The prognostic values of prognostic nutritional index in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer

We aimed to assess the prognostic and predictive significance of pretreatment Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI) in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) patients treated with first-line chemotherapy. We designed this study to evaluate the prognostic role of PNI in 147 ES-SCLC patients treated with platinum-based combination regimen between 2011 and 2018. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses and Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the effects of basal PNI on overall survival (OS). The median age of the patients was 61 (range 38-81). The cutoff value for PNI was determined for whole group and patients were dichotomized into high (≥49.17) and low (<49.17). Seventy-eight (53.1%) patients had low PNI score and 69 (46.9%) patients had high PNI score. Patients with the high PNI score had better OS than those with low PNI (13 versus 12 months, respectively, and P = 0.03). The relationship between PNI score and OS was more prominent in patients over 65 years of age (13 versus 10 months, respectively, and P = 0.03). Progression-free survival of patients with complete response to first-line treatment was statistically significantly better than the other patients (8 versus 7 months, respectively, and P = 0.02). Similarly, OS was statistically significantly better than the other patients (15 versus 8 months, respectively, and P = 0.001). The results of our study show that PNI score is useful in evaluating the OS of patients with ES-SCLC. PNI is a cost-effective prognostic marker and should therefore be included in routine clinical practice.

The real-life efficacy and safety of osimertinib in pretreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with T790M mutation: a Turkish Oncology Group Study

INTRODUCTION

Osimertinib, an irreversible third-generation EGFR-TKI, is the standard of care for second-line treatment of T790M-mutant advanced NSCLC patients whose disease progressed after first-line EGFR-TKI therapy. In this multicenter study, we aimed to determine the real-life efficacy and safety of Osimertinib in pretreated advanced NSCLC patients with T790M mutation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective trial included advanced T790M-mutant pretreated NSCLC patients who received Osimertinib from 24 different centers in Turkey. Primary endpoint was time-to-treatment discontinuation (TTD). Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and safety.

RESULTS

Of 163 patients, 68.7% had EGFR exon 19 deletion and 22.7% had exon 21 L858R mutation. Osimertinib was given as second-line treatment in 96 patients (58.9%) and third-line in 48 patients (29.4%). After median of 13-month follow-up, median TTD was 21.6 months with an 82.2% ORR. Estimated median OS was 32.1 months. Grade 3-4 adverse events were seen in 11.7% of the patients.

CONCLUSION

Osimertinib is a highly effective option in second- or third-line treatment of NSCLC patients with T790M mutation, with a favorable safety profile.

Efficacy and Safety of Trastuzumab Emtansine in Her2 Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Real-World Experience

AIM

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in cases with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) in different lines of treatment.

METHOD

Retrospective analysis of T-DM1 results of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) positive 414 cases with mBC from 31 centers in Turkey.

FINDINGS

Except 2, all of the cases were female with a median age of 47. T-DM1 had been used as second-line therapy in 37.7% of the cases and the median number of T-DM1 cycles was 9. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) times were different according to the line of treatment. The median OS was found as 43, 41, 46, 23 and 17 months for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th line, respectively (p = 0.032) while the median PFS was found as 37, 12, 8, 8 and 8 months, respectively (p = 0.0001). Treatment was well tolerated by the patients. The most common grade 3-4 adverse effects were thrombocytopenia (2.7%) and increased serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (2%).

DISCUSSION

The best of our knowledge this is the largest real-life experience about the safety and efficacy of T-DM1 use in cases with mBC after progression of Her2 targeted treatment. This study suggests and supports that T-DM1 is more effective in earlier lines of treatment and is a reliable option for mBC.

The prognostic value of UHRF-1 and p53 in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND/AIMS

This study aimed to examine whether UHRF-1 and p53 overexpression is a prognostic marker for gastric cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Sixty-four patients with gastric cancer (study group) and 23 patients with gastritis (control group) were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine expression of UHRF-1 and p53 in gastric cancers and a control group diagnosed with gastritis.

RESULTS

The median age was 63 years (18-83 years) in the study group. UHRF-1 was positive in 15 (23%) patients with gastric cancer and fi ve (21.7%) patients with gastritis (P = 0.559). UHRF1 expression level in gastric cancer is more powerful than in gastritis (P = 0.046). Thirty-seven (61%) patients with gastric cancer and only one patient with gastritis were p53 positive (P < 0.001). After a median follow-up of 12 months (1-110), the 2-year overall survival rates were 55% and 30% in negative and positive p53, respectively (P = 0.084). Also, the 2-year overall survival rates were 45% and 53% in negative and positive UHRF-1, respectively (P = 0.132).

CONCLUSION

According to this study, UHRF-1 and p53 were not prognostic factors for gastric cancer, whereas they may have a diagnostic value for differentiating between gastric cancer and gastritis.

The negative prognostic impact of bone metastasis with a tumor mass

OBJECTIVE

Typically, bone metastasis causes osteolytic and osteoblastic lesions resulting from the interactions of tumor cells with osteoclasts and osteoblasts. In addition to these interactions, tumor tissues may grow inside bones and cause mass lesions. In the present study, we aimed to demonstrate the negative impact of a tumor mass in a large cohort of patients with bone metastatic cancer.

METHODS

Data from 335 patients with bone metastases were retrospectively reviewed. For the analysis, all patients were divided into three subgroups with respect to the type of bone metastasis: osteolytic, osteoblastic, or mixed. The patients were subsequently categorized as having bone metastasis with or without a tumor mass, and statistically significant differences in median survival and 2-year overall survival were observed between these patients (the median survival and 2-year overall survival were respectively 3 months and 16% in patients with a tumor mass and 11 months and 26% in patients without a tumor mass; p<0.001).

RESULTS

According to multivariate analysis, the presence of bone metastasis with a tumor mass was found to be an independent prognostic factor (p=0.011, hazard ratio: 1.62, 95% confidence interval: 1.11-1.76). Bone metastasis with a tumor mass was more strongly associated with osteolytic lesions, other primary diseases (except for primary breast and prostate cancers), and spinal cord compression.

CONCLUSION

Bone metastasis with a tumor mass is a strong and independent negative prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients.