Translating clinical trials to clinical practice: outcomes of men with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer treated with docetaxel and prednisone in and out of clinical trials

Thromboembolic Events in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients With and Without Cardiovascular Comorbidities Receiving Oral Androgen Receptor Pathway Inhibitors

BACKGROUND

This study investigates the association between thromboembolic events (TE) and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients receiving oral androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPi) compared to those undergoing chemotherapy, both with and without a pre-existing history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

METHODS

A total of 2779 men diagnosed with CRPC were identified using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Medicare Linked Database from 2012 to 2016. Patients were stratified based on their CVD history. Within each CVD stratum (pre-existing CVD vs. no pre-existing CVD), patients were further categorized into two treatment groups: those receiving oral ARPi and those undergoing chemotherapy. Unadjusted and inverse probability treatment weight (IPTW)-adjusted proportional hazards models, using Fine and Gray's method, were applied to evaluate the potential association between ARPi treatment and TE.

RESULTS

Patients with pre-existing CVD treated with ARPi exhibited a significantly lower crude hazard ratio (HR) for TE compared to chemotherapy (HR 0.39, 95% CI 0.27-0.58, p < 0.001). However, after adjustment using IPTW, this association was no longer significant (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 1.00, 95% CI 0.75-1.32, p = 0.99). For patients without CVD, ARPi use was also associated with a reduced risk of TE in the crude analysis (HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32-0.87, p = 0.01), but this effect was not statistically significant after IPTW adjustment (HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.69-1.41, p = 0.94).

CONCLUSION

ARPi demonstrated no significant effect on TE risk compared to chemotherapy, regardless of pre-existing CVD status. Similarly, when excluding patients with a prior history of TE, ARPi use remained non-significantly associated with new TE in the IPTW-adjusted competing risk analysis, highlighting the need for further investigation.

Treatment Patterns and Attrition in Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Real-Life Experience from the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC) Database

INTRODUCTION

Despite the rapid evolution in management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) over the past decade, challenges remain in accessing new therapies in some parts of the world. Despite therapeutic advancements, attrition rates remain persistently high. This study aims to assess the treatment patterns and attrition rates of patients with mRCC in oncology clinics across Turkey.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients diagnosed with mRCC between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2022, with first-line systemic treatment data, were retrospectively evaluated using the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC) Database.

RESULTS

The final analysis included a total of 1126 patients. The percentages of patients treated in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th lines of therapy were 62.8%, 27.4%, 8.9%, and 2.1%, respectively. The drugs that were most commonly used in the groups were tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) (52.2%) and interferon (IFN)-alpha (43.3%) for the first line, TKIs (66.3%) and immunotherapy (IO) monotherapy (25.9%) for the second line, TKI (41.4%) and mTOR inhibitors (28.8%) for the third line, TKI (44.4%) and mTOR inhibitors (29%) for the fourth line, and IO monotherapy (37.5%) and TKI (25%) for the fifth line. For the first-line treatment, the primary cause of attrition was disease progression (66.4%), followed by toxicity (16.5%), death (11.2%), and patient preference (5.9%). The primary reason for attrition across all treatment lines was disease progression. Over time, the use of TKIs in first-line treatment increased, while IFN-alpha usage declined. IOs began to be utilized in earlier lines, predominantly in second-line treatment, though use of IO-based combination therapies remains limited.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores that despite significant progress in therapeutic options, the adoption of novel agents remains slow, and attrition rates are still high. These findings indicate a disparity in systemic therapy compared to developed countries.

Evaluating generalizability of oncology trial results to real-world patients using machine learning-based trial emulations

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating anti-cancer agents often lack generalizability to real-world oncology patients. Although restrictive eligibility criteria contribute to this issue, the role of selection bias related to prognostic risk remains unclear. In this study, we developed TrialTranslator, a framework designed to systematically evaluate the generalizability of RCTs for oncology therapies. Using a nationwide database of electronic health records from Flatiron Health, this framework emulates RCTs across three prognostic phenotypes identified through machine learning models. We applied this approach to 11 landmark RCTs that investigated anti-cancer regimens considered standard of care for the four most prevalent advanced solid malignancies. Our analyses reveal that patients in low-risk and medium-risk phenotypes exhibit survival times and treatment-associated survival benefits similar to those observed in RCTs. In contrast, high-risk phenotypes show significantly lower survival times and treatment-associated survival benefits compared to RCTs. Our results were corroborated by a comprehensive robustness assessment, including examinations of specific patient subgroups, holdout validation and semi-synthetic data simulation. These findings suggest that the prognostic heterogeneity among real-world oncology patients plays a substantial role in the limited generalizability of RCT results. Machine learning frameworks may facilitate individual patient-level decision support and estimation of real-world treatment benefits to guide trial design.

Immune-related adverse events in cancer patients referred to the palliative care team of a tertiary care center: a retrospective observational study

PURPOSE

The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) can cause multi-organ adverse events, namely immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients with cancer. This study aimed to characterize the epidemiological information on irAEs in patients with cancer referred to the palliative care team (PCT).

METHODS

The medical records of cancer patients with a history of ICI therapy referred to the PCT at a tertiary care center between January 2017 and July 2022 were retrospectively reviewed in this single-center, observational study.

RESULTS

The median age of the 140 patients was 68 years, and lung (39.3%) being the most common primary site. We observed irAEs in 46 patients (32.9%), and hypothyroidism was the most common irAE. For irAEs graded ≥ 3 in 21 patients, pneumonitis was the most common adverse event. As for strategies for management with irAEs, seventeen patients were treated with systemic steroids. irAEs ( +) had a significantly lower Performance Status at the start of ICI, a higher total number of ICI doses, and longer duration from start of ICI to date of death than irAEs (-).

CONCLUSIONS

Among 140 cancer patients with a history of ICIs therapy consulted to the PCT, the prevalence of irAEs was 32.9%, and 21 patients (15.0%) developed irAEs with grade ≥ 3. As the use of ICI is expected to increase in the future, it is important for palliative care physicians to increase their awareness of the management of irAEs and collaborate with oncologists from an early stage.

Real-World Treatment Patterns and Outcomes Across Three Lines of Therapy in Patients with ALK+ NSCLC

INTRODUCTION

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are standard first- and second-line treatment for advanced ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We evaluated outcomes in patients with ALK+ NSCLC receiving third-line ALK TKI versus non-ALK-directed therapy.

METHODS

Flatiron Health OncoEMR data were extracted for patients with ALK+ NSCLC initiating first-line ALK TKI between January 2015 and March 2022 followed by second-line ALK TKI and third-line ALK TKI (group A) or non-TKI therapy (group B). Time-to-treatment discontinuation (TTD) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using multivariate modelling.

RESULTS

Among patients receiving third-line ALK TKI (A, n = 85) or non-TKI therapy (B, n = 43), most received first-line crizotinib (A/B: 64%/60%) and second-line alectinib (36%/30%), ceritinib (24%/19%), or lorlatinib (15%/30%). Common third-line treatments were lorlatinib/alectinib (41%/33%) in A and immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or chemotherapy + immunotherapy (30%/28%/21%) in B. Group A versus B had longer TTD of first-line treatment (hazard ratio [HR] 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.93; p = 0.020) and second-line treatment (HR 0.50, 95% CI 0.33-0.75; p < 0.001) and longer OS from start of first-line treatment (HR 0.32, 95% CI 0.19-0.54; p < 0.001) and second-line treatment (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.24-0.66; p < 0.001). For third-line treatment, median TTD (A/B) was 6.2/2.4 months (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.37-1.00; p = 0.049) and OS was 17.6/6.5 months (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.33-0.98; p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients receiving third-line non-ALK-directed therapy had suboptimal outcomes on prior TKIs. Patients with longer duration of prior ALK TKI treatment appeared to benefit from third-line ALK TKIs.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related adverse events: Real-world experience from a single veterans' affairs medical center

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are antineoplastic agents associated with a multitude of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Available data from clinical trials include highly selective patient populations which may limit their applicability to real-world clinical practice.

METHODS

We present a retrospective cohort study of cancer patients treated with ICI therapy at the Zablocki VA Medical Center between 2014 and 2021. Information on demographics, cancer diagnosis, type of therapy, treatment duration, comorbidities, irAE type, and overall survival were collected.

RESULTS

We identified 187 patients who received at least one dose of ICI. About half the patients experienced at least one irAE, the most common categories being fatigue, pulmonary, and endocrine irAEs. Approximately half of the irAEs were diagnosed within the first three months of starting ICI therapy, and 60.38% of those who experienced irAEs discontinued ICI therapy. Patients who experienced endocrine or intestinal irAEs had a significantly longer overall survival.

CONCLUSION

Immune-related complications due to ICI therapy are common and can frequently lead to treatment discontinuation in the real-world setting. Endocrine and intestinal irAEs may correlate with improved survival. The ICI-treated patients who received palliative radiation therapy to the bone had less irAEs, possibly due to immunogenic cell death.

RENO Study: Clinical characteristics, treatment patterns and survival results in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma in Northern Spain

BACKGROUND

The current available evidence on the management of metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) in real life is scarce in our environment. We present a summary of the existing real-world data and the results of an analysis describing the clinical characteristics, treatments, and health outcomes of patients with mRCC in northern Spain.

METHODS

Retrospective observational study. Adult patients diagnosed with mRCC between Jan 2007 and Dec 2019 were included. Epidemiological, efficacy and toxicity data were collected. Median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

A total of 829 patients were included (median age at diagnosis:63 years;73% men). Median follow-up was 180 months. The preponderant histology was clear cell (85%). In 50% the initial diagnosis was advanced disease. The distribution according to IMDC prognosis was good (24%), intermediate (50%) and poor (26%). The most frequent metastatic locations were lung (68.3%) and lymph node (41.0%). Most patients (95%) received a first line (1L) systemic treatment, 60% were treated with a second line (2L) of therapy and 37% received third line (3L). A VEGFR-TKIs was the most common treatment (1L: 90%, n = 507; 2L: 49%, n = 233; 3L: 54%, n = 156) followed by mTOR inhibitors (1L: 2%, n = 4; 2L: 27%, n = 126; 3L: 23%, n = 68) and immunotherapy (1L: 3.7%, n = 25; 2L: 27%, n = 126). Median OS was 24.5 months in the general population. According to IMDC prognostic groups, OS was 52.5, 25.7 and 9 months respectively. From the start of the 1L, 2L, and 3L treatment, median PFS was: 1L: 7.8 (6.8-9.0); 2L: 4.9 (4.3-5.5); 3L: 4.3 (3.8-4.8) months. No unexpected toxicity was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

The Real-World Data on the management of mRCC in Northern Spain are comparable in epidemiology, efficacy, and safety to studies conducted in other areas of the world. The significant reduction in the number of patients receiving second and subsequent lines of therapy hampers the access to new therapies developed in this context.

Harnessing the Potential of Real-World Evidence in the Treatment of Colorectal Cancer: Where Do We Stand?

OPINION STATEMENT

Treatment guidelines for colorectal cancer (CRC) are primarily based on the results of randomized clinical trials (RCTs), the gold standard methodology to evaluate safety and efficacy of oncological treatments. However, generalizability of trial results is often limited due to stringent eligibility criteria, underrepresentation of specific populations, and more heterogeneity in clinical practice. This may result in an efficacy-effectiveness gap and uncertainty regarding meaningful benefit versus treatment harm. Meanwhile, conduct of traditional RCTs has become increasingly challenging due to identification of a growing number of (small) molecular subtypes. These challenges-combined with the digitalization of health records-have led to growing interest in use of real-world data (RWD) to complement evidence from RCTs. RWD is used to evaluate epidemiological trends, quality of care, treatment effectiveness, long-term (rare) safety, and quality of life (QoL) measures. In addition, RWD is increasingly considered in decision-making by clinicians, regulators, and payers. In this narrative review, we elaborate on these applications in CRC, and provide illustrative examples. As long as the quality of RWD is safeguarded, ongoing developments, such as common data models, federated learning, and predictive modelling, will further unfold its potential. First, whenever possible, we recommend conducting pragmatic trials, such as registry-based RCTs, to optimize generalizability and answer clinical questions that are not addressed in registrational trials. Second, we argue that marketing approval should be conditional for patients who would have been ineligible for the registrational trial, awaiting planned (non) randomized evaluation of outcomes in the real world. Third, high-quality effectiveness results should be incorporated in treatment guidelines to aid in patient counseling. We believe that a coordinated effort from all stakeholders is essential to improve the quality of RWD, create a learning healthcare system with optimal use of trials and real-world evidence (RWE), and ultimately ensure personalized care for every CRC patient.

Efficacy-effectiveness gaps in oncology: Looking beyond survival

The efficacy-effectiveness (EE) gap describes the differences in survival seen in clinical trials and routine clinical practice, where patients in real-world practice often have inferior outcomes compared to trial populations. However, EE gaps may exist beyond survival outcomes, including gaps in quality of life, toxicity, cost-effectiveness, and patient time, and these EE gaps should also influence patient and clinician treatment decisions. Failure to clearly acknowledge these EE gaps may cause patients, clinicians, and health care systems to have unrealistic expectations of the benefits of therapy across a range of important clinical and economic domains. In this commentary, the authors review the evidence supporting the existence of EE gaps in quality of life, time toxicity, cost and toxicities, and urge for further research into this important topic.

Benchmarking Time-to-Treatment Initiation in Sarcoma Care Using Real-World-Time Data

Benchmarking is a fundamental tool for enhancing quality within a patient-centered healthcare framework. This study presents an analysis of time-to-treatment initiation (TTI) for sarcoma patients, utilizing a database encompassing 266 cases from the Swiss Sarcoma Network. Our findings indicate a median TTI of 30 days across the cohort, with bone sarcomas and deep soft tissue sarcomas demonstrating a shorter median TTI of 28 days, followed by superficial soft tissue sarcomas at 42 days. The data reveal that the use of real-world-time data (RWTD) may account for a longer TTI observed, as it offers more comprehensive capture of patient journeys, unlike conventional datasets. Notably, variability in TTI was observed between different treatment institutions, which underscores the need for standardized processes across centers. We advocate for a selective referral system to specialized centers to prevent capacity overload and ensure timely treatment initiation. Our analysis also identified significant delays in TTI for unplanned 'whoops'-resections, highlighting the importance of early specialist referral in optimizing treatment timelines. This study emphasizes the potential benefits of a streamlined, data-informed approach to sarcoma care. However, further research is required to establish the direct impact of integrated care models on TTI and patient outcomes in the context of sarcoma treatment.

Real-world utilization and outcomes of docetaxel among older men with metastatic prostate cancer: a retrospective population-based cohort study in Canada

BACKGROUND

The adoption of docetaxel for systemic treatment of metastatic prostate cancer (PCa), in both castration-sensitive (mCSPC) and castration-resistant (mCRPC) settings, is poorly understood. This study examined the real-world utilization of docetaxel in these patients and their outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective population-based study used administrative data from Ontario, Canada, to identify men aged ≥66 years who were diagnosed with de novo mCSPC or mCRPC between 2014 and 2019 and received docetaxel. The study assessed treatment tolerability and toxicity, and survival in both cohorts. Descriptive and comparative statistical analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

The study identified 11.2% (399/3556) and 13.2% (203/1534) patients diagnosed with de novo mCSPC and with mCRPC who received docetaxel respectively. The median age in both cohorts was 72 years (IQR: 68-76). Overall, 43.9% (n = 175) patients with de novo mCSPC and 52.1% (n = 85) with mCRPC completed ≥6 cycles of docetaxel. Over two-fifth also needed dose adjustments in both cohorts. Hospitalization or emergency department visit for febrile neutropenia were noted in 15.8% (n = 63) of de novo mCSPC patients and similarly in 19% (n = 31) of mCRPC cohort. The median survival of PCa patients who completed ≥6 cycles of docetaxel was significantly longer relative to those who completed <4 cycles: 32.7 vs. 23.5 months (p < 0.001) for mCSPC and 20.5 vs. 10.7 (p = 0.012) for mCRPC respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In this population-based study of elderly patients with metastatic PCa, treatment with docetaxel was associated with poor tolerability and higher toxicity compared with clinical trials. Receipt of limited cycles and reduced overall dose of docetaxel were associated with inferior overall survival.

Harnessing Real-World Evidence to Advance Cancer Research

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) form a cornerstone of oncology research by generating evidence about the efficacy of therapies in selected patient populations. However, their implementation is often resource- and cost-intensive, and their generalisability to patients treated in routine practice may be limited. Real-world evidence leverages data collected about patients receiving clinical care in routine practice outside of clinical trial settings and provides opportunities to identify and address gaps in clinical trial evidence. This review outlines the strengths and limitations of real-world and RCT evidence and proposes a framework for the complementary use of the two bodies of evidence to advance cancer research. There are challenges to the implementation of real-world research in oncology, including heterogeneity of data sources, timely access to high-quality data, and concerns about the quality of methods leveraging real-world data, particularly causal inference. Improved understanding of the strengths and limitations of real-world data and ongoing efforts to optimise the conduct of real-world evidence research will improve its reliability, understanding and acceptance, and enable the full potential of real-world evidence to be realised in oncology practice.

Short- and Long-Term Survival of Metastatic Biliary Tract Cancer in the United States From 2000 to 2018

INTRODUCTION

Information about survival outcomes in metastatic biliary tract cancer (BTC) is sparse, and the numbers often quoted are based on reports of clinical trials data that may not be representative of patients treated in the real world. Furthermore, the impact of more widespread adoption of a standardized combination chemotherapy regimen since 2010 on survival is unclear.

METHODS

We performed an analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to determine the real-world overall survival trends in a cohort of patients with metastatic BTC diagnosed between the years 2000 and 2017 with follow-up until 2018. We analyzed data for the entire cohort, evaluated short-term and long-term survival rates, and compared survival outcomes in the pre-2010 and post-2010 periods. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate factors associated with survival.

RESULTS

Among 13, 287 patients, the median age was 68 years. There was a preponderance of female (57%) and white (77%) patients. Forty-one percent died within 3 months of diagnosis (short-term survivors) and 20% were long-term survivors (12 months or longer). The median overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 4.5 months. Median OS improved post-2010 (4.5 months) compared to pre-2010 (3.5 months) (P < .0001). On multivariate analysis, age <55 years, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, surgical resection, and diagnosis post-2010 were associated with lower hazard of death.

CONCLUSION

The real-world prognosis of metastatic BTC is remarkably poorer than described in clinical trials because a large proportion of patients survive less than three months. Over the last decade, the improvement in survival has been minimal.

What predicts the clinical benefits of PARP inhibitors in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer: A real-world single-center retrospective cohort study from China

Objective

This study assessed the real-world application, effectiveness, and safety of olaparib and niraparib as maintenance therapies in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer (PSROC) in China and investigated clinical factors associated with prolonged benefits of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors to help guide clinician treatment-decision making in daily practice.

Methods

This real-world single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted at the Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute. Archival data of consecutive patients diagnosed with PSROC who achieved a complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) after the last platinum-based chemotherapy and treated with olaparib or niraparib as maintenance therapy from August 2018 to September 2021 were collected.

Results

Overall, 106 women were included in the cohort. Seventy-two (68%) patients were treated with olaparib, while 34 (32%) received niraparib; 99.1% of the patients were diagnosed with high-grade serous carcinoma, and 73.6% had FIGO stages III–IV. Approximately 71.7% of the patients had received PARP inhibitors after the second platinum-based line and 44.3% of the patients achieved a CR in their last platinum-based therapy. The median platinum-free interval (PFI) after the penultimate platinum-based therapy was 10 (95% CI: 10–13.6) months. The median PFS was 21 (95% CI: 13–24.5) months and the median CFI was 22 (95% CI: 16–26.5) months. Consistent with the univariate analysis, the multivariate analysis identified three independent factors associated with prolonged progression-free survival (PFS) and chemotherapy-free interval (CFI): breast cancer susceptibility gene (BRCA) mutant type (p = 0.005 and p = 0.003); PFI ≥12 months (p = 0.01 and p = 0.006); and CR to last platinum-based therapy (p = 0.016 and p = 0.019). It was found that there was no appreciable difference in any grade 3–4 hematological AE between patients who received olaparib and niraparib.

Conclusion

Maintenance treatment with olaparib and niraparib is effective and well tolerated for PSROC patients in real-world clinical practice. Three clinical factors were identified that predicted prolonged survival under maintenance therapy with PARP inhibitors: BRCA mutant type, PFI ≥12 months, and CR to last platinum-based therapy. These findings should be further confirmed with an appropriately powered analysis in studies with larger sample sizes.

The role of chemotherapy in metastatic prostate cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To summarize the role of chemotherapy and offer some guidance regarding the selection of chemotherapy in mPC.

RECENT FINDINGS

Patients with mHSPC have varied prognoses with testosterone suppression alone (androgen deprivation therapy, ADT) and differential responses to docetaxel with ADT. Patients with de novo and metachronous high-volume disease have a robust survival benefit with the addition of docetaxel to hormonal therapies. Patients with synchronous low-volume disease have a more modest survival benefit from docetaxel and there is no evidence of survival benefit with docetaxel in patients with metachronous low-volume disease. Integration of biomarkers may refine treatment selection regardless of volume of disease. Docetaxel and cabazitaxel also impart an OS benefit in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The choice of chemotherapy in mCRPC depends on treatment received in mHSPC setting. Docetaxel remains the first line chemotherapy in castration-resistant patients who have not received it in mHSPC followed by cabazitaxel, otherwise cabazitaxel can be deployed without docetaxel retreatment.

SUMMARY

Chemotherapy is a key class of therapy for selected patients with mHSPC and mCRPC.

Do Patients With Multiple Myeloma Enrolled in Clinical Trials Live Longer?

OBJECTIVES

Enrollment in clinical trials is thought to improve survival outcomes through the trial effect. In this retrospective observational cohort study, we aimed to discern differences in survival outcomes by clinical trial enrollment and race-ethnicity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Of 1285 patients receiving care for multiple myeloma at an National Cancer Institute designated cancer center from 2012 to 2018, 1065 (83%) were nontrial and 220 (17%) were trial participants. Time to event analyses were used to adjust for baseline characteristics and account for clinical trial enrollment as a time-varying covariate. We analyzed propensity-matched cohorts of trial and nontrial patients to reduce potential bias in observational data.

RESULTS

Trial patients were younger (mean age in years: 60 vs. 63; P<0.001), underwent more lines of therapy (treatment lines ≥6: 39% vs. 17%; P<0.001), and had more comorbidities than nontrial patients. After controlling for baseline characteristics and clinical trial enrollment as a time-varying covariate, no significant difference in survival was found between trial and nontrial participants (hazard ratio [HR]=1.34, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 0.90-1.99), or between propensity-matched trial and nontrial participants (205 patients in each cohort, HR=1.36, 95% CIs: 0.83-2.23). Subgroup analyses by lines of therapy confirmed results from overall analyses. We did not observe survival differences by race-ethnicity (Logrank P=0.09), though hazard of death was significantly increased for nontrial Black/Hispanic patients compared with trial White patients (HR=1.76, 95% CIs=1.01-3.08).

CONCLUSIONS

This study did not find evidence of a significant survival benefit to trial enrollment among patients with multiple myeloma. Patients enrolled in clinical trials underwent more lines of therapy, suggesting they may have had more treatment-resistant cancers. A small survival benefit in this cohort may be obscured by the lack of difference in survival between trial and nontrial patients.

An urgent call to raise the bar in oncology

Important breakthroughs in medical treatments have improved outcomes for patients suffering from several types of cancer. However, many oncological treatments approved by regulatory agencies are of low value and do not contribute significantly to cancer mortality reduction, but lead to unrealistic patient expectations and push even affluent societies to unsustainable health care costs. Several factors that contribute to approvals of low-value oncology treatments are addressed, including issues with clinical trials, bias in reporting, regulatory agency shortcomings and drug pricing. With the COVID-19 pandemic enforcing the elimination of low-value interventions in all fields of medicine, efforts should urgently be made by all involved in cancer care to select only high-value and sustainable interventions. Transformation of medical education, improvement in clinical trial design, quality, conduct and reporting, strict adherence to scientific norms by regulatory agencies and use of value-based scales can all contribute to raising the bar for oncology drug approvals and influence drug pricing and availability.

Predicting toxicity-related docetaxel discontinuation and overall survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a pooled analysis of open phase 3 clinical trial data

BACKGROUND

Docetaxel is widely used in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), however its optimal use remains unclear in the current treatment landscape. Biomarkers to predict Docetaxel toxicity may help optimize treatment selection. We aimed to create a predictive model for toxicity-related Docetaxel discontinuation (TRDD).

METHODS

Through Project Data Sphere, we accessed individual patient data from the control arms of three frontline mCRPC trials: ASCENT2, VENICE, and MAINSAIL. The inclusion criteria for these trials were all similar and included patients with chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC. The primary outcome was occurrence of TRDD. A competing risks regression (CRR) was used to predict TRDD, after accounting for the occurrence of competing events (death or progression). The output of the model was used as the dependent variable on a classification and regression tree (CART) to identify risk groups for TRDD.

RESULTS

Overall, 1568 patients were considered. Pooled CI of TRDD was 19% after accounting for competing events (death: 474; progression: 59) within 12 months of starting treatment. To build a risk calculator we relied on a CRR that ultimately included age, ECOG performance status, AST, bilirubin, use of analgesics, and presence of diabetes and chronic kidney disease. The CART analysis identified three risk groups that were named: low (model-derived TRDD risk ≤24%), intermediate (25-64%), and high (≥65%) risk group. In each risk group, probability of TRDD during treatment was 14%, 58%, and 79%, and median OS was 24 months, 20 months, and 13 months, respectively (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment selection in mCRPC remains a challenge. Our model can help clinicians balance Docetaxel toxicity and efficacy. The three risk categories that we identified correlated with OS and this is particularly useful for an optimal shared decision-making process.

Particle Swarm Optimized Gaussian Process Classifier for Treatment Discontinuation Prediction in Multicohort Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients

Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer in men, according to the WHO world cancer report. Its prevention and treatment demand proper attention. Despite numerous attempts for disease prevention, prostate tumours can still become metastatic by blood circulation to other organs. Several treatments have been adopted. However, findings show that the docetaxel treatment induces adverse reactions in patients. Particle Swarm Optimized Gaussian Process Classifier (PSO-GPC) is proposed to determine when to discontinue treatment. Based on three cohorts of prostate cancer patients, we propose and compare several classifiers for the best performance in determining treatment discontinuation. Given the data skewness and class imbalance, the models are evaluated based on both the area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) and area under precision recall curve (AUPRC). With the AUCs ranging between 0.6717 - 0.8499, and AUPRCs ranging between 0.1392 - 0.5423, PSO-GPC performs better than the state-of-the-art. We have carried out statistical analysis for ranking methods and analyzed independent cohort data with PSO-GPC, demonstrating its unbiased performance. A proper determination of treatment discontinuation in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients will reduce the mortality rate in cancer patients.

Real-World Efficacy and Safety of Bevacizumab in the First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Cervical Cancer: A Cohort Study in the Total Population of Croatian Patients

BACKGROUND

Although today it is almost preventable, cervical cancer still represents a significant cancer burden, especially in some developing parts of the world. Since the introduction of bevacizumab in the first-line treatment of metastatic disease, improvements of the outcomes were noted. However, results from randomized controlled trials are often hard to recreate in the real-world setting.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the real-world efficacy and safety of bevacizumab as a first-line treatment of advanced cervical cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study on the total population of Croatian patients diagnosed with metastatic cervical cancer from 2016 to 2019 who were treated with bevacizumab in combination with cisplatin and paclitaxel (TCB) in the first line. The comparison group was the consecutive sample of patients treated with chemotherapy alone. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate, incidence of adverse events, and the proportion of treatment discontinuation.

RESULTS

We enrolled 67 patients treated with TCB and a control group of 62 patients treated with chemotherapy alone. The TCB cohort had significantly longer unadjusted OS with a median of 27.0 (95% CI 18.5; not calculable) months, compared to 15.5 (10.7; 30.1) months in the chemotherapy-alone cohort. Adjusted OS was not significantly different. PFS was significantly longer for the TCB cohort, with a median of 10.6 (95% CI 8.5; 15.4) months, than for the chemotherapy-alone cohort, with a median of 5.4 (95% CI 3.9; 9.1) months, even after adjustment for baseline covariates (HRadjusted = 0.60; 95% CI 0.39; 0.94; p=0.027; false discovery rate <5%).

CONCLUSIONS

In a real-world setting, TCB as a first-line treatment of metastatic cervical cancer was associated with longer PFS, better objective disease control rate, and acceptable toxicity profile in comparison to chemotherapy alone. These results may indicate its utility and potential applicability in other parts of the developing world.

Fragility of randomized trials supporting cancer drug approvals stratified by approval pathway and review designations

BACKGROUND

It has been suggested that the results from fragile trials are less likely to translate into benefit in routine clinical practice.

METHODS

We searched the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) archives to identify drug approvals for solid organ malignancies between 2010 and 2019. We calculated the Fragility Index (FI) supporting each approval, using methods to account for time-to-event. We compared FI and trial and approval characteristics using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis test. Using logistic regression, we examined study characteristics associated with withdrawal of consent or lost to follow-up (WCLFU) exceeding the calculated FI.

RESULTS

The median FI among 125 included studies was 23 (range 1-322). The FI was ≤10 in 35 studies (28%), 11-20 in 21 (17%), and >20 in 69 (55%). The median FI/Nexp was 7.7% (range 0.1-51.7%). The median FI was significantly lower among approvals processed through the accelerated vs regular pathway (5.5 vs 25, p = 0.001), but there was no difference in median FI/Nexp. The WCLFU exceeded FI in 42% of studies. Overall survival endpoints were more likely to have a WCLFU exceeding FI (OR 3.16, p = 0.003). WCLFU exceeding FI was also associated with a lesser magnitude of effect (median HR 0.69 vs 0.55, p < 0.001). In a sensitivity analysis including only studies with 1:1 randomization, 51% of studies had WCLFU >FI.

CONCLUSION

The median FI among all trials was 23, and WCLFU exceeded FI in 42%. Comparative trials in solid tumors supporting approval through the accelerated pathway are more fragile compared to trials approved through the regular pathway, an observation likely explained by a lower sample size in the experimental arm.

Practice Patterns and Outcomes of Novel Targeted Agents for the Treatment of ERBB2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

Importance

Clinical trials have shown that the addition of pertuzumab to trastuzumab-based chemotherapy for first-line treatment of ERBB2-positive metastatic breast cancer is associated with considerable improvement in overall survival (OS). In the second-line setting, trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) improves OS compared with capecitabine/lapatinib in patients previously treated with trastuzumab-based chemotherapy. However, there are few data describing long-term real-world outcomes with these agents.

Objective

To describe practice patterns and outcomes associated with pertuzumab and T-DM1 in routine clinical practice.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This population-based retrospective cohort study used the Ontario Cancer Registry linked to electronic treatment databases to identify all patients treated with pertuzumab and T-DM1 following reimbursement approval in Ontario, Canada, which has a single-payer public health system. Participants included women with stage IV ERBB2-positive metastatic breast cancer receiving treatment with pertuzumab for first-line metastatic indication from December 2013 through December 2017, and those treated with T-DM1 from May 2014 through December 2017. Pertuzumab and T-DM1 cohorts were analyzed separately. Data were analyzed December 2019 to December 2020.

Exposures

Treatment with pertuzumab or T-DM1.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was OS, determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors associated with OS were identified using a Cox proportional hazard model.

Results

The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of the 795 women who received pertuzumab and 506 women who received T-DM1 was 57 (49-67) and 56 (48-66) years, respectively. Among the entire population, the median (IQR) OS and time on treatment was 43 (16.2-unavailable) and 14 (6.0-26.2) months, respectively. In the T-DM1 cohort, the proportion of pertuzumab-naive patients decreased over time from 68 of 91 [74.7%] in 2014 to 16 of 89 [18.0%] in 2017 (P < .001). The median (IQR) OS and time on treatment was 15 (6.7-27.7) and 4 (1.4-9.0) months, respectively. Median OS was shorter for patients with prior pertuzumab treatment than in the pertuzumab-naive subgroup (12 vs 19 months; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.89; P = .004).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this population-based cohort study, the survival of patients treated with pertuzumab and T-DM1 in routine practice appeared inferior to results from pivotal clinical trials. Differences in outcome likely reflect differences in patient population and previous lines of therapy in routine practice. Further work is needed to understand the effectiveness of T-DM1 after pertuzumab exposure.

Prevention of docetaxel-associated febrile neutropenia with primary granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in Chinese metastatic hormone-sensitive and castration-resistant prostate cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

Asian prostate cancer (PC) patients are particularly susceptible to docetaxel-related febrile neutropenia (FN). We evaluated primary granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) for preventing FN in Chinese patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive PC (mHSPC) and castration-resistant PC (mCRPC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Data from two cohorts of 377 Chinese patients with mHSPC (100; 26.5%) and mCRPC (277; 73.5%) treated with docetaxel at six public oncology centres were analysed with multivariate regression. Primary GCSF prophylaxis was defined as administration within 5 days of starting docetaxel. The primary outcome was FN within 21 days of the first docetaxel cycle (1st FN).

RESULTS

Primary GCSF was given to 71 (18.8%) patients. FN occurred in 61 patients (16.2%) including 37 (9.8%) during the first cycle. Among patients who developed 1st cycle FN (n = 37) or not (n = 340), 2 and 69 received primary GCSF (5.4 vs. 20.3%, P = .03). Primary GCSF was associated with an overall reduced risk of 1st cycle FN (odds ratio [OR] = 0.22; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05-0.96, P = .04), and similar trends were observed in the mHSPC (OR = 0.36, P = .35) and mCRPC (OR = 0.16, P = .08) subgroups. Poor Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (>1) was associated with an increased risk of 1st FN (OR = 3.90; 95% CI: 1.66-9.13, P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

To alleviate the risk of docetaxel-related FN, primary GCSF prophylaxis is suggested for Asian mCRPC and mHSPC patients, particularly those with poor performance status.

Examining the ability of the Cancer and Aging Research Group tool to predict toxicity in older men receiving chemotherapy or androgen-receptor-targeted therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Because multiple treatments are available for metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and most patients are elderly, the prediction of toxicity risk is important. The Cancer and Aging Research Group (CARG) tool predicts chemotherapy toxicity in older adults with mixed solid tumors, but has not been validated in mCRPC. In this study, its ability to predict toxicity risk with docetaxel chemotherapy (CHEMO) was validated, and its utility was examined in predicting toxicity risk with abiraterone or enzalutamide (A/E) among older adults with mCRPC.

METHODS

Men aged 65+ years were enrolled in a prospective observational study at 4 Canadian academic cancer centers. All clinically relevant grade 2 to 5 toxicities over the course of treatment were documented via structured interviews and chart review. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of toxicity.

RESULTS

Seventy-one men starting CHEMO (mean age, 73 years) and 104 men starting A/E (mean age, 76 years) were included. Clinically relevant grade 3+ toxicities occurred in 56% and 37% of CHEMO and A/E patients, respectively. The CARG tool was predictive of grade 3+ toxicities with CHEMO, which occurred in 36%, 67%, and 91% of low, moderate, and high-risk groups (P = .003). Similarly, grade 3+ toxicities occurred among A/E users in 23%, 48%, and 86% with low, moderate, and high CARG risk (P < .001). However, it was not predictive of grade 2 toxicities with either treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

There is external validation of the CARG tool in predicting grade 3+ toxicity in older men with mCRPC undergoing CHEMO and demonstrated utility during A/E therapy. This may aid with treatment decision-making.

Prognostic value of ECOG performance status and Gleason score in the survival of castration-resistant prostate cancer: a systematic review

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status and Gleason score are commonly investigated factors for overall survival (OS) in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, there is a lack of consistency regarding their prognostic or predictive value for OS. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to assess the associations of ECOG performance status and Gleason score with OS in CRPC patients and compare the two markers in patients under different treatment regimens or with different chemotherapy histories. A systematic literature review of monotherapy studies in CRPC patients was conducted in the PubMed database until May 2019. The data from 8247 patients in 34 studies, including clinical trials and real-world data, were included in our meta-analysis. Of these, twenty studies reported multivariate results and were included in our main analysis. CRPC patients with higher ECOG performance statuses (≥ 2) had a significantly increased mortality risk than those with lower ECOG performance statuses (<2), hazard ratio (HR): 2.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.68-2.62, and P < 0.001. The synthesized HR of OS stratified by Gleason score was 1.01, with a 95% CI of 0.62-1.67 (Gleason score ≥ 8 vs <8). Subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference in pooled HRs for patients administered taxane chemotherapy (docetaxel and cabazitaxel) and androgen-targeting therapy (abiraterone acetate and enzalutamide) or for patients with different chemotherapy histories. ECOG performance status was identified as a significant prognostic factor in CRPC patients, while Gleason score showed a weak prognostic value for OS based on the available data in our meta-analysis.

Fragility index of trials supporting approval of anti-cancer drugs in common solid tumours

BACKGROUND

The Fragility Indexquantifies the reliability of positive trials by estimating the number of events, which would change statistically significant results to non-significant results.

METHODS

We identified randomized trials supporting drug approvals by the US FDA between 2009 and 2019 in lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancers and in melanoma. We reconstructed survival tablesand calculated the number of events, which would result in a non-significant result for the primary endpoint. The FI was then compared to the number of patients in each trial who withdrew consent or were lost to follow-up. Regression analyses were used to explore associations between RCT characteristics and FI and trials in which FI was lower or equal to number of participants who withdrew consent or were lost to follow-up.

RESULTS

Among 81 RCTs, the median FI was 28. The median number of patients who withdrew consent or were lost to follow up was 27. FI was equal or lower than the number of patients who withdrew consent or were lost to follow-up in 47 trials (58%). There was a modest increase in FI over time (p = 0.02). Trials with overall survival as the primary endpoint (p = 0.006) and those in the palliative setting (p < 0.001) had lower FI. There was no association with trial sample size or duration of follow-up.

FINDINGS

Statistical significance of RCTs in common solid tumours can be reversed often with a small number of additional events. Post-approval RCTs or real-world data analyses should be performed to ensure results of registration trials are robust.

Real-world Treatment Patterns and Overall Survival in Locally Advanced and Metastatic Urothelial Tract Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy in Denmark in the Preimmunotherapy Era: A Nationwide, Population-based Study

BACKGROUND

Real-world treatment patterns and survival outcomes of locally advanced, unresectable, and metastatic urinary tract cancer (mUTC) patients have not previously been studied in a nationwide, population-based cohort.

OBJECTIVE

To describe treatment patterns and survival outcomes in mUTC patients treated in the real-world clinical setting.

DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

This nationwide, population-based study included all mUTC patients initiating first-line chemotherapy at Danish oncology departments from January 2010 to March 2016. Data were retrospectively obtained from electronic medical records.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Outcome measurements were descriptive. Kaplan-Meier was used for survival analysis.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Of 952 patients included in the study, 46.2% initiated standard gemcitabine/cisplatin (GC) and 21.1% gemcitabine/carboplatin (CaG); the remaining patients initiated other treatment regimens. Median follow-up was 11.6 mo. The overall response rate and disease control rate were 43.0% and 61.7% in all patients, 51.4% and 69.1% in GC-treated patients, and 34.4% and 58.8% in CaG-treated patients, respectively. Median overall survival (OS) was 11.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.8-12.5) mo in all patients, 14.0 (95% CI: 12.5-15.5) mo in GC-treated patients, and 9.8 (95% CI: 8.7-10.9) mo in CaG-treated patients. Limitations include the retrospective study design.

CONCLUSIONS

Real-world mUTC patients are older and less fit than patients enrolled in clinical trials; despite this, tumor responses and survival are comparable. Survival in our patient cohort is also comparable with that reported from other real-world studies in this patient group.

PATIENT SUMMARY

We studied treatment patterns and survival in urinary tract cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in the real-world clinical practice. Survival in our patient cohort was comparable with that reported from clinical trials and other real-world studies in this patient group.

Effectiveness of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone in chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in a large prospective real-world cohort: the ABItude study

Background:

Real-world data on chemotherapy-naïve patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with abiraterone plus prednisone are limited, largely deriving from small retrospective studies.

Methods:

ABitude is an Italian, observational, prospective, multicenter study of mCRPC patients receiving abiraterone plus prednisone in clinical practice. Chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients were consecutively enrolled at abiraterone start (February 2016 to June 2017) and are being followed for 3 years, with evaluation approximately every 6 months. Several clinical and patients reported outcomes were examined.

Results:

In this second interim analysis, among 481 enrolled patients, 453 were evaluable for analyses. At baseline, the median age was 77 years and ~69% of patients had comorbidities (mainly cardiovascular diseases). Metastases were located mainly at bones and lymph nodes; 8.4% of patients had visceral metastases. During a median follow-up of 18 months, 1- and 2-year probability of radiographic progression-free survival were 73.9% and 56.2%, respectively; the corresponding rates for overall survival were 87.3% and 70.4%. In multivariable analyses, the number of bone metastases significantly affected radiographic progression-free survival and overall survival. During abiraterone plus prednisone treatment, 65% of patients had a ⩾50% prostate-specific antigen decline, and quality of life remained appreciably high. Among symptomatic patients according to the Brief Pain Inventory) (32%), scores significantly declined after 6 months of treatment. Overall, eight patients (1.7%) had serious adverse reactions to abiraterone.

Conclusions:

Abiraterone plus prednisone is effective and safe for chemotherapy-naïve mCRPC patients in clinical practice.

An up-to-date evaluation of darolutamide for the treatment of prostate cancer

Introduction: Currently, in prostate cancer, an increasing number of novel drugs are being used to delay its advancement to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Apalutamide, enzalutamide, and most recently, darolutamide (novel androgen receptor antagonists) have been approved for nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC).Areas covered: The authors have evaluated darolutamide, covering all aspects of the clinical development, competence, and safety profile of the drug.Expert opinion: The unique structure of darolutamide is characterized by a high affinity for androgen receptors and detainment of antagonist activity in mutant isoforms of androgen receptors. In clinical practice, this is the main reason that makes darolutamide exceptional in terms of safety and efficacy compared to other drugs in this category. Darolutamide is considered to have the lowest probability for adverse events (AEs) compared to apalutamide and enzalutamide. Future studies, along with real-world clinical data are warranted to improve personalized treatment strategies as well as sequencing treatment between approved novel drugs.

Adjuvant radiochemotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer: from evidence to daily clinical practice in a single institution

Background

Gastric cancer is one of the main important causes of cancer death in Chile.

Objective

To report the results of adjuvant radiochemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer.

Material and Methods

Between 2000 and 2018, 214 subjects aged 23-85 (median, 62) years with lymph node and/or serosa involvement were treated with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy after curative resection.

Results

With a median follow-up of 41 months, overall 3- and 5-year survival was 54.9% and 40.85%, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the factors associated with lower survival were aged >65 years, stage group and number of lymph nodes involved.

Conclusion

In patients with locoregionally advanced gastric cancer treated with curative intent with surgery and adjuvant radiochemotherapy, the overall 5-year survival reported from local clinical practice is similar to that reported in randomised series and supports its use as an effective treatment for this type of patients in our country.

Evaluation of the implementation of the Back Skills Training (BeST) programme using online training: a cohort implementation study

OBJECTIVES

1) Evaluate implementation of the Back Skills Training (BeST) programme, a group cognitive behavioural approach for patients with low back pain (LBP) developed for a clinical trial, into the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom; 2) Compare patient outcomes with the BeST Trial results.

DESIGN

Two stage observational cohort implementation study.

PARTICIPANTS

Stage 1: NHS Clinicians enrolled in BeST online training. Stage 2: Patients with LBP attending NHS physiotherapy departments and enrolled in the BeST programme.

INTERVENTION

An online training and implementation programme.

OUTCOMES

Stage 1: LBP attitudes and beliefs, self-rated competence, intention and actual implementation were collected before, immediately, 4- and 12-months post-training. Stage 2: Patients rated pain, function, recovery and satisfaction before and up to one year after attending the BeST programme.

RESULTS

Stage 1: 1324 clinicians (157 NHS Trusts) enrolled in the training; 586 (44%) clinicians (101 NHS Trusts) completed training; 443/586 (76%) clinicians provided post-training data; 253/443 (57%) clinicians intended to implement the programme; 148/381 (39%) clinicians (54 NHS Trusts) provided follow-up data; 49/148 (33.1%) clinicians (27 NHS Trusts) implemented the programme. Attitudes and beliefs shifted towards a biopsychosocial model post-training. Stage 2: 923 patients were enrolled. Patients reported improvements in function (mean change: 1.55; 95%CI: 1.25, 1.86) and pain (-0.84; -1.1, -0.58) at follow-up. The majority rated themselves improved and satisfied with the programme.

CONCLUSION

Online training had good reach into NHS Trusts although, not everyone went onto implement the programme. Improvements in function that were consistent with the original trial were demonstrated.

Real-world efficacy and safety of two doses of cabazitaxel (20 or 25 mg/m2) in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer: results of a Japanese post-marketing surveillance study

Background

The recommended starting dose of cabazitaxel for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is 25 mg/m² in Japan and Europe. Although lower doses are established alternatives based on randomized controlled trials, the safety and efficacy of 25 and 20 mg/m² in real-world settings are not well established. Therefore, we investigated the safety and efficacy of cabazitaxel at the recommended starting dose or a lower dose (20 mg/m²) in real-world clinical practice.

Methods

We compared the safety and efficacy of cabazitaxel between patients who received cabazitaxel at starting doses of 25 and 20 mg/m² (C25 and C20, respectively) in a Japanese post-marketing surveillance study of 662 patients with docetaxel-refractory CRPC. Safety was assessed in terms of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response rate, overall survival (OS), and time-to-treatment failure (TTF) were compared between the C25 and C20 groups in unmatched patients and after applying propensity score matching.

Results

The C20 and C25 groups comprised 190 and 159 patients without matching and 112 patients per group after matching. In unmatched patients, any-grade (C25 vs C20: 89.3% vs 78.4%, Fisher’s p < 0.01) and grade ≥ 3 (81.1% vs 61.1%) ADRs were more frequent in the C25 group. Neutropenia (any grade: 61.6% vs 54.2%; grade ≥ 3: 55.3% vs 42.6%) and febrile neutropenia (grade ≥ 3: 30.2% vs 14.7%) were more frequent in the C25 group. In matched patients, the PSA response rate (reduction in PSA ≥30% from a baseline ≥5 ng/mL) was 26.4 and 32.0% in the C20 and C25 groups, respectively, median OS was 291 days (95% CI 230–not reached) versus not reached (hazard ratio 0.73, 95% CI 0.50–1.08), and TTF favored C25 (hazard ratio 0.75, 95% CI 0.57–0.99).

Conclusions

Clinicians should consider the patient’s risk of clinically significant ADRs and prophylactic granulocyte colony stimulating factor when selecting the starting dose of cabazitaxel for CRPC. Some patients at high risk of ADRs or unfit patients may benefit from a lower starting dose of 20 mg/m², whereas fit patients may be candidates for a starting dose of 25 mg/m².

Trial registration

Not applicable.

Olaparib Outcomes in Patients with BRCA 1-2 Mutated, Platinum-Sensitive, Recurrent Ovarian Cancer in Croatia: A Retrospective Noninterventional Study

Our objective was to assess the safety and efficacy of olaparib in maintenance therapy of BRCA 1-2 mutated, platinum-sensitive, recurrent ovarian carcinoma after the partial or complete response to the second or further lines platinum-based chemotherapy in a real-world setting. We performed a multicenter, real-world observational population-based cohort study on the whole population of Croatian patients initiated to olaparib maintenance therapy between 2016 and 2020. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival and the discontinuation of treatment because of adverse events. We enrolled the total population of 69 patients with the median (interquartile range; IQR) age of 53 (48–59), 56 (81%) of them with BRCA1 mutation. The median (IQR) follow-up was 16 (9–25) months. Treatment had to be discontinued because of toxicity in 2 (3%) and temporarily interrupted in 14 (20%), while dose was reduced because of toxicity in 18 (26%) of patients. Toxicity of any grade was observed in 61 (88%) patients and toxicity of grade 3 or 4 in 12 (17%). Median progression-free survival was 21 (95% CI 16-not calculable) months from the introduction of olaparib, and the median overall survival was not reached. Our study confirmed efficacy and safety of olaparib as the maintenance therapy of BRCA 1-2 mutated, platinum-sensitive, recurrent ovarian carcinoma. We observed the real-world efficacy and safety comparable to those observed in the randomized controlled trials. We found the interesting observation of better efficacy of 300 mg tablets, compared to 400 mg capsules, an issue that should be addressed on much larger real-world populations.

Are cancer patients better off if they participate in clinical trials? A mixed methods study

Background

Research and cancer care are closely intertwined; however, it is not clear whether physicians and nurses believe that clinical trials offer the best treatment for patients and, if so, whether this belief is justified. The aim of this study was therefore: (i) to explore how physicians and nurses perceive the benefits of clinical trial participation compared with standard care and (ii) whether it is justified to claim that clinical trial participation improves outcomes for cancer patients.

Methods

A mixed methods approach was used employing semi-structured interviews with 57 physicians and nurses in oncology and haematology and a literature review of the evidence for trial superiority, i.e. the idea that receiving treatment in a clinical trial leads to a better outcome compared with standard care. Inductive thematic analysis was used to examine the interview data. A literature review comprising nine articles was conducted according to a conceptual framework developed by Peppercorn et al. and evaluated recent evidence on trial superiority.

Results

Our findings show that many physicians and nurses make claims supporting trial superiority, however very little evidence is available in the literature comparing outcomes for trial participants and non-participants that supports their assertions.

Conclusions

Despite the recent rapid development and use of targeted therapy and immunotherapy, we find no support for trial participation to provide better outcomes for cancer patients than standard care. Hence, our present results are in line with previous results from Peppercorn et al. A weaker version of the superiority claim is that even if a trial does not bring about a direct positive effect, it brings about indirect positive effects. However, as the value of such indirect effects is dependent on the individual’s specific circumstances and preferences, their existence cannot establish the general claim that treatment in trials is superior. Belief in trial superiority is therefore unfounded. Hence, if such beliefs are communicated to patients in a trial recruitment context, it would provide misleading information. Instead emphasis should be on patients volunteering to give an altruistic contribution to the furthering of knowledge and to the potential benefit of future patients.

Effects of "real life" prostate MRI inter-observer variability on total needle samples and indication for biopsy

PURPOSE

Prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) improves diagnosis of clinically significant cancer and reduces over-detection of nonsignificant cancer. Disagreement in the interpretation of mpMRI readings is well-known, with a reported discrepancy rate of 10% to 42%. We report the clinical repercussions of this variability on prostate biopsy candidates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical records of patients referred from 11 medical centers for MR-guided prostate biopsy (MRGpB) between October, 2017 and January, 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with at least one prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 3 or greater prostate lesion were selected, and the mpMRI studies (all read by others) were reviewed by our prostate mpMRI reader. Outcomes included changes in PI-RADS score and the subsequent effect on total needle samples and indication for biopsy.

RESULTS

Eighty-two patients with 128 lesions were suitable for analysis (mean age 66.5 ± 7.1 years, mean PSA 6.8 ± 8.5 ng/ml). Nine (11%) patients had suspicious rectal exams (T2a). Following our prostate mpMRI reader's imaging revisions, the PI-RADS score was downgraded in 66 (52%) lesions, upgraded in 15 (12%), and unchanged in 47 (37%), leaving a total of 84 suspected lesions (kappa = 0.17). Biopsy was deferred in 22 (27%) patients, and an estimated 136.4 (34.4%) samples were avoided (P = 0.0001 for both). There was a trend toward prostate size to correlate with imaging revision and abortion of biopsy (P = 0.06) while enrollment in active surveillance correlated with proof from such outcome (P = 0.007).

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that high interobserver disagreement in prostate mpMRIs from diverse institutes significantly affects prostate biopsy practice. The clinical consequences of this discord are significant.

Sorting Through the Maze of Treatment Options for Metastatic Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer

Since 1944, when Huggins and Hodges demonstrated the effectiveness of bilateral orchiectomy for metastatic prostate cancer (PCa), androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been the first-line treatment for men with advanced PCa. The proportion of PCa cases that are metastatic at diagnosis ranges globally, from 5%-20% in countries with widespread screening practices to upward of 30%-60% where screening is minimal. In the United States alone, there will be an estimated 191,000 new cases of PCa diagnosed in the year 2020, of which approximately 20% will be metastatic.¹ Ongoing controversy around prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening practices, increased access to novel imaging modalities, and a globally aging population will drive increased rates of metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC).^2,3 At the same time, advances in upfront hormonal or chemohormonal therapy have driven a dramatic shift in treatment paradigms. In this article, we review recent advances in treatment choices for men with newly diagnosed mCSPC and the impact of upfront treatment on subsequent disease biology. Options include treatment with chemohormonal therapy, androgen receptor (AR)-directed therapy in addition to ADT, or, less commonly, ADT alone. Treatment choice must include consideration of clinical and disease characteristics, as well as patient preferences and limitations of geography and financial concerns.

Treatment Stratification of Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer by Machine Learning

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the Western world. One-third of the patients with prostate cancer will develop resistance to hormonal therapy and progress into metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Currently, docetaxel is a preferred treatment for mCRPC. However, about 20% of the patients will undergo early therapeutic failure owing to adverse events induced by docetaxel-based chemotherapy. There is an emergent need for a computational model that can accurately stratify patients into docetaxel-tolerable and docetaxel-intolerable groups. Here we present the best-performing algorithm in the Prostate Cancer DREAM Challenge for predicting adverse events caused by docetaxel treatment. We integrated the survival status and severity of adverse events into our model, which is an innovative way to complement and stratify the treatment discontinuation information. Critical stratification biomarkers were further identified in determining the treatment discontinuation. Our model has the potential to improve future personalized treatment in mCRPC.

Using Electronic Health Records to Derive Control Arms for Early Phase Single-Arm Lung Cancer Trials: Proof-of-Concept in Randomized Controlled Trials

Oncology drug development increasingly relies on single-arm clinical trials. External controls (ECs) derived from electronic health record (EHR) databases may provide additional context. Patients from a US-based oncology EHR database were aligned with patients from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and trial-specific eligibility criteria were applied to the EHR dataset. Overall survival (OS) in the EC-derived control arm was compared with OS in the RCT experimental arm. The primary outcome was OS, defined as time from randomization or treatment initiation (EHR) to death. Cox regression models were used to obtain effect estimates using EHR data. EC-derived hazard ratio estimates aligned closely with those from the corresponding RCT with one exception. Comparing log HRs among all RCT and EC results gave a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.86. Properly selected control arms from contemporaneous EHR data could be used to put single-arm trials of OS in advanced non-small cell lung cancer into context.

Management of Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer: Report of the Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference 2019

BACKGROUND

Innovations in treatments, imaging, and molecular characterisation in advanced prostate cancer have improved outcomes, but there are still many aspects of management that lack high-level evidence to inform clinical practice. The Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) 2019 addressed some of these topics to supplement guidelines that are based on level 1 evidence.

OBJECTIVE

To present the results from the APCCC 2019.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Similar to prior conferences, experts identified 10 important areas of controversy regarding the management of advanced prostate cancer: locally advanced disease, biochemical recurrence after local therapy, treating the primary tumour in the metastatic setting, metastatic hormone-sensitive/naïve prostate cancer, nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, bone health and bone metastases, molecular characterisation of tissue and blood, inter- and intrapatient heterogeneity, and adverse effects of hormonal therapy and their management. A panel of 72 international prostate cancer experts developed the programme and the consensus questions.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The panel voted publicly but anonymously on 123 predefined questions, which were developed by both voting and nonvoting panel members prior to the conference following a modified Delphi process.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Panellists voted based on their opinions rather than a standard literature review or formal meta-analysis. The answer options for the consensus questions had varying degrees of support by the panel, as reflected in this article and the detailed voting results reported in the Supplementary material.

CONCLUSIONS

These voting results from a panel of prostate cancer experts can help clinicians and patients navigate controversial areas of advanced prostate management for which high-level evidence is sparse. However, diagnostic and treatment decisions should always be individualised based on patient-specific factors, such as disease extent and location, prior lines of therapy, comorbidities, and treatment preferences, together with current and emerging clinical evidence and logistic and economic constraints. Clinical trial enrolment for men with advanced prostate cancer should be strongly encouraged. Importantly, APCCC 2019 once again identified important questions that merit assessment in specifically designed trials.

PATIENT SUMMARY

The Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference provides a forum to discuss and debate current diagnostic and treatment options for patients with advanced prostate cancer. The conference, which has been held three times since 2015, aims to share the knowledge of world experts in prostate cancer management with health care providers worldwide. At the end of the conference, an expert panel discusses and votes on predefined consensus questions that target the most clinically relevant areas of advanced prostate cancer treatment. The results of the voting provide a practical guide to help clinicians discuss therapeutic options with patients as part of shared and multidisciplinary decision making.

Assessing the efficacy-effectiveness gap for cancer therapies: A comparison of overall survival and toxicity between clinical trial and population-based, real-world data for contemporary parenteral cancer therapeutics

BACKGROUND

Although increasing evidence has suggested that an efficacy-effectiveness gap exists between clinical trial (CT) and real-world evidence (RWE), to the authors' knowledge, the magnitude of this difference remains undercharacterized. The objective of the current study was to quantify the magnitude of survival and toxicity differences between CT and RWE for contemporary cancer systemic therapies.

METHODS

Patients receiving cancer therapies funded under Cancer Care Ontario's New Drug Funding Program (NDFP) were identified. Landmark CTs with data regarding survival and adverse events (AEs) for each drug indication were identified. RWE for survival and hospitalization rates during treatment were ascertained through Canadian population-based databases. The efficacy-effectiveness gap for each drug indication was calculated as the difference between RWE and CT data for median overall survival (OS), 1-year OS, and generated hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs from Kaplan-Meier OS curves. Toxicity differences were calculated as the difference between RWE of hospitalization rates and CT serious AE rates.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine indications from 20 systemic therapies were included. Twenty-eight of 29 indications (97%) demonstrated worse survival in RWE, with a median OS difference of 5.2 months (interquartile range, 3.0-12.1 months). Lower effectiveness in RWE also was demonstrated through a meta-analysis of an OS hazard ratio of 1.58 (95% CI, 1.39-1.80). The median difference between RWE for hospitalization rates and CT serious AEs was 14% (95% CI, 9%-22%).

CONCLUSIONS

An efficacy-effectiveness gap exists for contemporary cancer systemic therapies, with a 5.2-month lower median OS observed in RWE compared with CT data. These data supports the use of RWE to better inform real-world decision making regarding the use of cancer systemic therapies.

Improved survival prediction and comparison of prognostic models for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib

BACKGROUND

The 'Prediction Of Survival in Advanced Sorafenib-treated HCC' (PROSASH) model addressed the heterogeneous survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with sorafenib in clinical trials but requires validation in daily clinical practice. This study aimed to validate, compare and optimize this model for survival prediction.

METHODS

Patients treated with sorafenib for HCC at five tertiary European centres were retrospectively staged according to the PROSASH model. In addition, the optimized PROSASH-II model was developed using the data of four centres (training set) and tested in an independent dataset. These models for overall survival (OS) were then compared with existing prognostic models.

RESULTS

The PROSASH model was validated in 445 patients, showing clear differences between the four risk groups (OS 16.9-4.6 months). A total of 920 patients (n = 615 in training set, n = 305 in validation set) were available to develop PROSASH-II. This optimized model incorporated fewer and less subjective parameters: the serum albumin, bilirubin and alpha-foetoprotein, and macrovascular invasion, extrahepatic spread and largest tumour size on imaging. Both PROSASH and PROSASH-II showed improved discrimination (C-index 0.62 and 0.63, respectively) compared with existing prognostic scores (C-index ≤0.59).

CONCLUSIONS

In HCC patients treated with sorafenib, individualized prediction of survival and risk group stratification using baseline prognostic and predictive parameters with the PROSASH model was validated. The refined PROSASH-II model performed at least as good with fewer and more objective parameters. PROSASH-II can be used as a tool for tailored treatment of HCC in daily practice and to define pre-planned subgroups for future studies.

Population-Based Analysis Of The Use Of Radium-223 For Bone-Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer In Ontario, And Of Factors Associated With Treatment Completion And Outcome

Introduction

Radium-223 (Ra223) prolongs the survival and improves the quality of life of men with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) to bones. However, compared to other mCRPC therapies, using Ra223 comes with its unique challenges. Hence, we aimed to identify Ra223 utilization patterns under real-world conditions, as well as factors predicting treatment completion and outcome.

Methods

In this retrospective chart analysis, 198 mCRPC patients were identified that had received Ra223 outside of clinical trials or access programs from January 2015 to October 2016 at four cancer centres in Ontario. The main outcomes studied were Ra223 completion rate, reasons for early treatment discontinuation, overall survival, and survival differences in patients completing Ra223 therapy versus patients receiving <6 cycles of Ra223. In addition, patient and disease characteristics were analysed to identify predictors of treatment completion and survival.

Results

In this cohort of patients mostly pretreated with abiraterone and/or enzalutamide (92.4%), almost half of which had also received docetaxel (48.5%), the Ra223 completion rate was 46.5%, and the actuarial median survival was 13.3 months. The main reason for early Ra223 discontinuation was disease progression, and Ra223 non-completion was associated with poorer outcome (median survival 8.1 months [6.0-12.2] versus 18.7 months [15.3-22.3] in men completing Ra223, p<0.0001). Lymph node metastases and a high baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were independent predictors of early treatment discontinuation. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models revealed early Ra223 discontinuation, baseline anemia, high PSA, prior skeletal-related events, visceral metastases, and being referred to another centre for Ra223 therapy as predictors of worse outcome.

Conclusion

Despite a lower completion rate than observed under clinical trial conditions, the real-world results achieved with Ra223 are encouraging. If prospectively validated, predictive patient and disease characteristics identified in our cohort might become instrumental to identify mCRPC patients likely to complete and to most benefit from Ra223 therapy.

Mortality and Hospitalization Risk Following Oral Androgen Signaling Inhibitors Among Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer by Pre-existing Cardiovascular Comorbidities

BACKGROUND

Elderly patients (≥65yr) with advanced prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions are often excluded from clinical trials of abiraterone acetate (AA) or enzalutamide (ENZ). Consequently, little is known about the effects of these medications on these vulnerable patients.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the short-term outcomes of AA and ENZ in patients with pre-existing CVDs.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A population-based retrospective study. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare-linked database was used to identify prostate cancer patients using AA or ENZ.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The primary endpoint was 6-mo all-cause mortality, analyzed using modified Poisson regression modeling of relative risk (RR) adjusted for confounders and comorbidities.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Among eligible patients (2845 with AA and 1031 with ENZ), 67% had at least one pre-existing CVD. Compared with those without pre-existing CVDs, having one to two pre-existing CVDs was associated with 16% higher 6-mo mortality (RR=1.16, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00-1.36), and the risk increased further among those having three or more CVDs (RR=1.56, 95% CI: 1.29-1.88). Most of the differences in survival of patients with pre-existing CVD condition occurred within the first 6mo of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

After treatment with AA or ENZ, elderly prostate cancer patients with pre-existing CVDs experienced higher short-term mortality than otherwise similar patients without CVDs. Mortality associated with CVDs did not depend on having received AA versus ENZ.

PATIENT SUMMARY

Patients with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) experienced higher short-term mortality after abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide than those without pre-existing CVDs. It is recommended that a multidisciplinary team, including a cardiologist, evaluate patients having pre-existing CVDs in the process of making treatment decisions and monitoring potential side effects.

A DREAM Challenge to Build Prediction Models for Short-Term Discontinuation of Docetaxel in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Purpose

Docetaxel has a demonstrated survival benefit for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC); however, 10% to 20% of patients discontinue docetaxel prematurely because of toxicity-induced adverse events, and the management of risk factors for toxicity remains a challenge.

Patients and Methods

The comparator arms of four phase III clinical trials in first-line mCRPC were collected, annotated, and compiled, with a total of 2,070 patients. Early discontinuation was defined as treatment stoppage within 3 months as a result of adverse treatment effects; 10% of patients discontinued treatment. We designed an open-data, crowd-sourced DREAM Challenge for developing models with which to predict early discontinuation of docetaxel treatment. Clinical features for all four trials and outcomes for three of the four trials were made publicly available, with the outcomes of the fourth trial held back for unbiased model evaluation. Challenge participants from around the world trained models and submitted their predictions. Area under the precision-recall curve was the primary metric used for performance assessment.

Results

In total, 34 separate teams submitted predictions. Seven models with statistically similar area under precision-recall curves (Bayes factor ≤ 3) outperformed all other models. A postchallenge analysis of risk prediction using these seven models revealed three patient subgroups: high risk, low risk, or discordant risk. Early discontinuation events were two times higher in the high-risk subgroup compared with the low-risk subgroup. Simulation studies demonstrated that use of patient discontinuation prediction models could reduce patient enrollment in clinical trials without the loss of statistical power.

Conclusion

This work represents a successful collaboration between 34 international teams that leveraged open clinical trial data. Our results demonstrate that routinely collected clinical features can be used to identify patients with mCRPC who are likely to discontinue treatment because of adverse events and establishes a robust benchmark with implications for clinical trial design.