Anemia in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma administered preoperative radiochemotherapy: association with pathological response to treatment and clinical outcome

Impact of Blood Transfusions on Survival of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Plus Radical Surgery

OBJECTIVE

Transfusions represent one of the main progresses of modern medicine. However, accumulating evidence supports that transfusions correlate with worse survival outcomes in patients affected by solid cancers. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of perioperative blood transfusion in locally advanced cervical cancer.

METHODS

Data of consecutive patients affected by locally advanced cervical cancer scheduled to undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery were retrospectively searched to test the impact of perioperative transfusions on survival outcomes. Five-year survival outcomes were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox models.

RESULTS

The study included 275 patients. Overall, 170 (62%) patients had blood transfusion. Via univariate analysis, we observed that transfusion correlated with an increased risk of developing recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-4.40; P = 0.02). Other factors associated with 5-year disease-free survival were noncomplete clinical response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR, 2.99; 95% CI, 0.92-9.63; P = 0.06) and pathological (P = 0.03) response at neoadjuvant chemotherapy as well as parametrial (P = 0.004), vaginal (P < 0.001), and lymph node (P = 0.002) involvements. However, via multivariate analysis, only vaginal (HR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.20-7.85; P = 0.01) and lymph node involvements (HR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.00-6.06; P = 0.05) correlate with worse disease-free survival. No association with worse outcomes was observed for patients undergoing blood transfusion (HR, 2.71; 95% CI, 0.91-8.03; P = 0.07). Looking at factors influencing overall survival, we observed that lymph node status (P = 0.01) and vaginal involvement (P = 0.06) were independently associated with survival.

CONCLUSIONS

The role of blood transfusions in increasing the risk of developing recurrence in LAAC patients treated by neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus radical surgery remains unclear; further prospective studies are warranted.

Prolonged radiation time and low nadir hemoglobin during postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy are both poor prognostic factors with synergistic effect on locally advanced head and neck cancer patients

BACKGROUND

Anemia, a common complication of head and neck cancer treatment, is regarded as a poor prognostic factor. We evaluated the impact of low hemoglobin (Hb) levels, measured at different time points, on a consecutive cohort of patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (LA-SCCHN) who underwent postoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 2002 to 2009, 140 patients were enrolled and reviewed retrospectively. Preoperative (pre-op Hb), pre-CCRT Hb, and nadir Hb during CCRT were measured and recorded. The three Hb parameters were analyzed against several well-established pathologic risk factors and radiation-associated variables. Prognostic impacts were investigated with multivariate analysis by Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS

On Cox regression analysis, significantly higher risk of death was associated with pre-op Hb ≦13 g/dL (hazard ratio [HR] =1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-3.1; P=0.023), nadir Hb ≦11 g/dL (HR =1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3; P=0.020), radiation treatment time (RTT) >7 weeks (HR =1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3; P=0.022), and multiple positive lymph nodes (HR =2.1; 95% CI, 1.2-3.7; P=0.010), after adjusting for primary tumor site and pathologic lymphovascular invasion. Patients with poor prognosticators including low nadir Hb ≦11 g/dL and RTT >7 weeks had a higher risk of death (HR =4.0; 95% CI =1.6-10.2; P=0.004).

CONCLUSION

In the treatment setting of LA-SCCHN patients who underwent postoperative CCRT, coexistance of lower nadir Hb during CCRT and prolonged RTT resulted in reduced survival.

Myelosuppression induced by concurrent chemoradiotherapy as a prognostic factor for patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

The aim of the present study was to assess whether myelosuppression during concurrent chemoradiotherapy is a prognostic factor for patients with locally advanced non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We retrospectively analyzed 86 patients with NSCLC who received concurrent platinum-based chemoradiotherapy. Patients were classified into two groups (grades 0-2 and 3-4) according to the most severe neutropenia, anemia or thrombocytopenia observed during concurrent chemoradiotherapy, and survival time and progression-free survival (PFS) time were analyzed. Univariate analysis revealed that overall survival time was significantly longer in patients with grade 0-2 anemia than in those with grade 3-4 anemia (p=0.02). Survival time did not differ significantly on the basis of the severity of neutropenia or thrombocytopenia. Although pre-treatment white blood cell count was a further prognostic factor in univariate analysis, multivariate analysis revealed that the only independent prognostic factor for overall survival time was anemia. Disease stage was an independent prognostic factor for PFS (p=0.04), whereas neutropenia, anemia and thrombocytopenia were not. In conclusion, the severity of anemia during concurrent chemoradiotherapy may be a useful prognostic factor in patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

The prognostic value of hemoglobin in patients with anal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy

PURPOSE

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of hemoglobin level on clinical outcome (local response, progression-free survival, and overall survival) in patients with carcinoma of the anal canal treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy.

METHODS

This is a retrospective study of patients with anal cancer treated between 1992 and 2005 with definitive chemoradiotherapy at Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Patient treatment, laboratory, and outcome data were extracted from the chart.

RESULTS

Seventy-two patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy were identified. The median age was 56 years, the male-to-female ratio was 1:2, and the median tumor size was 3.5 cm. At 6 weeks after the completion of chemoradiotherapy, 62% of patients (38/61) had complete clinical response, and 34% (21/61) had achieved a partial clinical response. At 3 months after treatment, complete clinical response was observed in 78% (49/63) and a partial response in 16% (10/63). The median pretreatment hemoglobin level was 138.5 g/L, and the median on-treatment hemoglobin level was 129 g/L. Distant relapse was associated with hemoglobin levels in the lowest quartiles, pretreatment and on-treatment (P = .007 and P = .008, respectively). Hemoglobin levels were not associated with response at 6 weeks or 3 months. A pretreatment hemoglobin level of <130 g/L was associated with worse progression-free and overall survival (P < .0001, both). A hemoglobin on-treatment level of <121 g/L was associated with progression-free and overall survival (P < .0001 and P = .019, respectively), when stratified by gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Hemoglobin status was correlated with progression-free and overall survival, and distant relapse, but not clinical response, in patients with carcinoma of the anal canal treated with chemoradiotherapy. The clinically relevant cut point, and the value of correcting hemoglobin levels before or during treatment, remains to be elucidated.

Adjuvant FOLFOX-4 in patients with radically resected gastric cancer: Tolerability and prognostic factors

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of the FOLFOX-4 regimen as adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer after radical surgery. Fifty-four patients (1 stage Ib, 6 stage II, 22 stage IIIa, 14 stage IIIb and 11 stage IV) received 8-12 cycles of FOLFOX-4 (oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2), Day 1; leucovorin 100 mg/m(2) i.v., Days 1 and 2; 5-fluorouracil 400 mg/m(2) i.v. bolus, Days 1 and 2 and 600 mg/m(2) in 22 h i.v. continuous infusion, Days 1 and 2; every 14 days). Toxicity was recorded at each cycle according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria. Disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Thirty-eight patients (70.4%) completed the prescribed number of cycles of chemotherapy. The toxicity was mild. Grade 3-4 neutropenia occurred in 57% of patients, thrombocytopenia and anemia in 2% of cases. Peripheral neuropathy was experienced by 46% of the patients (grade 4 in 2% of cases). Five patients experienced grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. After a median follow-up of 33.1 months, 17 patients relapsed and 17 succumbed to the disease. The mean observed DFS and OS were 49.7 months (range 40.7-58.8) and 57.9 months (range 49.6-66.2), respectively. At univariate analysis, females and patients who had received <8 cycles of chemotherapy had a significantly worse probability of DFS and OS. The Cox model showed gender to be independent of the factors affecting DFS. Adjuvant FOLFOX-4 is feasible and well-tolerated in patients radically resected for gastric cancer. Receiving <4 months of adjuvant FOLFOX-4 could be detrimental to prognosis.

Contraindications to cisplatin based chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of cervical cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We conducted a prospective study to assess the eligibility of patients presenting with cervical cancer in the developing world for chemoradiotherapy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients with biopsy proven cervical cancer were eligible. Workup included history, examination, pre-treatment Karnofsky performance score, evaluation under anaesthesia to establish FIGO stage, complete blood count, renal and liver functions tests, HIV test and ultrasound of the abdomen and pelvis.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA

stage IA, stage IV, HIV status positive, Karnofsky performance score <60, age >70 years, hydronephrosis, haemoglobin <8 g/dL, white cell count <2,000/microL, platelets <100,000/microL, creatinine >97 micromol/L.

RESULTS

314 patients were included. After workup, 47 patients (15.1%) were eligible for combined modality treatment and 190 (60.5%) were not eligible. Eligibility could not be established in 77 cases (24.4%). 37 (11.6%) of the group were HIV positive, HIV status was not established in 38.4% of cases. The most frequently encountered exclusion criteria were hydronephrosis and anaemia. Application of a haemoglobin cut off point of 8 g/dL for cisplatin based chemotherapy resulted in the exclusion of 55 (17.4%) patients. A limit of 10 g/dL excluded an additional 11 patients. Hydronephrosis was diagnosed on ultrasound in 99 (31.4%) patients. 56% had unilateral hydronephrosis, 44% had bilateral hydronephrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

A small proportion of our patients with cervical cancer would benefit from chemoradiotherapy with concomitant cisplatin, illustrating the difficulties of applying "standard" treatment to the developing world. The introduction of national screening programmes and the provision of accessible radiotherapy facilities should be the major priorities in the developing world setting.