectively). Treatment was well tolerated. The most common cetuximab-related adverse events were skin reactions, particularly an acne-like rash. Conclusion The combination of cetuximab and platinum chemotherapy is an active and well-tolerated approach to the treatment of this poor-prognosis patient population with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic SCCHN for whom there are no recommended standard therapeutic options.

Background: North American and Japanese non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation via tyrosine kinase (TK) mutations respond dramatically to gefitinib treatment. To date, however, the frequency and effect of EGFR TK mutations have not been examined in European patients. Patients and methods: Eighty-three Spanish advanced NSCLC patients who had progressed after chemotherapy, were treated with compassionate use of gefitinib. Patients were selected on the basis of available tumor tissue. Tumor genomic DNA was retrieved from paraffin-embedded tissue obtained by laser capture microdissection. EGFR mutations in exons 19 and 21 were examined by direct sequencing. Results: EGFR mutations were found in 10 of 83 (12%) of patients. All mutations were found in adenocarcinomas, more frequently in females (P = 0.007) and non-smokers (P = 0.01). Response was observed in 60% of patients with mutations and 8.8% of patients with wild-type EGFR (P = 0.001). Time to progression for patients with mutations was 12.3 months, compared with 3.6 months for patients with wild-type EGFR (P = 0.002). Median survival was 13 months for patients with mutations and 4.9 months for those with wild-type EGFR (P = 0.02). Conclusions: EGFR TK mutational analysis is a novel predictive test for selecting lung adenocarci

We measured the expression of the p53 nuclear protein and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in 46 biopsy samples from patients with advanced head and neck cancer treated with induction combination chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, and paclitaxel. Tumour expression of p53 protein was analysed with the monoclonal D07 antibody and EGFR with monoclonal H11 antibody. The overall response, defined as complete (CR) and partial response (PR) rates to treatment, was 88%. p53 positive staining was significantly more frequent in patients who did not respond to the induction treatment. EGFR expression failed to show any correlation with the response rate. Multivariate analysis indicated that a tumour location in the oral cavity together with p53 expression combined with moderate-to-high EGFR staining were independent prognostic factors of a shorter disease-free survival (DFS). Location of the tumour in the oral cavity and EGFR expression had independent prognostic value for overall survival (OS). We conclude that the EGFR status and an oral cavity location of the tumour have independent prognostic value in patients with advanced head and neck carcinoma treated with induction chemotherapy. The p53 status appears to be a determinant of the tumour chemo-sensitivity in advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The presence in the tumour of a p53-positive stain and moderate-to-high staining of EGFR is associated with a shorter DFS and time to treatment failure (TTF) probably reflecting a more aggressive tumour phenotype.

The role of irinotecan-based chemotherapy as induction treatment of non-resectable advanced colorectal cancer (ACRC) is currently being elucidated. The objective of this retrospective study was to determine complete resection (R0), response rate, time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) in patients with non-resectable ACRC after being treated with neoadjuvant irinotecan-based chemotherapy. Thirty-six patients with ACRC were selected, of whom 23 (64%) were treated with irinotecan (250mg/m 2 on day 1), UFT (300mg/m 2 /day for 14 days) plus leucovorin (45 mg/day for 14 days) every 3 weeks. Another 13 (36%) received the FOLFIRI schedule of irinotecan plus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin. A total of 214 cycles of irinotecan/UFT/LV (median 8, range 1-15) and 97 cycles of the FOLFIRI schedule (median 9, range 1-30) were administered. The overall response rate was 58% (95% confidence interval 42-74), with six complete and 15 partial responses, whereas seven patients (19%) showed stable disease. Laparotomy was performed in 12 patients, of whom eight (22%) achieved R0 and two (6%) a pathological complete response. Median TTP was 10.0 months and median OS was 38.0 months for all patients. After a median follow-up of 20 months (range 1-49), median TTP in patients with R0 was not reached (mean TTP, 33.1 months), whereas median TTP in non-resected patients was 7.5 months (p=0.016). Toxicity was manageable and no toxic deaths occurred. This retrospective study showed a high resectability rate, and a prolonged TTP and OS in patients with ACRC after induction treatment with irinotecan-based chemotherapy. Both toxicity profile and postoperative complications were acceptable. Nevertheless, the definitive role of irinotecan as induction treatment should be confirmed in future clinical trials.

Metastatic melanoma carries a dismal prognosis and there is a need to develop new treatment strategies. Vinca alkaloids have shown consistent activity in melanoma patients, as monotherapy and as part of combination regimens. The current study evaluates the clinical activity and tolerability of vinorelbine as first-line monotherapy in patients with metastatic melanoma. Patients were eligible if they presented metastatic melanoma not amenable to curative resection, had received no prior systemic therapy for advanced disease and had an adequate performance status (ECOG 0-1). Patients received vinorelbine at a dose of 30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle, on an outpatient basis. Thirteen patients were accrued into the study and received 64 cycles. All patients were assessable for response, toxicity and survival. No objective responses were documented, for an overall response rate of 0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0-19%] and the trial was terminated in accordance to the predetermined early discontinuation rule. The median progression-free survival was 3.3 months (95% CI 2.3-4.3 months) and the estimated median overall survival was 8.1 months (95% CI 6.0-10.2 months). No life-threatening toxicities occurred. Neutropenia was the main hematologic toxicity, but none of the three episodes of grade 3-4 neutropenia were complicated by infection. The most common non-hematologic toxicities were asthenia, nausea, neuropathy and myalgia. We conclude that vinorelbine as a single agent on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle has a favorable toxicity profile, but appears to have no relevant clinical activity in patients with metastatic melanoma.

The combination of cisplatin and capecitabine was evaluated in patients with recurrent or unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC), and outcome parameters were correlated with the expression of thymidine phosphorylase (TP), thymidilate syntetase (TS), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 1-3, and microvessel density (MVD). Patients with recurrent or unresectable HNSCC were eligible if they had received prior neoadjuvant chemotherapy, concurrent chemo-radiotherapy, or no prior systemic therapy. Patients received cisplatin (75 mg m(-2) day 1), and capecitabine (2000 mg m(-2) day 1-14) every 3 weeks. A total of 41 patients received 194 cycles. In all, 16 complete responses (39%) and 12 partial responses (29%) were documented, for an overall response rate of 68% (95% CI, 53-80%). Grade 3-4 uncomplicated neutropenia was documented in five subjects. Asthenia, anorexia, hand-foot syndrome, and constipation were the most frequent nonhaematologic events. Median progression-free and overall survival were 6.4 and 12.6 months. Cytoplasmic TP expression was more prevalent in patients with a laryngeal location vs other, and in patients with a recurrence vs primary disease. Microvessel density count was higher in patients with recurrent vs primary disease. The combination of cisplatin and capecitabine is effective in recurrent or unresectable HNSCC, and shows a manageable toxicity.

BACKGROUND The current study evaluated the feasibility and clinical activity of a combination of paclitaxel, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and leucovorin administered on a biweekly schedule to patients with recurrent or unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC). METHODS Patients with recurrent or unresectable HNSCC were eligible if they had received a previous regimen of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, concurrent chemoradiotherapy, or no previous systemic therapy. Patients received paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 on Day 1), cisplatin (35 mg/m2 on Days 1 and 2), leucovorin (200 mg/m2 on Day 1), and 5-FU (1000 mg/m2 per day as a 48-hour continuous intravenous infusion on Days 1 and 2) every 2 weeks. Patients received subcutaneous filgrastim (300 μg per day) on Days 3–9 of each cycle. Treatment was administered on an outpatient basis for a maximum of six cycles. RESULTS Thirty-five patients received a combined total of 194 treatment cycles. Eighteen complete responses (51%) and 12 partial responses (34%) were documented, for an overall response rate of 86% (30 of 35 patients). The median progression-free survival duration was 14 months, and the median overall survival duration was 18 months. Two toxicity-related deaths were documented (one due to neutropenic sepsis and the other due to catheter-related pulmonary embolism). Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in one patient. Other severe (Grade 3 or 4) toxic effects included mucositis (14%), anemia (6%), thrombosis (6%), thrombocytopenia (3%), and neuropathy (3%). CONCLUSIONS The current dose-dense, four-agent, taxane-containing biweekly schedule was feasible and effective in patients with recurrent or unresectable HNSCC. However, given the single-center nature of the current study and the highly selected study population, further validation of these findings is recommended. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.

HER2 overexpression has been associated with anti-estrogen resistance in human breast cancer, and it has been suggested that the combined treatment of an anti-HER2 antibody plus tamoxifen has enhanced anti-cancer efficacy in breast cancer. The detailed anti-proliferative interactions between trastuzumab and tamoxifen were analyzed with the isobologram and Chou and Talalay methods, which assess the presence of synergy, addition or antagonism. We used the breast cancer cell lines that are estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and HER2-positive. We also analyzed the molecular changes on the HER2 and (ER) signaling pathways that are induced by trastuzumab plus tamoxifen. In terms of cancer cell proliferation, the simultaneous combination of trastuzumab and tamoxifen on BT-474 cells was more growth inhibitory (44%) than the treatment with trastuzumab (24%) or tamoxifen (31%) alone. Isobologram analysis of simultaneous trastuzumab plus tamoxifen exposure showed, however, that there were antagonistic interactions at an effect level of 30% (IC30). Using Chou and Talalay analysis we also observed antagonistic interactions at lower levels of cell kill, although there were additive effects at highest levels of cell kill. Trastuzumab followed by tamoxifen showed antagonism at all effects levels. Tamoxifen followed by trastuzumab showed antagonism at lower levels of cell kill, and additivity at higher levels of cell kill. Similar interactions were observed using T47D cells. The molecular effects of the combined treatment with trastuzumab plus tamoxifen on the levels of HER2 and ER signaling showed that, with respect to HER2 protein levels, trastuzumab downregulated HER2 by 27%, tamoxifen upregulated HER2 by 40%, and the combination of trastuzumab plus tamoxifen did not induce changes in HER2 respect to control. With respect to HER2 mRNA, trastuzumab upregulated HER2 mRNA to 367%, tamoxifen to 166%, and the combination to 401%. With respect to HER2 phosphorylation, trastuzumab upregulated HER2 phosphorylation to 352%, tamoxifen to 202% and the combination to 633%. Epidermal growth factor receptor levels were not changed by trastuzumab or tamoxifen alone, and were upregulated to 138% by the combination. The protein levels and activity of extracellular recptor kinase were not modified by trastuzumab, tamoxifen or the combination. Finally, estrogen receptor protein and mRNA levels were downregulated to about 50% by trastuzumab, tamoxifen or the combination. Taken together, our results show that in ER-positive breast cancer cells overexpressing HER2, trastuzumab plus tamoxifen have antagonistic interactions when used in combination, and that this antagonism may be related with an increase in HER2 signaling pathways that occurs when tamoxifen is added to trastuzumab.

The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of the dose of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer, and to determine which variables had influence on the dose of chemotherapy received. We reviewed the records of 196 patients with node-positive breast carcinoma that were treated with anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy. We analyzed the influence on treatment efficacy of the dose of anthracyclines (total dose and dose intensity), and a multivariate analysis was performed to identify independent prognostic factors of chemotherapy total dose. There were no differences in disease-free survival or overall survival between patients who received doses below or above the median total dose and median dose intensity of anthracyclines. A positive correlation was observed between the total dose of anthracycline received and the number of axillary lymph nodes. The clinical outcome of patients with node-positive breast cancer receiving adjuvant anthracycline-based chemotherapy is not affected by the amount of chemotherapy delivered. There exists a clinical practice of administering more chemotherapy in patients with poorer prognosis, which does not result in better therapeutic outcomes.

BACKGROUND Cancer patients with fever and neutropenia currently are assessed on clinical grounds only. The current study prospectively evaluated the efficacy of baseline procalcitonin (PCT) in the detection of bacteremia and in the prediction of outcome in patients with solid tumors and febrile neutropenia. METHODS PCT levels were determined at baseline and every 48 hours in 104 patients undergoing chemotherapy who developed fever (axillary temperature > 38 °C on 2 occasions or > 38.3 °C in a single record) and neutropenia (absolute neutrophil count < 500 cells/μL). RESULTS The median baseline PCT values were significantly higher in patients who had microbiologically documented infections (1.24 ng/mL) compared with patients who had clinically documented infections (0.27 ng/mL) or fever of unknown origin (0.21 ng/mL; P < 0.01). Accordingly, a PCT cut-off value of 0.5 ng/mL was reached more frequently in patients who had microbiologically documented infections compared with patients who had clinically documented infections or fever of unknown origin (66.7% vs. 13.4%, respectively; P < 0.001). Furthermore, this threshold also was associated with an increased likelihood of treatment failure (70.0% vs. 14.9%; P < 0.001). All 4 septic patients and all 5 patients who ultimately died presented PCT values 5-fold to 10-fold greater than the median values. Clinical evaluation in combination with baseline PCT assessment appeared to improve clinical risk evaluation alone. CONCLUSIONS Baseline PCT levels were higher in patients who had febrile neutropenia with bacteremia compared with patients who had clinical infections or fever of unknown origin. PCT helped to identify patients who had microbiologic infections and patients who were at high risk of treatment failure, and PCT may constitute a complementary tool in the initial assessment of such patients. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.

BACKGROUND To date, the clinical features and outcomes of patients with initially metastatic breast carcinoma (IMBC) have not been compared with the corresponding characteristics in patients with recurrent metastatic breast carcinoma (RBC). This issue may be particularly relevant to clinical research, as it may shed light on a potential bias with respect to the selection of patients for clinical trials. METHODS A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 1350 patients with breast carcinoma was performed. Outcome variables included overall survival, response rate, and progression-free survival. RESULTS One hundred nineteen of 370 patients with metastatic breast carcinoma had IMBC, whereas the remaining 251 had RBC. The median follow-up duration was 39.4 months, and the median overall survival duration was 24 months. With regard to clinical characteristics, patients with IMBC were older than patients with RBC (61.7 years vs. 58.1 years; P < 0.001) and had a higher incidence of lobular carcinoma (15.9% vs. 7.7%; P = 0.018), a greater proportion of T3–4 tumors (58.8% vs. 27.9%; P < 0.001), a higher incidence of bone as the dominant metastatic site (41.2% vs. 21.5%; P < 0.001), a lower incidence of soft tissue as the dominant metastatic site (10.1% vs. 26.7%; P < 0.001), and a similar incidence of the viscera as the dominant metastatic site (48.7% vs. 51.8%; P = 0.78). Median overall survival duration was similar for patients with IMBC (25.1 months) and patients with RBC (23.3 months; P = 0.81). Statistical analyses also revealed nonsignificant differences between patients with IMBC and patients with RBC in terms of response rate (40.7% vs. 35.2%, respectively; P = 0.35) and median progression-free survival duration (10.2 months vs. 9.0 months, respectively; P = 0.58). CONCLUSIONS Although patients with IMBC and patients with RBC exhibit distinct histologic and clinical characteristics, similar treatment efficacy results and survival outcomes are observed in these two groups. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.

Despite therapeutic improvements and ongoing efforts to develop more efficacious therapies, the majority of lung cancer patients face a poor prognosis. Therefore, the primary goal of current treatment is palliation, improvement and maintenance of quality of life (QOL), and (modest) prolongation of survival. Anemia frequently occurs in lung cancer patients and has been associated with decreased QOL, impaired treatment outcomes, and shortened survival time. Furthermore, anemia is a causative factor of tumor hypoxia, which compromises the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Thus, correction of even mild anemia seems to have a beneficial effect on QOL and cancer treatment outcomes. The current article describes the basis and mechanism for the use of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO, epoetin alfa), a molecular targeted therapy, for the treatment of cancer-related anemia, with a focus on lung cancer. Epoetin alfa has proven efficacy and safety in correcting anemia and improving QOL based on numerous clinical studies and over a decade of clinical practice. In addition, emerging data show that epoetin alfa may offer potential benefits beyond treating anemia, specifically in terms of treatment outcomes and cognitive function. Future research needs to be conducted to explore the potential for epoetin alfa to improve survival time in lung cancer patients.

Intimal sarcoma of the aorta is a rare and aggressive mesenchymal neoplasm with a propensity to metastasize and to embolize distant arteries. The diagnosis is most commonly made by autopsy or after surgery for an aortic aneurysm. Surgery is the treatment of choice in patients who do not have metastatic disease. The prognosis is generally poor, with death resulting in most patients within a few months from diagnosis. We describe a rare case of intimal sarcoma of the aorta that showed simultaneous involvement of the thoracic and abdominal aorta and also widespread embolic metastases to the main large vessels of the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and spleen.

Women with a family history of breast cancer (FHBC) are at increased risk for developing this disease. In this study, we have investigated the differences between two groups of women; those with family history of breast cancer (N=42) and women at population risk (N=42) in a Spanish cohort. Questionnaires assessed distress, perception of breast cancer risk, screening behaviours, coping skills, personality and quality of life. Neither group received genetic counselling before or after this study. Women with FHBC overestimated their risk of developing breast cancer. They report a subjective risk of developing breast cancer of 50%, with their actual risk, using the risk tables elaborated by Claus et al., being only 15% (p

Background The purpose of this study was to determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and maximum tolerated dose of a combination of vinorelbine plus gemcitabine administered on a biweekly schedule in patients with advanced solid tumors. Patients and methods Patients with advanced or refractory solid tumors included in this phase I study were treated with vinorelbine followed by gemcitabine. Vinorelbine was given intravenously over 10 min, andgemcitabine was given intravenously at an fixed-dose infusion rate of 10 mg/m2/min. Six dose levels of vinorelbine/gemcitabine were explored: 20/2000, 25/2500, 25/3000, 30/3000, 30/3500 and 30/2500 mg/m2. Results Nineteen patients were included in the study. Fourteen patients were pretreated with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. A total of 123 cycles of chemotherapy were administered. DLTs were neutropenic fever and grade 3 asthenia at dose level 5 (30/3500 mg/m2); at dose level 4 (30/3000 mg/m2) they were grade 3 asthenia, and a radiation-recall reaction and pneumonitis. Sixteen patients were evaluable for efficacy. Five patients had an objective response (one complete response and four partial responses), for an overall response rate of 31%. Conclusions The recommended dose for phase II study is vinorelbine 30 mg/m2 and gemcitabine 2500 mg/m2 administered once every 2 weeks. This regimen is feasible and well-tolerated at this dose, and shows a good clinical activity in all levels explored.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to clarify the prognostic and predictive value of immunoreactivity for the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) in patients with early-stage breast carcinoma and to investigate its relation with clinicopathologic features and other markers. METHODS Immunoreactivity for p27 protein was analyzed on tumor slides from 461 patients who were enrolled in the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) Trial V (median follow-up, 13 years), including 198 patients with lymph node negative disease and 263 patients with lymph node positive disease. Tumors with < 50% immunoreactive neoplastic cells were considered low expressors. Immunoreactivity for p27 was correlated with several clinicopathologic characteristics. Disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival were analyzed according to p27 immunoreactivity and treatment group. RESULTS In the lymph node negative population, decreased p27 immunoreactivity was associated with higher tumor grade (P = 0.001) and HER-2/neu overexpression (P = 0.04). In the lymph node positive population, low p27 expression was associated with higher tumor grade (P = 0.01), low expression of thymidylate synthase (P = 0.001), and higher Ki-67 expression (P = 0.007). DFS was not significantly different according to p27 status in either lymph node negative patients (10-year DFS: low p27 expression, 53% ± 5%; high p27 expression, 55% ± 5%) or in lymph node positive patients (10 year DFS: low p27 expression, 33% ± 4%; high p27 expression, 32% ± 4%). However, in the lymph node negative population, the benefit of one course of perioperative chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil was confined exclusively to patients with tumors that showed reduced p27 immunoreactivity (P = 0.03; test for interaction). CONCLUSIONS This analysis indicates that p27 immunoreactivity has little if any prognostic value in patients with early-stage breast carcinoma. However, these findings suggest that, in patients with breast carcinoma who have negative lymph node status, reduced p27 immunoreactivity is associated with HER-2/neu overexpression and may be predictive of a benefit from the early administration of adjuvant chemotherapy. Cancer 2003;97:1591–600. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11224

Pemetrexed is a novel multitargeted antifolate analog. The drug has shown encouraging activity in a wide range of solid tumors, including cervix, head and neck, and bladder carcinomas, which are the focus of this review. Toxicity, particularly hematologic, is higher in patients with these tumor types than in other populations exposed to pemetrexed. Supplementation with folic acid and vitamin B(12) appears to effectively reduce the incidence of severe toxicity and may optimize the therapeutic index of pemetrexed in patient subsets with poor nutritional status. The role of this agent in the management of these and other tumor types, as a single agent or in combination, shall be determined by randomized phase III studies.