Modification of the Radiation Response of Patients With Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix

Phase 1/2 study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with weekly irinotecan hydrochloride for advanced/recurrence uterine cancer: A multi-institutional study of Kansai Clinical Oncology Group

Objective

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy using cisplatin was thought to be standard treatment for squamous cell carcinoma of cervix, but it had not been effective for adenocarcinoma. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy using irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) had been effective for colorectal cancer, thus, we chose CPT-11 as a candidate for gynecologic adenocarcinoma. To evaluate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of weekly CPT-11 with external pelvic radiotherapy, a phase 1/2 study was conducted according to modified Fibonacci method.

Methods

Eligible patients were advanced uterine cancer with measurable diseases [performance score (PS): 0−2]. Study period was from August 1st, 2002 to December 31st, 2008. The starting dose level (DL) of CPT-11 was 30 mg/m² (DL1) given weekly for 4 weeks. Subsequently, dose escalation was scheduled in 10 mg/m² increments to 60 mg/m² (DL4). The fixed radiotherapy consisted of whole pelvic 1.8 Gy/d, once a day in weekday for five weeks and it amounted to 45 Gy (25 fractions) in total.

Results

Seventeen patients were enrolled. As for toxicities, one (1/17: 5.9%) grade (G) 4 neutropenia lasting 7 days had been seen in DL4. G2 diarrhea was identified in 35.3% (6/17) of the patients, and 11.8% (2/17) G3 diarrhea was observed in DL3 and DL4. Thus, the MTD of CPT-11 was defined as dose of 60 mg/m². The recommended dose was decided as 50 mg/m². The response rate was 88.2% [9 complete response (CR), 3 partial response (PR), 3 stable disease (SD), 2 not evaluable (NE)]. Disease control rate at 1 month after treatment completion was 100% but distant metastases were found in 24% (4/17) in longer outcome.

Conclusions

MTD was 60 mg/m² and recommended dose was set as 50 mg/m². This concurrent chemoradiation using weekly CPT-11 was feasible at 50 mg/m², and it might be effective even in adenocarcinoma of the uterus.

Cervical cancer: Radiotherapy and hyperthermia

BACKGROUND

For many years, the standard treatment of advanced cervical cancer has been radiotherapy (RT), including brachytherapy. The achievement of locoregional tumour control is essential for cure. Results of RT in early stages are reasonably satisfactory, but locoregional failure rates for stage IIIb and IVa are high. In several randomized trials, the addition of hyperthermia (HT) to RT has been investigated.

RANDOMIZED TRIALS

The Dutch Deep Hyperthermia Trial was completed in 1996. In this trial a beneficial effect of additional hyperthermia was clearly demonstrated. Three-year locoregional control and overall survival rates were significantly higher in the RT + HT group than in the RT alone group, while radiation toxicity was not affected. Cost-per-life-year-gained was less than 4,000 Euros. The results of this trial have led to the acceptance of RT plus HT as standard treatment for advanced cervical cancer in the Netherlands. Five trials conducted in Asia have been published, of which three showed significant better complete response, locoregional tumour control and/or disease-free survival rates. One trial showed a trend of better locoregional tumour control and one did not show any benefit.

CONCLUSION

Hyperthermia added to standard radiotherapy of locally advanced cervical tumours results in considerable therapeutic gain and is cost-effective. For a beneficial effect, the use of an adequate heating technique is an important requirement.

Assessing tumor hypoxia in cervical cancer by PET with 60Cu-labeled diacetyl-bis(N4-methylthiosemicarbazone)

Tumor hypoxia indicates a poor prognosis. This study was undertaken to confirm our prior pilot results showing that pretreatment tumor hypoxia demonstrated by PET with (60)Cu-labeled diacetyl-bis(N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone) ((60)Cu-ATSM) is a biomarker of poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer. Thirty-eight women with biopsy-proved cervical cancer underwent (60)Cu-ATSM PET before the initiation of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. (60)Cu-ATSM uptake was evaluated semiquantitatively as the tumor-to-muscle activity ratio (T/M). A log-rank test was used to determine the cutoff uptake value that was strongly predictive of prognosis. All patients also underwent clinical PET with (18)F-FDG before the institution of therapy. The PET results were correlated with clinical follow-up. Tumor (60)Cu-ATSM uptake was inversely related to progression-free survival and cause-specific survival (P = 0.006 and P = 0.04, respectively, as determined by the log-rank test). We found that a T/M threshold of 3.5 best discriminated patients likely to develop a recurrence from those unlikely to develop a recurrence; the 3-y progression-free survival of patients with normoxic tumors (as defined by T/M of < or = 3.5) was 71%, and that of patients with hypoxic tumors (T/M of > 3.5) was 28% (P = 0.01). Tumor (18)F-FDG uptake did not correlate with (60)Cu-ATSM uptake, and there was no significant difference in tumor (18)F-FDG uptake between patients with hypoxic tumors and those with normoxic tumors (P = 0.9). Pretherapy (60)Cu-ATSM PET provides clinically relevant information about tumor oxygenation that is predictive of outcome in patients with cervical cancer.

Comparison of molecular markers of hypoxia and imaging with (60)Cu-ATSM in cancer of the uterine cervix

PURPOSE

To determine if hypoxia-related molecular markers are associated with (60)Cu labeled diacetyl-bis (N4 -methylthiosemicarbazone); ((60)Cu-ATSM) imaging of tumor hypoxia in cervical cancer.

PROCEDURES

Fifteen patients were enrolled in a prospective study and underwent evaluation of tumor hypoxia with positron emission tomography (PET) using (60)Cu-ATSM. (60)Cu-ATSM-PET imaging was compared with the expression of tissue molecular markers, which included vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), carbonic anyhdrase IX (CA-9), and apoptotic index.

RESULTS

Six patients had hypoxic tumors determined by (60)Cu-ATSM, and nine had non-hypoxic tumors. The 4-year overall survival estimates were 75% for patients with non-hypoxic tumors and 33% for those with hypoxic tumors (p = 0.04). Overexpression of VEGF (p = 0.13), EGFR (p = 0.05), CA-9 (p = 0.02), COX-2 (p = 0.08), and the presence of apoptosis (p = 0.005) occurred in patients with hypoxic tumors. Cox proportional hazards modeling demonstrated hypoxia as determined by (60)Cu-ATSM to be a significant independent predictor of tumor recurrence (p = 0.0287).

CONCLUSIONS

(60)Cu-ATSM hypoxia was correlated with overexpression of VEGF, EGFR, COX-2, CA-9, an increase in apoptosis, and a poor outcome.

Assessing tumor hypoxia in cervical cancer by positron emission tomography with 60Cu-ATSM: relationship to therapeutic response-a preliminary report

PURPOSE

Tumor hypoxia is associated with poor response to therapy. We have investigated whether pretreatment tumor hypoxia assessed by positron emission tomography (PET) with Cu-60 diacetyl-bis(N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone) ((60)Cu-ATSM) predicts responsiveness to subsequent therapy in cervical cancer.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Fourteen patients with biopsy-proved cervical cancer were studied by PET with (60)Cu-ATSM before initiation of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. (60)Cu-ATSM uptake was evaluated semiquantitatively by determining the tumor-to-muscle activity ratio (T/M) and peak slope index of tumor tracer uptake. All patients also underwent clinical PET with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) before institution of therapy. The PET results were correlated with follow-up evaluation (14-24 months).

RESULTS

Tumor uptake of (60)Cu-ATSM was inversely related to progression-free survival and overall survival (log-rank p = 0.0005 and p = 0.015, respectively). An arbitrarily selected T/M threshold of 3.5 discriminated those likely to develop recurrence; 6 of 9 patients with normoxic tumors (T/M < 3.5) are free of disease at last follow-up, whereas all of 5 patients with hypoxic tumors (T/M > 3.5) have already developed recurrence. Similar discrimination was achieved with the peak slope index. The frequency of locoregional nodal metastasis was greater in hypoxic tumors (p = 0.03). Tumor FDG uptake did not correlate with (60)Cu-ATSM uptake (r = 0.04; p = 0.80), and there was no significant difference in tumor FDG uptake between patients with hypoxic tumors and those with normoxic tumors.

CONCLUSION

(60)Cu-ATSM-PET in patients with cervical cancer revealed clinically relevant information about tumor oxygenation that was predictive of tumor behavior and response to therapy in this small study.