Biweekly irinotecan plus cisplatin versus irinotecan alone as second-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer: a randomised phase III trial (TCOG GI-0801/BIRIP trial)

State of the scientific evidence and recommendations for the management of older patients with gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most frequent and deadly tumours worldwide. However, the evidence that currently exists for the treatment of older adults is limited and is derived mainly from clinical trials in which older patients are poorly represented. In this article, a group of experts selected from the Oncogeriatrics Section of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), the Spanish Group for the Treatment of Digestive Tumours (TTD), and the Spanish Multidisciplinary Group on Digestive Cancer (GEMCAD) reviews the existing scientific evidence for older patients (≥65 years old) with gastric cancer and establishes a series of recommendations that allow optimization of management during all phases of the disease. Geriatric assessment (GA) and a multidisciplinary approach should be fundamental parts of the process. In early stages, endoscopic submucosal resection or laparoscopic gastrectomy is recommended depending on the stage. In locally advanced stage, the tolerability of triplet regimens has been established; however, as in the metastatic stage, platinum- and fluoropyrimidine-based regimens with the possibility of lower dose intensity are recommended resulting in similar efficacy. Likewise, the administration of trastuzumab, ramucirumab and immunotherapy for unresectable metastatic or locally advanced disease is safe. Supportive treatment acquires special importance in a population with different life expectancies than at a younger age. It is essential to consider the general state of the patient and the psychosocial dimension.

Clinical Outcomes for Previously Treated Patients with Advanced Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis

PURPOSE

Although second-line treatments improve survival compared to best supportive care in patients with advanced gastric cancer with disease progression on first-line therapy, prognosis remains poor. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to quantify the efficacy of second-or-later line systemic therapies in this target population.

METHODS

A systematic literature review (January 1, 2000 to July 6, 2021) of Embase, MEDLINE, and CENTRAL with additional searches of 2019-2021 annual ASCO and ESMO conferences was conducted to identify studies in the target population. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed among studies involving chemotherapies and targeted therapies relevant in treatment guidelines and HTA activities. Outcomes of interest were objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) presented as Kaplan-Meier data. Randomized controlled trials reporting any of the outcomes of interest were included. For OS and PFS, individual patient-level data were reconstructed from published Kaplan-Meier curves.

RESULTS

Forty-four trials were eligible for the analysis. Pooled ORR (42 trials; 77 treatment arms; 7256 participants) was 15.0% (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.7-17.5%). Median OS from the pooled analysis (34 trials; 64 treatment arms; 60,350 person-months) was 7.9 months (95% CI 7.4-8.5). Median PFS from the pooled analysis (32 trials; 61 treatment arms; 28,860 person-months) was 3.5 months (95% CI 3.2-3.7).

CONCLUSION

Our study confirms poor prognosis among patients with advanced gastric cancer, following disease progression on first-line therapy. Despite the approved, recommended, and experimental systemic treatments available, there is still an unmet need for novel interventions for this indication.

Comparison of Two Chemotherapy Regimens After First-Line Treatment for HER2-Negative Metastatic Gastric Cancer

AIM

Metastatic stage gastric cancer is a disease with a poor prognosis and the likelihood of achieving a cure in these patients is low. Treatment response to subsequent-line treatments is poor. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the folinic acid, fluorouracil and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) and paclitaxel+carboplatin regimens, which are used in subsequent lines of therapy in advanced-stage gastric cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included 40 patients who have metastatic stage gastric cancer and received FOLFIRI or paclitaxel+carboplatin therapy in subsequent lines of therapy between 2017 and 2022. The data of the patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS

At diagnosis median age was 51 (23-88) years. The tumor was localized in the gastroesophageal junction in eight (20%) patients and in other gastric locations in 32 (80%) patients. At diagnosis, 75% (n=30) of the patients presented with the disease in the metastatic stage, while 25% (n=10) presented with stage II-III disease. Regarding the treatments received in the second and further lines of therapy, 18 (45%) patients received paclitaxel+carboplatin and 22 (55%) patients received a FOLFIRI regimen. Of these treatments, 67.5% (n=27) were given as the second line and 32.5% (n=13) were given as third-line therapy. The objective response rate (ORR) was 45.5% in the FOLFIRI arm compared to 16.7% in the paclitaxel+carboplatin arm (p=0.05). Both treatment arms had a median progression-free survival (PFS) of three months (p=0.82). The median overall survival (OS) time was seven months in the FOLFIRI arm compared to eight months in the paclitaxel+carboplatin arm (p=0.71). Side effects were similar between both treatment arms.

CONCLUSION

This study determined that FOLFIRI and paclitaxel+carboplatin treatments have similar OS, PFS, and side effect profiles in subsequent line treatment of gastric cancer. The FOLFIRI treatment regimen yielded a higher ORR.

Platinum-Based Chemotherapy 'Rechallenge' in Advanced Non-ovarian Solid Malignancies

Platinum-based chemotherapy forms the backbone of treatment for many solid cancers. However, resistance inevitably develops in those with advanced disease. Platinum rechallenge is a well-established concept in the management of ovarian cancer, small cell lung cancer and germ cell tumours. In other solid malignancies there is a lack of quality evidence to support platinum rechallenge, yet it is a widely adopted strategy. Often, patients are within the last year of life, making questions of efficacy, treatment-related toxicity and quality of life critical factors for treatment recommendations. In this overview we appraise the available evidence for platinum rechallenge and strategies being developed to attempt resensitisation of tumours to platinum-based chemotherapy.

A global perspective in second-line treatment patterns for patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Esophageal cancer is a highly prevalent cancer associated with low survival, especially among those with advanced disease. Second-line (2L) treatment patterns and related clinical outcomes of patients with advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (advESCC) treated in routine clinical care were examined globally and regionally.

METHODS

A retrospective, noninterventional study collected physician-provided chart data of patients aged ≥20 years receiving either 2L active systemic therapy or BSC following first-line active therapy for advESCC from 11 countries in Asian and Western regions (September-October 2018). Bivariate analyses examined treatment and outcomes by region.

RESULTS

AdvESCC patients (Asia = 192; West = 195) were examined, of which 58.1% (Asia n = 101; West n = 124) received active systemic therapy. While regional differences in tumor classification and staging at diagnosis were observed with less advanced tumors in Asia, no regional differences for these characteristics at 2L initiation were reported. Both taxane- and nontaxane-based therapies were used as 2L therapy among Asian and Western patients, although more western than Asian patients received immuno- or targeted therapies (17.0% vs. 3.0%; p = 0.001). Alopecia (10.7%), neutropenia (9.3%), and fatigue (9.3%) were the most-commonly reported adverse events (AEs) in both regions. Significantly higher 2L AE-related emergency room visits (Asia = 22.5% vs. West = 8.0%; p < 0.001) and hospitalizations (Asia = 25.9 ± 31.2 vs. West = 4.7 ± 7.0, p < 0.001) were observed in Asian than in Western patients. No regional differences were reported for response to 2L treatment or the percent of patients who received third-line treatment/died.

CONCLUSIONS

While regional variations were observed throughout the course of a patient's advESCC journey, disease response and treatment outcomes were similar.

Pembrolizumab-Induced Vitiligo in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patient With Durable Complete Response

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as a valuable therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment. Pembrolizumab is an inhibitor of programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligands 1 (PD-L1) and 2 (PD-L2). Disrupting the interaction between PD-L1 expressed on the cancer cell and PD-1 transmembrane protein on immune cells results in reactivation of T cell-mediated cellular immunity. This immune modulation has increased the risk of autoimmune adverse events, which can affect any organ system. Here, we present a case of delayed immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced vitiligo in a 74-year-old female with recurrent metastatic esophageal carcinoma who remains in remission more than five years after initiation of pembrolizumab.

A Bayesian network meta-analysis on systemic therapy for previously treated gastric cancer

We conducted a systemic literature review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to identify phase III RCTs on salvage treatment of advanced gastric cancer (AGC) and performed a Bayesian network meta-analysis with random-effects model. The overall survival (OS) was the primary outcome of interest. A total of 20 randomized phase III trials were selected. For the second-line treatment, olaparib plus paclitaxel had the highest surface under the cumulative ranking curve value (90.5%), followed by paclitaxel plus ramucirumab (88.4%) and pembrolizumab (86.5%), indicating that these treatments could be the most effective regimens in terms of OS. Nivolumab, chemotherapy, and apatinib showed significant OS benefit compared with best supportive care for the third-line treatment. In conclusion, pembrolizumab may be the most preferable regimen as a second-line treatment for patients with PD-L1-expressing AGC, while paclitaxel-based combinations are recommended for PD-L1-negative AGC. Nivolumab might be the most preferable third-line treatment.

Toward a Treatment Sequencing Strategy: A Systematic Review of Treatment Regimens in Advanced Gastric Cancer/Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Platinum and fluoropyrimidine combinations typically comprise first-line (1L) therapy in advanced gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (G/GEA), although controversy exists regarding the use of 5doublet versus triplet cytotoxic regimens. Historically, second-line (2L) and third-line or later (3L+) therapy has been fragmented. Recent trials have increased the need for optimal treatment sequencing in advanced G/GEA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed manuscripts of randomized clinical trials examining 1L, 2L, and 3L+ therapy for advanced G/GEA published from 2009 through November 19, 2019. When available, overall survival, progression-free survival, time to progression, overall response rate, and toxicity were extracted from each and compared descriptively.

RESULTS

In 1L therapy, chemotherapy triplets demonstrated variable efficacy improvements with invariable increased toxicity compared with platinum/fluoropyrimidine doublets. Currently, the only published report of positive outcomes using biologics in 1L describes adding trastuzumab in HER2-overexpressing advanced G/GEA. In 2L, doublet chemotherapy regimens are not uniformly more efficacious than single-agent taxanes or irinotecan, and ramucirumab has demonstrated improved outcomes both as monotherapy and in combination.

CONCLUSION

For advanced G/GEA, review of trial results from 2009-2019 support 1L therapy with platinum and fluoropyrimidine and sequencing with taxanes or irinotecan in combination with biologics as effective 2L options. Escalating to a triplet may add some efficacy at the expense of added toxicity.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The rapidly changing treatment landscape for advanced gastric cancer includes increasing options for refractory disease. With multiple first-line platinum-based regimens, identification of those with the best benefit-to-risk ratio may provide guidance on treatment sequencing strategies. This article presents findings from the published literature of randomized controlled trials that included a first-line platinum/fluoropyrimidine combination and, for second-line trials, patients with platinum/fluoropyrimidine-refractory disease. This guiding summary could be a tool for clinicians to identify the optimal first-line regimen(s) followed by a strategy for subsequent regimens.

IL-15-induced lymphocytes as adjuvant cellular immunotherapy for gastric cancer

Objectives To test the antitumor potential of lymphocytes transferred via adoptive cell therapy (ACT) in a mouse model of human gastric cancer (GC), and to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of combining lymphocytes as adjuvant therapy with first-line chemotherapy in patients with GC. Methods We constructed a human GC xenograft model in sublethally irradiated 6-8-week-old male NCG mice. MKN-45 cells (1 × 10⁶ cells/mouse) were subcutaneously injected into mice's flanks. After tumors had become palpable, we randomized the mice into control, ACT^IL-2, and ACT^IL-15 groups. Human lymphocytes were then injected into mouse tail veins. In addition, 63 human patients with histologically or cytologically confirmed stage III-IV GC randomly received S-1 + oxaliplatin + ACT^IL-15 (combination therapy group) or S-1 + oxaliplatin (chemotherapy group). Results In the mouse study, treatment with ACT^IL-15 cells inhibited tumor growth on adoptive transfer, and mice that received ACT^IL-15 cells had significantly longer survival rates (p < 0.05, ACT^IL-15 vs. ACT^IL-2). In the human study, the median survival rate of patients in the combination therapy group was 472 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 276-668 days), whereas that of patients in the chemotherapy group was 266 days (95% CI, 200-332 days; p < 0.05). Eleven percent (7/63) of patients had adverse reactions, but these reactions did not interfere with treatment. Conclusion Adoptive transfer of ACT^IL-15 cells in a mouse model of GC and in patients with advanced GC treated with S1 + oxaliplatin improved survival rates in both, with an acceptable safety profile.

Outcomes with Palliative Weekly Paclitaxel in Advanced, Recurrent, and Metastatic Esophageal Cancer - Real World Experience

Background: In advanced esophageal cancer, combination chemotherapy regimens provide effective palliation but result in substantial toxicity. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate outcomes of recurrent and metastatic esophageal carcinoma treated with weekly paclitaxel. Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine the clinical and laboratory factors predicting response and affecting overall survival (OS) in patients receiving palliative chemotherapy for advanced esophageal/gastroesophageal cancer. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients with advanced esophageal cancer, not amenable to definitive intent therapy that was treated with intravenous weekly paclitaxel was done. Progression-free survival (PFS) and OS were calculated with Kaplan–Meir analysis while factors affecting outcome were subjected to log rank test and multivariate analysis. Results: Between September 2010 and October 2014, 350 patients were included in analysis. Median follow-up is 8 months. Median age was 55 years, with a male:female ratio of 2.4:1. Nearly 34.5% were mid esophageal and 51% were lower third and gastroesophageal junction tumors. Almost 58% of the tumors had squamous histology. Performance status was >2 in 25.4%. Almost 62% patients had received prior therapy. Median number of cycles of weekly paclitaxel delivered was 12 with median duration of 3 months. Nearly 51% of patients had improvement in dysphagia, with time to symptom improvement of 20 days. In 31% patients, feeding nasogastric tube could be removed. Overall response rate was 32% (complete remission, 2.5% + partial remission, 29.5%). Median PFS was 4.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.6–4.3 months) and median OS was 10 months (95% CI: 8.5–11.4 months). Performance status and pretreatment albumin significantly affected OS. Conclusion: Metronomic weekly paclitaxel chemotherapy provides good palliative benefit in advanced unresectable/metastatic esophageal cancer with minimal toxicity. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (PS 0 and 1) and baseline serum albumin level >3.7 g/dl significantly improved survival.

Anti-PD-1 antibody HX008 combined with oxaliplatin plus capecitabine for advanced gastric or esophagogastric junction cancer: a multicenter, single-arm, open-label, phase Ib trial

Anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody is approved as an option for third-line treatment of advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer in several countries, but no anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment is yet approved for first-line treatment of advanced G/GEJ cancer. We report a phase Ib trial of HX008, a highly selective, humanized anti-programmed death-1 monoclonal antibody, plus oxaliplatin and capecitabine as first-line treatment for advanced G/GEJ cancer. Patients with previously untreated, locally advanced or metastatic G/GEJ cancer were enrolled. All patients received HX008 3 mg/kg intravenously every 3 weeks, oxaliplatin 130 mg/m² intravenously on day 1 every 3 weeks (up to 6 cycles), and capecitabine 1000 mg/m² orally twice daily for 14 days continuous dosing followed by a 7-day break. The primary end point was the incidence of adverse events and serious adverse events. In total, 35 patients were enrolled. Median follow-up was 12.7 months. Most frequent (>10%) grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events were anemia (27.5%), neutropenia (20%), thrombocytopenia (17.1%), leukopenia (17.1%) and fatigue (17.3%). Objective response rate was 60.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 42.1-76.1%). Disease control rate was 77.1% (95% CI 59.9-89.6). Median time to response and duration of response were 1.4 months (range 1.3-2.9) and 12.3 months (range 1.4-17.9+), respectively. Median PFS was 9.2 months (95% CI 5.4-not reached). These results demonstrated that HX008 combined with oxaliplatin plus capecitabine was well tolerated and demonstrated encouraging efficacy as first-line treatment for advanced G/GEJ cancer. This study was registered in china, register number was CTR20181270.

Salvage systemic therapy for advanced gastric and oesophago-gastric junction adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Salvage systemic therapy has become the new standard of care in patients with advanced gastric and oesophago-gastric junction (OGJ) adenocarcinoma, following disease progression on first-line fluoropyrimidine and platinum-containing chemotherapy. Pharmacological agents proven to be effective in this setting include both chemotherapy and biological therapy, however, the consensus on the best salvage systemic therapy has not been reached.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of systemic chemotherapy and biological therapy, either alone or in combination, on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced gastric and OGJ adenocarcinoma, whose disease has progressed on, or relapsed after first-line fluoropyrimidine and platinum-containing chemotherapy. Adverse events (AEs), tumour response rate (TRR) and quality of life (QoL) associated with systemic chemotherapy and/or biological therapy were additionally assessed.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, trial registries and proceedings of the major oncology conferences up to October 2020. We additionally handsearched the reference lists of studies. No language restriction was applied.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing salvage systemic therapy (chemotherapy and/or biological therapy) and either another type of salvage systemic therapy, placebo, best supportive care (BSC) or no treatment in patients with gastric and OGJ adenocarcinoma refractory to first-line fluoropyrimidine and platinum-containing chemotherapy.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently performed selection of eligible studies and the primary author extracted study characteristics and outcome data from included studies. We assessed the quality and risk of bias of eligible studies according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. We expressed pooled estimates of effect using hazard ratio (HR) calculated using an inverse variance random-effects model for time-to-event data, and risk ratio (RR) calculated using Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model for binary data. The certainty of evidence was graded using GRADEpro.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 17 RCTs with 5110 participants for inclusion in this review. Tweenty-nine studies are ongoing and twenty studies are awaiting classification. No studies examined the following comparisons: chemotherapy combined with biological therapy versus placebo, BSC or no treatment, chemotherapy combined with biological therapy versus biological therapy, biological therapy versus biological therapy and chemotherapy combined with biological therapy versus chemotherapy combined with biological therapy. Chemotherapy versus placebo, best supportive care or no treatment Chemotherapy probably improves OS (HR = 0.66, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.83, moderate-certainty evidence) based on two studies involving 547 participants and improves PFS (HR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.69, high-certainty evidence) based on one study involving 507 participants over placebo and BSC. Chemotherapy probably increases serious AEs (SAEs) (RR = 1.38, 95% CI 1.20 to 1.59, moderate-certainty evidence) based on one study involving 503 participants. Biological therapy versus placebo, best supportive care or no treatment Biological therapy improves OS (HR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.41 to 0.73, high-certainty evidence) and probably improves PFS (HR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.57, moderate-certainty evidence) over placebo based on three studies involving 781 participants. There is currently insufficient evidence for increased SAEs from biological therapy (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.37, low-certainty evidence) based on two studies involving 638 participants. Chemotherapy versus biological therapy This comparison only considered immunotherapy. There is probably no evidence of a difference for OS (HR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.66 to 1.02, moderate-certainty evidence) between chemotherapy and immunotherapy, and immunotherapy probably reduces PFS (HR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.57, moderate-certainty evidence) based on one study involving 395 participants. SAEs may be less frequent with immunotherapy compared to chemotherapy (RR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.57, low-certainty evidence). Chemotherapy combined with biological therapy versus chemotherapy Addition of biological therapy to chemotherapy probably does not improve OS (HR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.04, moderate-certainty evidence) and we are uncertain whether it improves PFS (HR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.02, very low-certainty evidence) based on seven studies involving 2743 participants. We are similarly uncertain whether combined chemotherapy and biological therapy increases SAEs (RR = 1.17, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.44, very low-certainty evidence) based on four studies involving 1618 participants. Chemotherapy versus chemotherapy There is no evidence of a difference for OS and PFS between irinotecan and paclitaxel (HR = 1.13, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.48, low-certainty evidence for OS; HR = 1.14, 95% CI 0.88 to 1.48, low-certainty evidence for PFS) based on one study involving 219 participants. Similarly, there is no evidence to indicate improved OS and PFS from addition of another chemotherapy to docetaxel (HR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.54, low-certainty evidence for OS; HR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.52 to 1.09, low-certainty evidence for PFS) based on two studies involving 121 participants. Grade ≥ 3 neutropenia occurred commonly with both mono- and poly-chemotherapy except for docetaxel-S1 and EOX chemotherapy.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Survival outcome of patients with advanced gastric and OGJ adenocarcinoma whose disease progressed on first-line fluoropyrimidine and platinum-containing chemotherapy can be improved by chemotherapy and biological therapy. Biological therapy, in particular, achieves this without clear increase in SAEs or QoL impairment. Whether biological therapy is preferred over chemotherapy is still unclear and there is no evidence of a difference for OS outcome, although immunotherapy may be associated with less SAEs. Addition of biological therapy to chemotherapy and poly-chemotherapy are associated with frequent treatment-related toxicity without clear survival benefit.

HX008, an anti-PD1 antibody, plus irinotecan as second-line treatment for advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer: a multicenter, single-arm phase II trial

BACKGROUND

Irinotecan is used as second-line treatment in advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer. The role of anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1) antibody plus irinotecan, in this setting and population is unclear.

METHODS

This multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II trial was conducted in 11 Chinese hospitals. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed advanced G/GEJ cancer that refractory to, or intolerant of, first-line chemotherapy with a platinum and/or fluoropyrimidine. Subjects received HX008 200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks plus irinotecan 160 mg/m² intravenously every 2 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) as assessed according to Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors V.1.1.

RESULTS

Between October 2018 and September 2019, a total of 58 patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer were enrolled in this study. Median follow-up was 10.5 months (range 7.4-18.9) months. Confirmed ORR was observed in 16 patients, for an ORR of 27.6% (95% CI 16.1% to 39.1%); 19 patients experienced stable disease, leading to a disease control rate of 60.3% (95% CI 46.4% to 73.0%). ORR in patients with PD-ligand 1 (L1) positive (Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥1) and negative (CPS＜1) tumors was 38.5% (5/13) and 37.5% (3/8), respectively. Median duration of response was 8.0 months (range 1.5-12.5), 6 of 16 (37.5%) responses were ongoing. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4.2 months (95% CI 2.2 to 5.5). Median overall survival (OS) was not reached (NR) (95% CI 8.7 to NR). Patients with PD-L1 positive tumors tended to have longer OS than those with PD-L1 negative tumors, but the difference was not statistically significant (NR vs 8.7 months, p=0.1858).The most common treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 included neutropenia (32.8%), leukopenia (31.0%), anemia (17.2%), decreased appetite (8.6%), vomit (6.9%), nausea (6.9%) and fatigue (5.2%). There were no treatment-related deaths.

CONCLUSION

The combination of HX008 and irinotecan demonstrated promising activity and manageable safety as second-line treatment in patients with advanced G/GEJ cancer, which warrants further study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03704246.

Impact of single-heterozygous UGT1A1 on the clinical outcomes of irinotecan monotherapy after fluoropyrimidine and platinum-based combination therapy for gastric cancer: a multicenter retrospective study

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether the UGT1A1 status, single heterozygous (SH) or wild type (WT), is associated with the efficacy and toxicity of irinotecan monotherapy in advanced gastric cancer (AGC). We investigated the association between clinical outcomes (efficacy and safety) and UGT1A1 status in patients who received irinotecan monotherapy.

METHODS

We evaluated AGC patients who received irinotecan monotherapy between January 2011 and December 2017. Efficacy was assessed according to overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Toxicity was graded using the Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0).

RESULTS

A total of 100 patients were evaluated (62 and 38 patients with UGT1A1 WT and SH, respectively). In the WT and SH groups, the irinotecan dose was reduced in 19 (30.6%) and 18 (47.2%) patients (p = 0.135), respectively; treatment was delayed due to adverse events (AEs) in 19 (30.6%) and 13 (34.2%) patients (p = 0.826), respectively; the median PFS was 3.15 and 3.25 months (HR, 0.734; 95% CI 0.465-1.158; p = 0.184), respectively; and the median OS was 10.4 and 7.26 months (HR, 1.137; 95% CI 0.752-1.721; p = 0.543), respectively. Severe hematological AEs (Grade ≥ 3) were significantly more frequent in the SH group than in the WT group (63% vs. 36%; p = 0.008), while severe non-hematological AEs was not significantly different (16.0% vs. 6.5%; p = 0.173).

CONCLUSION

There was no significant difference in the efficacy of irinotecan monotherapy between UGT1A1 WT and UGT1A1 SH, but UGT1A1 SH was associated with a high frequency of severe hematological toxicity.

Differences in disease status between patients with progression after first-line chemotherapy versus early relapse after adjuvant chemotherapy who undergo second-line chemotherapy for gastric cancer: Exploratory analysis of the randomized phase III TRICS trial

BACKGROUND

Second-line chemotherapy (SLC) improves survival in advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Patients receiving SLC are categorized into two disease status groups: tumour progression after first-line chemotherapy and early recurrence after adjuvant chemotherapy. Differences between these groups have not yet been clarified.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 163 eligible patients registered in the randomized phase III TRICS trial evaluating SLC for patients with AGC was classified into the progressive disease (PD) group (n = 55) or the early relapse (ER) group (n = 108). We compared overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), and safety. Adjusted OS and adjusted PFS were estimated using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW).

RESULTS

The ER group had a lower median age than the PD group (66 vs. 72 years; P = 0.016), performance status (PS) 0 was more frequently seen in the ER group (87% vs. 71%; P = 0.012). The adjusted median OS was 13.7 months in the ER group and 13.6 months in the PD group (IPTW hazard ratio [HR]: 1.023; P = 0.854). The adjusted median PFS was 4.9 months in the ER group and 4.4 months in the PD group (IPTW HR: 0.707; P = 0.004). ORR was significantly better in the ER group than the PD group (21.3% vs. 4.9%; P = 0.020). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

ER was associated with improved PFS and better ORR than PD, although no difference in survival was demonstrated. From the viewpoint of treatment outcome, it seems appropriate to treat patients with ER in the same way as patients with PD.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

UMIN 000002571.

Real-world treatment patterns, healthcare resource use and clinical outcomes of patients receiving second line therapy for advanced or metastatic gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Second-line (2 L) chemotherapies for advanced or metastatic gastric cancer have shown improved survival but there is no commonly accepted standard of care. This study examines real-world patient characteristics, treatment patterns, healthcare resource use (HCRU) and clinical outcomes in this setting.

METHODS

Retrospective chart reviews were performed at participating institutions from Australia, Canada, Italy and UK for adult patients receiving 2 L treatment for advanced/metastatic disease from January 2013 to July 2015. Data were collected for 12 months or until death.

RESULTS

Two hundred eighty patients were included, mean age was 60.9 years and 68.9% were male. Half (51.8%) received monotherapy in 2 L, of whom 69.0% received taxanes. Irinotecan monotherapy was common in Australia (30.0% of monotherapy patients) and Canada (43.8%), but infrequent in Italy and UK. Doublet chemotherapy was used in 36.4% of 2 L patients, most commonly fluoropyrimidine + irinotecan. Use of targeted therapies (trastuzumab, ramucirumab) was infrequent except in Italy. Estimated median real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS) and real-world overall survival (rwOS) from the time of 2 L treatment initiation was 3.09 (95% CI: 2.76-3.68) and 6.54 (5.29-7.76) months, respectively, and estimated 12-month rwPFS and rwOS rate was 8 and 26%, respectively. Only a minority (26.8%) of patients were hospitalized during the follow-up period, with the lowest hospitalization in Italy (16.7%). Laboratory and imaging tests were performed for 93.2 and 70.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

About half of patients received monotherapy as 2 L chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic gastric cancer and a third received doublets. Real-world clinical outcomes for 2 L treatment are poor and HCRU is considerable.

Meta-analysis of two randomized phase III trials (TCOG GI-0801 and ECRIN TRICS) of biweekly irinotecan plus cisplatin versus irinotecan alone as second-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Biweekly irinotecan (CPT-11) plus cisplatin (CDDP) combination (BIRIP) and CPT-11 alone are both expectable options for treating advanced gastric cancer (AGC) in a second-line setting. We conducted a meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of these two regimens in patients enrolled two randomized phase III trials.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Individual patient-level data from two randomized phase III trials were collected for this study. In both trials, patients with AGC refractory to S-1-based chemotherapy were randomly allocated to BIRIP (CPT-11, 60 mg/m²; CDDP, 30 mg/m², q2w) or to CPT-11 (150 mg/m², q2w).

RESULTS

Cumulative data from 290 eligible patients were evaluated. The OS was 12.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 10.5-14.1] in the BIRIP group and 11.3 months (95% CI 10.0-13.2) in the CPT-11 group (hazard ratio 0.87; 95% CI 0.68-1.12, P = 0.272), while PFS was significantly longer in the BIRIP group (4.3 months [95% CI 3.5-5.1]) than in the CPT-11 group (3.3 months [2.9-4.1]; HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.61-0.98, P = 0.035). The response rate was 20.5% in the BIRIP group and 16.0% in the CPT-11 group (P = 0.361). However, the disease control rate was significantly better in the BIRIP group (72.1%) than in the CPT-11 group (59.2%) (P = 0.032). The two groups did not differ significantly in the incidences of grade 3 or worse adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

Both BIRIP and CPT-11 may be good therapeutic options for patients with AGC as second-line treatment.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

UMIN 000025367.

Systemic therapy for previously treated advanced gastric cancer: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

Although paclitaxel plus ramucirumab has been recommended as the preferred second-line strategy, other regimens also display potentially comparable efficacies. Record retrieval was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, ASCO and ESMO meeting libraries. Randomized controlled trials featuring comparisons between different systemic treatments among previously treated patients with advanced gastric cancer were eligible for our systematic review. Network calculation were based on random-effects model and the relative ranking of each regimen was numerically indicated by P-score (CRD42018104672). Concerning second-line regimens, "paclitaxel plus olaparib" and "paclitaxel plus ramucirumab" dominated the overall survival ranking while "paclitaxel plus ramucirumab" additionally topped the hierarchy for progression-free survival. Among refractory or third-line only cases, apatinib reigned the hierarchy by significantly and insignificantly surpassing placebo and nivolumab respectively. In conclusion, paclitaxel plus ramucirumab is the optimal second-line regimen. Both apatinib and nivolumab could be potentially recommended as refractory regimens.

Prognostic factors in patients treated with second-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: results from the randomized prospective phase III FFCD-0307 trial

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine prognostic factors in patients treated with second-line therapy (L2) for locally advanced or metastatic gastric and gastro-esophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma in a randomized phase III study with predefined L2.

METHODS

In the FFCD-0307 study, patients were randomly assigned to receive in L1 either epirubicin, cisplatin, and capecitabine (ECX arm) or fluorouracil, leucovorin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRI arm). L2 treatment was predefined (FOLFIRI for the ECX arm and ECX for the FOLFIRI arm). Chi square tests were used to compare the characteristics of patients treated in L2 with those of patients who did not receive L2. Prognostic factors in L2 for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using a Cox model.

RESULTS

Among 416 patients included, 101/209 (48.3%) patients in the ECX arm received FOLFIRI in L2, and 81/207 (39.1%) patients in the FOLFIRI arm received ECX in L2. Patients treated in L2, compared with those who only received L1 had : a better ECOG score (0-1: 90.4% versus 79.7%; p = 0.0002), more frequent GEJ localization (40.8% versus 27.6%; p = 0.005), and lower platelet count (median: 298000 versus 335000/mm³; p = 0.02). In multivariate analyses, age < 60 years at diagnosis (HR 1.49, 95% CI 1.09-2.03, p = 0.013) and ECOG score 2 before L2 (HR 2.62, 95% CI 1.41-4.84, p = 0.005) were the only significant poor prognostic factors for OS.

CONCLUSION

Age ≥ 60 years at diagnosis and ECOG score 0/1 before L2 were the only favorable prognostic factors for OS.

Irinotecan-containing doublet treatment versus irinotecan monotherapy as second-line choice for advanced gastric cancer

Background

For patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC), second-line chemotherapy regimen remains controversial. The efficacy and safety of irinotecan-containing doublet treatment and irinotecan monotherapy were compared in this systematic analysis.

Methods

A search was conducted on EMBASE and Medline databases. All articles compared irinotecan-containing doublet to irinotecan as second-line chemotherapy for AGC. STATA statistical software (Version 12.0) was used to analyze the data.

Results

Seven studies, including 905 cases, were included in the analysis. Irinotecan-containing doublet treatment significantly prolonged progression-free survival compared to irinotecan monotherapy (HR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.70–0.95). However, doublet treatment neither significantly prolong overall survival compared to monotherapy (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.81–1.10), nor did it significantly increase the overall response rates and disease control rates, when compared to monotherapy. In addition, the irinotecan-containing doublet group had an increase in incidences of ≥ Grade 3 neutropenia (RR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.01–1.51) and anemia (RR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.37–2.92).

Conclusions

When compared to irinotecan monotherapy, irinotecan-containing doublet treatment increased progression free survival and was tolerable as a second- line chemotherapy for AGC.

Continuation of trastuzumab beyond progression in HER2-positive advanced esophagogastric cancer: a meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

After progression on first-line trastuzumab-based therapy, no HER2-targeted agent is available for patients with HER2-positive esophagogastric cancer. However, continuation of trastuzumab after progression is an established strategy in HER2-positive breast cancer. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate whether continuation of trastuzumab beyond first-line therapy in combination with chemotherapy is more effective compared to chemotherapy-alone.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL and meeting abstracts from ASCO and ESMO were searched up to June 2018 for studies (any design) investigating second-line trastuzumab plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy-alone for patients with HER2-positive esophagogastric cancer that progressed on first-line trastuzumab-based therapy. Meta-analysis was performed on the primary outcome, overall survival (OS), and on secondary outcomes progression-free survival (PFS), objective-response rate (ORR), and adverse events.

RESULTS

Four cohort studies and one randomized controlled trial (RCT) were included with n = 200 patients who received second-line trastuzumab plus chemotherapy and n = 183 who received chemotherapy-alone. Meta-analysis showed that trastuzumab plus chemotherapy did not prolonged OS [HR = 0.72, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.47-1.08, p=.11). PFS was longer with trastzumab plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy-alone (HR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.45-0.91, p<.05). There was no significant difference in ORR between the trastuzumab plus chemotherapy-group and the chemotherapy-alone group (ORR = 19.1% versus ORR = 13.4%, p=.13) and no significant differences in grade 3/4 and grade 1/2 adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

This meta-analysis showed that patients who progressed on first-line trastuzumab-based therapy but of whom trastuzumab was continued in second-line and added to chemotherapy did not show longer OS or a higher ORR compared to patients receiving second-line chemotherapy-alone. However, PFS was prolonged and trastuzumab was not associated with additional safety concerns. In absence of available second-line HER2-targeted agents, a large prospective RCT should investigate if continuation of trastuzumab might be an attractive strategy, as this meta-analysis was mostly based on non-randomized studies and a RCT with a small sample size.

A combination of irinotecan/cisplatinum and irinotecan/temozolomide or tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R arrest doxorubicin- and temozolomide-resistant myxofibrosarcoma in a PDOX mouse model

Myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) is the most common sarcomas in elderly patients and is either chemo-resistant or recurs with metastasis after chemotherapy. This recalcitrant cancer in need of improved treatment. We have established a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) of MFS. The MFS PDOX model was established in the biceps femoris of nude mice and randomized into 7 groups of 7 mice each: control; doxorubicin (DOX); pazopanib (PAZ); temozolomide (TEM); Irinotecan (IRN); IRN combined with TEM; IRN combined with cisplatinum (CDDP) and Salmonella typhimurium A1-R (S. typhimurium A1-R). Treatment was evaluated by relative tumor volume and relative body weight. The MFS PDOX models were DOX, PAZ, and TEM resistant. IRN combined with TEM and IRN combined with CDDP were most effective on the MFS PDOX. S. typhimurium A1-R arrested the MFS PDOX tumor. There was no significant body weight loss in any group. The present study suggests that the combination of IRN with either TEM or CDDP, and S. typhimurium have clinical potential for MFS.

Modified 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/irinotecan as a feasible and efficacious second-line chemotherapeutic regimen in advanced gastric cancers

BACKGROUND

Modified 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin/irinotecan (mFOLFIRI) is a commonly used combination second-line chemotherapeutic regimen in advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients diagnosed with AGC, receiving biweekly mFOLFIRI between July 2013 and June 2016, as second-line chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed for tolerance, prognostic factors, event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS).

RESULTS

Overall, 91 patients were administered a median of 6 cycles of therapy. Response rate was 29.7% and clinical benefit rate was 57.2%. With a median follow-up of 11.5 months, median EFS was 3.98 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.54-5.41) and median OS was 7.73 months (95% CI: 5.30-10.15). Common Grade 3 and Grade 4 adverse events were neutropenia (18.7%), febrile neutropenia (9.9%), thrombocytopenia (7.7%), and vomiting (4.4%). Nearly 33% of patients required dose modification during therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

mFOLFIRI regimen as a second-line therapy in AGCs appears feasible and efficacious in clinical practice.

Cost-effectiveness and safety of ramucirumab plus paclitaxel chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced and recurrent gastric cancer

Introduction Weekly paclitaxel (PTX), irinotecan (CPT-11) and ramucirumab plus paclitaxel (Ram + PTX) are currently recommended as the standard second-line or later chemotherapies for advanced and recurrent gastric cancer. This study aims to compare the cost-effectiveness of using Ram + PTX vs. PTX or CPT-11. Furthermore, we investigated the safety and treatment continuity of Ram + PTX in Japan. Methods Expected costs were calculated based on data from patients with advanced and recurrent gastric cancer who were treated with PTX, CPT-11 and Ram + PTX. A literature review was performed to obtain clinical information so that the probability of the efficacy of each chemotherapy could be calculated. The cost-effectiveness ratio of each chemotherapy agent was calculated by dividing the expected cost by the median survival time (MST). Results The cost-effectiveness ratio per month was JPY 85,395.8/MST for the PTX regimen, JPY 132,735.4/MST for the CPT-11 regimen and JPY 657,175.4/MST for the Ram + PTX regimen (p < 0.001). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per month of the Ram + PTX regimen to the PTX regimen was JPY 2,780,432.4/MST. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the Ram + PTX regimen to the CPT-11 regimen was JPY 2,185,179.0/MST. With regard to the reasons for discontinuation of treatment, the Ram + PTX regimen had only one case of being discontinued owing to adverse events, and had a profile similar to that of the PTX and CPT-11 regimens. Conclusion These findings show that the Ram + PTX regimen is less cost-effective compared to both the PTX and CPT-11 regimen, but the Ram + PTX regimen is a well-tolerated regimen with sufficient efficacy.

A phase II trial of capecitabine plus cisplatin (XP) for patients with advanced gastric cancer with early relapse after S-1 adjuvant therapy: XParTS-I trial

BACKGROUNDS

In Japan, standard regimens for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) include S-1 chemotherapy. The standard treatment for early relapse after adjuvant chemotherapy with fluoropyrimidine alone is platinum-based chemotherapy, while the standard treatment for early relapse after adjuvant chemotherapy with fluoropyrimidine plus platinum is second-line chemotherapy. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine plus cisplatin (XP) treatment for AGC patients who relapse within 6 months after S-1-based therapy, we conducted a multicenter phase II trial (NCT01412294).

METHODS

HER2-negative gastric cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy including S-1 for more than 12 weeks and relapsed within 6 months were treated with capecitabine 1000 mg/m² bid for 14 days plus cisplatin 80 mg/m² on day 1 of a 3-week cycle. The primary endpoint was PFS; secondary endpoints were OS, time to treatment failure, overall response rate (ORR) and safety.

RESULTS

Forty patients (median age 64) were enrolled; of those, 37 (92.5%) received adjuvant S-1 monotherapy. Median PFS was 4.4 months (95% CI 3.6-5.1), which was longer than the 2-month protocol-specified threshold (p < 0.001). Median OS was 13.7 months (95% CI 9.0-17.7) and ORR was 8/30 (26.7%) (95% CI 14.2-44.4). Most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events were neutropenia (23%), anemia (18%), elevated serum creatinine (18%), fatigue (13%), diarrhea (7.5%), and anorexia (7.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

XP was safe and effective in patients with early relapse after S-1 adjuvant chemotherapy for curatively resected gastric cancers. XP may be a good option for the treatment of patients after early failure after adjuvant S-1.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT01412294.

Second-line therapy in advanced upper gastrointestinal cancers: current status and new prospects

The prognosis of patients with advanced upper gastrointestinal cancers (UGC) remains poor. Current available systemic armamentarium is limited, and little progress has been made over the last decades. Main achievements have been obtained in first-line setting, however an increasingly proportion of patients are considered for second-line therapy, although data from randomized trials are scarce or even lacking. In this comprehensive review we examine the literature to summarize the efficacy and limitations of second-line systemic options in patients with advanced UGC, with a glimpse into the innovations.

Irinotecan monotherapy as third-line or later treatment in advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) are often treated with irinotecan monotherapy as salvage-line therapy. However, the survival benefit of this therapy remains to be elucidated.

METHODS

Medical records of AGC patients who were treated with irinotecan monotherapy as salvage-line treatment in six institutions from 2007 to 2014 were reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of 146 patients had prior fluoropyrimidine and taxane therapies, and 75.3% had prior platinum therapy. The median age was 66 (range 27-81) years, and 102 males (69.9%) were included. Performance status (PS) was 0/1/2/3 in 53/70/19/4 patients. Eighty-nine patients (61.0%) had two or more metastatic sites. Irinotecan monotherapy as 3rd-/4th-line therapy was performed in 135/11 (92.5%/7.5%). The median number of administrations was 4 (range 1-62). Forty-six patients (31.5%) required initial dose reduction at the physician's discretion. The overall response rate was 6.8%, and the disease control rate was 43.1%. The median PFS was 3.19 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.30-4.08 months], and the median OS was 6.61 months (95% CI 5.94-7.28 months). Grade 3/4 adverse events were hematological toxicity (46 patients, 31.5%) and non-hematological toxicity (50 patients, 34.2%). Hospitalization due to adverse events was required in 31 patients (21.2%). Patients with relative dose intensity (RDI) less than 80% showed similar survival to those with RDI 80% or higher.

CONCLUSIONS

Irinotecan monotherapy was relatively safely performed as salvage-line treatment for AGC in Japanese clinical practice. Careful patient selection and intensive modification of the dose of irinotecan might possibly be associated with favorable survival.

Biomarker-Driven Therapy in Metastatic Gastric and Esophageal Cancer: Real-Life Clinical Experience

BACKGROUND

Precision treatment of cancer uses biomarker-driven therapy to individualize and optimize patient care.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate real-life clinical experience with biomarker-driven therapy in metastatic gastric and esophageal cancer in Israel.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This multicenter retrospective cohort study included patients with metastatic gastric or esophageal cancer who were treated in the participating institutions and underwent biomarker-driven therapy. Treatment was considered to have a benefit if the ratio between the longest progression-free survival (PFS) post biomarker-driven therapy and the last PFS before the biomarker-driven therapy was ≥1.3. The null hypothesis was that ≤15% of patients gain such benefit.

RESULTS

The analysis included 46 patients (61% men; median age, 58 years; 57% with poorly-differentiated tumors). At least one actionable (i.e., predictive of response to a specific therapy) biomarker was identified for each patient. Immunohistochemistry was performed on all samples and identified 1-8 (median: 3) biomarkers per patient (most commonly: low TS, high TOPO1, high TOP2A). Twenty-eight patients received therapy after the biomarker analysis (1-4 lines). In the 1st line after biomarker analysis, five patients (18%) achieved a partial response and five (18%) stable disease; the median (range) PFS was 129 (12-1155) days. Twenty-four patients were evaluable for PFS ratio analysis; in seven (29.2%), the ratio was ≥1.3. In a one-sided exact binomial test vs. the null hypothesis, p = 0.019; therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrated that implementing biomarker-driven analysis is feasible and could provide clinical benefit for a considerable proportion (~30%) of patients with metastatic gastric or esophageal cancer.

A Modified Epirubicin and Oxaliplatin Plus Capecitabine (EOX) Regimen as a Second- Line Therapy in Patients with Advanced Gastric Cancer

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an mEOX (modified epirubicin, oxaliplatin plus capecitabine) regimen as second line therapy after failure of mDCF (modified docetaxel, cisplatin plus fluorouracil). Methods: Gastic cancer patients for whom first-line therapy was unsuccessful and who subsequently received mEOX (epirubicin 50 mg/ m2 on day 1, oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² day 1 and capecitabine twice-daily dose of 625 mg/ m2, p.o. for 2 weeks) every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity, were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The study population comprised 129 cases with a median age of 55 years (range= 27-78), the majority being male (76 %). Most (75.2%) had ≥ 2 sites of metastasis. The median number of chemotherapy courses was five (range= 2–9). Forty-nine achieved a partial response and 33 showed stable disease, resulting in a ORR (overall response rate) of 38% and a DCR (disease control rate) of 63.6%. The most frequent features of grade 3-4 hematological and non-hematological toxicity were neutropenia (8.5%) and nausea/vomiting (5.4%). None of the patients suffered death due to toxicity. The median PFS was 4.7 months (95% CI, 4.1–5.3) and the OS was 7.4 months (95% CI, 6.3–8.5). On multivariate analysis, age ≥ 60 years and ECOG performance status (0-1) were independent prognostic factors affecting PFS and OS. Conslusions: In advanced gastric cancer patients, who progress after first line chemotherapy and have an ECOG performance status of 0-1, mEOX is a well tolerated triple regimen associated with a promising OS and PFS.

Comparative effectiveness and safety between oxaliplatin-based and cisplatin-based therapy in advanced gastric cancer: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background & Aims

Platinum-based drugs are the most significant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer. The study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of oxaliplatin-based therapy versus cisplatin-based therapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Materials and Methods

An adequate literature search in EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) was conducted. Phase II or III randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared effectiveness and safety between oxaliplatin-based and cisplatin-based therapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer were eligible. The primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR), progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The second endpoint was the adverse events.

Results

Five phase II or III RCTs involving a total of 2,046 patients were identified. The results showed that there were no significant difference in ORR (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.98–1.40, p = 0.08, I² = 0%), PFS (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.84–1.01, p = 0.09, I² = 0%) and OS (HR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.82–1.01, p = 0.07, I² = 0%) between oxaliplatin-based therapy and cisplatin-based therapy. In addition, oxaliplatin-based therapy had lower risk of neutropenia, anemia, nausea, alopecia, thromboembolism, stomatitis and creatinine increased at all grades, and neutropenia, anemia, leukopenia and alopecia at 3–4 grades than cisplatin-based therapy. However, oxaliplatin-based therapy was associated with increased risk of neurosensory toxicity and thrombocytopenia.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis showed that there were no significant difference in ORR, PFS and OS between oxaliplatin-based therapy and cisplatin-based therapy. The oxaliplatin-based therapy could generally decrease the risk of adverse effects except neurosensory toxicity and thrombocytopenia.

Second-line treatments: moving towards an opportunity to improve survival in advanced gastric cancer?

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death globally with approximately 723 000 deaths every year. Most patients present with advanced unresectable or metastatic disease, only amenable to palliative systemic treatment and a median survival uncommonly exceeding 12 months. Over the last years, the efficacy of chemotherapy combination has plateaued and the introduction of the anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 trastuzumab has resulted in a limited survival gain in the upfront setting. After this positive experience, first-line treatment with new targeted therapies failed to improve the outcome of advanced gastric cancer. On the contrary, second-line options, including monochemotherapy with taxanes or irinotecan and the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 ramucirumab, either alone or combined with paclitaxel, opened new therapeutic rooms for an ever-increasing number of patients who maintain an acceptable performance status across multiple lines. This article provides an updated overview on the current management of advanced gastric cancer and discusses how the different treatment options available may be best combined to favourably impact the outcome of patients following the logic of a treatment strategy.

A Bayesian network meta-analysis on second-line systemic therapy in advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

It is unclear which regimen is the most efficacious among the available therapies for advanced gastric cancer in the second-line setting. We performed a network meta-analysis to determine their relative benefits.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) through the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases and American Society of Clinical Oncology abstracts up to June 2014 to identify phase III RCTs on advanced gastric cancer in the second-line setting. Overall survival (OS) data were the primary outcome of interest. Hazard ratios (HRs) were extracted from the publications on the basis of reported values or were extracted from survival curves by established methods. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed with WinBUGS to compare all regimens simultaneously.

RESULTS

Eight RCTs (2439 patients) were identified and contained extractable data for quantitative analysis. Network meta-analysis showed that paclitaxel plus ramucirumab was superior to single-agent ramucirumab [OS HR 0.51, 95 % credible region (CR) 0.30-0.86], paclitaxel (OS HR 0.81, 95 % CR 0.68-0.96), docetaxel (OS HR 0.56, 95 % CR 0.33-0.94), and irinotecan (OS HR 0.71, 95 % CR 0.52-0.99). Paclitaxel plus ramucirumab also had an 89 % probability of being the best regimen among all these regimens. Single-agent ramucirumab, paclitaxel, docetaxel, and irinotecan were comparable to each other with respect to OS and were superior to best supportive care.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first network meta-analysis to compare all second-line regimens reported in phase III gastric cancer trials. The results suggest the paclitaxel plus ramucirumab combination is the most effective therapy and should be the reference regimen for future comparative trials.

Second-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced gastric cancer

The first choice for treating patients with metastatic gastric cancer is chemotherapy, and combination therapy with fluorouracil, platinum, and trastuzumab has been established as the standard first-line chemotherapy. For further improvement of treatment outcomes, it is important to develop second- and third-line chemotherapy. In the first decade of this century, irinotecan and taxanes, cytotoxic agents, and various molecular targeted agents began to be developed as second-line therapy. Treatment with paclitaxcel weekly in combination with ramucirumab targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 has become the first choice for second-line therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are now being developed, and the current treatment strategies for advanced gastric cancer may undergo major changes in the future. This review summarizes the transitions and future prospects of clinical developments for second-line therapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

A Multicenter Randomized Phase II Study of Docetaxel vs. Docetaxel Plus Cisplatin vs. Docetaxel Plus S-1 as Second-Line Chemotherapy in Metastatic Gastric Cancer Patients Who Had Progressed after Cisplatin Plus Either S-1 or Capecitabine

Purpose

This study evaluated the re-challenge of S-1 or cisplatin in combination with docetaxel in metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) that had progressed on a cisplatin plus either S-1 or capecitabine regimen.

Materials and Methods

Patients with progressive disease after first-line cisplatin plus S-1 or capecitabine were randomized to receive 3-week cycles of docetaxel 75 mg/m² intravenously (IV) on D1 (D), docetaxel 60 mg/m² IV plus cisplatin 60 mg/m² IV on D1 (DC), or docetaxel 60 mg/m² IV D1 plus oral S-1 30 mg/m² twice a day on D1-14 (DS).

Results

Seventy-two patients were randomized to the D (n=23), DC (n=24), or DS (n=25) group. The confirmed response rate was 4.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0% to 12.6%), 4.3% (95% CI, 0% to 12.6%), and 8.7% (95% CI, 0% to 20.2%) for the D, DC, and DS groups, respectively. Compared to the D arm, the DS arm had a better progression-free survival (2.7 months vs. 1.3 months, p=0.034) without any deterioration in safety or quality of life, whereas the DC arm had a similar progression-free survival (1.8 months vs. 1.3 months, p=0.804) and poorer overall survival (5.6 months vs. 10.0 months, p=0.035).

Conclusion

A re-challenge with S-1, but not cisplatin, in combination with docetaxel has potential anticancer benefits over docetaxel alone in MGC with progression after prior cisplatin plus S-1 or capecitabine.

Second- and third-line systemic therapy in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer: a systematic review of the literature

The optimal second- and third-line chemotherapy and targeted therapy for patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer is still a matter of debate. Therefore, a literature search was carried out in Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and oncology conferences until January 2016 for randomized controlled trials that compared second- or third-line therapy. We included 28 studies with 4810 patients. Second-line, single-agent taxane/irinotecan showed increased survival compared to best supportive care (BSC) (hazard ratio 0.65, 95 % confidence interval 0.53-0.79). Median survival gain ranged from 1.4 to 2.7 months among individual studies. Taxane- and irinotecan-based regimens showed equal survival benefit. Doublet chemotherapy taxane/irinotecan plus platinum and fluoropyrimidine was not different in survival, but showed increased toxicity vs. taxane/irinotecan monotherapy. Compared to BSC, second-line ramucirumab and second- or third-line everolimus and regorafenib showed limited median survival gain ranging from 1.1 to 1.4 months, and progression-free survival gain, ranging from 0.3 to 1.6 months. Third- or later-line apatinib showed increased survival benefit over BSC (HR 0.50, 0.32-0.79). Median survival gain ranged from 1.8 to 2.3 months. Compared to taxane-alone, survival was superior for second-line ramucirumab plus taxane (HR 0.81, 0.68-0.96), and olaparib plus taxane (HR 0.56, 0.35-0.87), with median survival gains of 2.2 and 4.8 months respectively. Targeted agents, either in monotherapy or combined with chemotherapy showed increased toxicity compared to BSC and chemotherapy-alone. This review indicates that, given the survival benefit in a phase III study setting, ramucirumab plus taxane is the preferred second-line treatment. Taxane or irinotecan monotherapy are alternatives, although the absolute survival benefit was limited. In third-line setting, apatinib monotherapy is preferred.

Continuation of trastuzumab beyond disease progression in HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer: the MD Anderson experience

BACKGROUND

Despite the wide spread use of trastuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpressing metastatic gastric cancer patients, its optimal duration of administration beyond first-line disease progression is unknown. In HER2 overexpressing metastatic breast cancer, trastuzumab continuation beyond first-line disease progression has shown improvement in time to progression (TTP) without an increased risk of treatment related toxicity.

METHODS

HER2-overexpressing metastatic gastric cancer patients were identified from our database between January 2010 and December 2014. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 43 patients who received trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy as first-line and continued trastuzumab beyond disease progression.

RESULTS

Forty-three cases were identified, 27 males (62.8%), median age of the patients was 58 years. Thirty-five (81.4%) presented with stage 4 as their initial presentation. Eighty one percent had 3+ HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and 18% had 2+ HER2 overexpression confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Thirteen (52%) were moderately differentiated, 16 (37.1%) were poorly differentiated. The most common sites of metastasis were liver 35 (81.4%) and lung 14 (32.5%). The most commonly used first-line regimen was oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and trastuzumab in 22 (51.1%) patients. Twenty-five (58.1%) patients received irinotecan, 5-FU and trastuzumab in the second-line. Progression-free survival (PFS) was 5 months (95% CI: 4.01-5.99 months). Five patients are still alive and excluded from calculating the median overall survival (OS) which was 11 months (range, 5-53 months) for the remaining 20 subjects of this second-line group. Trastuzumab was not discontinued due to side effects in any of the study population.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, this retrospective analysis suggests that continuation of trastuzumab beyond disease progression in patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic gastric cancer is feasible and safe. Randomized studies are warranted.

Efficacy and safety of irinotecan monotherapy as third-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer

PURPOSE

Although irinotecan monotherapy is often used in third-line treatment after the failure of taxanes in Japanese clinical practice, its survival benefit is still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of irinotecan monotherapy as third-line treatment.

METHODS

Clinical data from consecutive patients in whom irinotecan had been initiated as third-line treatment between December 2003 and July 2015 in Shizuoka Cancer Center were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who were refractory or intolerant to fluoropyrimidine with or without platinum in first-line treatment and subsequent therapy with taxanes were included in this study. Irinotecan was administered at 150 mg/m(2) every 2 weeks.

RESULTS

The data of 50 patients who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The overall response rate was 18.4 % (7/38) among the patients with measurable disease. The median progression-free survival time was 66 days, and the median survival time was 180 days from the initiation of irinotecan therapy. The major grade 3 or 4 adverse events including neutropenia, fatigue, and anorexia were observed in 12 (24 %), 8 (16 %), and 7 (14 %), respectively. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Thirteen patients (26 %) required a dose reduction to 120 mg/m(2) or less from the initiation of irinotecan.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that irinotecan as third-line treatment has an anti-tumor effect and is feasible with optimal dose modification for advanced gastric cancer.

Evolving treatments for advanced gastric cancer: appraisal of the survival trend

Introduction and areas covered: We analysed the results of the main clinical studies looking at patients with advanced gastric or esophagogastric junction cancer, in order to differentiate between what is already clinical evidence and what is a promise for the cure of such patients. Thus, achievements from key studies, which had been purposely directed at chemotherapy, molecular target therapies and immunotherapy in both first and second-line setting were analysed. Metronomic chemotherapy, which consists of the administration of continuative low-dose anticancer drugs, was considered also. Expert commentary: It was found that patients included in experimental arms of randomized trials compared with controls have often benefited from a statistically significant extension of overall survival. However, further studies are awaited to bring new drugs into clinical practice and to validate candidate biomarkers predictive of response.

Irinotecan Monotherapy Versus Irinotecan-Based Combination as Second-Line Chemotherapy in Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Purpose

A meta-analysis was conducted to examine the question of whether combination regimens are more effective than monotherapy as a second-line chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer.

Materials and Methods

The MEDLINE and the EMBASE databases and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials were searched using appropriate keywords. Only randomized controlled trials were eligible.

Results

Taxane-based study is rare; thus, four irinotecan-based studies were finally included in the meta-analysis. Out of 661 patients, 331 patients were assigned to combination therapy and 330 to monotherapy. Cisplatin or fluoropyrimidine (S-1 or 5-fluorouracil) was used as a combination partner to irinotecan. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) and for progression-free survival (PFS) was 0.938 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.796 to 1.104; p=0.442) and 0.815 (95% CI, 0.693 to 0.958; p=0.013). In subgroup analysis according to previous exposure to a partner agent, the PFS benefit of combination was observed only in the partially exposed group (HR, 0.784; 95% CI, 0.628 to 0.980; p=0.032).

Conclusion

Second-line irinotecan-based combination was not associated with increased OS, but with PFS benefit, which seemed particularly significant for patients receiving combination with a new agent.

Advanced gastric cancer: Current treatment landscape and future perspectives

Gastric cancer currently ranks fourth in cancer-related mortality worldwide. In the western world, it is most often diagnosed at an advanced stage, after becoming metastatic at distant sites. Patients with advanced disease (locally advanced or metastatic) have a somber prognosis, with a median overall survival of 10-12 mo, and palliative chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment. In recent years, novel approaches using inhibition of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) have demonstrated significant improvements in progression-free and overall survival, compared with chemotherapy alone, in first-line treatment of patients with overexpression of HER2. In addition, both second-line chemotherapy and treatment with the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-inhibitor ramucirumab demonstrated significant benefits in terms of overall survival, compared with best supportive care, in randomized studies. Moreover, ramucirumab in combination with chemotherapy demonstrated further significant benefits in terms of progression-free and overall survival, compared with chemotherapy alone, in second-line treatment for patients with metastatic gastric cancer. A recently published molecular classification of gastric cancer is expected to improve patient stratification and selection for clinical trials and provide a roadmap for future drug development. Nevertheless, despite these developments the prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer remains poor. In this review we discuss current standards of care and outline major topics of drug development in gastric cancer.

Impact of UGT1A1 genotype upon toxicities of combination with low-dose irinotecan plus platinum

AIM

Irinotecan-induced severe toxicities are possibly related to UGT1A1*6 and *28 genotypes. However, the correlation between UGT1A1 polymorphisms and the risk of toxicities induced by low-dose irinotecan plus platinum combination therapy still remains controversial. This prospective observational study aimed to examine the correlation between UGT1A1 genotypes and clinical outcomes of low-dose irinotecan (median 60 mg/m(2) , range 25-115 mg/m(2) ) plus platinum in Japanese patients with solid tumors.

METHODS

Toxicity profiles were compared between UGT1A1 SNP heterozygotes (hetero-group) and patients with homozygous SNP profile (*6/*6, *28/*28 and *6/*28). Logistic regression models were used to identify independent risk factors for these toxicities.

RESULTS

A total of 331 patients were enrolled: 84% with hetero-group and 16% with homo-group. Although the initial irinotecan dose was similar, the dose intensities during the three cycles were significantly lower in the homo-group (P < 0.01). Grade 3/4 hematological toxicities were significantly more frequent in the homo-group. Multivariable analysis identified UGT1A1 genotype (P < 0.01) as an independent factor for grade 4 hematological toxicity in the first treatment cycle.

CONCLUSION

UGT1A1 genotype has a major impact on the increased risk of severe hematological toxicities, even in low-dose irinotecan regimens. UGT1A1 genotypes are useful biomarkers for predicting severe hematological toxicities in patients treated with irinotecan plus platinum analog.

Second-Line Irinotecan, Leucovorin, and 5-Fluorouracil for Gastric Cancer Patients after Failed Docetaxel and S-1

Background. This retrospective study aimed to assess the efficacy and toxicities of second-line chemotherapy with irinotecan, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) patients previously treated with docetaxel and S-1 with or without oxaliplatin (DS/DOS). Patients and Methods. We reviewed the data of patients who had previously been treated with first-line DS/DOS and received biweekly irinotecan-based chemotherapy (FOLFIRI/IFL) between October 2004 and November 2011. Results. A total of 209 cycles were administered to 35 patients, with a median of 4 (range, 1–22) cycles each. The overall response rate in 29 response-assessable patients was 17.2%, including 2 complete and 3 partial responses. The median progression-free and overall survivals were 3.81 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.82–5.80) months and 6.24 (95% CI, 1.44–11.04) months, respectively. The major grade 3/4 toxicity was neutropenia (8.6%). Conclusion. FOLFIRI/IFL chemotherapy showed modest antitumour activity and tolerable toxicities in DS/DOS-treated MGC patients.

Systemic therapy beyond first-line in advanced gastric cancer: An overview of the main randomized clinical trials

Following progression on first-line platinum and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy, prognosis for advanced gastric cancer patients is extremely poor. Thus, new and effective treatments are required. Based on positive results of recent randomized controlled trials, second-line monochemotherapies with either irinotecan or taxanes confer a median overall survival of approximately 5 months in gastro-esophageal and gastric adenocarcinoma. Combination of weekly paclitaxel and ramucirumab, a novel anti-angiogenic VEGFR2 antibody, pushes the overall survival up to over 9.5 months, whereas apatinib, a novel oral VEGFR2 tyrosine kinase inhibitor, seems to be promising in heavily pretreated patients. In contrast, the role of EGFR/HER2 and mTOR inhibitors is controversial. Studies are heterogeneous for tumor population, geographical areas, quality of life assessment, type of first-line therapy and response to that, making clinical practice application of the trial results difficult. Furthermore, sustainability is challenging due to high cost of novel biotherapies.

Chemoradiotherapy for patients with recurrent lymph-node metastasis or local recurrence of gastric cancer after curative gastrectomy

OBJECTIVES

Whether chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is clinically beneficial for the management of postoperative recurrence of advanced gastric cancer remains unclear. We retrospectively studied treatment outcomes in patients who had unresectable localized recurrence after surgery for advanced gastric cancer and evaluated the safety and efficacy of CRT.

METHODS

The study group comprised 21 patients who received concurrent CRT for unresectable localized recurrence after undergoing R0 resection for stage II/III advanced gastric cancer. Localized recurrence was defined as a few or limited recurrent lesions.

RESULTS

The recurrence pattern was anastomotic recurrence in 7 patients, abdominal lymph-node recurrence in 12, and anastomotic recurrence plus abdominal lymph-node recurrence in 2. The median total dose of radiotherapy was 48.6 Gy (range 39.6-56.0), and the CRT completion rate was 100 % (21 of 21 patients). CRT-related grade 3 or higher toxicity comprised neutropenia in 33.3 % of patients and anorexia in 9.5 %. The response rate was 61.9 % (complete response 38.1 %, partial response 23.8 %). The median overall survival was 35.0 months.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that CRT may become one treatment strategy for the management of unresectable localized recurrence after curative resection of advanced gastric cancer.

Second-line treatment of metastatic gastric cancer: Current options and future directions

Gastric cancer remains one among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, regardless of its decreasing incidence and newly available treatment options. Most patients present at an advanced stage and are treated with upfront systemic chemotherapy. Those patients receiving first-line therapy may initially respond to treatment, but many of them relapse over time. In such condition, second-line treatment for disease progression remains the only available option. Although there exists no standard approach in the second-line setting, several phase III trials have shown modest survival benefit in patients receiving irinotecan, taxane and ramucirumab over the best supportive care or active agents. This review analyzes the currently available treatment regimens and future directions of research in the second-line setting for metastatic gastric cancer with the best available evidence. Additionally, the prognostic factors that influence patient survival in those receiving second-line therapy are discussed.