Cisplatin, Gemcitabine, and Paclitaxel as a Salvage Second-Line Therapy for Metastatic Germ-Cell Cancer

Simple predictors for the completion of scheduled gemcitabine‑cisplatin regimens based on real‑world urothelial cancer data

Gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) is the standard first line of chemotherapy for urothelial carcinoma. However, it is often difficult to complete scheduled GC therapy because of real-world adverse events. Therefore, the reasons behind delays, scheduled cancelations and determined predictive factors for completing scheduled GC therapy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma from 2009 to 2020 received a 4-week GC therapy schedule in Oita University Hospital. Information was retrospectively extracted from medical records and all cycles were divided into two groups: One wherein all treatments were administered and completed on schedule and the other wherein treatment was either delayed or canceled in during the treatment schedule. Predictive factors were then statistically extracted between the two groups. In total, 70 patients received 201 cycles of a 4-week scheduled GC therapy. Of the 201 cycles, a total of 68 (33.8%) completed all scheduled treatments, while 133 (66.1%) did not complete the treatment as scheduled. In the group where administration was not completed on schedule, the factors of male, ureteral cancer, lower stage, <90% of gemcitabine and cisplatin dosage, solitary kidney, high creatinine level, low estimated glomerular filtration rate level, low platelet count and high alkaline phosphatase level at the initiation of each cycle were more significant. Additionally, the lowest anticancer drug percentage administration was on day 15. From these results, predictive factors for patients with various backgrounds who completed the scheduled 4-week GC therapy based on real-world data were identified. This information can be useful for clinical physicians when deciding the course of treatment.

First-line combination chemotherapy with etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin for the treatment of disseminated germ cell cancer: Efficacy and feasibility in current clinical practice

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of first-line etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin and primary prophylaxis with pegfilgrastim as first-line chemotherapy for disseminated germ cell cancer.

METHODS

This study reviewed 154 consecutive patients with previously untreated disseminated germ cell cancer who received first-line etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin between 1995 and 2020. Of these, 54 patients were managed with primary prophylaxis using pegfilgrastim (primary prophylaxis group), and 100 were managed with the therapeutic use of short-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (non-primary prophylaxis group).

RESULTS

The International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group classification identified 90 (58%)/40 (26%)/24 (16%) patients with good/intermediate/poor prognosis, respectively. Overall, 139 patients (90%) were disease free after etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin with/without post-chemotherapy surgery. The median relative dose intensity of etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin was 96%, and there was a significant difference between the primary prophylaxis and non-primary prophylaxis groups (100% vs 90%, P < 0.01). The 5-year salvage treatment-free and overall survival rates were 83% and 94%, respectively. In total, 138 patients (90%) developed grade 4 hematological toxicities, and there were no treatment-related deaths due to myelosuppression. Grade 4 neutropenia was less commonly observed in the primary prophylaxis group compared with the non-primary prophylaxis group (80% vs 95%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest study of first-line etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin, and its sufficient efficacy and safety profiles are confirmed in current clinical practice. Primary prophylaxis using pegfilgrastim might further improve the feasibility of etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin.