Phase I trial of oral S-1 plus gemcitabine in elderly patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer

Prospective exploratory study of gemcitabine and S-1 against elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

A prospective study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of a combined regimen of gemcitabine and S-1 for the treatment of elderly patients (>70 years) with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a first-line setting based on the dosage recommended in a previous phase I study. Chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced NSCLC received gemcitabine plus S-1. S-1 (40 mg/m²) was administered orally twice daily for 14 days while gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m²) was administered on days 1 and 15 of each cycle, and this regimen was repeated every 4 weeks. A total of 20 patients were included in the present study. Of these, 8 patients achieved an overall response rate of 40.0%, and the overall disease control rate was 65.0%. According to the histological type, the response rate in patients with NSCLC and adenocarcinoma was 38.5%, and that for non-adenocarcinoma was 42.9%. Progression-free survival and median survival times were 6.4 months and 17.8 months, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicities observed were leukopenia (29%) and neutropenia (24%), while febrile neutropenia was not observed in any patient. The only non-hematological adverse event observed was grade 3 skin rash (10%). Therefore, the combination of gemcitabine and S-1 may be a promising and feasible regimen in the first-line setting for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC.

Assessment of therapy response in lung cancer with ¹⁸F-α-methyl tyrosine PET

OBJECTIVE

PET with a novel tracer, L-[3-¹⁸F]-α-methyl tyrosine (¹⁸F-FMT), has been studied in lung cancer. We evaluated ¹⁸F-FMT PET for therapy response in comparison with ¹⁸F-FDG PET.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Eighteen patients with lung cancer underwent PET studies with ¹⁸F-FMT and FDG before and after chemoradiotherapy. Uptake of tracers was measured by standardized uptake value (SUV) in the primary tumor and the mediastinal lymph node. The ratio of the lymph node maximum SUV (SUV(max)) to that of the primary tumor and the SUV(max) of the primary tumor itself were correlated with the survival time estimated by Kaplan-Meier method. Metabolic response, as determined by the changes in the tracer uptake, was compared with Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) for therapy response.

RESULTS

Agreement of therapeutic response evaluated by RECIST was noted in 10 (56%) of 18 patients evaluated with FDG PET and in 16 (89%) of 18 patients evaluated with ¹⁸F-FMT PET (p = 0.025). In nine patients with partial response, partial metabolic response was observed in eight (89%) by use of FDG PET and in nine (100%) by use of ¹⁸F-FMT PET. In nine patients with stable disease, stable metabolic disease was observed in two (22%) by use of FDG PET and in seven (78%) by use of ¹⁸F-FMT PET (p = 0.056). Fluorine-18-FMT PET revealed that the prognosis of the group with a lymph node-to-primary tumor SUV(max) ratio greater than or equal to 1 was significantly better than that in the group with a ratio of less than 1.

CONCLUSION

Fluorine-18-FMT is a promising PET tracer for monitoring response to chemoradiotherapy and for predicting the prognosis of patients with lung cancer.

Two schedules of chemotherapy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer in poor performance status: a phase II randomized trial

We present experience from a phase II randomized clinical trial, comparing standard gemcitabine as monotherapy with low-dose gemcitabine in long infusion in a doublet with cisplatin at reduced dose for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and who are unfit for standard platin-based chemotherapy. Eligible patients had microscopically confirmed NSCLC in stage IIIB (wet) or IV, were chemo-naive, and were in poor performance status or presented with significant comorbidity. Standard treatment with gemcitabine, 1250 mg/m in 20-30 min on days 1 and 8 as monotherapy (arm A) was compared with low-dose gemcitabine in long infusion (200 mg/m in 6 h on day 1) and cisplatin at 60 mg/m on day 2 (arm B). Both treatment schedules were repeated every 3 weeks until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or to a maximum of six cycles. A total of 112 patients (83 male, 29 female, median age 66 years) were randomized between arm A (57 patients) and B (55 patients). The two groups were balanced for prognostic factors. Fifty-three patients in arm A and 52 in arm B received at least one application of chemotherapy and were evaluable for toxicity and response. The median number of cycles was four and five for arms A and B, respectively. Except for grade 3 anemia (one patient in arm A and two in arm B), no other major toxicity was seen. Regarding response to treatment, arm B was superior: 1 complete response and 13 partial remissions (response rate 26.9%) as compared with five partial remissions (response rate 9.4%) in arm A (P<0.01). The median time to progression was 3.8 and 5.6 months, and the median survival was 4.3 and 6.8 months for arms A and B, respectively (P<0.05). Treatment with low-dose gemcitabine in long infusion and cisplatin at reduced dose has very low toxicity, is effective, was found to be superior to monotherapy with gemcitabine in standard doses, and is suitable for patients with NSCLC who cannot tolerate a standard platin-based doublet.

Multicenter, phase II study of gemcitabine and S-1 combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine and S-1 combination chemotherapy in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer.

METHODS

Patients with a measurable lesion and no previous history of chemotherapy or radiotherapy were enrolled. Gemcitabine was administered intravenously at a dose of 1,000 mg/m(2) over 30 min on day 1 and 15, repeated every 4 weeks. S-1 was administered orally at a dose of 40 mg/m(2) b.i.d. on days 1-14. Tumor response was assessed every two cycles using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria.

RESULTS

As much as 35 patients were enrolled between December 2006 and July 2008; 14 patients (40%) with gallbladder cancer and 14 (40%) with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma were included and 7 patients (20%) had received previous surgical resection. The overall response rate was 34.3% and the overall disease control rate was 82.9%. The median overall survival time was 11.6 months (95% CI, 7.3-15.6 months), and the median time to progression was 5.9 months (95% CI, 4.0-7.7 months). The grade 3/4 toxicities were leucopenia (23%), neutropenia (34%), anemia (20%), thrombocytopenia (6%) and anorexia (3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Gemcitabine and S-1 combination chemotherapy has promising efficacy and good tolerability in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer.

Phase II trial of S-1 in combination with gemcitabine for chemo-naïve patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

We performed a phase II study of combination chemotherapy with S-1 plus gemcitabine for treating chemo-naïve patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed unresectable pancreatic cancer were eligible. The treatment consisted of S-1 (40 mg/m(2) p.o. b.i.d. from D1 to 14) and gemcitabine (1,250 mg/m(2) on D1 and 8), repeated every 3 weeks.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients were enrolled between March 2005 and December 2007. No complete response was observed and a partial response was observed in 14 patients (44.0%), stable disease in eight patients (25.0%), and progressive disease in eight patients (25.0%). The median time to progression was 4.92 months (95% CI: 4.16-5.67 months), and the median overall survival was 7.89 months (95% CI: 5.96-9.82 months). The survival duration was significantly longer for the patients with a good performance status compared with that of the patients with a poor performance status. The major toxicities were grade 3-4 neutropenia (9, 28.1%), grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (5, 15.6%), and grade 3 diarrhea (5, 15.6%).

CONCLUSION

The combination chemotherapy of S-1 and gemcitabine showed promising antitumor activity and manageable toxicities, and especially for the good performance status patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.