A psychiatric clinic for the single homeless in a primary care setting in Inner London

It is well recognised that there is an increased psychiatric morbidity, in particular psychosis, personality disorder and substance abuse, among the single homeless (Lodge Patch et al, 1971). The reasons for this are complex. There is evidence that these people are mentally ill before becoming homeless and that their illness may be a cause of their homelessness. In a study of newly presenting patients at the DHSS Reception Centre in Camberwell, London, Tidmarsh & Wood found that 87% of those with mental illness had been staying recently with their families just before their first hospital admission, suggesting that mental illness may have led to homelessness in these patients (Tidmarsh & Wood, 1972). Although direct evidence is scant in the UK, it is felt that the closure of long-stay psychiatric hospitals could lead to some of their in-patients becoming homeless.

Long-term results and recurrence patterns from SCOPE-1: a phase II/III randomised trial of definitive chemoradiotherapy +/- cetuximab in oesophageal cancer

BACKGROUND

The SCOPE-1 study tested the role of adding cetuximab to conventional definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT), and demonstrated greater toxicity and worse survival outcomes. We present the long-term outcomes and patterns of recurrence.

METHODS

SCOPE-1 was a phase II/III trial in which patients were randomised to cisplatin 60 mg m-2 (day 1) and capecitabine 625 mg m-2 bd (days 1-21) for four cycles +/- cetuximab 400 mg m-2 day 1 then by 250 mg m-2 weekly. Radiotherapy consisted of 50 Gy/25# given concurrently with cycles 3 and 4. Recruitment was between February 2008 and February 2012, when the IDMC recommended closure on the basis of futility.

RESULTS

About 258 patients (dCRT=129; dCRT+cetuximab (dCRT+C)=129) were recruited from 36 centres. About 72.9% (n=188) had squamous cell histology. The median follow-up (IQR) was 46.2 (35.9-48.3) months for surviving patients. The median overall survival (OS; months; 95% CI) was 34.5 (24.7-42.3) in dCRT and 24.7 (18.6-31.3) in dCRT+C (hazard ratio (HR)=1.25, 95% CIs: 0.93-1.69, P=0.137). Median progression-free survival (PFS; months; 95% CI) was 24.1 (15.3-29.9) and 15.9 (10.7-20.8) months, respectively (HR=1.28, 95% CIs: 0.94-1.75; P=0.114). On multivariable analysis only earlier stage, full-dose RT, and higher cisplatin dose intensity were associated with improved OS.

CONCLUSIONS

The mature analysis demonstrates that the dCRT regimen used in the study provided useful survival outcomes despite its use in patients who were largely unfit for surgery or who had inoperable disease. Given the competing risk of systemic and local failure, future studies should continue to focus on enhancing local control as well as optimising systemic therapy.

A feasibility study testing four hypotheses with phase II outcomes in advanced colorectal cancer (MRC FOCUS3): a model for randomised controlled trials in the era of personalised medicine?

BACKGROUND

Molecular characteristics of cancer vary between individuals. In future, most trials will require assessment of biomarkers to allocate patients into enriched populations in which targeted therapies are more likely to be effective. The MRC FOCUS3 trial is a feasibility study to assess key elements in the planning of such studies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with advanced colorectal cancer were registered from 24 centres between February 2010 and April 2011. With their consent, patients' tumour samples were analysed for KRAS/BRAF oncogene mutation status and topoisomerase 1 (topo-1) immunohistochemistry. Patients were then classified into one of four molecular strata; within each strata patients were randomised to one of two hypothesis-driven experimental therapies or a common control arm (FOLFIRI chemotherapy). A 4-stage suite of patient information sheets (PISs) was developed to avoid patient overload.

RESULTS

A total of 332 patients were registered, 244 randomised. Among randomised patients, biomarker results were provided within 10 working days (w.d.) in 71%, 15 w.d. in 91% and 20 w.d. in 99%. DNA mutation analysis was 100% concordant between two laboratories. Over 90% of participants reported excellent understanding of all aspects of the trial. In this randomised phase II setting, omission of irinotecan in the low topo-1 group was associated with increased response rate and addition of cetuximab in the KRAS, BRAF wild-type cohort was associated with longer progression-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Patient samples can be collected and analysed within workable time frames and with reproducible mutation results. Complex multi-arm designs are acceptable to patients with good PIS. Randomisation within each cohort provides outcome data that can inform clinical practice.

Gemcitabine with or without cisplatin in patients (pts) with advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancer (ABC): Results of a multicenter, randomized phase III trial (the UK ABC-02 trial)

4503

Background: There is no established standard chemotherapy for pts with inoperable ABC. We previously reported an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) in a randomised phase II trial of 86 pts (ABC-01) using gemcitabine/cisplatin (GemCis) vs. gemcitabine (Gem) (Valle ASCO-GI 2006, abstr. 98). This study was extended into ABC-02, a phase III trial, to recruit a further 314 pts with overall survival (OS) as the primary end-point. Methods: Consenting pts with histologically/cytologically-confirmed ABC, aged ≥18 years, ECOG performance status 0 - 2, and adequate haematological, hepatic and renal function were randomised to receive either Cis (25 mg/m2) followed by Gem (1000 mg/m2 D1, 8 q21d) for 8 cycles, or Gem alone (1000 mg/m2 on D1, 8, 15 q28d) for 6 cycles, stratified by extent of disease, site of primary tumour, ECOG score and centre. The trial had an 80% power to detect an OS hazard ratio of 0.73. Results: From May 2005 to October 2008, 324 pts were randomised to ABC- 02 from 34 UK centres. We report the pre-planned combined analysis of ABC-01 and ABC-02 based on 410 pts (GemCis=206/Gem=204). Patient characteristics: median age 64 yrs (range 23–85); male (47%); metastatic disease (75%), locally advanced (25%); gallbladder (36%), bile duct (59%), ampulla (5%); and ECOG 0–1 (87%), 2 (12%). With a median follow-up of 6.1 months and 263 deaths, the median OS was greater with GemCis than Gem, 11.7 vs. 8.2 months (log rank p=0.002), with hazard ratio 0.68 (95%-CI 0.53, 0.86). The median PFS was greater with GemCis than Gem, 8.5 vs. 6.5 months (log rank p=0.003), with hazard ratio 0.70 (95%-CI 0.56, 0.88).Toxicity was similar between the arms (by week 12, 57% had a grade 3/4 toxicity in each arm), though there was a slight excess of neutropenia using GemCis. Conclusions: This is the largest ever study in ABC and demonstrates a clear survival advantage for GemCis without added clinically significant toxicity, setting a new international standard of care.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Can gene expression microarray (GEM) provide a diagnosis in cases of carcinoma of unknown primary?

20117

Patients with CUP constitute approximately 5% of all malignancies and have no primary site of malignancy despite standard investigation, a poor prognosis secondary to metastatic disease and generate despondency amongst clinicians. GEM may provide an improved diagnostic tool and improve prognosis for patients through the use of more site specific chemotherapy. CupPrint is a 1900 gene custom microarray optimized for paraffin samples which uses a compiled database of 591 cancer cases to provide a statistically proven method for the discrimination of 39 different tumor types. Few data are available on the practical application of this novel technique. We have taken paraffin samples from 21 cases of “true” CUP where standard investigation failed to determine a primary site of malignancy although there were some cases were more uncertain than others. Three 4μm sections from the paraffin blocks were analysed and reviewed in the context of the histology reports, an independent histological review and the clinical history. 2 datasets were available for 1 patient and 3 datasets for another. A case by case analysis will be given but in summary, 16/21 diagnoses confirmed the clinicians suspicion. There was a clinical/CupPrint inconsistency in 4/21 patients and a pathological/CupPrint inconsistency in 1 patient. All CupPrint diagnoses were possible clinically. There was a consistency between identical samples analysed blindly by CupPrint and a consistency between different sites of tumour metastasis in the same patient. For most patients there was a consistency within the “K-Nearest Neighbors” analysis (see http://www.agendia.com). Clinical suspicion coincides with CupPrint certainty such that in those patients for whom there was no suspected site of primary, the “K-Nearest Neighbours” analysis did not match. 11/21 patients had had palliative chemotherapy with a further 4 yet to be receive treatment thus 15/21 patients could receive palliative chemotherapy. 5 patients are still alive. CupPrint is a promising analytical tool in order to more appropriately direct systemic palliative treatment in patients with CUP. These data need to be expanded to demonstrate a survival benefit of CupPrint guided treatment in a randomized clinical study.

[Table: see text]

Management of non-epithelial ovarian tumours

Ovarian tumours of non-epithelial origin are less common than those of epithelial origin but must be distinguished from these as their natural history and management differ. As these tumours are rare, histological review by an expert in the field is essential. There have been no randomised trials to outline the management of these tumours and therefore this paper represents a review of descriptive data. Non-epithelial ovarian tumours, which represent approximately 50% of all ovarian tumours and approximately 25% of malignant ovarian tumours, are outlined. Lymphomas and metastatic tumours should be treated the same as when found in other sites and will not be discussed further.

Comparison of standard and CA-125 response criteria in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer treated with platinum or paclitaxel

PURPOSE

To assess CA-125 as a measure of response in patients treated with paclitaxel.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred forty-four patients treated with paclitaxel derived from four different trials and 625 patients treated with platinum from two trials were analyzed using precisely defined 50% and 75% reductions in CA-125. The standard and CA-125 response rates to paclitaxel and platinum were compared. In addition, we analyzed individual patient groups in which there was a difference in response according to the two response criteria.

RESULTS

Patients with stable disease as determined by standard criteria who were treated with platinum and responded according to CA-125 criteria have an improved median progression-free survival compared with patients with stable disease who did not respond according to CA-125 criteria (10.6 v 4.8 months; P<.001). Standard and CA-125 response rates for patients treated with platinum (58.93% v 61.31%, respectively) and paclitaxel (30.65% v 31.67%, respectively) were very similar, as were rates of false-positive prediction of response by CA-125 (platinum 2.2% and paclitaxel 2.9%). Responders to paclitaxel had a significantly improved progression-free survival compared with non-responders by both standard criteria (median progression-free survival, 6.8 v 2.5 months; P<.001) and CA-125 criteria (median progression-free survival, 6.8 v 3.4 months; P<.001).

CONCLUSION

Forassessing activity of therapy for ovarian cancer, these data show that precise 50% or 75% CA-125 response criteria are as sensitive as standard response criteria. We propose that they may be used as a measure of response in lieu of or in addition to standard response criteria in clinical trials involving epithelial ovarian cancer. Sensitivity is maintained whether patients are treated with platinum or paclitaxel.

The bystander effect of the nitroreductase/CB1954 enzyme/prodrug system is due to a cell-permeable metabolite

The bystander effect is an important part of tumor kill using gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT). Recently, we have described a novel enzyme prodrug system using bacterial nitroreductase and the prodrug CB1954 (NTR/CB1954). We demonstrate here the presence of a cell-permeable cytotoxic activity in the conditioned growth medium of nitroreductase (NTR)-transduced cells treated with CB1954 and show that its appearance corresponds to the appearance of two metabolites of CB1954 previously identified (Friedlos et al., 1992). The degree of bystander effect and the degree of transferred cytotoxicity correlates with the level of NTR enzyme expression. Two other prodrugs for NTR show little bystander killing and do not produce detectable cell permeable metabolites. The elucidation of the mechanism of the bystander effect may allow the more effective use of NTR/CB1954.

Expression of the bacterial nitroreductase enzyme in mammalian cells renders them selectively sensitive to killing by the prodrug CB1954

A recombinant retrovirus encoding E. coli nitroreductase (NTR) was used to infect mammalian cells. NIH3T3 cells expressing NTR were killed by the prodrug CB1954, which NTR converts to a bifunctional alkylating agent. Admixed, unmodified NIH3T3 cells could also be killed. In contrast to the Herpes simplex virus (HSV) thymidine kinase (TK)/ganciclovir(GCV) enzyme/prodrug system, NTR/CB1954 cell killing was effective in non-cycling cells. Co-operative killing was observed when cells expressing both NTR and TK were treated with a combination of CB1954 and GCV. NTR expression in human melanoma, ovarian carcinoma or mesothelioma cells also rendered them sensitive to CB1954 killing. These data suggest that delivery of the NTR gene to human tumours, followed by treatment with CB1954, may provide a novel tumour gene therapy approach.

The histological and immunohistochemical changes in the skin of patients with melanoma who develop changes in skin pigmentation following immunotherapy

The histological and immunocytochemical appearances of skin with altered pigmentation from two patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy for melanoma were examined. In both patients, there was a clinical response to treatment coincident with depigmentation of skin and hair. Skin biopsies showed extensive infiltration with CD8+ and CD4+ lymphocytes rather than CD57+ in the depigmented areas suggestive of a specific MHC-related cytotoxic T-cell activity against melanocytes. In keeping with this, MHCII expression was markedly up-regulated. These observations suggest the development of a simultaneous anti-tumour and anti-melanocyte immune response stimulated by chemoimmunotherapy, possibly against the same or similar antigens.

Malignant phaeochromocytoma and hypercalcaemia

We describe a case of hypercalcaemia secondary to recurrent malignant phaeochromocytoma. Parathyroid-related protein (PTHrp 1-86) immunoreactivity was identified in plasma and PTHrp was identified by immunocytochemistry in tumour tissue.