Gingival Pigmentation Affected by Smoking among Different Age Groups: A Quantitative Analysis of Gingival Pigmentation Using Clinical Oral Photographs

The presence of any age-related differences in gingival pigmentation associated with smoking, particularly in a young population, remains to be fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to determine the age-related differences in smoking gingival pigmentation. Gingival pigmentation was analyzed using the gingival melanosis record (GMR) and Hedin’s classification with frontal oral photographs taken at 16 dental offices in Japan. Participants were categorized into 10-year age groups, and their baseline photographs were compared. In addition, to evaluate the effect of smoking cessation on gingival pigmentation, subjects were divided into a former smoker group (stopped smoking) and current smoker group. A total of 259 patients 19 to 79 years of age were analyzed. People in their 30s showed the most widespread gingival pigmentation. In addition, subjects in their 20s showed a weak effect of smoking cessation on gingival pigmentation. These findings suggested that the gingival pigmentation induced by smoking was more remarkable in young people than in middle-aged people. This information may be useful for anti-smoking education, especially among young populations with a high affinity for smoking.

Measurement of Reduced Gingival Melanosis after Smoking Cessation: A Novel Analysis of Gingival Pigmentation Using Clinical Oral Photographs

Background: Due to moisture and the anatomical complexity of the oral mucosa, it is difficult to measure the extent of gingival melanosis in an optical manner. Therefore, we developed a new quantitative method using clinical oral photographs and compared the extent of gingival melanosis before and after smoking cessation. Methods: A new analysis method, which we named the gingival melanosis record (GMR), is a quantitative analysis method using clinical oral photographs. We obtained 659 clinical photographs from 263 patients from 16 general dental offices in Japan. Standardized measuring sites were automatically spotted on the screen, and the presence of gingival melanosis was determined at the measuring sites. We assessed the validity of the GMR with the previously reported Hedin’s classification using Spearman’s rank correlation and intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: The GMR showed a significant association with Hedin’s classification (p < 0.01, correlation coefficient = 0.94). The GMR also showed excellent reproducibility of the substantial repeated agreement intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) (1,1) and ICC (2,1), p > 0.61). The longitudinal loss of gingival melanosis was confirmed by a change in the GMR among patients who successfully achieved smoking cessation for a mean of 4.5 years. Conclusion: The GMR is an effective method to assess gingival melanosis. The loss of gingival melanosis after smoking cessation can be objectively confirmed with the use of the GMR.

Phase II study of S-1 monotherapy in patients over 75 years of age with advanced gastric cancer (OGSG0404)

BACKGROUND

S-1+cisplatin (CDDP) is the standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) in Japan and Korea. However, the usefulness of S-1 based chemotherapy for elderly patients is unclear. Therefore, we conducted a multicenter phase II study of S-1 monotherapy for AGC in elderly patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Chemotherapy-naïve patients aged over 75 years with AGC were enrolled. The starting dose of S-1 was determined on the basis of body surface area and modified according to the creatinine clearance value. S-1 was administered twice a day during a 4-week period followed by a 2-week rest period.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients were enrolled. The response rate (RR) was 14.3% and the median overall survival was 14.6 months. Grade 3 or more severe adverse events consisted of anaemia (3%), neutropaenia (3%), anorexia (3%), and fatigue (6%). There were no treatment-related deaths.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicates that S-1 monotherapy is safe and well tolerated in chemotherapy-naïve elderly patients with AGC, but exerts limited activity when given using a tailor-made dosing strategy based on renal function.

[Serotonin syndrome in a patient with small cell lung cancer]

The patient was a 67-year-old male who had been treated for several years with 150 mg fluvoxamine maleate due to depression. He visited our hospital with primary symptoms of swelling of the right upper extremity and dyspnea in August, XXXX. As a result of examinations, he was diagnosed with stage IIIB extended small cell lung cancer(T4N3M0). One course of carboplatin/etoposide(CBDCA/VP-16)therapy was started on October 1. Since the tumor size was reduced, thoracic effusion disappeared, and superior vena cava syndrome was alleviated, the therapy was changed to cisplatin/irinotecan (CDDP/CPT-11)on October 23, and the 3rd course was initiated on November 22. Anxiety and tremor appeared on the 4th day of the 3rd course and because they were exacerbated, and myoclonus appeared, a diagnosis of serotonin syndrome was made on the 38th day, and the administration of fluvoxamine maleate was discontinued. The symptoms were alleviated after the discontinuation, and the 4th course could be implemented. In this patient, serotonin syndrome was considered to have been induced by serotonin secretion promoted by the CDDP administration, and by serotonin in the brain increasing abnormally due to the SSRI.

Impact of pretreatment systemic inflammatory response on survival in AGC patients receiving first-line chemotherapy

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Background: Systemic inflammatory response plays an important role in cancer progression. However, little is known about how it affects the advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients receiving first-line chemotherapy. We assessed the impact of pre-treatment systemic inflammatory response on survival in AGC patients receiving S-1 based first-line chemotherapy. Methods: OGSG 0402 multi-institutional phase II trial randomly assigned 102 patients with previously untreated, locally advanced and/or metastatic measurable gastric adenocarcinoma to receive S-1 plus irinotecan (SI arm) (n=51) or S1 plus paclitaxel (SP arm) (n=51) to evaluate these two S-1 based regimens as first-line treatment for AGC [ASCO-GI 2009: abstract 9.]. Among these patients, 99 patients were identified in this study excluding 2 patients who had died before receiving the allocated treatment and one patient who was lost to follow-up. All patients had performance status (PS) of 0-1 except for one with PS of 2. Pre-treatment clinical findings, such as gender, age, body mass index (BMI), tumor status (unresectable vs. recurrent, intestinal vs. diffuse), number of metastatic sites, serum levels of albumin (Alb) and C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR), were assessed as prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Median OS and PFS were 390 days and 175 days for SI arm, and 363 days and 140 days for SP arm, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified the CRP level of 0.5 mg/dl or above (hazard ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 3.55, P=0.026) as a significant prognosticator for poor OS, and age of 60 years or greater (hazard ratio 1.92, 95% confidence interval 1.06–3.47, P=0.032) for shorter PFS. Conclusions: Pre-treatment CRP level was a most potent prognosticator for OS, reflecting the impact of systemic inflammatory response on survival, in AGC patients receiving first-line chemotherapy.

Final report of post-marketing survey of panitumumab in Japanese patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer

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Background: Panitumumab (P-mab) was approved in Japan in Apr. 2010 for the treatment of unresectable, advanced or recurrent colorectal cancer with wild-type KRAS, both in monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy for all lines of treatment. All-case surveillance of P-mab was conducted to assess safety and efficacy in practical use since clinical data on Japanese patients were limited. Methods: All patients were registered before starting P-mab containing therapy by central registration method since the launch of P-mab in Japan. Patients were examined for eligibility requirements such as KRAS genotype (wild), ECOG PS (0-2) and interstitial pneumonitis (-). Skin disorder, infusion reaction(IR), electrolyte abnormality, cardiac disorder, interstitial lung disease (ILD) were surveyed with special interest. Results: 3,091 patients were registered from Jun. 2010 to Nov. 2010 and interim analysis were made with 3,005 patients at the point of Oct. 2011. The interim analysis; male: 63.6%, mean age: 65 y.o., KRAS wild/ mutant/ not determinable: 97.3%/0.1%/2.6%. Proportion of first line/second line/third line or later treatment: 10.4%/18.0%/71.6%, PS 0-1/2/3/4: 91.3%/7.9%/0.7%/0.1%. P-mab monotherapy/combination: 41.0%/58.8%. Combination regimens: FOLFOX/FOLFIRI/other regimens: 18.7%/33.4%/15.2%. Overall incidence of ADRs:83.7 %, and that of Grade 3 or higher ADRs:24.7 %. Incidence of ADRs of special interest: skin disorder 77.8%, IR 1.5%, electrolyte abnormality18.3%, cardiac disorder 0.2%, ILD 1.3% (0.6% fatal). Incidences of ILD were similar in monotherapy and in combination. The median survival time of patients with P-mab monotherapy as third line or later treatment was 10.3 months, 95%CI (9.0-11.3). Result of final analysis with 3086 patients(99.8% of registerd patients) at the point of Jun. 2012 is to be presented in this meeting. Conclusions: The safety profile of P-mab in the post-marketing use was similar to that previously reported in the clinical trials. The risk/benefit balance for use of P-mab in patients with unresectable colorectal cancer remains favorable.

A phase ll study of trastuzumab in combination with triweekly S-1 plus CDDP in HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (HERBIS-1)

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Background: S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, plus cisplatin (SP) regimen is one of the standard chemotherapy as first-line for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). Although ToGA study demonstrated that trastuzumab (T-mab) in combination with capecitabine plus cisplatin or fluorouracil plus cisplatin improved the overall survival of patients (pts) with HER2-positive AGC, there was no study evaluating the efficacy and the safety of T-mab in combination with SP regimen. Methods: Eligibility criteria included gastric or esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma; HER2-positive confirmed by IHC and/or FISH (IHC 3+ or IHC 2+ and FISH positive); unresectable or recurrent; measurable lesion; no history of chemotherapy or radiotherapy; age≤75; ECOG PS of 0-1; and adequate organ function. Pts received S-1 at 40–60 mg depending on body surface area, po bid, day 1-14, and cisplatin 60 mg/m2, iv, day 1, plus T-mab 8 mg/ kg, iv, day 1 (6 mg/ kg, iv, d1 from 2nd course), repeated every 3 weeks until disease progression. Primary endpoint was response rate assessed by the RECIST (ver 1.1). The planned sample size was 50 based on the threshold response rate of 35%, the expected rate of 50%, power of 80%, and 1-sided α of 0.1. Results: A total of 56 pts were enrolled from July 2011 to May 2012. Two pts were ineligible with inadequate renal function and no measurable lesion. Characteristics of 54 eligible pts were as follows: median age of 66 (range 34-75), M/F: 42/12, PS0/1: 42/12, unresectable/recuurent: 51/3, and IHC 2+/3+: 9/45. As one patient did not receive the protocol treatment due to the rapid progression of tumor, the efficacy and the safety analyses were conducted in the full analysis set of 53 pts. The confirmed response rate assessed by the independent review committee was 68%, and the disease control rate was 94%. The response rate without interval confirmation was 75%. The grade 3/4 adverse events (>5% of pts) were as follows: neutropenia 30%, leucopenia 8%, anorexia 21%, diarrhea 8%, hypoalbuminemia 8%, vomiting 6%, and increased creatinine 6%. Conclusions: T-mab in combination with triweekly SP regimen showed promising antitumor activity and manageable toxicities in pts with HER2-positiveAGC. Clinical trial information: UMIN000005739.

Efficacy and safety of capecitabine plus cisplatin in Japanese patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer: subset analyses of the AVAGAST study and the ToGA study

BACKGROUND

Capecitabine plus cisplatin (XP) is recognized as one of the global standard first-line chemotherapy regimens for patients with metastatic gastric cancer (mGC). Recent multinational phase III trials in mGC have been conducted with XP as the control arm, although no data on XP in Japanese patients with mGC have been published to date. The AVAGAST (XP ± bevacizumab in mGC) and ToGA (XP ± trastuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]-positive mGC) studies were the first two global studies including Japanese mGC patients. The aim of this analysis was to investigate the efficacy and safety of XP in Japanese mGC patients, using AVAGAST and ToGA subgroup data.

METHODS

Efficacy and safety analyses were carried out in Japanese patients with mGC receiving XP alone, based on results from the AVAGAST and ToGA studies. There were differences in the target populations between the two studies; for example, the ToGA study limited patients to those with HER2-positive tumors; therefore, efficacy was evaluated separately.

RESULTS

Ninety-four Japanese patients in the AVAGAST study and 50 in the ToGA study received XP alone. Median overall and progression-free survivals were 14.2 and 5.7 months, respectively, in the AVAGAST study, and 17.7 and 5.6 months, respectively, in the ToGA study. Overall response rates were 49.2 % in the AVAGAST and 58.5 % in the ToGA study. Adverse events were generally mild; the most common grade 3/4 events were neutropenia, anemia, anorexia, and nausea.

CONCLUSIONS

XP is effective and well tolerated in Japanese patients with mGC, and could be one of the standard regimens for the first-line treatment in this cohort.

A phase I study of triplet combination chemotherapy of paclitaxel, cisplatin and S-1 in patients with advanced gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

S-1 and cisplatin combination therapy is a standard regimen for patients with advanced gastric cancer in Japan. The primary objective of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicities of a triplet regimen adding paclitaxel to S-1 and cisplatin combination therapy.

METHODS

Patients with previously untreated metastatic or recurrent gastric cancer were enrolled. Patients received S-1 (40 mg/m(2) p.o., twice daily, on days 1-21 every 35 days), cisplatin (30 mg/m(2) divided, on days 1 and 15) and paclitaxel (divided on days 1 and 15). The starting dose of paclitaxel was 50 mg/m(2) (level 1); the dose was escalated to 60 (level 2), 70 (level 3) and 80 mg/m(2) (level 4) in a stepwise fashion. Dose-limiting toxicity was determined during the first treatment cycle.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients enrolled. During the first cycle, no dose-limiting toxicity was observed at dose levels 1 and 2. At dose level 3, one of the six patients had dose-limiting toxicity (one patient had grade 4 neutropenia) and at dose level 4, one of the six patients had dose-limiting toxicity (one patient had febrile neutropenia, hypoalbuminemia and fatigue of grade 3). The maximum tolerated dose was not reached at level 4; however, grade 3 hyponatremia and hypokalemia in two of the six patients occurred during the second treatment course at level 4. From the point of view of safety in the outpatient setting, the recommended dose of paclitaxel was determined at 70 mg/m(2). The overall response rate was 50%.

CONCLUSIONS

The recommended dose of paclitaxel added to S-1 (80 mg/m(2) days 1-21) plus cisplatin (30 mg/m(2) days 1 and 15) was 70 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 15 of a 5-week cycle.

[Comparison of chemotherapy side effects between elderly and young subjects]

With the aging of society, the number of elderly patients receiving chemotherapy has increased. Since organ function, particularly the liver and kidney function, is known to decrease with age, there is concern that severe side effects may develop in the elderly because of chemotherapy. It is a considerable challenge to establish safe, effective chemotherapy that enables elderly patients to maintain a favorable QOL. Therefore, we conducted a survey of the current status of chemotherapy side effects.

METHODS

The subjects were patients enrolled in physician-led clinical trials between April 2006 and December 2010. A survey of the chemotherapy regimens used, PS, and, side effects(CTC-AE v3.0)was conducted to examine differences in the incidence and Grade of side effects between elderly and younger subjects(aged 65 years or older, and younger than 65 years, respectively). The subjects consisted of9 3 elderly and younger people, with mean ages of 70 and 59. 5 years, respectively. Myelosuppression of Grade 3, or more severe side effects in the elderly and younger subjects, was 22. 5% and 16. 3%, respectively. The incidence of side effects was slightly higher in the elderly than in the younger subjects. In general clinical practice, side effects are controlled by selecting regimens and adjusting doses for the elderly. However, in clinical trials in which the dosage is predetermined regardless of age, the elderly are more prone to develop side effects than young people. We compare and present the current status regarding the side effects, effectiveness, and contents of chemotherapy regimens.

A problem-based learning tutorial for dental students regarding elderly residents in a nursing home in Japan

This educational trial was an eight-day problem-based learning (PBL) course for fourth-year predoctoral students at Okayama University's dental school who interviewed elderly residents living in a nursing home. The purpose of this PBL course was to introduce geriatric dentistry to the students by allowing them, independently, to discover the clinical problems of elderly patients as well as the solutions. The sixty-five students were divided into nine small groups and received patient information (age, gender, degree of care needed, medical history, food type, medications, and oral condition) in datasheets before visiting the nursing home. Each group of students directly interviewed one patient and the caregivers and identified the patient's medical, psychological, and social problems. After the interview, the students participated in a PBL tutorial to delineate a management approach for the patient's problems. To measure the efficacy of this program, the students completed a questionnaire before and after the course regarding their level of understanding of and attitudes toward geriatric dentistry, clinical research, and self-study. The results showed that student's perceptions of their knowledge about and attitudes toward oral health care for the elderly significantly increased after the PBL course, which suggests that such tutorials should be an option for dental curricula.

A phase I study of dovitinib (TKI258) in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumors

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Background: Dovitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor with demonstrated inhibitory activity against FGFRs, VEGFRs, and PDGFRs in vivo. Based on responses observed in renal cell carcinoma, breast cancer, AML, melanoma, and multiple myeloma in clinical studies in the West, we investigated dovitinib in Japanese patients (pts). Methods: This multicenter phase I study determined the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of dovitinib based on the occurrence of dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) in Japanese pts with advanced solid tumors. Following a 2-day pharmacokinetic (PK) run-in period, dovitinib was administered orally once daily on a 5-days-on/2-days-off schedule in 28-day cycles until disease progression or withdrawal. The planned dose range was 100-600 mg/day. A 2-parameter Bayesian logistic regression model based on the principle of escalation with overdose control was used to estimate the MTD. Results: In total, 28 pts received dovitinib: 100 mg (n = 3), 200 mg (n = 3), 300 mg (n = 7), 400 mg (n = 9), and 500 mg (n = 6). The median age was 58.5 years (range, 30-76); 16 of 28 pts (57%) were male. All pts had stage IV disease, with an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. Pts completed a median of 3 cycles. One pt is currently ongoing in the study (peritoneal adenocarcinoma, 400-mg cohort, cycle 19), 23 discontinued due to disease progression, and 4 discontinued due to adverse events (AEs). All DLTs were grade 3: anorexia (n = 1; 300 mg), nausea/vomiting (n = 1; 400 mg), liver function disorder (n = 1; 400 mg), and increased alanine transaminase (n = 1; 500 mg). The most common grade 3/4 AEs (occurring in >10% of pts) suspected to be related to study drug were lymphopenia (18%), neutropenia (14%), abnormal hepatic function (14%), decreased white blood cell count (14%), decreased appetite (14%), and hypertension (14%). Best responses were confirmed partial response in 1 pt (4%; peritoneal adenocarcinoma, 400-mg cohort), stable disease in 9 pts (32%), and progressive disease in 10 pts (36%). No treatment-related deaths have been reported. Safety and PK parameters were comparable to those of non-Japanese pts in the global study. Conclusions: The study has completed enrollment. Dovitinib was found to be tolerable at doses up to 500 mg, which was declared as the MTD in Japanese pts.

Phase II study of docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) for metastatic esophageal cancer (OGSG 0403)

BACKGROUND

The aims of this multiple-institution phase II study were to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) for the therapy of patients with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients included those with previously untreated SCCE, score of ECOG 0-2 and adequate organ function. Patients received 60 mg/m(2) docetaxel and 70 mg/m(2) cisplatin on day 1, and 600 mg/m(2) 5-fluorouracil on days 1-5 every four weeks.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine (22 male, 7 female) patients with metastatic SCCE (M1a: 20, M1b: 9) were enrolled. Three cases achieved complete response and seven a partial response. In addition to these patients, three patients achieved good response and underwent surgical resection, giving an overall response rate of 34.5% (95% Confidene Interval=17.9-54.3) in confirmed cases and 44.8% (95% CI=26.4-64.3) in unconfirmed cases. Grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicities were as follows: leukopenia in 15 patients (52%), neutropenia in 22 patients (76%) and febrile neutropenia in 6 patients (21%), while grade 3 or 4 non-hematological toxicities were relatively rare.

CONCLUSION

This DCF regimen was well tolerated; the results of this study provide information on the potential of DCF for treatment of patients with metastatic SCCE.

Application of electrolysis for detoxification of an antineoplastic in urine

Antineoplastics in excreta from patients have been considered to be one of the origins of cytotoxic, carcinogenic, teratogenic, and mutagenic contaminants in surface water. Recent studies have demonstrated that antineoplastics in clinical wastewater can be detoxified by electrolysis. In this study, to develop a method for the detoxification of antineoplastics in excreta, methotrexate solution in the presence of human urine was electrolyzed and evaluated. We found that urine inhibits detoxification by electrolysis; however, this inhibition decreased by diluting urine. In urine samples, the concentrations of active chlorine generated by anodic oxidation from 0.9% NaCl solution for inactivation of antineoplastics increased in dilution-dependent and time-dependent manner. These results indicate that electrolysis with platinum-based iridium oxide composite electrode is a possible method for the detoxification of a certain antineoplastic in urine.

Safety of UFT/LV and S-1 as adjuvant therapy for stage III colon cancer in phase III trial: ACTS-CC trial

BACKGROUND

The Adjuvant Chemotherapy Trial of TS-1 for Colon Cancer (ACTS-CC) is a phase III trial designed to validate the non-inferiority of S-1 to UFT/leucovorin (LV) as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer. We report the results of a planned safety analysis.

METHODS

Patients aged 20-80 years with curatively resected stage III colon cancer were randomly assigned to receive UFT/LV (UFT, 300 mg m(-2) per day as tegafur; LV, 75 mg per day on days 1-28, every 35 days, 5 courses) or S-1 (80, 100, or 120 mg per day on days 1-28, every 42 days, 4 courses). Treatment status and safety were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 1535 enrolled patients, a total of 1504 (756 allocated to S-1 and 748 to UFT/LV) were analysed. The completion rate of protocol treatment was 77% in the S-1 group and 73% in the UFT/LV group. The overall incidence of adverse events (AEs) were 80% in S-1 and 74% in UFT/LV. Stomatitis, anorexia, hyperpigmentation, and haematological toxicities were common in S-1, whereas increased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were common in UFT/LV. The incidences of grade 3 AEs were 16% and 14%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Although AE profiles differed between the groups, feasibility of the protocol treatment was good. Both S-1 and UFT/LV could be safely used as adjuvant chemotherapy.

Phase II feasibility study of adjuvant S-1 plus CPT-11 for stage III gastric cancer patients after curative D2 gastrectomy (OGSG 0801)

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Background: An adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 has become the standard treatment for patients (pts) with stage II/III gastric cancer (GC) in Japan. But, it is assumed that the survival benefit for stage III pts who received S-1 is modest. S-1 plus CPT-11 has not shown the superiority in median overall survival (OS), but shown the well response rate (56%) and tolerability in Phase III trial (TOP-002 study). The aims of this phase II study were to evaluate the feasibility and safety of adjuvant S-1 plus CPT-11 in pts with stage III GC who underwent D2 surgery.

Methods: Pts with pathological stage IIIA and IIIB GC who underwent gastrectomy D2 dissection, age 20-75 years, performance status < 1, and informed consent received oral S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) administration for consecutive 3 weeks and intravenous CPT-11 (80 mg/m2) on day 1, 15, repeated every 5 weeks (1 cycle). The treatment was repeated for 4 cycles, followed by S-1 administration until 1 year after surgery. The primary endpoint was feasibility of the 4 cycles administration of S-1 plus CPT-11.

Results: We enrolled forty-five pts, 22 males and 23 females with a median age of 61 years, between December 2008 and April 2010. Pathological stages included IIIA in 25 pts and IIIB in 20 pts. The feasibility of planned 4 cycles of treatment was 62.2% (95% CI 46.5-76.2%, p=0.068) with 28 pts out of 45 pts. Non-hematological toxicities of grade 3 or more involved diarrhea in 13%, anorexia in 16%, nausea in 7% and vomiting in 4%. No Grade 4 toxicities were observed.

Conclusions: Adjuvant S-1 plus CPT-11 therapy had moderate hematological toxicities, but observed several severe non-hematological toxicities. Therefore, predicted feasibility was not achieved. Although the follow-up period is too short to evaluate OS and feasibility of S-1 administration, it is hoped that this regimen will be a candidate for future phase III trial seeking for the optimal adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III GC pts after D2 dissection if OS will be improved.

Multicenter phase II study of triplet combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel, cisplatin, and S-1 for advanced gastric cancer (OGSG 0703)

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Background: Docetaxel combined with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil is active in advanced gastric cancer, but not generally accepted because of its substantial toxicities. We conducted a multicenter phase II study of triplet combination using paclitaxel, cisplatin and S-1 (PCS) as first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: Patients with previously untreated, locally advanced or metastatic measurable gastric cancer, a performance status < 2, age of 20-75 years, and adequate organ functions were given intravenous paclitaxel at 70 mg/m2 and cisplatin at 30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 15, plus oral S-1 at 40 mg/m2 b.i.d. on days 1 to 21, followed by 2-week rest, repeated every 5 weeks. Treatment was continued until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred, or the patient refused the therapy. Study endpoints included overall response rate (ORR) as primary, progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Sample size of 40 patients was determined to reject the ORR of 55% under the expectation of 75% with a power of 80% and a one-sided α of 5%.

Results: A total of 52 patients were enrolled in this study, among whom 49 were assessable for efficacy and 51 assessable for toxicity. ORR was 46.9% (95% CI: 32.5-61.7%). The median PFS and median OS were 5.4 months (95% CI: 4.1-7.0) and 11.5 months (95% CI: 7.3-16.1), respectively. Frequent grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (51%), leucopenia (25%), anemia (20%), hyponatremia (16%), anorexia (14%), diarrhea (8%) and fatigue (8%). There was no treatment-related death.

Conclusions: Triplet combination chemotherapy with PCS demonstrated superior feasibility with promising antitumor activity, though which did not meet the statistical hypothesis, for advanced gastric cancer.

Preplanned initial safety analysis of ACTS-CC 02 trial: A large randomized phase III trial of SOX versus UFT/LV as adjuvant chemotherapy for high-risk stage III colon cancer

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Background: The ACTS-CC 02 trial is designed to verify the superiority of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy of S-1/Oxaliplatin (SOX) for patients with anyT, N2 colon cancer compared with UFT/Leucovorin (UFT/LV), which is one of standard adjuvant chemotherapies in Japan. To date, there have been no reported phase III trials evaluating SOX as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. This report presents initial safety data obtained from 50 patients who received SOX in the trial.

Methods: Patients who underwent curative resection for anyT, N2 colon cancer were randomly assigned to receive either SOX (100 mg/m2 of oxaliplatin on day1, and 80 to 120 mg/day according to body surface area (BSA) of S-1 on days 1-14, every 21 days, 8 courses) or UFT/LV (300 to 600 mg/day according to BSA of UFT and 75 mg/day of LV on days 1-28, every 35 days, 5 courses). Data were collected from initial consecutive 50 patients assigned to the SOX group and analyzed when they were considered evaluable for safety as planned in the protocol. This ongoing trial is designed to accrue 1200 patients. As of September 15, 2011, 319 patients have been accrued.

Results: Of 50 patients assigned to receive SOX, 48 were evaluable for safety. The median number of treatment courses was 5 (range: 1-8). The relative dose intensity of S-1 was 83.8% and that of oxaliplatin was 86.6%. Grade 3 adverse events were neutropenia (14.6%), thrombocytopenia (2.1%), ALT elevation (2.1%), diarrhea (8.3%), fatigue (2.1%), and peripheral sensory neuropathy (2.1%). Grade 4 adverse effects were not observed.

Conclusions: In this initial safety analysis, the incidence and severity of adverse events with SOX were acceptable in patients with high risk stage III colon cancer after curative resection. Enrollment of patients is ongoing.

ABI-007 in the treatment of unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer refractory to fluoropyrimidine-containing regimen: Updated data from the multicenter phase II study

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Background: ABI-007 is a novel Cremophor-free nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel. Cremophor-free formulation allows administration using a shorter infusion schedule (30 minutes) and without the need for premedicaion to prevent solvent-based hypersensitivity reactions.This single arm phase II study evaluated the efficacy and safety of ABI-007 given every three weeks to unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer patients (pts) who had received one prior chemotherapy regimen containing fluoropyrimidine and developed disease progression (PD) or recurrence.

Methods: Eligibility include: histologically or cytologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma , received one prior regimen containing fluoropyrimidine analogs and developed PD or recurrence, age: 20 - 74, at least one measurable lesion by RECIST(1.0), PS:0-2, adequate organ function and written informed consent. Study duration was until PD or unacceptable toxicity developed. Pts received ABI-007 260 mg/m2, i.v. on day 1 of each 21 day cycle) without premedication. The primary endpoint was overall objective response rate (ORR).

Results: From April 2008 to July 2010, total of 56 pts were enrolled, 55 received the study treatment, and 54 pts were evaluable for response. Median age was 64, Male/Female was 43/12, PS:0/1/2 was 33/22/0 and number of sites of metastasis corresponding was 1/2/≥3:19/21/15. ORR was 27.8% (15/54; 95%CI, 16.5-41.6) and DCR (disease control rate:CR+PR+SD) was 59.3% (32/54, 95%CI, 45.0-72.4) for all evaluable patients. One confirmed CR was observed. Median progression–free survival was 2.9 months (95%CI, 2.4-3.6), and median overall survival was 9.0 months (95%CI, 6.6-11.5). The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (49.1%), leucopenia (20.0%), lymphopenia (10.9%); and peripheral sensory neuropathy (23.6%).

Conclusions: These data demonstrate that ABI-007 showed promising activity with well-tolerated toxicities for previously treated unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer pts.

Regional differences in patient (pt) characteristics of AVAGAST: An exploratory comparison in chemotherapy plus placebo (PL) arm between Japanese (JPN) and the rest of the world (ROW) pts

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Background: AVAGAST study showed regional differences in efficacy, including notable differences in progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival in the PL arm. In Japan, there is a certain number of pts with minimal peritoneal metastasis (PM) diagnosed only by laparoscopy or open surgery, which seems unusual in Western as well as in other Asian countries, and it might have led the differences. Therefore, an exploratory analysis was conducted among the PL arm to examine pt characteristics including PM associated with differences in outcome between JPN and ROW.

Methods: We compared PFS of PL arm between pts enrolled from JPN and those from ROW. Hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (95%CI) between JPN and ROW were calculated using Cox’s proportional hazard model for each major covariates (disease status, performance status, prior gastrectomy, prior (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy, age, sex, primary site, liver metastasis (mets), number of metastatic sites, disease measurability, histologic type, maximum of tumor size, sum of tumor size, bone mets, PM and only PM)

Results: 188 pts from 14 sites were enrolled from JPN, of which 94 pts were randomized to PL arm. Compared with 293 pts from ROW in PL arm, PFS tend to be favorable in JPN. Subgroups of JPN without liver mets, with diffuse or mixed type gastric cancer (GC), with PM and with only PM were clearly favorable than that of ROW. The difference in subgroup with PM was especially large with lower confidence limit of 1.21. When the pts with only PM were excluded, the difference of PFS in PL arm between JPN and ROW became smaller ( Table ).

Conclusions: In this exploratory analysis, pts with PM in JPN had a better prognosis than ROW pts. Understanding this unique pt population may provide insight to the regional differences in outcome noted on this study.

[Table: see text]

Phase I first-in-human study of TAK-285, a novel investigational dual HER2/EGFR inhibitor, in cancer patients

BACKGROUND

This phase I first-in-human study was conducted in Japanese patients to investigate the safety, pharmacokinetics (PKs), and determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of oral TAK-285, a novel dual erbB protein kinase inhibitor that specifically targets human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and HER2.

METHODS

The TAK-285 dose was escalated until MTD was determined. A second patient cohort received TAK-285 at the MTD for at least 4 weeks.

RESULTS

In all, 26 patients received TAK-285 at doses ranging from 50 to 400 mg once daily (q.d.) or twice daily (b.i.d.); 20 patients made up the dose escalation cohort and the remaining 6 patients were the repeated administration cohort. TAK-285 was well tolerated. Dose-limiting toxicities noted in two patients who received 400 mg b.i.d. were grade 3 increases in aminotransferases and grade 3 decreased appetite. Consequently, the MTD was determined to be 300 mg b.i.d. Absorption of TAK-285 was rapid after oral dosing, and plasma exposure at steady-state increased in a dose-proportional fashion for doses ranging from 50 to 300 mg b.i.d. A partial response was observed for one patient with parotid cancer who received 300 mg b.i.d.

CONCLUSION

The toxicity profile and PK properties of oral TAK-285 warrant further evaluation.

Efficacy of trastuzumab in Japanese patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer: a subgroup analysis of the Trastuzumab for Gastric Cancer (ToGA) study

BACKGROUND

The Trastuzumab for Gastric Cancer (ToGA) study is the first international trial to include Japanese patients with human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) positive advanced/metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer. ToGA showed that trastuzumab plus chemotherapy (capecitabine/cisplatin or 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin) improved overall survival in the overall population (hazard ratio 0.74). Regional differences in outcome in favor of Japanese populations were observed in other studies; therefore, subgroup analyses of ToGA may contribute to the evaluation of the potential benefits of this regimen in Japanese patients.

METHODS

We performed subgroup analyses on 101 Japanese patients enrolled into ToGA (trastuzumab plus chemotherapy, n = 51; chemotherapy, n = 50).

RESULTS

Median overall survival in the Japanese subgroup was 15.9 months (95% confidence interval 12-25) for trastuzumab plus chemotherapy and 17.7 months (95% confidence interval 12-24) for chemotherapy (hazard ratio 1.00; 95% confidence interval 0.59-1.69). After adjusting for prespecified covariates, the estimated hazard ratio for overall survival was 0.68 (95% confidence interval 0.36-1.27). Further post hoc and exploratory examinations supported the robustness of the adjusted hazard ratios.

CONCLUSIONS

After adjusting for imbalanced patient backgrounds between arms, overall survival of Japanese patients with human epidermal growth factor 2 positive advanced/metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer who received trastuzumab plus chemotherapy was improved compared with patients who received chemotherapy alone.

A multicenter phase II study of the stop-and-go modified FOLFOX6 with bevacizumab for first-line treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Currently, no prospective data exists to support a "stop-and-go" modified FOLFOX6 regimen with bevacizumab in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this regimen in first-line mCRC patients. Eligible patients (age ≥20 years) had previously untreated mCRC; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2; and adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal function. The modified FOLFOX6 regimen and bevacizumab (5 mg/kg) was administered intravenously every 2 weeks. After 8 cycles, patients received maintenance therapy with simplified LV5FU2 and bevacizumab until completion of 8 cycles or disease progression. After maintenance therapy, patients received another 8 cycles of modified FOLFOX6 with bevacizumab until completion of 8 cycles or disease progression. We recruited 50 patients between August 2007 and January 2009. The overall response rate was 48% (80% confidence interval [CI]; 38.2-58) with outcomes as follows: complete response, n = 1; partial response, n = 23; stable disease, n = 21; progression, n = 1; and not evaluated, n = 4. Median time to treatment failure was 7.7 months (80% CI: 6.2-8.0), and median progression-free survival was 12.8 months (80% CI: 10.8-14). Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia (40%), nausea (4%), diarrhea (14%), thrombosis (4%), and hypertension (4%) et al. Grade 1, 2, or 3 peripheral neuropathy was reported in 38%, 40%, and 10% of patients, respectively. The stop-and-go modified FOLFOX6 and bevacizumab regimen is effective and well tolerated as first-line chemotherapy for mCRC patients.

Phase II trial of preoperative S-1 plus cisplatin followed by surgery for initially unresectable locally advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of preoperative chemotherapy with S-1 plus cisplatin in patients with initially unresectable locally advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS

We enrolled patients with initially unresectable locally advanced gastric cancer because of severe lymph node metastases or invasion of adjacent structures. Preoperative chemotherapy consisted of S-1 at 80 mg/m(2) divided in two daily doses for 21 days and cisplatin at 60 mg/m(2) intravenously on day 8, repeated every 35 days. If a tumor decreased in size, patients received 1 or 2 more courses. Surgery involved radical resection with D2 lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

Between December 2000 and December 2007, 27 patients were enrolled on the study. No CR was obtained, but PR was seen in 17 cases, and the response rate was 63.0%. Thirteen patients (48.1%) had R0 resections. There were no treatment related deaths. The median overall survival time (MST) and the 3-year overall survival (OS) of all patients were 31.4 months and 31.0%, respectively. Among the 13 patients who underwent curative resection, the median disease-free survival (DFS) and the 3-year DFS were 17.4 months and 23.1%, respectively. The MST and the 3-year OS were 50.1 months and 53.8%, respectively. The most common site of initial recurrence after the R0 resection was the para-aortic lymph nodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative S-1 plus cisplatin can be safely delivered to patients undergoing radical gastrectomy. This regimen is promising as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable gastric cancer. For initially unresectable locally advanced gastric cancer, new trials using more effective regimens along with extended lymph node dissection are necessary.

Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) guidelines 2010 for the treatment of colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer is a major cause of death in Japan, where it accounts for the largest number of deaths from malignant neoplasms in women and the third largest number in men. Many new treatment methods have been developed over the last few decades. The Japanese Society for Cancer of the Colon and Rectum (JSCCR) guidelines 2010 for the treatment of colorectal cancer (JSCCR Guidelines 2010) have been prepared to show standard treatment strategies for colorectal cancer, to eliminate disparities among institutions in terms of treatment, to eliminate unnecessary treatment and insufficient treatment, and to deepen mutual understanding between health-care professionals and patients by making these Guidelines available to the general public. These Guidelines have been prepared by consensuses reached by the JSCCR Guideline Committee, based on a careful review of the evidence retrieved by literature searches and in view of the medical health insurance system and actual clinical practice settings in Japan. Therefore, these Guidelines can be used as a tool for treating colorectal cancer in actual clinical practice settings. More specifically, they can be used as a guide to obtaining informed consent from patients and choosing the method of treatment for each patient. As a result of the discussions held by the Guideline Committee, controversial issues were selected as Clinical Questions, and recommendations were made. Each recommendation is accompanied by a classification of the evidence and a classification of recommendation categories based on the consensus reached by the Guideline Committee members. Here we present the English version of the JSCCR Guidelines 2010.

[Chemotherapy for gastrointestinal cancer in elderly patients]

Since elderly people have decreased renal function along with increased risks for complications of cardiac disorders such as hypertension and decreased physical strength, compared to in younger people, drug therapy for them is associated more with concern about drug-related toxicity. Therefore, dose reduction or discontinuation of drug administration is sometimes considered during earlier stages of therapy. On the other hand, there are some reports suggesting that as long as proper organ function is maintained, the elderly can be treated in the same way as younger people. However, given limited information and depending on the therapeutic goal of each patient, it should be carefully considered whether the same medicinal strategy used for younger patients is appropriate for treating elderly patients or not.

A phase II study of biweekly mitomycin C and irinotecan combination therapy in patients with fluoropyrimidine-resistant advanced gastric cancer: a report from the Gastrointestinal Oncology Group of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG0109-DI Trial)

BACKGROUND

Preclinical studies have shown that mitomycin C (MMC) acts synergistically with irinotecan (CPT-11). In this phase II study, we evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of MMC/CPT-11 therapy as second-line chemotherapy for patients with fluoropyrimidine-resistant advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS

Eligible patients had evidence of tumor progression despite prior treatment with fluoropyrimidine-based regimens or had relapsed within 6 months after completion of therapy with adjuvant fluoropyrimidines. Treatment consisted of MMC (5 mg/m(2)) and CPT-11 (150 mg/m(2)) administered i.v. every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was the response rate (RR). Our hypothesis was that this combination therapy was efficacious when the lower boundary of the 95% confidence interval (CI) of the RR exceeded 20% of the threshold RR.

RESULTS

Between April 2002 and July 2003, 45 eligible patients were registered and analyzed. Among the 45 patients, 40 (89%) had previously received chemotherapy for metastasis and 24 (53%) had a performance status (PS) of 0. Thirteen partial responses were obtained among the 45 patients, resulting in an overall RR of 29% (95% CI, 16-42%). The median time to progression was 4.1 months, and the median survival time was 10 months, with a 1-year survival rate of 36%. Grade 4 neutropenia was observed in 29% of the patients, whereas febrile neutropenia occurred in 9%. The incidence rates of grade 3 nausea and diarrhea were 13 and 2%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Although this study did not achieve the per-protocol definition of activity, the progression-free survival and overall survival appeared to be promising, with acceptable tolerability. Thus, MMC/CPT-11 therapy as second-line chemotherapy for fluoropyrimidine-resistant advanced gastric cancer presents a potential treatment option in patients with a good PS.

Second-line chemotherapy for gastric cancer: a new issue lies ahead in global trials

Chemotherapy for gastric cancer has been advancing fairly well. It has been indicated that not only advances in first-line chemotherapy but also those in second-line chemotherapy have contributed to the prolongation of overall survival. The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie (AIO) study supports the idea that second-line chemotherapy is appropriate in patients with a good general condition. Also, the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) integral analysis suggests that advances have been made in second-line chemotherapy. However, most recently reported studies of second-line chemotherapy have been conducted as small-scale phase II or retrospective trials. No randomized control trial to establish standard treatment has been reported. Which regimen is the most appropriate as second-line therapy must be investigated in the future. Currently, molecularly targeted agents for gastric cancer are being developed and tested in global trials. As a new issue in global trials, second-line chemotherapy has been emphasized. In recent global trials, subset analysis showed regional differences in overall survival. This was possibly associated with the regional differences in second-line chemotherapy. When developing new molecularly targeted agents for first-line chemotherapy, we cannot ignore the result that the proportion of patients in whom treatment was switched to second-line chemotherapy was high in Asia. In planning a global trial, this new issue should be sufficiently discussed.

[Phase I / II study of XELOX plus bevacizumab in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer(JO19380)]

FOLFOX plus Bevacizumab (BEV) is one of he current standard treatments for unresectable colorectal cancer. In Europe and the United States, XELOX is a regimen which replaced 5-FU/LV of FOLFOX with capecitabine (XEL), an oral prodrug of fluorouracil. Benefits of XELOX and FOLFOX are reported to be same in Europe and United States. XELOX + BEV is recommended as treatment option in various guidelines. However, the safety and effectiveness data were from overseas and unconfirmed in Japan. Therefore, we carried out a JO19380 study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety XELOX + BEV on Japanese patients in a domestic phase I/II clinical trial. A total of 64 patients were registered in this study. The response rate was 72%, the progression free survival was 11 months, and the median survival time was 27.4 months with XELOX + BEV. The common grade 3/4 toxicities were sensory neurotoxicity (17%) and neutropenia (16%). The effectiveness and safety equivalents of overseas reports were confirmed in Japanese patients. They suggested that XELOX + BEV has the potential to become one of the standard treatments for unresectable colorectal cancer in Japan. In the trial, long-term disease control with XEL-BEV was reported in patients who discontinued oxaliplatin because of adverse events. Continuous treatment with XEL + BEV after XELOX + BEV is considered to be significant first-line therapy for colorectal cancer based on that report.

The use of trastuzumab in Japanese patients with HER2-positive advanced or metastatic gastric cancer

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Background: The Trastuzumab for Gastric Cancer (ToGA) study showed the efficacy of trastuzumab for HER2-positive gastric cancer (HGA). The aim of this study is to evaluate the benefit of trastuzumab for Japanese HGA patients.

Methods: ToGA was an open-label, international, phase III, randomized controlled trial undertaken in 122 centers in 24 countries. Median overall survival (OS) was 13.8 months in those assigned to trastuzumab plus chemotherapy (C+T) compared with 11.1 months in those assigned to chemotherapy alone (C) with hazard (HR) ratio of 0.74. Subgroup analyses of patients enrolled from Japan were undertaken to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) for OS in the Japanese population. Based upon the prescribed protocol for Japan, we calculated HR using multiple Cox regression model with prespecified covariates in the ToGA study in order to make up for the small number of Japanese patients and reduce the bias in the baseline characteristics between two groups.

Results: Sixteen institutes participated and 102 patients were enrolled, of which 101 patients were evaluable for this research. The median OS was 15.9 months in C+T arm versus 17.7 months in C arm. The HR for OS was 1.00 [95% CI: 0.59-1.69]. However, the HR for OS adjusted for the above covariates was estimated to be 0.68 [95% CI: 0.36-1.27]. There were differences between C+T arm and C arm in some baseline characteristics. Higher frequencies were seen in C arm as follow: intestinal type, prior gastrectomy, and smaller number of metastatic sites. For HER2 status, the percentage of patients with IHC0/FISH+ was lower in C+T arm (5.9%) than in C arm (18.0%), while that of patients with HER2 status IHC2+/FISH+ was higher in C+T arm (35.3%) than in C arm (26.0%).

Conclusions: Although ToGA's overall OS HR = 0.74 (p = 0.0046), in the Japan patient subgroup, the unadjusted hazard ratio was 1.00. However, there was an imbalance of the baseline characteristics between the treatment arms in Japanese population. When adjusted for these characteristics, the HR was 0.68 which is similar to those in the ToGA study. Adding trastuzumab to chemotherapy in Japanese population appears to confer a similar magnitude of benefit compared to the whole population enrolled in the ToGA study.

[Table: see text]

Multicenter feasibility study of 5-FU, leucovorin, plus paclitaxel (FLTAX) for peritoneal disseminated gastric cancer with massive ascites or inadequate oral intake

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Background: Oral fluoropyrimidine plus cisplatin is widely used as a standard treatment for advanced gastric cancer, but patients (pts) with severe peritoneal metastasis often cannot tolerate this regimen. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of fluorouracil (5-FU), leucovorin (LV), plus paclitaxel (PTX) for peritoneal disseminated gastric cancer with massive ascites or inadequate oral intake.

Methods: Peritoneal disseminated gastric cancer with massive ascites or inadequate oral intake were enrolled in Part I (Level 1 (n=6): 5-FU bolus/l- LV div 2hr/PTX div 1hr = 500/250/60, Level 2 (n=6): 600/250/80 mg/m2 (day1, 8, 15, q4w) to determine dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) and recommended dose (RD). In Part II (n=19), primary endpoint was completion rate of 2 cycles to evaluate the feasibility of this regimen at RD level.

Results: One of Level 1 pts had DLT with grade 4 gastrointestinal perforation. Two of Level 2 pts had DLT (grade 3 febrile neutropenia and grade 3 infection with normal neutrophils) and treatment-related death (TRD) was observed in one patient due to pneumonia with grade 4 neutropenia. The RD was determined to be Level 1. Twenty-five patients were enrolled at RD level: first-line/second-line=18/7, performance status 0/1/2=1/19/5. The completion rate of 2 cycles was 92% and objective response rate of ascites was 45%. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was observed in 12% (febrile neutropenia in 8%). Five patients out of 7 second-line patients died within 30 days after last administration of FLTAX (TRD: 1 and disease progression: 4).

Conclusions: RD of FLTAX regimen was 5-FU/l-LV/PTX=500/250/60 mg/m2. This regimen was feasible as the first-line treatment against peritoneal disseminated gastric cancer patients with massive ascites or inadequate oral intake.

[Table: see text]

Phase II study of chemoradiotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin for Stage II-III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: JCOG trial (JCOG 9906)

PURPOSE

In this Phase II study, we evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for Stage II-III esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with clinical Stage II-III (T1N1M0 or T2-3N0-1M0) thoracic ESCC were enrolled between April 2000 and March 2002. Chemotherapy comprised two courses of protracted infusion of 5-FU (400 mg/m(2)/day) on Days 1-5 and 8-12, and 2-h infusion of CDDP (40 mg/m(2)) on Days 1 and 8; this regimen was repeated every 5 weeks. Concurrent radiotherapy involved 60-Gy irradiation (30 fractions) for 8 weeks with a 2-week break. Responders received two courses of 5-FU (800 mg/m(2)/day) on Days 1-5 and CDDP (80 mg/m(2)) on Day 1. Final analysis was conducted in March 2007. Survival and late toxicities were monitored for 5 years.

RESULTS

The characteristics of the 76 patients enrolled were as follows: median age, 61 years; male/female, 68/8; performance status 0/1, 59/17 patients; Stage IIA/IIB/III, 26/12/38 patients. Of the 74 eligible patients, 46 (62.2%) achieved complete response. Median survival time was 29 months, with 3- and 5-year survival rates of 44.7% and 36.8%, respectively. Acute toxicities included Grade 3/4 esophagitis (17%), nausea (17%), hyponatremia (16%), and infection without neutropenia (12%). Late toxicities comprised Grade 3/4 esophagitis (13%), pericardial (16%) and pleural (9%) effusion, and radiation pneumonitis (4%), causing 4 deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

CRT is effective for Stage II-III ESCC with manageable acute toxicities and can provide a nonsurgical treatment option. However, further improvement is required for reduction in late toxicity.

[Current status and perspectives of biologics in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer]

Since the mid 1990s, colorectal cancer treatment has undergone substantial changes and improvements. Combination chemotherapy in first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal disease is the standard of care. Regimens based on either irinotecan or oxaliplatin given with 5-fluorouracil are prevailing. Recently, bevacizumab has become the routine standard addition to FOLFOX in first-line regimens in Japan. This preference is based on the data from NO16966 study, which resulted in a far less substantial improvement in progression free survival and no benefit in response rate. Other clinical trials indicated that the addition of the anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody confers modest benefit to FOLFOX or FOLFIRI. At present, how to combine the available agents and what the ideal combinations should be remain unclear.

Irinotecan plus S-1 (IRIS) versus fluorouracil and folinic acid plus irinotecan (FOLFIRI) as second-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer: a randomised phase 2/3 non-inferiority study (FIRIS study)

BACKGROUND

Fluorouracil and folinic acid with either oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) or irinotecan (FOLFIRI) are widely used as first-line or second-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer. However, infusional fluorouracil-based regimens, requiring continuous infusion and implantation of an intravenous port system, are inconvenient. We therefore planned an open-label randomised controlled trial to verify the non-inferiority of irinotecan plus oral S-1 (a combination of tegafur, 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine, and potassium oxonate; IRIS) to FOLFIRI as second-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer.

METHODS

Between Jan 30, 2006, and Jan 29, 2008, 426 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer needing second-line chemotherapy from 40 institutions in Japan were randomly assigned by a computer-based minimisation method to receive either FOLFIRI (n=213) or IRIS (n=213). In the FOLFIRI group, patients received folinic acid (200 mg/m(2)) and irinotecan (150 mg/m(2)) and then a bolus injection of fluorouracil (400 mg/m(2)) on day 1 and a continuous infusion of fluorouracil (2400 mg/m(2)) over 46 h, repeated every 2 weeks. In the IRIS group, patients received irinotecan (125 mg/m(2)) on days 1 and 15 and S-1 (40-60 mg according to body surface area) twice daily for 2 weeks, repeated every 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, with a non-inferiority margin of 1.333. Statistical analysis was on the basis of initially randomised participants. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00284258.

FINDINGS

All randomised patients were included in the primary analysis. After a median follow-up of 12.9 months (IQR 11.5-18.2), median progression-free survival was 5.1 months in the FOLFIRI group and 5.8 months in the IRIS group (hazard ratio 1.077, 95% CI 0.879-1.319, non-inferiority test p=0.039). The most common grade three or four adverse drug reactions were neutropenia (110 [52.1%] of 211 patients in the FOLFIRI group and 76 [36.2%] of 210 patients in the IRIS group; p=0.0012), leucopenia (33 [15.6%] in the FOLFIRI group and 38 [18.1%] in the IRIS group; p=0.5178), and diarrhoea (ten [4.7%] in the FOLFIRI group and 43 [20.5%] in the IRIS group; p<0.0001). One treatment-related death from hypotension due to shock was reported in the FOLFIRI group within 28 days after the end of treatment; no treatment-related deaths were reported in the IRIS group.

INTERPRETATION

Progression-free survival with IRIS is not inferior to that with FOLFIRI in patients receiving second-line chemotherapy for metastatic colorectal cancer. Treatment with IRIS could be an additional therapeutic option for second-line chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

FUNDING

Taiho Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd.

[A resected case of effective treatment with S-1+CPT-11 combination chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer]

We report a resected case of effective treatment with S-1+CPT-11 combination chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer. The patient was a 65-year-old man who had a type 3 gastric cancer from the middle body of the stomach to the angle. An abdominal CT scan demonstrated bulky lymph node metastasis (cType 3, T3, N2, M0, cStage IIIb), which was then treated with S-1+CPT-11 (S-1 80 mg/m2 day 1-21, CPT-11 80 mg/m2 day 1, 15/5 weeksx2 courses)as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After 2 courses of chemotherapy, the primary lesion and regional metastatic lymph nodes were reduced by CT (cType 3, T2, N2, M0, cStage IIIa). Total gastrectomy with D3 nodal dissection was performed. The histological diagnosis was pT2 (ss), pN0, sH0, pCY0, sP0, sM0, tub2, INF beta, ly0, v1, n0, stage I b, Cur A, and the histological effect of the main tumor was judged to be Grade 1b. He was treated by S-1 after surgery. The patient has been in good health without a recurrence for 3 years after surgery. This case suggests that neoadjuvant chemotherapy with S-1+CPT-11 is a potential regimen for advanced gastric cancer.

Phase I/II study of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin (XELOX) plus bevacizumab as first-line therapy in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Objective

The addition of bevacizumab to fluoropyrimidine-based combination chemotherapy as first-line therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer results in clinically significant improvements in patient outcome. However, clinical trials have been conducted primarily in Caucasian patients with only a small proportion of Asian patients. This Phase I/II study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) plus bevacizumab in Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Methods

Patients with previously untreated, measurable metastatic colorectal cancer received bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m² on day 1, plus capecitabine 1000 mg/m² twice daily on days 1–14, every 3 weeks. A three-step design evaluated in: step 1, initial safety of XELOX in six patients; step 2, initial safety of XELOX plus bevacizumab in six patients; and step 3, efficacy and safety in a further 48 patients. The primary study endpoints were safety and response rate.

Results

No dose-limiting toxicity occurred during Steps 1 and 2. Fifty-eight patients were enrolled in Steps 2 and 3 and received XELOX plus bevacizumab. In the 57 patients assessed for response, the overall response rate was 72% (95% confidence interval, 58.5–83.0). Median progression-free survival was 11.0 months (95% confidence interval, 9.6–12.5) and median overall survival was 27.4 months (95% confidence interval, 22.0–not calculated). Eight patients (14%) underwent surgery with curative intent. The most common grade 3/4 adverse events were neurosensory toxicity (17%) and neutropenia (16%).

Conclusions

XELOX plus bevacizumab is effective and has a manageable tolerability profile when given to Japanese patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

Multicenter phase II study of everolimus in patients with previously treated metastatic gastric cancer

PURPOSE Everolimus, an oral inhibitor of the mammalian target of rapamycin, has shown antitumor activity in gastric cancer in preclinical and phase I studies. This phase II study evaluated the efficacy and safety of everolimus in pretreated patients with advanced gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with advanced gastric cancer who experienced progression despite prior chemotherapy received everolimus 10 mg orally daily until disease progression or study discontinuation. The primary end point was disease control rate (DCR; ie, complete response, partial response, or stable disease). Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS Fifty-three patients were assessable (median age, 63 years; 51% and 49% received one or two prior chemotherapy regimens, respectively). Although no complete or partial response was obtained, a decrease in tumor size from baseline was observed in 45% of patients by central review. The DCR was 56.0% (95% CI, 41.3% to 70.0%); median PFS was 2.7 months (95% CI, 1.6 to 3.0 months). At a median follow-up time of 9.6 months, median OS was 10.1 months (95% CI, 6.5 to 12.1 months). Common grade 3 or 4 adverse events included anemia, hyponatremia, increased gamma-glutamyltransferase, and lymphopenia. Grade 1 or 2 pneumonitis was reported in eight patients (15.1%). CONCLUSION Everolimus monotherapy resulted in a promising DCR in patients with previously treated advanced gastric cancer. Adverse events are consistent with the reported safety profile of everolimus. These results warrant further evaluation in patients with advanced gastric cancer.