Survival is influenced by approaches to local treatment of Ewing sarcoma within an international randomised controlled trial: analysis of EICESS-92

Background

Two national clinical trial groups, United Kingdom Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG) and the German Paediatric Oncology and Haematology Group (GPOH) together undertook a randomised trial, EICESS-92, which addressed chemotherapy options for Ewing’s sarcoma. We sought the causes of unexpected survival differences between the study groups.

Methods

647 patients were randomised. Cox regression analyses were used to compare event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) between the two study groups.

Results

5-year EFS rates were 43% (95% CI 36–50%) and 57% (95% CI 52–62) in the CCLG and GPOH patients, respectively; corresponding 5-year OS rates were 52% (95% CI 45–59%) and 66% (95% CI 61–71). CCLG patients were less likely to have both surgery and radiotherapy (18 vs. 59%), and more likely to have a single local therapy modality compared to the GPOH patients (72 vs. 35%). Forty-five percent of GPOH patients had pre-operative radiotherapy compared to 3% of CCLG patients. In the CCLG group local recurrence (either with or without metastases) was the first event in 22% of patients compared with 7% in the GPOH group. After allowing for the effects of age, metastases, primary site, histology and local treatment modality, the risk of an EFS event was 44% greater in the CCLG cohort (95% CI 10–89%, p = 0.009), and the risk of dying was 30% greater, but not statistically significant (95% CI 3–74%, p = 0.08).

Conclusions

Unexpected differences in EFS and OS occurred between two patient cohorts recruited within an international randomised trial. Failure to select or deliver appropriate local treatment modalities for Ewing’s sarcoma may compromise chances of cure.

Trial registration Supported by Deutsche Krebshilfe (Grants No. DKH M43/92/Jü2 and DKH 70-2551 Jü3), and European Union Biomedicine and Health Programme (Grants No. BMH1-CT92-1341 and BMH4-983956), and Cancer Research United Kingdom. Clinical trial information can be found for the following: NCT0000251

Quality of Survivorship in a Rare Disease: Clinicofunctional Outcome and Physical Activity in an Observational Cohort Study of 618 Long-Term Survivors of Ewing Sarcoma

Purpose

Significantly improved survival rates in patients with Ewing sarcoma have raised interest in accessing the quality of long-term survivorship. In this study, subjective and objective measurement tools, preclassified as physical or mental scores, were used to assess clinicofunctional outcome and physical activity after intensive bone tumor treatment.

Methods

Long-term outcome of 618 survivors from consecutive Ewing sarcoma trials was assessed by the Toronto Extremity Salvage Score, Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale questionnaires and by the accelerometric StepWatch 3 Activity Monitor. Prospective measurements were correlated retrospectively with standardized primary trial data. Results were compared with 316 nonrandom healthy peers by using effect sizes ( d). Median observation time was 12.9 years from primary diagnosis (range, 3.7 to 31.2 years).

Results

Absolute subjective scores were moderate to good for survivors. Compared with control subjects, unfavorable outcome was shown on physical Toronto Extremity Salvage Score, SF-36 Physical Component Summary, and BSI-Somatization scales (| d| ≥ 0.50; P < .01), in contrast to SF-36 Mental Component Summary, BSI-Anxiety, BSI-Depression, and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale mental scales (| d| ≤ 0.31). Survivors were less active than control subjects, as demonstrated by a step count difference of 1,742 steps per day ( d = −0.43; P < .01); however, on average, the recommended level for an active lifestyle was achieved (≥ 10,000 steps). Location of pelvic tumor was the major inferior disease-specific prognostic factor in physical scores ( P < .01), whereas nondisease-specific inferior factors in questionnaires were older age and female sex ( P < .01).

Conclusion

Survivors of Ewing sarcoma apparently returned to a normal life with minor limitations. Observed reductions in physical scores should be a focus in future research to optimize treatment strategies to reduce a negative impact on the quality of survivorship.

Long-term outcome of patients with lower extremity Ewing sarcoma

117

Background: With improved survival rates of patients with Ewing sarcoma the quality of long-term survivorship needs to be addressed. In this study, general recovery and restitution of function following intensive bone tumor treatment were analyzed by assessing the clinico-functional outcome and physical activity using self-reporting and objective measurement tools. Methods: Long-term outcome of 224 former patients with lower extremity Ewing sarcoma, registered between 1980 and 2009 in consecutive clinical trials of the GPOH, were assessed using the TESS, SF-36, BSI, and RSES questionnaire scales, and the accelerometric StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM). To compare results with healthy subjects, 111 non-random peer controls were selected. Median observation time was 13.8 years from primary diagnosis (range 4.1-31.2). Results: Absolute values from the questionnaire scores indicated no major clinical findings in former patients. Compared to controls, unfavorable outcomes were however seen on physical TESS (d=-0.85), PCS (SF-36) (d=-1.08) and BSI-S scores (d=0.65) (P<0.001), in contrast to mental MCS (SF-36), BSI-A, BSI-D, RSES scores (d<0.40). Former patients were less active than the control group (10067 vs. 12430 steps per day; d=-0.56; P<0.001), but on average did reach the recommended level for an active life-style (>10000 steps). Comparing local therapy modality, physical scores for SAM, TESS, PCS were 10978, 91.2, T=50.2 for patients treated with surgery (N=101), 11097, 90.0, T=48.6 in patients with combined modality treatment (N=108), and 10093, 92.8, T=50.0 for patients with definite radiotherapy (N=15) (P=0.648; P=0.580; P=0.368). Conclusions: Survivors of primary lower extremity Ewing sarcoma exhibited moderately reduced self-reported and objectively measured physical outcome scores. Continuous long-term observation will be important in order to identify disease-specific prognostic factors for these patient-oriented outcomes.

Effective childhood cancer treatment: the impact of large scale clinical trials in Germany and Austria

In Germany and Austria, more than 90% of pediatric cancer patients are enrolled into nationwide disease-specific first-line clinical trials or interim registries. Essential components are a pediatric cancer registry and centralized reference laboratories, imaging review, and tumor board assistance. The five-year overall survival rate in countries where such infrastructures are established has improved from <20% before 1950 to >80% since 1995. Today, treatment intensity is tailored to the individual patient's risk to provide the highest chances of survival while minimizing deleterious late effects. Multicenter clinical trials are internationalized and serve as platforms for further improvements by novel drugs and biologicals.

Impact of gender on efficacy and acute toxicity in standard risk localized (SR) Ewing sarcomas (ES) in the Euro-Ewing99-R1 trial

10031

Background: The randomized Euro-EWING99-R1 trial assessed noninferiority of cyclophosphamide- vs ifosfamide-based consolidation regimens (VAC vs VAI) in SR localized ES patients. Overall, efficacy of VAC was deemed acceptable compared to VAI, with hazard ratio of event HR = 1.12 [0.89 - 1.41]. Based on its gender-stratified randomization, influence of gender on efficacy and acute toxicity were additionally explored. Methods: Impact of gender on EFS, acute toxicity by course, switches between treatment arms, and cumulative dose of alkylating agents was evaluated in multivariable models, including terms to test for heterogeneity of treatment effect by gender. Analysis was performed on the intention to treat population. Results: 856 patients (509 males, 347 females) were recruited between 2000 and 2010: 425 VAI and 431 VAC. EFS did not significantly differ between genders (p=0.33), but a marginal interaction was seen between treatment and gender (p=0.083): VAC was associated with poorer EFS in males than VAI, HR(VAC/VAI) = 1.34 [0.96 - 1.86], whereas, in females, VAC was slightly better than VAI, HR = 0.83 [0.54 - 1.28]. Similarly, males had a worse EFS than females with VAC, HR(M/F) = 1.42 [0.97 – 2.08], whereas results by gender were very similar with VAI, HR = 0.91 [0.62 – 1.33]. Severe hematological toxicity was more frequent with VAC than VAI whereas tubular renal impairment was more frequent with VAI. Severe toxicity was more frequent in females than in males, whatever the toxicity type, with no significant interaction between treatment and gender effect. 30 patients switched from VAI to VAC (21 F, 9 M) mostly due to renal toxicity, and 3 from VAC to VAI (1 F, 2 M). A reduction of alkylating agent cumulative dose >20% was more frequent in females (15% vs 9%, p=0.01), with no major difference between VAI and VAC (13% vs 10%, p=0.21). Conclusions: The marginal interaction between gender and type of alkylating agent on EFS has to be validated on external data. Differences of acute toxicity rate and compliance are not sufficient explanation. Effects of gender-dependant polymorphism/activity of metabolic enzymes (e.g. known for CYP2B6) of ifosfamide vs cyclophosphamide should be explored. Clinical trial information: NCT00020566.

Results of pulmonary metastasectomy for osteosarcoma in the pediatric age group

10080

Background: Despite multimodal treatment concepts and complete surgical resection, prognosis in pediatric patients with pulmonary metastases from osteosarcoma has remained limited due to frequent relapse of disease. We investigated the results of an aggressive surgical approach. Methods: In a retrospective study, procedures and outcomes of pulmonary metastasectomy in the pediatric age group (up to 18 years) at our institution were analyzed over a period of 10 years (1999-2009). Resection of the primary osteogenic tumor and chemotherapy (CROSS-96-protocol and EURAMOS-1-protocol) were performed prior to thoracic surgery. Results: Forty-five pediatric patients (20 females) underwent pulmonary metastasectomies via sternotomy or sequential anterolateral thoracotomy at a mean age of 14 (6 -18) years. At primary surgery, a mean number of 7.9 (1 – 53) palpable suspicious lesions were resected per patient. Histo-pathological evaluation revealed 3.7 (0 – 40) metastases per patient. Mean total duration of surgery was 152 (46–323) minutes. Mean hospital stay was 10 days (3 – 33). In-hospital and 30-day mortality was 0%. The overall survival at 1 and 5 years was 97.8% and 77.3%, respectively. Mean disease-free-survival was 12.2 (3.2-38.0) months. In 19 (42.2 %) patients recurrent pulmonary metastases were detected and re-thoracotomies were required. Up to 7 procedures per patient were performed. Overall survival for patients undergoing more than one surgical procedure for recurrent lung metastases was not statistically different from survival in patients without relapse (p > 0.05). Survival was significantly better in patients initially presenting with less than 10 metastases (85.3 % vs. 54.1 % at 5 years, p = 0.028). Conclusions: Complete pulmonary metastasectomies are essential in pediatric osteosarcoma patients with lung metastasis. Repeated resections for recurrent relapses improve survival and may allow for long-term event-free-survival.

[Procedure guidelines for whole-body 18F-FDG PET and PET/CT in children with malignant diseases]

The purpose of these guidelines is to offer the nuclear medicine and the appropriate interdisciplinary team a framework for performing and reporting positron emission tomography (PET) and the combination with computed tomography (PET/CT) in children with malignant diseases mainly using the radiopharmaceutical 18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose (FDG). These guidelines are based on the recent guidelines of the Paediatric Committee of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) (57) and have been translated and adapted to the current conditions in Germany. The adaptation of CT-parameters using PET/CT in children is covered in a more detailed way than in the EANM guideline taking into account that in Germany already a good portion of PET examinations is performed using an integrated PET/CT-scanner. Furthermore, a CT-scan without adoption of the CT acquisition parameters would result in a not tolerably high radiation exposition of the child. There are excellent guidelines for FDG PET and PET/CT in oncology published by the German Society of Nuclear Medicine (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nuklearmedizin, DGN) (42) and EANM (4). These guidelines aim at providing additional information on issues particularly relevant to PET and PET/CT imaging in children. These guidelines should be taken in the context of local and national current standards of quality and rules.

PET surveillance of patients with Ewing sarcomas of the trunk: Must the lower legs be included?

AIM

FDG-PET(/CT) is frequently used in surveillance of Ewing sarcoma (ES) patients. Since ES and PNET (primitive neuroectodermal tumours) may cause peripheral metastases some centers routinely recommend whole body PET acquisition from head to toe what may necessitate repositioning of the patient and thus extending examination time. It is not clear yet whether inclusion of lower leg adds to the diagnostic accuracy of PET scanning, especially in primary tumors of the trunk.

PATIENTS, METHOD

40 patients with ES and PNET of the trunk who were referred for surveillance after primary therapy with complete remission, were evaluated retrospectively: 27 men, 13 women; mean age at diagnosis 16.3 (3-35) years. At the time of diagnosis 28 patients had localized and 12 metastatic disease. Almost all of the patients had undergone a combined chemotherapy with surgery or/and radiotherapy. 156 follow-up PET scans of the legs of these patients were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULTS

only in three (1.9%) of 156 scans a pathologic FDG accumulation was attributed to metastatic disease of the lower extremities. In these cases the observation of metastatic disease in the legs did not alter therapy, since in all three cases a multifocal disease progression was observed.

CONCLUSION

scanning of the lower legs may be omitted during follow-up in patients in whom the primary tumor was located in the trunk and in whom no clinical signs pointing to metastases in the lower legs are present. This provides a sufficient diagnostic power and a shorter examination time, thus increasing patient comfort and scanner availability.

Treosulfan-based high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation in high-risk Ewing sarcoma

10546

Background: High-dose chemotherapy (HDC) is widely used in consolidation treatment of Ewing sarcoma patients with primary disseminated or recurrent disease. Standard busulfan-based regimens are not compatible with radiotherapy to central axis sites. Treosulfan is a newly-developed bifunctional alkylating agent that has been shown to be safe in current trials of the German Society for Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (GPOH) even in heavily pre-treated patients including axial radiation. Methods: Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) for 21 patients with primary disseminated disease (PDD) and survival after relapse for 11 relapse patients recruited from the EURO-E.W.I.N.G.99 trial 1998–2007 were analyzed. PDD-patients had received VIDE induction prior to treosulfan-based HDC (treosulfan: 36g/m2; melphalan: 140mg/m2) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. Median follow up was 1.72 yrs. Relapse patients had received appropriate second line chemotherapy regimens prior to treosulfan-based HDC. Median follow up after relapse was 2.26 yrs. Results: Seventeen of 21 (81%) PDD-patients had a central axis site of the primary tumor, 8 patients (38%) presented with a pelvic tumor. Metastatic sites were: bone (76%), bone marrow (22%), CNS (10%), liver (15%), lymphnode (29%), other (16%), and additionally lung metastases in 57%. 1y-EFS was 0.70 (SE=.10), 2y-EFS was 0.27 (SE=0.10), and 3y-EFS was 0.16 (SE=.09). 1y-OS was 0.84 (SE=.08), 2y-OS was 0.46 (SE=.13), and 3y-OS was 0.32 (SE=.12). In the cohort of 11 relapse patients two patients (18%) had a local relapse, 3 (27%) a combined relapse, and 6 (55%) a systemic relapse. Six of 11 (55%) relapse patients had a late relapse >2 yrs from diagnosis. Survival after relapse at 3yrs was 0.70 (SE=.15). Conclusions: Treosulfan-based HDC is an alternative approach in high-risk Ewing tumor patients especially after relapse to consolidate a second remission. Further investigation and comparison to other standard HDC regimens is needed.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Microsatellite instability in Ewing tumor is not associated with loss of mismatch repair protein expression

Only few clinical factors predict the prognosis of patients with Ewing tumors. Unfavorable outcome is associated with primary metastatic disease, age > 15 years, tumor volume above 200 ml, and the histological response to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to elucidate the prevalence and clinical impact of microsatellite instability (MSI) together with the relation between MSI and mismatch repair protein expression in Ewing tumors. DNA from 61 primary Ewing tumors and 11 Ewing tumor cell lines was extracted and microsatellite analysis for the detection of instability or loss of heterozygosity was performed for the five markers of the Bethesda panel BAT25, BAT26, D5S346, D2S123, and D17S250, which represents the established marker panel for the analysis of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal carcinoma (HNPCC) patients. In addition, single nucleotide repeat regions of the two tumor genes BAX and transforming growth factor receptor II (TGFBR2) were also included. All of the 61 samples were suitable for LOH analysis and 55 for the determination of MSI-status. LOH of these microsatellite markers was detected in 9 of the 61 patients (14.8%). Over all, genetic instability, i.e. MSI and/or LOH, was detected in 17 tumors (27.9%). One out of the 11 tumor cell lines (STA ET1) was characterized by instability of all the five Bethesda markers, while from primary tumor samples, only one showed MSI in more than one microsatellite marker (D5S346 and D17S250, MSI-high). Eight of the fifty-five patients (14.5%) showed instability of one microsatellite locus (MSI-low). No instability was detected in BAT26, D2S123, BAX and TGFBR2. There was no significant correlation between MSI and loss of expression of mismatch repair proteins MLH1, MSH2, or MSH6. The impairment of the p53 signaling pathway (expression of TP53 and/or MDM2 by immunohistochemistry) was significantly associated with reduced overall survival (15 of 49 patients (30.6%), P = 0.0410, log-rank test). We conclude that MSI is not prevalent in Ewing tumor and that the nature of instability differs from the form observed in colorectal carcinoma, the model tumor of MSI. This is documented by the different pattern of MSI (no BAT26 instability) in Ewing tumors and the lack of a strict correlation between MSI-high and loss of expression of MSH2, MSH6 and MLH1.

Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors: current management

Ewing's sarcoma is the second most frequent primary bone cancer, with approximately 225 new cases diagnosed each year in patients less than 20 years of age in North America. It is one of the pediatric small round blue cell tumors, characterized by strong membrane expression of CD99 in a chain-mail pattern and negativity for lymphoid (CD45), rhabdomyosarcoma (myogenin, desmin, actin) and neuroblastoma (neurofilament protein) markers. Pathognomonic translocations involving the ews gene on chromosome 22 and an ets-type gene, most commonly the fli1 gene on chromosome 11, are implicated in the great majority of cases. Clinical presentation is usually dominated by local bone pain and a mass. Imaging reveals a technetium pyrophosphate avid lesion that, on plain radiograph, is destructive, diaphyseal and classically causes layered periosteal calcification. Magnetic resonance best defines the extent of the lesion. Biopsy should be undertaken by an experienced orthopedic oncologist. Approximately three quarters of patients have initially localized disease. About two thirds survive disease-free. Management, preferably at a specialist center with a multi-disciplinary team, includes both local control-either surgery, radiation or a combination-and systemic chemotherapy. Chemotherapy includes cyclic combinations, incorporating vincristine, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, ifosfamide and occasionally actinomycin D. Topotecan in combination with cyclophosphamide has shown preliminary activity. Patients with initially metastatic disease fare less well, with about one quarter surviving. Studies incorporating intensive therapy followed by stem cell infusion show no clear benefit. New approaches include anti-angiogenic therapy, particularly since vascular endothelial growth factor is an apparent downstream target of the ews-fli1 oncogene.

Safety assessment of intensive induction with vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide (VIDE) in the treatment of Ewing tumors in the EURO-E.W.I.N.G. 99 clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The EUROpean Ewing tumour Working Initiative of National Groups 1999 (EURO-E.W.I.N.G. 99) protocol prescribes six courses of vincristine, ifosfamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide (VIDE) as intensive induction chemotherapy for Ewing tumors (ET). Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is recommended. Adverse reactions (AR) were evaluated; quality assurance of data collection reviewed.

PROCEDURE

Safety data from 4,746 courses of VIDE in 851 patients less than 50 years with ET were collected using a checklist and evaluated using descriptive statistics with sub-groups including gender, age, and tumor volume, analyzed by Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis tests.

RESULTS

Myelosuppression and infections were the major AR but with appropriate supportive therapy targeted dose intensity was maintained. Five VIDE-related deaths with three due to sepsis were reported. Renal and cardiac toxicity were reflected by glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <39 ml/min/1.73 m2 in 0.1%, tubular phosphate reabsorption < or = 0.80 in 1.9%, and left ventricular shortening fracture <28% in 2.5% VIDE courses. Statistically significant gender-associated AR concerning hemoglobin and platelets were observed with females > males as were age-associated AR concerning hemoglobin, WBC, platelets, stomatitis, and vomiting with AR decreasing with age, that is, children > adolescents > adults. No association of AR to tumor volume was found. In VIDE courses with and without G-CSF, neutropenia-related fever in 60.8% and 65.8%, and infection in 54.7% and 61.0% courses, respectively, were recorded.

CONCLUSIONS

AR under VIDE remained within the expected range. Some AR, for example, hematotoxicity were significantly influenced by age and gender but not by tumor volume. G-CSF did not significantly influence neutropenia-related fever and infection. Solicited safety collection with checklists adequately reflects the burden per course.

CD28 co-stimulation via tumour-specific chimaeric receptors induces an incomplete activation response in Epstein-Barr virus-specific effector memory T cells

Expression of tumour antigen-specific chimaeric receptors in T lymphocytes can redirect their effector functions towards tumour cells. Integration of the signalling domains of the co-stimulatory molecule CD28 into chRec enhances antigen-specific proliferation of polyclonal human T cell populations. While CD28 plays an essential role in the priming of naive CD4(+) T cells, its contribution to effector memory T cell responses is controversial. We compared the function of the chRec with and without the CD28 co-stimulatory domain, expressing it in peripheral blood T cells or Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific T cell lines. The chimaeric T cell receptors contain an extracellular single-chain antibody domain, to give specificity against the tumour ganglioside antigen G(D2). The transduced cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) maintained their specificity for autologous EBV targets and their capacity to proliferate after stimulation with EBV-infected B cells. Intracellular cytokine staining demonstrated efficient and comparable antigen-specific interferon (IFN)-gamma secretion by CTL following engagement of both the native and the chimaeric receptor, independent of chimaeric CD28 signalling. Furthermore, tumour targets were lysed in an antigen-specific manner by both chRec. However, while antigen engagement by CD28 zeta chRec efficiently induced expansion of polyclonal peripheral blood lymphocytes in an antigen-dependent manner, CD28 signalling did not induce proliferation of EBV-CTL in response to antigen-expressing tumour cells. Thus, the co-stimulatory requirement for the efficient activation response of antigen-specific memory cells cannot be mimicked simply by combining CD28 and zeta signalling. The full potential of this highly cytolytic T cell population for adoptive immunotherapy of cancer requires further exploration of their co-stimulatory requirements.

Comparative expression analysis of Pax3 and Pax7 during mouse myogenesis

Pax3 and Pax7 are closely related transcription factors involved in the commitment of myogenic precursors in the developing trunk. However, it is not yet clear whether these genes are required for myogenic cell specification in the head and for post-somitic myogensis per se. In part, this uncertainty is due to the scarce information about their normal time course and pattern of expression. Here, we present a systematic immunohistochemical in situ analysis of spatiotemporal characteristics of Pax3 and Pax7 protein expression in comparison to that of MyoD and myogenin in the developing trunk and head muscles. The observed patterns of expression suggest that Pax3 is not involved in myogenesis in the head and its post-somitic expression in the trunk and limb muscles is mostly repressed after stage E13.5. In contrast, Pax7 expression is shared among all striated muscles and exhibits a uniform pattern. Pax7 is expressed only in mononucleated cells that either differentiate into myotubes or later form satellite cells. During development of head muscles, expression of Pax7 follows expression of MyoD and myogenin, implying that Pax7 is not required to induce the initial steps of the myogenic program in the head. In Pax7 homozygous mutants, in which muscle development proceeds normally, expression of Pax3 is indistinguishable from its wild-type pattern (i. e. absent), suggesting that after stage E13.5 myogenesis does not require Pax3 and Pax7. These data challenge the concept that Pax3 and Pax7 determine a persistent lineage of myogenic precursors in pre-natal and post-natal muscle development.

Esomeprazole 20 mg vs. pantoprazole 20 mg for maintenance therapy of healed erosive oesophagitis: results from the EXPO study

BACKGROUND

Following initial healing of erosive oesophagitis, most patients require maintenance therapy to prevent relapse.

AIM

To compare endoscopic and symptomatic remission rates over 6 months' maintenance therapy with esomeprazole or pantoprazole (both 20 mg once daily) in patients with healed erosive oesophagitis.

METHODS

Patients with symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and endoscopically confirmed erosive oesophagitis at baseline were randomized to receive esomeprazole 40 mg or pantoprazole 40 mg for up to 8 weeks. Patients with healed erosive oesophagitis and free of moderate/severe heartburn and acid regurgitation at 4 weeks or, if necessary, 8 weeks entered the 6-month maintenance therapy phase of the study.

RESULTS

A total of 2766 patients (63% men; mean age 50 years) received esomeprazole 20 mg (n = 1377) or pantoprazole 20 mg (n = 1389) and comprised the intention-to-treat population. Following 6 months of treatment, the proportion of patients in endoscopic and symptomatic remission was significantly greater for those receiving esomeprazole 20 mg (87.0%) than pantoprazole 20 mg (74.9%, log-rank test P < 0.0001). Esomeprazole 20 mg produced a higher proportion of patients free of moderate to severe gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms and fewer discontinuations because of symptoms than pantoprazole 20 mg (92.2% vs. 88.5%, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Esomeprazole 20 mg is more effective than pantoprazole 20 mg for maintenance therapy following initial healing of erosive oesophagitis and relief of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms.

A randomized comparative study of esomeprazole 40 mg versus pantoprazole 40 mg for healing erosive oesophagitis: the EXPO study

AIM

To assess the efficacy of the 8-week therapy with esomeprazole 40 mg vs. pantoprazole 40 mg for healing erosive oesophagitis (EE) as part of a management study.

METHODS

Patients had a history of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms (> or =6 months) and had suffered heartburn on at least 4 of the 7 days preceding enrollment. Endoscopies were performed to grade EE severity using the Los Angeles (LA) classification system at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks (if unhealed at 4 weeks). Heartburn severity was recorded by patients on diary cards. The primary end point was healing of EE by week 8 of treatment.

RESULTS

Of 3170 patients randomized, the intent-to-treat population consisted of 3151 patients (63% male, mean age: 50.6 years, 27% Helicobacter pylori-positive). Esomeprazole 40 mg healed a significantly greater proportion of EE patients than pantoprazole 40 mg at both 4 weeks (life table estimates: esomeprazole 81%, pantoprazole 75%, P < 0.001) and 8 weeks (life table estimates: esomeprazole 96%, pantoprazole 92%, P < 0.001). The median time to reach sustained heartburn resolution was 6 days in patients receiving esomeprazole and 8 days with pantoprazole (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Esomeprazole 40 mg is more effective than pantoprazole 40 mg for healing EE and providing resolution of associated heartburn.

Ewing?s sarcoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumor of hand and forearm

PURPOSE

Because Ewing's sarcoma (EWS) is extremely rare in the hand and forearm, only limited data are available for planning treatment or predicting prognosis.

METHODS

Data of 33 patients with EWS of the forearm or hand who were enrolled in studies of the German Association for Paediatric Oncology/Haematology and the European Intergroup Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Study Group were analyzed. Patients received neoadjuvant multi-agent chemotherapy according to the valid protocol. Local treatment consisted of surgery (n=7), radiotherapy (n=7), or a combination of both (n=19).

RESULTS

The 5/10-year overall survival rate was 84.1% (95% CI: 71.2-96.9)/74.1% (95% CI: 56.8-91.5), and both 5/10-year event-free survival rate were 71.3% (95% CI: 55.4-87.1). Only one of seven patients with secondary metastases was in remission at the time of analysis. One patient with local recurrence and another with primary metastases died. Altogether, eight of 33 patients died of their disease. The event-free survival rate was 80.6% in patients with good response to chemotherapy and 33.3% in patients with poor response. Surgery in combination with radiotherapy achieved a higher survival rate compared with radiotherapy or surgery alone. One out of two patients with non-wide margins of resection died of disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The results demonstrate a remarkably high survival rate for patients with EWS of the hand and forearm.

High-dose therapy for patients with primary multifocal and early relapsed Ewing's tumors: results of two consecutive regimens assessing the role of total-body irradiation

PURPOSE

Risk stratification of metastatic and relapsed Ewing's tumors (ETs) has been a matter of debate during the last decade. Patients with bone or bone marrow metastases or early or multiple relapses constitute the worst risk group in ET and have a poorer prognosis than patients with primary lung metastases or late relapses. In this article, the results of the present Meta European Intergroup Cooperative Ewing Sarcoma Study (MetaEICESS) (tandem melphalan/etoposide [TandemME]) were compared with the result of the previous study (hyper melphalan/etoposide [HyperME]), both at 5 years, in a patient population within the same high-risk stratum to determine toxicity.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Among 54 eligible patients, 26 were treated according to the HyperME protocol, and 28 were treated according to TandemME protocol. Patients received six cycles of the Cooperative Ewing Sarcoma Study treatment in HyperME and six cycles of the EICESS treatment in TandemME as induction chemotherapy. Patients also received involved-compartment irradiation for local intensification and myeloablative systemic intensification consolidation with hyperfractionated total-body irradiation (TBI) combined with melphalan/etoposide in HyperME or two times the melphalan/etoposide in TandemME followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation.

RESULTS

The event-free survival (EFS) rate +/- SD in HyperME and TandemME was 22% +/- 8% and 29% +/- 9%, respectively. The dead of complication rate was 23% in HyperME and 4% in TandemME.

CONCLUSION

TandemME offers a decent, albeit still not satisfactory, rate of long-term remissions in most advanced ETs (AETs), with short-term treatment and acceptable toxicity. TBI was not required to maintain EFS level in this setting but was associated with a high rate of toxic death. Future prospective studies in unselected patients are warranted to evaluate high-dose therapy in an unselected group of patients with AET.

Targeting CD19 with genetically modified EBV-specific human T lymphocytes

Human Epstein-Barr virus-specific T cells were genetically modified to express chimeric receptors specific for human CD19, which is expressed on the cell surface of most B cell malignancies. The receptor-modified EBV-specific T cells can be expanded and maintained long term in the presence of EBV-infected B cells. They recognize autologous EBV-infected targets through their conventional T cell receptor, and allogeneic EBV-infected targets and tumor targets through their chimeric receptor. They efficiently lyse both EBV and CD19-positive tumor targets in the absence of background cytotoxicity against CD19-negative targets. Donor-derived EBV-specific T cells expressing chimeric anti-tumor receptors may represent a source of effector cells that could be safely administered to leukemia patients to eradicate minimal residual disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Population-based genetic alterations in Ewing's tumors from Japanese and European Caucasian patients

BACKGROUND

The incidence of Ewing's tumors (ETs) is lower in Asians or African-Americans than in Caucasians.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Japanese ETs were available for analysis of chromosomal aberrations by comparative genomic hybridization (n = 16) and for expression of chimeric EWS transcripts by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (n = 11). These results in Japanese patients were compared with those of 62 ETs in European Caucasian patients registered in the European Intergroup Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Study.

RESULTS

Japanese patients with ET had lower overall survival (P = 0.0446) and relapse-free survival (P = 0.0371) compared with European Caucasian patients. Ten of 11 Japanese ETs and 31 of 62 European Caucasian ETs had type I (EWS exon 7 to FLI1 exon 6) fusion transcripts. In Japanese ETs, the median numbers of chromosomal aberrations were 2.0 and 6.0 in 11 primary tumors and five relapsed tumors, respectively. In European Caucasian ETs, the median number of changes were 2.5 and 5.0 in 52 primary and 10 relapsed tumors, respectively. Frequent gains were 8q (38%), 8p (31%) and 12q (25%) in Japanese ETs and 8q (52%), 8p (48%) and 12q (19%) in European Caucasian ETs. Frequent losses were 19q (44%), 19p (38%) and 17p (25%) in Japanese ETs and 16q (21%), 19q (18%) and 17p (15%) in European Caucasian ETs. The incidence of losses of 19p (P = 0.0215) and 19q (P = 0.0277) were significantly higher in Japanese ETs than in European Caucasian ETs. An amplification (1p33-p34) was observed in only one Japanese ET.

CONCLUSIONS

Japanese patients with ET in this study had a worse prognosis than European Caucasian patients. In molecular genetic analyses, Japanese ETs had a higher frequency of loss of chromosome 19 than European Caucasian ETs. Different genetic aberrations may explain the different incidences and prognoses of ET between Caucasian and Japanese patients.

Genetic imbalances revealed by comparative genomic hybridization in Ewing tumors

Ewing tumors are characterized by reciprocal translocations involving the EWS gene on 22q12 fused to ETS transcription-factor family members. Little is known about further aberrations contributing to tumor development and progression. Sixty-two frozen tumors with known EWS rearrangements (52 primary tumors, 10 relapses) of ET patients registered in the EICESS protocol were analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). The median number of changes in 52 primary and 10 relapsed cases was 2.5 and 5.0 per tumor (P = 0.153). Frequent abnormalities included gains of chromosomes 8, 12, 20, and 1q and losses of 16q and 19q. Neither number nor type of aberration was associated with histology, tumor size, disease stage, tumor localization, or histologic tumor response to chemotherapy. Among the 52 primary tumors, 26 with Type I fusion (EWS exon 7 to FLI1 exon 6) and 26 with other fusion types had a median of 2.0 and 3.0 aberrations per tumor, respectively (P = 0.031). Combinations of gains of chromosomes 8 and 12, gains of chromosome 20, and either gains of 8q or 18q and losses of 16q and 17p frequently occurred. The cumulative overall survival (OAS) was different between 35 patients with <5 aberrations and 13 patients with > or =5 aberrations (P = 0.009). Univariate analysis showed that patients with gains of 1q, 2q, 12, and 20 or losses of 16q and 17p had significantly lower OAS than those without aberrations. By multivariate analysis, loss of 16q (relative risk [RR] = 5.3; P = 0.0006) was an independent prognostic factor.

Traditional and emerging molecular markers in neuroblastoma prognosis: the good, the bad and the ugly

BACKGROUND

Neuroblastomas (NB) are a heterogeneous group of childhood tumours with a wide range of likelihood for tumour progression. As traditional parameters do not ensure completely accurate prognostic grouping, new molecular markers are needed for assessing the individual patient's prognosis more precisely.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

133 NB of all stages were analysed in blind-trial fashion for telomerase activity (TA), expression of surviving, and MYCN status. These data were correlated with other traditional prognostic indicators and disease outcome.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

TA is a powerful independent prognostic marker for all stages and is capable of differentiating between good and poor outcome in putative "favourable" clinical or biological subgroups of NB patients. High surviving expression is associated with an adverse outcome, but is more difficult to interprete than TA because survivin expression needs to be accurately quantified to be of predictive value. We propose an extended progression model for NB including emerging prognostic markers, with emphasis on telomerase activity.

Telomerase is a strong indicator for assessing the proneness to progression in neuroblastomas

BACKGROUND

As traditional parameters do not ensure completely accurate prognostic grouping in neuroblastoma (NB), new molecular markers are needed for assessing the individual patient's prognosis more precisely.

PROCEDURE, RESULTS, AND CONCLUSIONS

Based on 133 NB, we show that telomerase activity (TA) is a powerful, independent prognostic marker for all stages and is capable of differentiating between good and poor outcome in putative 'favorable' clinical or biological subgroups of NB patients. Analysis of gene and protein expression of telomerase subunits suggests that the presence or absence of TA in NB is strongly correlated with expression levels of both the catalytic subunit hTERT and the internal RNA component (hTR).

Telomerase activity and telomerase subunits gene expression patterns in neuroblastoma: a molecular and immunohistochemical study establishing prognostic tools for fresh-frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues

PURPOSE

We have recently demonstrated that telomerase activity (TA) is an independent prognostic factor in neuroblastomas. In the present study, the prognostic impact of TA and gene expression of the three major telomerase subunits is evaluated by molecular and immunohistochemical techniques in fresh-frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred thirty-three neuroblastomas of all stages were analyzed for TA. The TA levels of 75 neuroblastoma cases were correlated with gene expression of telomerase subunits hTRT, human telomerase RNA (hTR), and telomerase protein 1 (TP1) by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), using an innovative approach on the LightCycler instrument (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). For selected cases, the applicability of RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry for hTRT expression analysis was investigated in paraffin-embedded tissues. TA and subunit expression patterns were correlated with traditional prognostic indicators and disease outcome.

RESULTS

TA was present in a total of 39 (29.3%) of 133 neuroblastomas and in 31 (29.8%) of 104 initial neuroblastomas without cytotoxic pretreatment. TA was significantly correlated with both event-free and overall survival (P <.0001). Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between expression levels of TA and hTRT (P <.0001) as well as hTR (P <.001). Multivariate analysis revealed only TA and tumor stage but not serum lactate dehydrogenase, MYCN amplification, or age at diagnosis as independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

The significant correlation with clinical outcome strongly recommends that analysis of TA be incorporated into the clinical investigation of each individual neuroblastoma at the time of diagnosis. Because the mere presence or absence of TA without further quantification is sufficient basis for predicting disease outcome, the telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay could be complemented with but not replaced by analysis of hTRT or hTR expression.

EWS-FLI1 and EWS-ERG gene fusions are associated with similar clinical phenotypes in Ewing's sarcoma

PURPOSE

There are a variety of solid tumors in which alternative chromosomal translocations generate related fusion products. In alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and synovial sarcoma, these variant fusions have been found to have major clinical significance. We investigated whether the two alternative gene fusion products, EWS-FLI1 and EWS-ERG, define different clinical subsets within the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We selected 30 cases of Ewing's sarcoma with the EWS-ERG gene fusion and 106 cases with the EWS-FLI1 fusion. Clinical data were obtained for each case and compared with the molecular diagnostic findings.

RESULTS

There were no significant clinical differences observed between the two groups in age of diagnosis, sex, metastasis at diagnosis, primary site, event-free survival, or overall survival.

CONCLUSION

Differences in the C-terminal partner in the Ewing's sarcoma family gene fusions are not associated with significant phenotypic differences.

Limb salvage and outcome of osteosarcoma. The University of Muenster experience

One hundred thirty-six patients with non-metastatic high grade osteosarcoma treated from 1978 to 1994 in one institution with a multidisciplinary approach that included intravenous neoadjuvant chemotherapy were studied to evaluate which factors influence the outcome of modern orthopaedic therapy. Anatomic location, tumor volume, surgical margins, complications, and functional outcome were analyzed. Seventy-nine patients had a limb salvage procedure, 21 had a rotationplasty, and 33 had an amputation. Limb salvage consisted of 32 endoprostheses, 39 allograft replacements, six autograft replacements, and two shortening procedures. Three patients died during preoperative chemotherapy treatment. At a mean followup of 43 months, 81 patients continue to be disease free, three are alive after local recurrence, 17 are alive after having metastatic lesions, five are alive with metastatic lesions present, and 30 patients died of their disease. Forty-seven patients had pulmonary metastatic lesions, 14 had osseous metastatic lesions, three had abdominal metastatic lesions, two had lymphatic metastatic lesions, and eight patients had skip metastatic lesions. Prognosis correlated with chemotherapy response, surgical margins, and tumor volume. The minor complication rate for limb salvage was 4% and the major complication rate was 52%. Amputations had a 6% minor complication rate and 34% major complication rate. Rotationplasties had 10% minor and 48% major complication rates. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society functional evaluation after limb salvage showed that 23 (38%) patients had more than 75% of the maximum functional score, 34 (56%) were from 50% to 75%, and three (5%) less than 50%. Of the rotationplasties, six (67%) were functionally better than 75% and three (33%) were functionally better than from 50% to 75%. In the group of amputations, 13 (56%) were from 50% to 75%, and 10 (44%) less than 50%. The extent of preoperative necrosis, surgical margins, and tumor volume are the most important prognostic factors. The increase in limb salvage procedures and the better long term survival of patients results in a higher rate of immediate and delayed complications. Functional outcome after rotationplasty is superior to limb salvage reconstruction and amputation.

Efficacy and kinetics of bone marrow processing and enrichment of haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) by a large-volume apheresis procedure

We investigated the efficacy of bone marrow (BM) processing by an automated large-volume apheresis procedure (6 x original BM volume) in 10 paediatric and adult patients undergoing BM harvesting before myeloablative therapy. Volume-dependent kinetics during apheresis were analyzed by sequential collection of processed cells into a six-fold collection bag system with consecutive analysis of the single bags. BM processing resulted in an 83.3% (+/- 21) recovery of mononuclear cells (MNC), a 97.9% (+/- 1.1) reduction of erythrocytes (RBC) and a 87.7% (+/- 2.9) volume reduction. To determine volume-dependent kinetics of haematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) enrichment during apheresis, leukocytes (WBC), mononuclear cells (MNC), CD34 cells and colony-forming cells (CFU-GM) were serially quantitated in subsequent collection bags. Large-volume BM processing significantly enhanced absolute yields of CD34+ cells (mean: 4.01 (+/- 2.81) x 10(6)/kg bw) and CFU-GM (mean: 1.92 (+/- 1.47) x 10(4)/kg bw) compared with the standard procedure (3 x BM volume) by 26.9% (+/- 10.9) and 27.2% (+/- 11.6), respectively. We concluded that large-volume apheresis for BM processing is an efficient technique significantly improving the yields of haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) without any relevant changes in the purity of the final product. Moreover, sequential collection and analysis of HPC represents a good model to investigate the volume-dependent kinetics and efficacy of BM processing.

Randomized comparison of rotational chemotherapy in high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of childhood--follow up after 9 years. Coall Study Group

A frequent change of drug combinations may circumvent drug resistance in the treatment of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). In study COALL 85/89 201 children with high-risk ALL were randomized to receive over a period of 8 months rotational chemotherapy with six drug combinations given either in slow rotation (SR) (each combination given twice in succession) or in rapid rotation (RR) (each combination given once with a repetition of the drug combinations). Treatment of central nervous system leukaemia consisted of cranial irradiation and intrathecal methotrexate. Both SR and RR treatment groups were then given continuation chemotherapy of oral 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate until 2 years after the date of diagnosis. The 9-year event-free survival (EFS) rate for the whole group is 69% +/- 3%, and the survival rate 75% +/- 3% at a median follow up of 5.8 years. Failure to achieve remission at day 28 was the most important prognostic factor (EFS 12% +/- 7% vs. 75% +/- 3% in the remission group). In the RR group, 11/100 patients were not in remission at day 28 opposed to 7/101 patients in the SR group. Children aged < 1 year (6/6 relapses) or aged > or = 10 years had a worse prognosis (EFS 64% +/- 5% vs. 77% +/- 4% in patients 1-10 years old). After 5 years EFS was inferior in the RR group attributable to a significantly higher relapse rate in children with a WBC > or = 100/nl. The EFS at 9 years for all patients, however, is similar in both groups (SR 72% +/- 5% vs. RR 67 +/- 5%).

CONCLUSION

The COALL 85/89 treatment protocol with early intensive therapy and rotation of different drug combinations offers longterm disease-free survival for children with high-risk ALL. a continuous 4-week exposure to one drug combination may be necessary to achieve optimal results, especially in children with a high leukaemic cell burden.

Chemical and immunological characteristics of four different L-asparaginase preparations

We studied the differences in protein composition and immunologic reactivity of two E. coli-derived L-asparaginase (l-Asp) preparations (I and II), Erwinia-Asp (III) and PEG-modified E. coli l-Asp (IV). On gel filtration, each of preparations I-III showed three major peaks at 100, 270 and 460 KD, all with enzyme activity, whereas PEG-Asp showed peaks at 35 and 220 KD. On SDS-PAGE one major subunit could be identified at 32 KD (I and II) or 40 KD (III), whereas PEG-modified l-Asp could only be detected by lowering the polyacrylamide concentration and gave a single band above 200 KD. Using a polyclonal rabbit antibody generated against preparation I, only the E. coli l-Asp preparations (I and II) formed precipitin lines on Ouchterlony double diffusion. After freezing and thawing, preparation IV also reacted with this antibody. In sera from patients treated with preparation I, antibodies (detected by ELISA) reacted with preparations I and II but not with preparations III and IV. These results indicate that Erwinia-Asp (III) and PEG-Asp (IV) are distinct from E. coli preparations (I and II) by molecular weight and immunological behavior. They also provide an experimental rationale for the use of Erwinia-Asp as well as PEG-Asp in E. coli Asp-sensitized patients.