Metastatic colorectal cancer: current treatment and future options for improved survival. Medical approach--present status

Palliative short-course radiotherapy (RAPASH study) in patients with rectal cancer

Background

Palliative radiation therapy (RT) is used to treat symptomatic rectal cancer although clinical benefits and toxicities are poorly documented. There is no consensus about the optimal RT regimen and clinical practice undergoes significant changes. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of short-course (SC) RT in this setting of patients.

Materials and methods

Charts from patients with locally advanced disease not candidates for standard treatment or with symptomatic metastatic rectal cancer treated with SCRT (25 Gy/5 fractions in 5 consecutive days) were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical outcome measures were symptomatic response rate and toxicity.

Results

From January 2007 to December 2017, 59 patients (median age 80 years) received SCRT; 53 were evaluable. The median follow-up was 8 months (range, 1-70). Clinical response to RT for bleeding, pain and tenesmus was 100%, 95% and 89%, respectively. The compliance with the treatment was 100% and no patient experienced acute severe (≥ grade 3) toxicities. Median time to symptoms recurrence was 11 months (range 3-69). Globally, the median overall survival was 12 months.

Conclusions

SCRT is a safe and effective regimen in symptomatic rectal cancer and may be considered the regimen of choice for standard treatment in unfit patients.

Temporal development in survival, and gender and regional differences in the Swedish population of patients with synchronous and metachronous metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND

Survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has markedly improved in patients included in clinical trials. In population-based materials, improvements were seen until about a decade ago, but it is unclear if survival has continued to improve. It is also unclear if regional or gender differences exist.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All patients with mCRC (N = 19,566) in Sweden between 2007 and 2016 were identified from the national quality register, SCRCR, with almost complete coverage. Overall survival (OS) from diagnosis of metastatic disease was calculated in two calendar periods, 2007-2011 and 2012-2016. Differences between groups were compared using Cox regression.

RESULTS

Median age was 72 years, 55% were males, synchronous presentation was seen in 13,630 patients and metachronous in 5936. In synchronous disease, the primary tumour was removed more often during the first than the second period (51% vs 41%, p < 0.001). Median OS (mOS) was 14.0 months. It was longer in those with metachronous than synchronous disease (17.6 vs 13.1 months, p < 0.001) and in males (15.0 vs 12.8 months, p < 0.001), and markedly influenced by age and primary location. It was longer in patients diagnosed during the second period than during the first (14.9 vs 13.1 months, HR 0.89 (95% CI 0.86-0.92), p < 0.001). This difference was seen in all subgroups according to sex, age, presentation, and sidedness. mOS was about one month shorter in 1/6 healthcare regions, most pronounced during the first period. Differences in median of up to 5 months were seen between the region with the shortest and longest mOS.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall survival in Swedish patients with mCRC has improved during the past decade but is still substantially worse than reported from clinical trials/hospital-based series, reflecting the selection of patients to trials. Regional differences were seen, but they decreased with time. Women did not have a poorer prognosis in multivariable analyses.

Use of ascitic CEA levels as a predictive value for distant metastasis in high-risk stage II and III colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

This study aimed to analyze the effect of ascitic carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels on the long-term oncologic outcomes of colorectal cancer (CRC) following curative treatment.

METHODS

A total of 191 patients with stage II/III CRC were included. CEA was analyzed on the peritoneal fluid samples taken at the start of each surgery. Long-term oncologic outcomes were analyzed using known risk factors for recurrence in CRC.

RESULT

Multivariate analysis of recurrence showed that lymphatic invasion (hazards ratio (HR) 2.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1-7, p = 0.038), vascular invasion (HR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2-6.3, p = 0.013), mucinous cancer (HR 3.6, 95% CI 1.3-10.1, p = 0.017), and peritoneal fluid CEA exceeding 5 ng/dl (odds ratio 3.1, 95% CI 1.2-7.7, p = 0.017) were significant risk factors. There were 14 patients with liver metastasis, 11 of whom had high ascitic CEA levels and no peritoneal metastasis. Additionally, eight had lung metastasis, and seven of them had high ascitic CEA levels.

CONCLUSION

High ascitic CEA levels showed significantly lower disease-free survival and were significantly associated with distant metastasis in the lung and liver.

Patients’ experiences of medicines on initiation of antineoplastic agents for the treatment of colorectal cancer: a qualitative study

Objective

To explore the patients’ experiences on initiation of treatment with antineoplastic medicines for colorectal cancer.

Design

A qualitative study using semistructured, face-to-face interviews based on the adapted patients’ lived experience with medicines conceptual model was conducted. Ethics approval was granted. Interviews took place while eligible patients were receiving their first cycle of antineoplastic medicines, audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used.

Setting

National oncology hospital in Malta.

Participants

Adult patients over 18 years, newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer and initiating treatment with 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) between October 2018 and September 2019 were recruited. Patients were included if fully aware of their diagnosis and the treatment being received. A purposive sample of 16 patients participated in the study.

Results

Five themes emerged from our analysis: (1) beliefs and knowledge on cancer and treatment; (2) healthcare system in relation to treatment; (3) medicine-taking practice; (4) medicine-related impact and (5) personal support structure. In addition, 16 subthemes were identified to describe the interplay of all aspects of the patients’ experiences on initiation of treatment with antineoplastic medicines.

Conclusion

This qualitative study illustrated that the patients find themselves in a complex situation on initiation of treatment with antineoplastic medicines. The patients’ knowledge on their specific treatment and active participation in making an informed decision need to be addressed. The healthcare system should develop tailored patient-centred services that specifically address the lack of patient empowerment and patient’s concern about treatment specific information.

Ultrasound-targeted nucleic acid delivery for solid tumor therapy

Depending upon multiple factors, malignant solid tumors are conventionally treated by some combination of surgical resection, radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Despite decades of research, therapeutic responses remain poor for many cancer indications. Further, many current therapies in our armamentarium are either invasive or accompanied by toxic side effects. In lieu of traditional pharmaceutics and invasive therapeutic interventions, gene therapies offer more flexible and potentially more durable approaches for new anti-cancer therapies. Nonetheless, many current gene delivery approaches suffer from low transfection efficiency due to physiological barriers limiting extravasation and uptake of genetic material. Additionally, systemically administered gene therapies may lack target-specificity, which can lead to off-target effects. To overcome these challenges, many preclinical studies have shown the utility of focused ultrasound (FUS) to increase macromolecule uptake in cells and tissue under image guidance, demonstrating promise for improved delivery of therapeutics to solid tumors. As FUS-based drug delivery is now being tested in several clinical trials around the world, FUS-targeted gene therapy for solid tumor therapy may not be far behind. In this review, we comprehensively cover the literature pertaining to preclinical attempts to more efficiently deliver therapeutic genetic material with FUS and offer perspectives for future studies and clinical translation.

New Indications for Liver Transplantation

Liver transplantation (LT) is an important therapeutic option for the treatment of several liver diseases. Modern LT is characterized by remarkable improvements in post-transplant patient survival, graft survival, and quality of life. Thanks to these great improvements, indications for LT are expanding. Nowadays, clinical conditions historically considered exclusion criteria for LT, have been considered new indications for LT, showing survival advantages for patients. In this review, we provide an updated overview of the principal newer indications for LT, with particular attention to alcoholic hepatitis, acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), cholangiocarcinoma and colorectal cancer metastases.

Postoperative Circulating Tumor DNA Can Predict High Risk Patients with Colorectal Cancer Based on Next-Generation Sequencing

Simple Summary

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a minimally invasive biomarker useful for monitoring minimum residual disease, recurrence, and treatment response in colorectal cancer (CRC). We analyzed circulating tumor DNA from patients with CRC to evaluate analytical and clinical performances using next-generation sequencing (NGS). It is clear that postoperative circulating tumor DNA detection provides valuable information to determine whether a patient might at high risk of disease recurrence or have a persistent tumor lesion. The NGS assay not only showed excellent analytical performance, but also shows a state-of-art diagnostic option in patient-oriented precision medicine.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to characterize circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) mutations in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and evaluate their prognostic values during treatment. Forty-nine patients with CRC planned for operation were enrolled. A total of 115 plasma samples were collected pre-operation, post-operation, and post-chemotherapy. ctDNA analysis was performed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) including 14 genes. In 22 (44.9%) out of 49 patients, at least one mutation (40 total mutations) was detected in the initial plasma sample. The median sum of variant allele frequency was 0.74% (range: 0.10–29.57%). TP53 mutations were the most frequent (17 of 49 patients, 34.7%), followed by APC (18.4%), KRAS (12.2%), FBXW7 (8.2%), NRAS (2.0%), PIK3CA (2.0%), and SMAD4 (2.0%). After surgery, five (14.3%) out of 35 patients harbored ctDNA mutation. All five patients experienced relapse or metastasis during follow-up. It was noteworthy that all three patients with persistent ctDNA relapsed after R0 resection. After chemotherapy, ctDNA analysis was performed for 31 patients, all of which were ctDNA-negative. Analytical and clinical performances of NGS to utilize ctDNA in CRC were determined. Results revealed that postoperative ctDNA might serve as a marker for identifying risk of recurrence, thus contributing to patient-oriented treatment strategies.

Molecular characterization of a large unselected cohort of metastatic colorectal cancers in relation to primary tumor location, rare metastatic sites and prognosis

Background: We have reported that BRAF V600E mutations and microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) are more prevalent in a population-based cohort of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients than has been reported from clinical trials or hospital-based patient groups. The aim was to explore if other mutations in mCRC differ in prevalence between these cohorts in relation to mismatch repair status and primary tumor location and if presence of bone or brain metastases is associated with any mutations.Material and methods: A population-based cohort of 798 mCRC patients from three regions in Scandinavia was used. Forty-four cancer related genes were investigated in a custom designed Ampliseq hotspot panel. Differences in survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier estimator and the Cox regression analysis.Results: Determination of mutations was possible in 449/501 patients for 40/44 genes. Besides BRAF V600E, seen in 19% of the tumors, none of the other mutations appeared more prevalent than in trial cohorts. BRAF V600E and MSI-H, seen in 8%, were associated with poor prognosis as was right-sided primary tumor location (39%) when compared to left-sided and rectum together; however, in a multivariable regression, only the BRAF mutation retained its statistical significance. No other mutations were associated with poor prognosis. ERBB2 alterations were more common if bone metastases were present at diagnosis (17% vs. 4%, p = .011). No association was found for brain metastases. Fifty-two percent had an alteration that is treatable with an FDA-approved targeted therapy, chiefly by EGFR-inhibitor for RAS wild-type and a check-point inhibitor for MSI-H tumors.Conclusions: Right-sided tumor location, BRAF V600E mutations, but no other investigated mutation, and MSI-H are more commonly seen in an unselected cohort than is reported from clinical patient cohorts, likely because they indicate poor prognosis. Half of the patients have a tumor that is treatable with an already FDA-approved targeted drug for mCRC.

Micropuncture Access Set Use During Implantation of Totally Implantable Venous Access Device May Reduce Upper Extremity DVT Incidence Among Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy for Colorectal Cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to compare the perioperative outcomes when using a micropuncture access set (MS) to those when using a conventional puncture set (CS) for implantation of totally implantable venous access device (TAVID).

METHODS

A total of 314 patients undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal cancer were included between June 2015 and July 2018. Of these, 123 (39.2%) received TAVID implantation using MS and 191 patients (60.8%) received TAVID using CS. Perioperative outcomes and complications were compared between both groups.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics, including body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipidemia, were not significantly different between the groups. Postoperative complications occurred in 25 patients (8.0%), and the rate and incidence of venous thrombosis were significantly higher in the CS group. There were no significant differences between the groups in other complications such as the rate of port site infection, deep vein thrombosis, obstruction, catheter dislocation, and skin complications (exposure). No incidence of catheter infection, port rotation, intraoperative bleeding, or pneumothorax was observed in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

MS is a safe and feasible procedure and results in less thrombosis. MS may play an important role in improving outcomes for the implantation of TAVID.

Colorectal peritoneal metastases: Optimal management review

The peritoneum is a common site of dissemination for colorrectal cancer, with a poorer prognosis than other sites of metastases. In the last two decades, it has been considered as a locoregional disease progression and treated as such with curative intention treatments. Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) is the actual reference treatment for these patients as better survival results have been reached as compared to systemic chemotherapy alone, but its therapeutic efficacy is still under debate. Actual guidelines recommend that the management of colorectal cancer with peritoneal metastases should be led by a multidisciplinary team carried out in experienced centers and consider CRS + HIPEC for selected patients. Accumulative evidence in the last three years suggests that this is a curative treatment that may improve patients disease-free survival, decrease the risk of recurrence, and does not increase the risk of treatment-related mortality. In this review we aim to gather the latest results from referral centers and opinions from experts about the effectiveness and feasibility of CRS + HIPEC for treating peritoneal disease from colorectal malignancies.

Tumor budding for predicting prognosis of resected rectum cancer after neoadjuvant treatment

BACKGROUND

Rectum cancer is a type of colorectal cancer. Its etiology and etiopathogenesis are similar to other colon diseases. We aimed to evaluate the tumor budding for predicting prognosis of resected rectum cancer patients.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected the data of 75 operated rectum adenocarcinoma patients who were treated neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy between 2013 and 2018 in Umraniye Research and Training Hospital and Acıbadem University Medical Oncology Outpatient Clinic. Tumor budding was investigated as a prognostic factor for disease-free survival.

RESULTS

This study included 75 rectum cancer patients and 51 were male (68%). Median age was 56 (range 19 to 77 years). There were 29 (39%) and 46 (61%) patients in tumor budding low-intermediate and high groups respectively. In multivariate analysis, tumor budding was found to be an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (p = 0.00).

CONCLUSIONS

According to our study, having high tumor budding suggests a high likelihood of relapse. Therefore, we might need additional follow-up protocol in these patients.

Newly recognized extratumoral features of colorectal cancer challenge the current tumor-node-metastasis staging system

One of the most common malignant tumors in humans, colorectal cancer has been extensively studied during the past few decades. Staging colorectal cancer allows clinicians to obtain precise prognostic information and apply specific treatment procedures. Apart from remote metastases, the depth of tumor infiltration and lymph node involvement have traditionally been recognized as the most important factors predicting outcome. Variations in the molecular signature of colorectal cancer have also revealed differences in phenotypic aggressiveness and therapeutic response rates. This article presents a review of the extratumoral environment in colorectal surgery.

Molecular targets of Chinese herbs: a clinical study of metastatic colorectal cancer based on network pharmacology

Increasing evidence has shown that Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has promising therapeutic effects in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, the active ingredients and potential targets remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relative molecular targets of the Chinese herbs that have been found effective in treating metastatic CRC (mCRC) based on clinical data and network pharmacology. In multivariate analysis CHM resulted an independent prognostic factor. The hazard ratio was 0.103 (95% confidence interval = 0.064-0.164; P < 0.001). Compared with the non-CHM group, the median survival time of the CHM group was also improved (40 versus 12 months; P < 0.001). Eighteen out of 295 herbs showed significant correlation with survival results (P < 0.05). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the 18 herbs realize anti-CRC activity mainly through suppressing the proliferative activity of ERBB2, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, and retinoid X receptor, suppressing angiogenesis via inhibition of VEGFR and VEGFA expression, inhibiting the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT1 signaling pathway directly through SRC and AKT1, and reducing tumor necrosis factor-induced inflammation.

Persistent prevention of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy using calmangafodipir (PledOx®): a placebo-controlled randomised phase II study (PLIANT)

PURPOSE

Oxaliplatin causes disabling acute and chronic peripheral neuropathy. We explored the preventive effects of calmangafodipir, mimicking the mitochondrial enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase, thereby protecting cells from oxidative stress, in a placebo-controlled, double-blinded randomised phase II study (ClinicalTrials.gov.NCT01619423) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

PATIENT AND METHODS

mCRC patients treated with modified FOLFOX-6 (folinic acid 200 mg/m², 5-fluorouracil bolus 400 mg/m², oxaliplatin 85 mg/m² and 5-fluorouracil 2400 mg/m² continuous infusion for 46 h) every fortnight for 8 cycles in first or second line were eligible. Calmangafodipir was given in a phase I dose-finding and in a phase II placebo-controlled study, as a 5-min infusion 10 min prior to oxaliplatin. Neurotoxicity was evaluated by the physician using the Oxaliplatin Sanofi Specific Scale and by the patient using the cold allodynia test and the Leonard scale.

RESULTS

Eleven patients were included in phase I without any detectable toxicity to calmangafodipir. In the phase II study, 173 patients were randomised to placebo (n = 60), calmangafodipir 2 µmol/kg (n = 57) and calmangafodipir 5 µmol/kg (n = 45, initially 10 µmol/kg, n = 11). Calmangafodipir-treated patients (all three doses pooled) had less physician graded neurotoxicity (odds ratio (90% confidence interval one-sided upper level) 0.62(1.15), p = .16), significantly less problems with cold allodynia (mean 1.6 versus 2.3, p < .05) and significantly fewer sensory symptoms in the Leonard scale (cycle 1-8 mean 1.9 versus 3.0, p < .05 and during follow-up after 3 and 6 months, mean 3.5 versus 7.3, p < .01). Response rate, progression-free and overall survival did not differ among groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Calmangafodipir at a dose of 5 µmol/kg appears to prevent the development of oxaliplatin-induced acute and delayed CIPN without apparent influence on tumour outcomes.

Cost-effectiveness of cetuximab and panitumumab for chemotherapy-refractory metastatic colorectal cancer

Background

Cetuximab and panitumumab are monoclonal antibodies targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor. Both drugs are active against RAS wild type metastatic colorectal cancer after chemotherapy failure, with similar efficacy and toxicity profiles. However, their cost and limited survival benefits may compromise incorporation in the Brazilian public healthcare system, the Unified Heath System (Sistema Único de Saúde) (SUS).

Methods

A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using a Markov model from the Brazilian Public health perspective and a lifetime horizon in patients with RAS -wt mCRC. Transition probabilities and mortality rates were extracted from randomized studies. Treatment costs were obtained from price tables regulated by the Brazilian Health Ministry. The World Health Organization recommendation of three times GDP per capita was used to define the cost-effectiveness threshold.

Results

The use of cetuximab or panitumumab for chemotherapy-refractory mCRC patients resulted in 0.22 additional life-years relative to BSC, with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) of $58,240 and $52,772 per LY, respectively. That exceeds the pre-specified threshold for cost-effectiveness. Acquisition of biological agents was the major driver of increased costs.

Conclusions

Our economic evaluation demonstrates that both cetuximab and panitumumab are not a cost-effective approach in RAS-wt mCRC patients. Discussion about drug price should be prioritized to enable incorporation of these monoclonal antibodies in the SUS.

Efficacy and safety of anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy compared with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer in first-line and second-line therapies: a meta-analysis

Aim

This study aimed to compare anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) therapy and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy as first-line and second-line therapies in patients with KRAS exon 2 codon 12/13 wild-type (KRAS-WT) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Methods

Major databases were systematically searched. The hazard ratio (HR), odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to estimate the effect measures. Review Manager software version 5.3 was used for statistical analysis.

Results

Seven trials including ten articles were eligible in the meta-analysis. The patients treated with anti-EGFR as first-line therapy showed a longer overall survival (OS) for KRAS-WT and all RAS wild-type (RAS-WT) mCRC (HR =0.81, 95% CI: 0.72–0.92, P<0.01, n=5; HR =0.78, 95% CI: 0.66–0.93, P<0.01, n=3, respectively). The objective response rate (ORR) was better with the anti-EGFR therapy for KRAS-WT and all RAS-WT mCRC (OR =1.32, 95% CI: 1.11–1.56, P<0.01, n=5; OR =1.55, 95% CI: 1.21–2.00, P<0.01, n=3, respectively). There was no difference in progression-free survival (PFS) for KRAS-WT mCRC and all RAS-WT mCRC between the two groups (HR =1.00; 95% CI: 0.92–1.09, P=0.99, n=4; HR =0.92, 95% CI: 0.71–1.19, P=0.52, n=3, respectively). In addition, two trials provided data on the second-line therapy; there was no significant difference in OS and PFS for the second-line therapy, but a significant improvement in ORR was found in the anti-EGFR group (OR =1.91, 95% CI: 1.16–3.16, P=0.01, n=2). No difference in the conversion therapy (OR =1.34; 95% CI: 0.91–1.99; P=0.14, n=4) was observed between the two therapies.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that anti-EGFR therapy is superior to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for OS and ORR as a first-line therapy for KRAS-WT mCRC. In the second-line therapy, there was no significant difference in the survival outcomes on the basis of OS and PFS between the two groups. However, ORR improved significantly in the anti-EGFR group.

Transarterial Therapy for Colorectal Liver Metastases

Until recently, hepatic arterial therapies (HAT) had been used for colorectal liver metastases after failure of first-, second-, and third-line chemotherapies. HAT has gained greater acceptance in patients with liver-dominant colorectal metastases after failure of surgery or systemic chemotherapy. The current data demonstrate that HAT is a safe and effective option for preoperative downsizing, optimizing the time to surgery, limiting non-tumor-bearing liver toxicity, and improving overall survival after surgery in patients with colorectal liver-only metastases. The aim of this review is to present the current data for HAT in liver-only and liver-dominant colorectal liver metastases.

Optimal duration of a first-line palliative chemotherapy in disseminated colorectal cancer - a review of the literature from a developing country perspective

We still do not know whether the presently used protocol of the first-line palliative treatment of disseminated colorectal cancer (FOLFOX/FOLFIRI protocol) allows maximization of therapeutic response and minimization of side effects. No-one has verified whether continuation of the first-line chemotherapy despite the lack of progression is reflected by improved prognosis or significant risk of toxicity. This issue is of vital importance in the case of developing countries where targeted therapies are not available due to financial shortages. We have identified three potential strategies of the palliative therapy of disseminated colorectal cancer: 1) discontinuation of chemotherapy after a fixed number of cycles with its restart on progression (stop-and-go strategy), 2) intermittent protocol of chemotherapy, and 3) continuation of chemotherapy with discontinuation of the most toxic agent. None of the studies proved the superiority of the most commonly used standard, i.e. 12 cycles of the FOLFOX or FOLFIRI regimen. Although longer duration of this treatment may be associated with higher response rates and longer progression-free survival, these improvements frequently prove insignificant on statistical analysis.

Target hepatic artery regional chemotherapy and bevacizumab perfusion in liver metastatic colorectal cancer after failure of first-line or second-line systemic chemotherapy

Colorectal cancer liver metastasis (CRLM) is a refractory disease after failure of first-line or second-line chemotherapy. Bevacizumab is recommended as first-line therapy for advanced colorectal cancer, but is unproven in CRLM through the hepatic artery. We report favorable outcomes with targeted vessel regional chemotherapy (TVRC) for liver metastatic gastric cancer. TVRC with FOLFOX and bevacizumab perfusion through the hepatic artery was attempted for CRLM for efficacy and safety evaluation. In a single-institution retrospective observational study, 246 patients with CRLM after at least first-line or second-line failure of systemic chemotherapy received TVRC with FOLFOX (i.e. oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and 5-fluorouracil). Of 246 patients, 63 were enrolled into two groups: group 1 (n=30) received bevacizumab and TVRC following tumor progression during previous TVRC treatments; group 2 (n=33) received TVRC plus bevacizumab for CRLM on initiating TVRC. There were no significant differences in the median survival time (14.7 vs. 13.2 months, P=0.367), although the median time to progression was significant (3.3 vs. 5.5 months, P=0.026) between groups. No severe adverse events related to TVRC plus bevacizumab perfusion occurred. Target vessel regional chemotherapy with FOLFOX plus bevacizumab perfusion through the hepatic artery was effective and safe in CRLM. The optimal combination of TVRC and bevacizumab needs further confirmation in future phase II-III clinical trials.

Characterization of DNA topoisomerase I in three SN-38 resistant human colon cancer cell lines reveals a new pair of resistance-associated mutations

BACKGROUND

DNA topoisomerase I (Top1) is a DNA unwinding protein and the specific target of the camptothecin class of chemotherapeutic drugs. One of these, irinotecan, acting through its active metabolite SN-38, is used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. However, resistance to irinotecan represents a major clinical problem. Since molecular alterations in Top1 may result in resistance to irinotecan, we characterized Top1 in three human colon cancer cell lines with acquired resistance to SN-38.

METHODS

Three SN-38 resistant (20-67 fold increased resistance) cell lines were generated and compared to wild-type parental cells with regards to: TOP1 gene copy number and gene sequence, Top1 expression (mRNA and protein), Top1 enzymatic activity in the absence and presence of drug, and Top1-DNA cleavage complexes in drug treated cells. TOP1 mutations were validated by PCR using mutant specific primers. Furthermore, cross-resistance to two indenoisoquinoline Top1-targeting drugs (NSC 725776 and NSC 743400) and two Top2-targeting drugs (epirubicin and etoposide) was investigated.

RESULTS

Two of three SN-38 resistant cell lines carried TOP1 gene copy number aberrations: A TOP1 gene copy gain and a loss of chromosome 20, respectively. One resistant cell line harbored a pair of yet unreported TOP1 mutations (R364K and G717R) in close proximity to the drug binding site. Mutant TOP1 was expressed at a markedly higher level than wild-type TOP1. None or very small reductions were observed in Top1 expression or Top1 activity in the absence of drug. In all three SN-38 resistant cell lines Top1 activity was maintained in the presence of high concentrations of SN-38. None or only partial cross-resistance were observed for etoposide and epirubicin, respectively. SN-38 resistant cells with wild-type TOP1 remained sensitive to NSC 743400, while cells with mutant TOP1 was fully cross-resistant to both indenoisoquinolines. Top1-DNA cleavage complex formation following drug treatment supported the other findings.

CONCLUSIONS

This study adds to the growing knowledge about resistance mechanisms for Top1-targeting chemotherapeutic drugs. Importantly, two yet unreported TOP1 mutations were identified, and it was underlined that cross-resistance to the new indenoisoquinoline drugs depends on the specific underlying molecular mechanism of resistance to SN-38.

Cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy versus systemic chemotherapy for colorectal peritoneal metastases: A randomised trial

BACKGROUND

First-line treatment of isolated resectable colorectal peritoneal metastases remains unclear. This study (the Swedish peritoneal study) compares cytoreductive surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy (surgery arm) with systemic chemotherapy (chemotherapy arm).

METHODS

Patients deemed resectable preoperatively were randomised to surgery and intraperitoneal 5-fluorouracil 550 mg/m(2)/d for 6 d with repeated courses every month or to systemic oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil regimen every second week. Both treatments continued for 6 months. Primary end-point was overall survival (OS) and secondary end-points were progression-free survival (PFS), and morbidity.

RESULTS

The study terminated prematurely when 48 eligible patients (24/arm) were included due to recruitment difficulties. Two-year OS was 54% in the surgery arm and 38% in the chemotherapy arm (p = 0.04). After 5 years, 8 versus 1 patient were alive, respectively (p = 0.02). Median OS was 25 months versus 18 months, respectively, hazard ratio 0.51 (95% confidence interval: 0.27-0.96, p = 0.04). PFS in the surgery arm was 12 months versus 11 months in the chemotherapy arm (p = 0.16) with 17% versus 0% 5-year PFS. Grade III-IV morbidity was seen in 42% and 50% of the patients, respectively. No mortalities.

CONCLUSIONS

Cytoreductive surgery with intraperitoneal chemotherapy may be superior to systemic oxaliplatin-based treatment of colorectal cancer with resectable isolated peritoneal metastases.(ClinicalTrials.gov nr:NCT01524094).

Primary Tumor Resection and Overall Survival in Patients With Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Treated With Palliative Intent

BACKGROUND

The survival impact of primary tumor resection in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with palliative intent remains uncertain. In the absence of randomized data, the objectives of the present study were to examine the effect of primary tumor resection (PTR) and major prognostic variables on overall survival (OS) of patients with de novo mCRC.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients from the Australian 'Treatment of Recurrent and Advanced Colorectal Cancer' registry were examined from June 2009 to March 2015. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to identify associations between multiple patient or clinical variables and OS. Patients with metachronous mCRC were excluded from the analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 690 patients de novo and 373 metachronous mCRC patients treated with palliative intent were identified. The median follow-up period was 30 months. The median age of de novo patients was 66 years; 57% were male; 77% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 1; and 76% had a colon primary. A total of 216 de novo mCRC patients treated with palliative intent underwent PTR at diagnosis and were more likely to have a colon primary (odds ratio [OR], 15.4), a lower carcinoembryonic antigen level (OR, 2.08), and peritoneal involvement (OR, 2.58; P < .001). On multivariate analysis, PTR at diagnosis in de novo patients was not associated with significantly improved OS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.82; 99% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-1.09; P = .068). PTR at diagnosis did not correlate with outcome in de novo patients with a colon primary (HR, 0.74; 99% CI, 0.54-1.01; P = .014) or a rectal primary (HR, 0.81; 99% CI, 0.27-2.44; P = .621).

CONCLUSION

For de novo mCRC patients treated with palliative intent, PTR at diagnosis does not significantly improve OS when adjusting for known major prognostic factors. The outcomes of randomized trials examining the survival impact of PTR are awaited.

Enabling sense-making for patients receiving outpatient palliative treatment: A participatory action research driven model for person-centered communication

OBJECTIVES

In clinical palliative cancer care, the diversity of patient concerns over time makes information provision a critical issue, the demands of information-seeking patients presenting a challenge to both the communicative and organizational skills of the health provider. This study puts forward a practice model for communication between patients, their family members, and professional health providers during ongoing palliative chemotherapy; a model which supports the providers in enabling person-centered communication.

METHOD

A constant comparative analysis adapted to participatory action research was applied. The model was developed step-wise in three interrelated cycles, with results from previous studies from palliative cancer care processed in relation to professional health providers' experience-based clinical knowledge. In doing this, focus group discussions were carried out with providers and patients to develop and revise the model.

RESULTS

The Enabling Sense Making model for person-centered communication gave rise to three domains (which are also the major communicative actors in palliative care): the patient, the family, and the provider. These actors were placed in the context of a communicative arena. The three respective domains were built up in different layers discriminating between significant aspects of person-centered communication, from the manifest that is most usually explicated in dialogues, to the latent that tends to be implicitly mediated.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

The model intends to facilitate timely reorientation of care from curative treatment or rehabilitation to palliation, as well as the introduction of appropriate palliative interventions over time during palliative phases. In this way the model is to be regarded a frame for directing the awareness of the professionals, which focuses on how to communicate and how to consider the patient's way of reasoning. The model could be used as a complement to other strategic initiatives for the advancement of palliative care communication. It needs to be further evaluated in regard to practice evidence.

Looking up: Recent advances in understanding and treating peritoneal carcinomatosis

Until recently, a diagnosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis was uniformly accompanied by a grim prognosis that was typically measured in weeks to months. Consequently, the management of carcinomatosis revolves largely around palliation of symptoms such as bowel obstruction, nausea, pain, fatigue, and cachexia. A prior lack of effective treatment options created the nihilistic view that currently exists and persists despite improvements in the efficacy of systemic therapy and the evolution of multimodality approaches including surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. This article reviews the evolution and current state of treatment options for patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. In addition, it highlights recent advances in understanding the molecular biology of carcinomatosis and the focus of current and future clinical trials. Finally, this article provides practical management options for the palliation of common complications of carcinomatosis. It is hoped that the reader will recognize that carcinomatosis is no longer an imminent death sentence and that through continued research and therapeutic innovation, clinicians can make an even greater impact on this form of metastatic cancer.

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for colorectal liver metastases--current status and critical review

BACKGROUND

Transarterial liver-directed therapies are currently not recommended as a standard treatment for colorectal liver metastases. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), however, is increasingly used for patients with liver-dominant colorectal metastases after failure of surgery or systemic chemotherapy. The limited available data potentially reveals TACE as a valuable option for pre- and post-operative downsizing, minimizing time-to-surgery, and prolongation of overall survival after surgery in patients with colorectal liver only metastases.

PURPOSE

In this overview, the current status of TACE for the treatment of liver-dominant colorectal liver metastases is presented. Critical comments on its rationale, technical success, complications, toxicity, and side effects as well as oncologic outcomes are discussed. The role of TACE as a valuable adjunct to surgery is addressed regarding pre- and post-operative downsizing, conversion to resectability as well as improvement of the recurrence rate after potentially curative liver resection. Additionally, the concept of TACE for liver-dominant metastatic disease with a focus on new embolization technologies is outlined.

CONCLUSIONS

There is encouraging data with regard to technical success, safety, and oncologic efficacy of TACE for colorectal liver metastases. The majority of studies are non-randomized single-center series mostly after failure of systemic therapies in the 2nd line and beyond. Emerging techniques including embolization with calibrated microspheres, with or without additional cytotoxic drugs, degradable starch microspheres, and technical innovations, e.g., cone-beam computed tomography (CT) allow a new highly standardized TACE procedure. The real efficacy of TACE for colorectal liver metastases in a neoadjuvant, adjuvant, and palliative setting has now to be evaluated in prospective randomized controlled trials.

Chemotherapy or liver transplantation for nonresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer?

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective was to compare overall survival (OS) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) with nonresectable liver-only metastases treated by liver transplantation or chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND

CRC is the third most common cancer worldwide. About 50% of patients will develop metastatic disease primarily to the liver and the lung. The majority of patients with liver metastases receive palliative chemotherapy, with a median OS of trial patients of about 2 years, and less than 10% are alive at 5 years.

METHODS

Patients with nonresectable liver-only CRC metastases underwent liver transplantation in the SECA study (n = 21). Disease-free survival (DFS) and OS of patients included in the SECA study were compared with progression-free survival (PFS) and OS in a similar cohort of CRC patients with liver-only disease included in a first-line chemotherapy study, the NORDIC VII study (n = 47). PFS/DFS and OS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

DFS/PFS in both groups were 8 to 10 months. However, a dramatic difference in OS was observed. The 5-year OS rate was 56% in patients undergoing liver transplantation compared with 9% in patients starting first-line chemotherapy. The reason for the large difference in OS despite similar DFS/PFS is likely different metastatic patterns at relapse/progression. Relapse in the liver transplantation group was often detected as small, slowly growing lung metastases, whereas progression of nonresectable liver metastases was observed in the chemotherapy group.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared with chemotherapy, liver transplantation resulted in a marked increased OS in CRC patients with nonresectable liver-only metastases.

Maintenance Therapy With Cetuximab Every Second Week in the First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: The NORDIC-7.5 Study by the Nordic Colorectal Cancer Biomodulation Group

BACKGROUND

In the NORDIC-7.5 trial, how cetuximab might safely and conveniently be added to an intermittent treatment strategy in patients with prospectively selected Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog wild type (KRASwt) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) was investigated. Patients were treated in a multicenter phase II trial with cetuximab in combination with the Nordic bolus FLOX (oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and folinic acid) for 4 months followed by maintenance cetuximab.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients had KRASwt, nonresectable mCRC, no previous chemotherapy, and Eastern Cooperative Group performance status of 0 to 2. Patients received 8 courses of Nordic FLOX (oxaliplatin 85 mg/m(2) over 1 hour on day 1, and 5-fluorouracil 500 mg/m(2) as a bolus injection, followed 30 minutes later with bolus folinic acid 60 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 2). Cetuximab was administered every 2 weeks at a dose of 500 mg/m(2) for 16 weeks followed by cetuximab as maintenance therapy until disease progression.

RESULTS

Between July 2008 and September 2010, 152 KRASwt patients were included. The response rate was 62% (95% confidence interval [CI], 54%-69%), median progression-free survival was 8.0 months (95% CI, 7.5-8.9) and median overall survival was 23.2 (95% CI, 18.1-27.4) months. Twenty-one patients (14%) had later R0-resection of metastasis. FLOX with cetuximab was reintroduced in 47 of 85 patients (55%). The most common Grade 3/4 nonhematologic adverse events were diarrhea in 14 patients (9%), skin rash in 13 patients (9%), infection without neutropenia in 11 patients (7%), and fatigue in 11 patients (7%).

CONCLUSION

In a prospectively selected KRASwt population, biweekly cetuximab was safely integrated in an intermittent chemotherapy strategy and might have added to a longer chemotherapy-free interval. However, the combination of biweekly cetuximab with chemotherapy needs to be validated in trials using FOLFOX (oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin) or FOLFIRI (irinotecan, fluorouracil, and leucovorin).

Differences in survival for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer by lines of treatment received and stage at original diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

Few published studies have examined survival rates for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) by number of lines of treatment received or stage at diagnosis. This study aims to evaluate survival and numbers of lines of treatment in USA mCRC managed care patients.

METHODS

To evaluate the impact of chemotherapy/biological on survival of patients with mCRC, adults with a diagnosis of CRC between 1 January 2005 and 31 May 2010 were identified from the Oncology Management registry. Registry data included stage and diagnosis date. Patients with stage IV CRC at original diagnosis or development of metastasis were included. Linked healthcare claims from a large USA database were used to identify lines of treatment after metastasis and patient characteristics. The patient population was enrolled in a commercial health insurance programme, with 10% of patients > 65 years of age. Patients were categorised by lines of treatment received (0, 1, 2, 3+) and stage at original diagnosis (0-3, 4, unknown). Survival following metastasis was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models controlling for lines of treatment, disease stage, and other patient characteristics.

RESULTS

Study population included commercially insured adult patients, ≥ 18 years of age (n = 598, mean age 54, 56% male), 16% of which did not receive chemotherapy/biological therapy after becoming metastatic, and 33% received only 1 line of treatment. Average follow-up was 653 days, and 19% of patients died during the study period. Mean unadjusted length of follow-up was 516, 511, 627 and 930 days for patients who received 0, 1, 2 and 3+ lines of treatment, respectively. In the Cox proportional hazards model, geographical region was the only variable significantly associated with survival (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Lines of treatment received and stage at original diagnosis were not statistically significantly associated with survival after metastasis development.

Gimeracil and oteracil porassium capsules as a single drug in adjuvant treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer: A randomized clinical study

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of gimeracil and oteracil porassium capsules (S-1) as a single drug in the adjuvant treatment of patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

METHODS: Eligible patients with advanced colorectal cancer were randomly assigned to either a control group or an experimental group. The patients of the control group received routine symptomatic treatment, while the experimental group was additionally given S-1 [60 mg/(m²•d), bid, P.O. on days 1-14, then drug withdrawal for 1 wk, repeated every 3 wk, stopped until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred] beside the routine symptomatic treatment.

RESULTS: A total of 83 eligible patients were enrolled, including 4 in the control group and 41 in the experimental arm. Median follow-up period was 54 wk. The baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. S-1 treatment improved the progression-free survival (PFS), though there was no statistical difference (HR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.22-1.23, P = 0.1384). For all patients with advanced colorectal cancer, the 1-year PFS for the control arm and experimental arm was 78.6% and 97.6%, respectively, favoring the S-1 regimen. For patients with advanced colon cancer, the improvement of PFS did not differ significantly between the two arms (HR = 0.62, 95%CI: 0.20-1.95, P = 0.4156). The 1-year PFS for the control arm and experimental arm was 76.2% and 95.0%, favoring the S-1 regimen. For patients with advanced rectal cancer, the improvement of PFS did not differ significantly between the two arms (HR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.11-1.58, P = 0.2005). The 1-year PFS for the control arm and experimental arm was 76.2% and 95.2%, respectively. Three cases developed S-1-induced adverse reactions, including one case of grade Ⅱ and two cases of grade Ⅰ, which, however, did not cause treatment discontinuation.

CONCLUSION: S-1 can improve the PFS in patients with advanced colorectal cancer, indicating that such patients may benefit from S-1 regimen in the adjuvant setting.

Liver transplantation for metastatic liver malignancies

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Liver transplantation is a validated treatment of primary hepatobiliary tumours. Over the last decade, a renewed interest for liver transplantation as a curative treatment of colorectal liver metastasis (CR-LM) and neuro-endocrine metastasis (NET-LM) has developed.

RECENT FINDINGS

The ELTR and UNOS analyses showed that liver transplantation may offer excellent disease-free survival (ranging from 30 to 77%) in case of NET-LM, on the condition that stringent selection criteria are implemented. The interest for liver transplantation in the treatment of CR-LM has been fostered by the Norwegian SECA study. Five-year A 5-year survival rate of 60% could be reached. Despite the high recurrence rate (90%), one-third of patients were disease free following pulmonary surgery for metastases.

SUMMARY

Liver transplantation will take a more prominent place in the therapeutic algorithm of CR-LM and NET-LM. Larger experiences are necessary to improve knowledge about tumour biology and to refine selection criteria. A multimodal approach adding neo and adjuvant medical treatment to the transplant procedure will be key to bring this oncologic transplant project into the clinical arena. The preserved liver function in these patients will allow a more deliberate access to split liver and living donation for these indications.

A multiple microwave ablation strategy in patients with initially unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases - A safety and feasibility study of a new concept

AIMS

Resection for colorectal cancer liver metastases is indicated when an R0 resection with preservation of a sufficient future liver remnant (FLR) is achievable. Multimodality conversion of initially unresectable patients to resectable is possible in some patients. We present results of a downstaging strategy using microwave ablation (MWA).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In patients where resection was precluded by absence of a tumour-free FLR due to the extent of segmental tumour engagement, but with the potential to clear the whole liver with multiple local ablations, MWA was performed at laparotomy using ultrasound guidance or computer-assisted navigation. Mortality and morbidity was recorded and the overall and disease-free survival of the ablated patients was compared to data of two historic cohorts.

RESULTS

Ten of twenty treated patients were alive at median follow-up 25 months. There was no perioperative mortality, with MWA-associated complications being mild to moderate. The MWA group showed a 4-year overall survival of 41%, compared to 70% for a historic cohort of primarily resected patients and 4% for patients with palliative treatment.

CONCLUSION

Results of the multiple ablation strategy in the defined population suggest a survival benefit, compared to palliative chemotherapy alone with acceptable associated morbidity and no perioperative mortality.

Palliative pelvic radiotherapy of symptomatic incurable rectal cancer - a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Locally advanced and recurrent rectal cancers frequently cause pelvic morbidity including pain, bleeding and mass effect. Palliative pelvic radiotherapy is used to relieve these symptoms and delay local progression. There is no established optimal radiotherapy regimen and clinical practices vary. Our aim was to review the efficacy and toxicity of palliative pelvic radiotherapy of symptomatic rectal cancer and to evaluate different fractionation schedules, based on published literature.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Systematic literature searches of Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were performed through 2011. Studies reporting symptomatic response or quality of life (QOL) after palliative radiotherapy for rectal or rectosigmoid cancer were eligible. Results. Twenty-seven studies were included, of which 23 were retrospective reviews. There were no patient-reported outcomes or QOL assessments. There were large variations in applied radiotherapy regimens. Pooled overall symptom response rate was 75% and positive responses were reported for pain (78%), bleeding and discharge (81%), mass effect (71%) and other pelvic symptoms (72%). Toxicity results were not evaluable.

CONCLUSION

Palliative pelvic radiotherapy for symptomatic rectal cancer appears to provide relief of a variety of pelvic symptoms, although there is no documented optimal radiotherapy regimen in this context. There is inadequate evidence regarding onset, duration and degree of symptom palliation, QOL and associated toxicity with this treatment and prospective studies are therefore needed.

Survival impact of surgical resection of primary tumor in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer: results from a large population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Currently, there is very low-quality evidence available regarding benefit of surgical resection of the primary tumor (SRPT), in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC). In the absence of randomization, the reported benefit may reflect selection of younger and healthier patients with good performance status. A large population-based cohort study was undertaken to determine the survival benefit of SRPT in advanced CRC by eliminating various biases reported in the literature.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study involving patients with stage IV CRC, diagnosed between 1992 and 2005, in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Survival was estimated by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Survival distribution was compared by log-rank test. Cox proportional multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine survival benefit of SRPT by controlling other prognostic variables.

RESULTS

A total of 1378 eligible patients were identified. Their median age was 70 years (range, 22-98 years) and male:female ratio was 1.3:1; 944 (68.5%) of them underwent SRPT. Among 1378 patients, 42.3% received chemotherapy and 19.1% received second-generation therapy. Patients who underwent SRPT and received chemotherapy had median overall survival of 18.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.6-20 months) compared with 8.4 months (95% CI = 7.1-9.7 months) if they were treated with chemotherapy alone (P < .0001). Cox proportional analysis revealed that use of chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.41-0.54), SRPT (HR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.41-0.58), second-line chemotherapy (HR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.45-0.64), and metastasectomy (HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.45-0.64) were correlated with superior survival.

CONCLUSIONS

SRPT improves survival in patients with stage IV CRC, independent of other prognostic variables including age, performance status, comorbid illness and chemotherapy.

Short-course radiotherapy followed by neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer--the RAPIDO trial

BACKGROUND

Current standard for most of the locally advanced rectal cancers is preoperative chemoradiotherapy, and, variably per institution, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Short-course preoperative radiation with delayed surgery has been shown to induce tumour down-staging in both randomized and observational studies. The concept of neo-adjuvant chemotherapy has been proven successful in gastric cancer, hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer and is currently tested in primary colon cancer.

METHODS AND DESIGN

Patients with rectal cancer with high risk features for local or systemic failure on magnetic resonance imaging are randomized to either a standard arm or an experimental arm. The standard arm consists of chemoradiation (1.8 Gy x 25 or 2 Gy x 25 with capecitabine) preoperatively, followed by selective postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Postoperative chemotherapy is optional and may be omitted by participating institutions. The experimental arm includes short-course radiotherapy (5 Gy x 5) followed by full-dose chemotherapy (capecitabine and oxaliplatin) in 6 cycles before surgery. In the experimental arm, no postoperative chemotherapy is prescribed. Surgery is performed according to TME principles in both study arms. The hypothesis is that short-course radiotherapy with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy increases disease-free and overall survival without compromising local control. Primary end-point is disease-free survival at 3 years. Secondary endpoints include overall survival, local control, toxicity profile, and treatment completion rate, rate of pathological complete response and microscopically radical resection, and quality of life.

DISCUSSION

Following the advances in rectal cancer management, increased focus on survival rather than only on local control is now justified. In an experimental arm, short-course radiotherapy is combined with full-dose chemotherapy preoperatively, an alternative that offers advantages compared to concomitant chemoradiotherapy with or without postoperative chemotherapy. In a multi-centre setting this regimen is compared to current standard with the aim of improving survival for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01558921.

Cell budding from normal appearing epithelia: a predictor of colorectal cancer metastasis?

Background: Colorectal carcinogenesis is believed to be a multi-stage process that originates with a localized adenoma, which linearly progresses to an intra-mucosal carcinoma, to an invasive lesion, and finally to metastatic cancer. This progression model is supported by tissue culture and animal model studies, but it is difficult to reconcile with several well-established observations, principally among these are that up to 25% of early stage (Stage I/II), node-negative colorectal cancer (CRC) develop distant metastasis, and that circulating CRC cells are undetectable in peripheral blood samples of up to 50% of patients with confirmed metastasis, but more than 30% of patients with no detectable metastasis exhibit such cells. The mechanism responsible for this diverse behavior is unknown, and there are no effective means to identify patients with pending, or who are at high risk for, developing metastatic CRC.

Novel findings: Our previous studies of human breast and prostate cancer have shown that cancer invasion arises from the convergence of a tissue injury, the innate immune response to that injury, and the presence of tumor stem cells within tumor capsules at the site of the injury. Focal degeneration of a capsule due to age or disease attracts lymphocyte infiltration that degrades the degenerating capsules resulting in the formation of a focal disruption in the capsule, which selectively favors proliferating or “budding” of the underlying tumor stem cells. Our recent studies suggest that lymphocyte infiltration also triggers metastasis by disrupting the intercellular junctions and surface adhesion molecules within the proliferating cell buds causing their dissociation. Then, lymphocytes and tumor cells are conjoined through membrane fusion to form tumor-lymphocyte chimeras (TLCs) that allows the tumor stem cell to avail itself of the lymphocyte's natural ability to migrate and breach cell barriers in order to intravasate and to travel to distant organs. Our most recent studies of human CRC have detected nearly identical focal capsule disruptions, lymphocyte infiltration, budding cells, and the formation of TLCs. Our studies have further shown that age- and type-matched node-positive and -negative CRC have a significantly different morphological and immunohistochemical profile and that the majority of lymphatic ducts with disseminated cells are located within the mucosa adjacent to morphologically normal appearing epithelial structures that express a stem cell-related marker.

New hypothesis: Based on these findings and the growth patterns of budding cells revealed by double immunohistochemistry, we further hypothesize that metastatic spread is an early event of carcinogenesis and that budding cells overlying focal capsule disruptions represent invasion- and metastasis-initiating cells that follow one of four pathways to progress: (1) to undergo extensive in situ proliferation leading to the formation of tumor nests that subsequently invade the submucosa, (2) to migrate with associated lymphocytes functioning as “seeds” to grow in new sites, (3) to migrate and intravasate into pre-existing vascular structures by forming TLCs, or (4) to intravasate into vascular structures that are generated by the budding cells themselves. We also propose that only node-positive cases harbor stem cells with the potential for multi-lineage differentiation and unique surface markers that permit intravasation.

Novel biomarkers for the prediction of metastasis in colorectal cancer

INTRODUCTION

In patients with metastatic colorectal cancers, multimodal management and the use of biological agents such as monoclonal antibodies have had major positive effects on survival. The ability to predict which patients may be at 'high risk' of distant metastasis could have major implications on patient management. Histomorphological, immunohistochemical or molecular biomarkers are currently being investigated in order to test their potential value as predictors of metastasis.

AREAS COVERED

Here, the author reviews the clinical and functional data supporting the investigation of three novel promising biomarkers for the prediction of metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer: tumor budding, Raf1 kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) and metastasis-associated in colon cancer-1 (MACC1).

EXPERT OPINION

The lifespan of most potential biomarkers is short as evidenced by the rare cases that have successfully made their way into daily practice such as KRAS or microsatellite instability (MSI) status. Although the three biomarkers reviewed herein have the potential to become important predictive biomarkers of metastasis, they have similar hurdles to overcome before they can be implemented into clinical management: standardization and validation in prospective patient cohorts.

Survival from colorectal cancer in Germany in the early 21st century

BACKGROUND

Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer in Germany and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women. The aim of this study is to provide detailed analysis of recent developments in survival of colorectal cancer patients using newly available data on a national basis.

METHODS

We included data from 11 German cancer registries covering a population of 33 million inhabitants. Period analysis and modelled period analysis were used to provide most up-to-date estimates of 5-year relative survival in 2002-2006.

RESULTS

The analysis was based on records of 164 996 colorectal cancer patients. Five-year relative survival was 63.0% overall, decreased with age and was significantly higher among women than among men in patients under 75 years. Overall age-adjusted 5-year relative survival increased from 60.6 to 65.0% over the period 2002-2006. Significant increase in survival was only observed in patients with localised or regional disease. Highest subsite-specific survival was observed in patients with cancer in descending (67.7%) and ascending (66.5%) colon.

CONCLUSION

Survival of patients with colorectal cancer continued to increase in the early 21st century in Germany, with 5-year relative survival reaching 65% in 2006. However, lack of progress still persisted in patients with advanced disease.

Lower treatment intensity and poorer survival in metastatic colorectal cancer patients who live alone

Background:

Socioeconomic status (SES) and social support influences cancer survival. If SES and social support affects cancer treatment has not been thoroughly explored.

Methods:

A cohort consisting of all patients who were initially diagnosed with or who developed metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC, n=781) in three Scandinavian university hospitals from October 2003 to August 2006 was set up. Clinical and socioeconomic data were registered prospectively.

Results:

Patients living alone more often had synchronous metastases at presentation and were less often treated with combination chemotherapy than those cohabitating (HR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04–0.85, P=0.03). Surgical removal of metastases was less common in patients living alone (HR 0.29, 95% CI 0.10–0.86, P=0.02) but more common among university-educated patients (HR 2.22, 95% CI 1.10–4.49, P=0.02). Smoking, being married and having children did not influence treatment or survival. Median survival was 7.7 months in patients living alone and 11.7 months in patients living with someone (P<0.001). Living alone remained a prognostic factor for survival after correction for age and comorbidity.

Conclusion:

Patients living alone received less combination chemotherapy and less secondary surgery. Living alone is a strong independent risk factor for poor survival in mCRC.