Berzosertib Plus Topotecan vs Topotecan Alone in Patients With Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

Patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a high replication stress tumor, have poor prognoses and few therapeutic options. A phase 2 study showed antitumor activity with the addition of the ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related kinase inhibitor berzosertib to topotecan.

Objective

To investigate whether the addition of berzosertib to topotecan improves clinical outcomes for patients with relapsed SCLC.

Design, Setting, and Participants

Between December 1, 2019, and December 31, 2022, this open-label phase 2 randomized clinical trial recruited 60 patients with SCLC and relapse after 1 or more prior therapies from 16 US cancer centers. Patients previously treated with topotecan were not eligible.

Interventions

Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive topotecan alone (group 1), 1.25 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1 through 5, or with berzosertib (group 2), 210 mg/m2 intravenously on days 2 and 5, in 21-day cycles. Randomization was stratified by tumor sensitivity to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS) in the intention-to-treat population. Secondary end points included overall survival (OS) in the overall population and among patients with platinum-sensitive or platinum-resistant tumors. The PFS and OS for each treatment group were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to compare PFS and OS between the 2 groups, and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the treatment hazard ratios (HRs) and the corresponding 2-sided 95% CI.

Results

Of 60 patients (median [range] age, 59 [34-79] years; 33 [55%] male) included in this study, 20 were randomly assigned to receive topotecan alone and 40 to receive a combination of topotecan with berzosertib. After a median (IQR) follow-up of 21.3 (18.1-28.3) months, there was no difference in PFS between the 2 groups (median, 3.0 [95% CI, 1.2-5.1] months for group 1 vs 3.9 [95% CI, 2.8-4.6] months for group 2; HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.46-1.41]; P = .44). Overall survival was significantly longer with the combination therapy (5.4 [95% CI, 3.2-6.8] months vs 8.9 [95% CI, 4.8-11.4] months; HR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.29-0.96], P = .03). Adverse event profiles were similar between the 2 groups (eg, grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia, 11 of 20 [55%] vs 20 of 40 [50%], and any grade nausea, 9 of 20 [45%] vs 14 of 40 [35%]).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this randomized clinical trial, treatment with berzosertib plus topotecan did not improve PFS compared with topotecan therapy alone among patients with relapsed SCLC. However, the combination treatment significantly improved OS.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03896503.

Targeting Replication Stress and Chemotherapy Resistance with a Combination of Sacituzumab Govitecan and Berzosertib: A Phase I Clinical Trial

PURPOSE

Despite promising preclinical studies, toxicities have precluded combinations of chemotherapy and DNA damage response (DDR) inhibitors. We hypothesized that tumor-targeted chemotherapy delivery might enable clinical translation of such combinations.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a phase I trial, we combined sacituzumab govitecan, antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that delivers topoisomerase-1 inhibitor SN-38 to tumors expressing Trop-2, with ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) inhibitor berzosertib. Twelve patients were enrolled across three dose levels.

RESULTS

Treatment was well tolerated, with improved safety over conventional chemotherapy-based combinations, allowing escalation to the highest dose. No dose-limiting toxicities or clinically relevant ≥grade 4 adverse events occurred. Tumor regressions were observed in 2 patients with neuroendocrine prostate cancer, and a patient with small cell lung cancer transformed from EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

ADC-based delivery of cytotoxic payloads represents a new paradigm to increase efficacy of DDR inhibitors. See related commentary by Berg and Choudhury, p. 3557.

Extrachromosomal DNA Amplification Contributes to Small Cell Lung Cancer Heterogeneity and Is Associated with Worse Outcomes

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine lung cancer. Oncogenic MYC amplifications drive SCLC heterogeneity, but the genetic mechanisms of MYC amplification and phenotypic plasticity, characterized by neuroendocrine and nonneuroendocrine cell states, are not known. Here, we integrate whole-genome sequencing, long-range optical mapping, single-cell DNA sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization to find extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) as a primary source of SCLC oncogene amplifications and driver fusions. ecDNAs bring to proximity enhancer elements and oncogenes, creating SCLC transcription-amplifying units, driving exceptionally high MYC gene dosage. We demonstrate that cell-free nucleosome profiling can noninvasively detect ecDNA amplifications in plasma, facilitating its genome-wide interrogation in SCLC and other cancers. Altogether, our work provides the first comprehensive map of SCLC ecDNA and describes a new mechanism that governs MYC-driven SCLC heterogeneity. ecDNA-enabled transcriptional flexibility may explain the significantly worse survival outcomes of SCLC harboring complex ecDNA amplifications.

SIGNIFICANCE

MYC drives SCLC progression, but the genetic basis of MYC-driven SCLC evolution is unknown. Using SCLC as a paradigm, we report how ecDNA amplifications function as MYC-amplifying units, fostering tumor plasticity and a high degree of tumor heterogeneity. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 799.

PLX038: A Long-Acting Topoisomerase I Inhibitor With Robust Antitumor Activity in ATM-Deficient Tumors and Potent Synergy With PARP Inhibitors

Alterations in the ATM gene are among the most common somatic and hereditary cancer mutations, and ATM-deficient tumors are hypersensitive to DNA-damaging agents. A synthetic lethal combination of DNA-damaging agents and DNA repair inhibitors could have widespread utility in ATM-deficient cancers. However, overlapping normal tissue toxicities from these drug classes have precluded their clinical translation. We investigated PLX038, a releasable polyethylene glycol-conjugate of the topoisomerase I inhibitor SN-38, in ATM wild-type and null isogenic xenografts and in a BRCA1-deficient xenograft. PLX038 monotherapy and combination with PARP inhibition potently inhibited the growth of both BRCA1- and ATM-deficient tumors. A patient with an ATM-mutated breast cancer treated with PLX038 and the PARP inhibitor rucaparib achieved rapid, symptomatic, and radiographic complete response lasting 12 months. Single-agent PLX038 or PLX038 in combination with DNA damage response inhibitors are novel therapeutic paradigms for patients with ATM-loss cancers.

Targeting genomic instability in extrapulmonary small cell neuroendocrine cancers: A phase II study with ATR inhibitor berzosertib and topotecan

8518

Background: Extra-pulmonary small cell neuroendocrine cancers (EP-SCNC) are rare cancers with no standard treatments at relapse that share molecular similarities with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Concurrent inhibition of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3 related (ATR) and topoisomerase 1, key enzymes for maintaining genomic stability, exacerbated replication stress in SCLC cells and produced durable antitumor responses in patients with relapsed SCLC (Cancer Cell 2021; PMID: 33848478). Methods: Combination of berzosertib and topotecan was evaluated in patients with relapsed EP-SCNC (NCT02487095). Berzosertib was administered at 210 mg/m2 on days 2 and 5 and topotecan 1.25 mg/m2 on days 1-5 in 21-day cycles. Whole exome sequencing (WES) and transcriptome analyses were performed to assess the genomic features associated with response. Results: Fifteen patients with EP-SCNC involving various primary sites were enrolled [three each: cervix, transformed SCLC; two each: bladder, breast, prostate; one each: gallbladder, ovary, rectum]. Two patients (13.3%: breast and rectum) achieved a confirmed partial response (PR; -72.2% and -48.5% tumor reduction in size) lasting 6.9 and 5.8 months. Responses occurred irrespective of platinum-sensitivity or prior treatment with topotecan or immunotherapy. Pre-treatment tumor gene expression profiles of EP-SCNC patients who achieved clinical benefit revealed enrichment of neuroendocrine differentiation (normalized enrichment score and p-value of a gene set enrichment analysis: 2.1 and 2.1 x 10-4). Principal component analysis showed convergent gene expression profiles of both SCLC and EP-SCNC patients who achieved PR. Pre-treatment tumor of a breast small cell cancer patient who achieved durable response revealed amplifications of multiple genes driving replication stress such as KRAS and CCND1. Longitudinal tumor sampling of the patient through treatment course revealed increasing intra-tumor heterogeneity as a potential resistant mechanism. Conclusions: Combination of berzosertib and topotecan is a novel therapeutic paradigm for patients with EP-SCNCs. Both SCLCs and EP-SCNCs responding to this approach show a similar transcriptional phenotype characterized by high replication stress. Clinical trial information: NCT02487095.

Heterogeneity of neuroendocrine transcriptional states in metastatic small cell lung cancers and patient-derived models

Molecular subtypes of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) defined by the expression of key transcription regulators have recently been proposed in cell lines and limited number of primary tumors. The clinical and biological implications of neuroendocrine (NE) subtypes in metastatic SCLC, and the extent to which they vary within and between patient tumors and in patient-derived models is not known. We integrate histology, transcriptome, exome, and treatment outcomes of SCLC from a range of metastatic sites, revealing complex intra- and intertumoral heterogeneity of NE differentiation. Transcriptomic analysis confirms previously described subtypes based on ASCL1, NEUROD1, POU2F3, YAP1, and ATOH1 expression, and reveal a clinical subtype with hybrid NE and non-NE phenotypes, marked by chemotherapy-resistance and exceedingly poor outcomes. NE tumors are more likely to have RB1, NOTCH, and chromatin modifier gene mutations, upregulation of DNA damage response genes, and are more likely to respond to replication stress targeted therapies. In contrast, patients preferentially benefited from immunotherapy if their tumors were non-NE. Transcriptional phenotypes strongly skew towards the NE state in patient-derived model systems, an observation that was confirmed in paired patient-matched tumors and xenografts. We provide a framework that unifies transcriptomic and genomic dimensions of metastatic SCLC. The marked differences in transcriptional diversity between patient tumors and model systems are likely to have implications in development of novel therapeutic agents.

Whole-exome sequencing reveals germline-mutated small cell lung cancer subtype with favorable response to DNA repair-targeted therapies

Because tobacco is a potent carcinogen, secondary causes of lung cancer are often diminished in perceived importance. To assess the extent of inherited susceptibility to small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the most lethal type of lung cancer, we sequenced germline exomes of 87 patients (77 SCLC and 10 extrapulmonary small cell) and considered 607 genes, discovering 42 deleterious variants in 35 cancer-predisposition genes among 43.7% of patients. These findings were validated in an independent cohort of 79 patients with SCLC. Loss of heterozygosity was observed in 3 of 14 (21.4%) tumors. Identification of variants influenced medical management and family member testing in nine (10.3%) patients. Unselected patients with SCLC were more likely to carry germline RAD51 paralog D (RAD51D), checkpoint kinase 1 (CHEK1), breast cancer 2 (BRCA2), and mutY DNA glycosylase (MUTYH) pathogenic variants than healthy controls. Germline genotype was significantly associated with the likelihood of a first-degree relative with cancer or lung cancer (odds ratio: 1.82, P = 0.008; and 2.60, P = 0.028), and longer recurrence-free survival after platinum-based chemotherapy (P = 0.002), independent of known prognostic factors. Treatment of a patient with relapsed SCLC and germline pathogenic mutation of BRCA1 interacting protein C-terminal helicase 1 (BRIP1), a homologous recombination-related gene, using agents synthetically lethal with homologous recombination deficiency, resulted in a notable disease response. This work demonstrates that SCLC, currently thought to result almost exclusively from tobacco exposure, may have an inherited predisposition and lays the groundwork for targeted therapies based on the genes involved.

Therapeutic targeting of ATR yields durable regressions in small cell lung cancers with high replication stress

Small cell neuroendocrine cancers (SCNCs) are recalcitrant cancers arising from diverse primary sites that lack effective treatments. Using chemical genetic screens, we identified inhibition of ataxia telangiectasia and rad3 related (ATR), the primary activator of the replication stress response, and topoisomerase I (TOP1), nuclear enzyme that suppresses genomic instability, as synergistically cytotoxic in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). In a proof-of-concept study, we combined M6620 (berzosertib), first-in-class ATR inhibitor, and TOP1 inhibitor topotecan in patients with relapsed SCNCs. Objective response rate among patients with SCLC was 36% (9/25), achieving the primary efficacy endpoint. Durable tumor regressions were observed in patients with platinum-resistant SCNCs, typically fatal within weeks of recurrence. SCNCs with high neuroendocrine differentiation, characterized by enhanced replication stress, were more likely to respond. These findings highlight replication stress as a potentially transformative vulnerability of SCNCs, paving the way for rational patient selection in these cancers, now treated as a single disease.

Population pharmacokinetic analysis of nanoparticle-bound and free camptothecin after administration of NLG207 in adults with advanced solid tumors

PURPOSE

NLG207 (formerly CRLX101) is a nanoparticle-drug conjugate (NDC) of the potent topoisomerase I inhibitor, camptothecin (CPT). The present study sought to characterize the complex pharmacokinetics (PK) of NLG207 and better describe CPT release from nanoparticles using a population PK (popPK) model.

METHODS

From 27 patients enrolled on two phase II clinical trials (NCT02769962 and NCT03531827), dense sampling was performed up to 48 h post-administration of NLG207 during cycle one and six of treatment; samples were also collected at ~ 360 h post-dose. Conjugated and free CPT concentrations were quantified from each sample, resulting in 477 observations to build a popPK model using non-linear mixed-effects modeling.

RESULTS

The PK of NLG207 was characterized by combining two linear two-compartment models with first-order kinetics each to describe nanoparticle-bound (conjugated) and free CPT. Allometric scaling based on body weight provided the best body-size descriptor for all PK parameters. The typical volumes of distribution of the conjugated CPT central and free CPT central compartments were 3.16 L (BSV CV%; 18.1%) and 21.1 L (CV%; 79.8%), respectively. CPT release from the nanoparticle formulation was characterized via an initial rapid clearance of 5.71 L/h (CV%; 62.6%), which decreased via first-order decay (estimated half-life of 0.307 h) to the steady-state value of 0.0988 L/h (CV%; 33.5%) by ~ 4 h after end of infusion. Renal clearance of free CPT was 0.874 L/h (CV%; 42.2%).

CONCLUSION

The popPK model confirmed nanoparticle behavior of conjugated CPT and mechanistically characterized CPT release from NLG207. The current analysis provides a strong foundation for future study as a potential predictive tool in ongoing NLG207 clinical trials.

Randomized phase II trial of topotecan plus M6620 (VX-970) versus topotecan alone in patients with relapsed small-cell neuroendocrine cancers including small cell lung cancer

TPS3653

Background: Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) is an essential kinase that senses stressed replication forks and orchestrates the multifaceted replication stress response. Cancer cells under replication stress are particularly susceptible to ATR inhibition. Small-cell neuroendocrine cancers (SCNCs) are highly aggressive and arise in multiple tissues, most commonly lung (SCLC). We hypothesized that SCNCs are under replication stress and that exacerbating this stress could selectively kill SCNC by replicative damage. Based on promising data from a single-arm study, this study seeks to evaluate the improvement of progression free survival (PFS) by adding M6620 to topotecan in patients with SCNC. Methods: This study is an investigator-initiated, multicenter, open-label randomized phase 2 clinical trial. Key inclusion criterion are patients at age ≥18 with SCNCs that had relapsed after at least one prior chemotherapy, ECOG PS ≤ 2, and adequate organ function. Patents with asymptomatic brain metastasis, irrespective sensitivity with prior platinum-based chemotherapy, and previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors are eligible. The primary cohort consists of 54 patients with SCLC randomized 2:1 to receive either topotecan in combination with M6620 or topotecan alone. Topotecan is administered 1.25 mg/m2 intravenously over 30 minutes every 23 hours on day 1 through 5, pegfilgrastim 6 mg subcutaneously on day 6 and M6620 is administered at 210 mg/m2 intravenously over 60 minutes on day 2 and day 5 if the patient is randomized to the combination arm, in 21-day cycles. Patients randomized to the topotecan alone arm can cross-over to the combination arm at disease progression. An exploratory cohort will enroll 20 patients with SCNC. Primary endpoint is PFS improvement with the combination compared with topotecan alone. Secondary endpoints are ORR and overall survival. To evaluate the genomic features associated with clinical outcomes and to gain insight into the underlying mechanisms of ATR inhibitor response, we require mandatory biopsy before starting treatment. Clinical trial information: NCT03896503 .

Phase I Study of ATR Inhibitor M6620 in Combination With Topotecan in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors

Purpose Our preclinical work identified depletion of ATR as a top candidate for topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) inhibitor synthetic lethality and showed that ATR inhibition sensitizes tumors to TOP1 inhibitors. We hypothesized that a combination of selective ATR inhibitor M6620 (previously VX-970) and topotecan, a selective TOP1 inhibitor, would be tolerable and active, particularly in tumors with high replicative stress. Patients and Methods This phase I study tested the combination of M6620 and topotecan in 3-week cycles using 3 + 3 dose escalation. The primary end point was the identification of the maximum tolerated dose of the combination. Efficacy and pharmacodynamics were secondary end points. Results Between September 2016 and February 2017, 21 patients enrolled. The combination was well tolerated, which allowed for dose escalation to the highest planned dose level (topotecan 1.25 mg/m2, days 1 to 5; M6620 210 mg/m2, days 2 and 5). One of six patients at this dose level experienced grade 4 thrombocytopenia that required transfusion, a dose-limiting toxicity. Most common treatment-related grade 3 or 4 toxicities were anemia, leukopenia, and neutropenia (19% each); lymphopenia (14%); and thrombocytopenia (10%). Two partial responses (≥ 18 months, ≥ 7 months) and seven stable disease responses ≥ 3 months (median, 9 months; range, 3 to 12 months) were seen. Three of five patients with small-cell lung cancer, all of whom had platinum-refractory disease, had a partial response or prolonged stable disease (10, ≥ 6, and ≥ 7 months). Pharmacodynamic studies showed preliminary evidence of ATR inhibition and enhanced DNA double-stranded breaks in response to the combination. Conclusion To our knowledge, this report is the first of an ATR inhibitor-chemotherapy combination. The maximum dose of topotecan plus M6620 is tolerable. The combination seems particularly active in platinum-refractory small-cell lung cancer, which tends not to respond to topotecan alone. Phase II studies with biomarker evaluation are ongoing.

Twenty-five year results of the national cancer institute randomized breast conservation trial

Breast conservation therapy (BCT) consisting of lumpectomy and postoperative radiation has become an accepted alternative to mastectomy (MRM) for the treatment of early stage breast cancer. We currently report the 25 year outcomes of a single institution, prospective, randomized clinical trial at the National Cancer Institute. 237 women with pathologically confirmed invasive breast tumors 5 cm or less were accrued between 1979 and 1987 and randomized to receive either BCT or MRM. Overall survival was the primary endpoint. Patients with node positive disease were included and treated with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. Both arms received axillary dissection. BCT patients had radiation to the whole breast followed by a boost. At a median follow-up of 25.7 years, overall survival was 43.8% for the MRM group and 37.9% for BCT (P = 0.38). Although the cumulative incidence of a disease-free survival event was higher in BCT patients (29.0% MRM vs. 56.4% BCT, P = 0.0017), the additional treatment failures were primarily isolated ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences (IBTR's) requiring salvage mastectomy. 22.3% of BCT patients experienced an IBTR. Distant disease and second cancers were similar in both arms. After 25 years, long term survival between BCT and MRM continues to be similar in patients treated for early stage breast cancer. Patients receiving BCT may be at risk for additional treatment-related morbidity, which may occur as a late event. Further studies are required to delineate patients at higher risk for these events, and prolonged follow up should be encouraged after treatment for all women.

Abstract P4-10-01: Twenty-Five Year Results in the Treatment of Early Breast Carcinoma with Mastectomy Versus Breast Conservation Therapy: The National Cancer Institute Randomized Trial

Background: Breast conservation therapy (BCT) has become an accepted treatment in women with early stage breast cancer due to multiple randomized trials showing equivalent mortality rates when compared to modified radical mastectomy (MRM). Results of the National Cancer Institute's prospective randomized trial comparing MRM to BCT are now reported at a median follow up of 25.4 years.

Methods: Between 1979 and 1987, 237 evaluable patients with biopsy proven clinical Stage I or Stage II primary breast cancer were randomized to receive a MRM or a lumpectomy followed by definitive radiation to the entire breast followed by a boost to the tumor bed. An axillary dissection was performed in both arms. Negative margins were not required. Patients with node positive disease in either arm were treated with adriamycin and cytoxan. The primary endpoints were overall survival and disease-free survival.

Results: At a median follow-up of 25.4 years, there was no statistical difference in overall survival between either arm, with 45.7% of patients alive in the MRM group and 38.0% alive in the BCT group (p=0.43). Although disease-free survival was significantly worse in patients randomized to BCT (57% vs 82%, P<0.001), the additional treatment failures in the BCT group were primarily isolated ipsilateral breast tumor recurrences (IBTR's) which were salvaged by MRM. 22.3% of BCT patients experienced an IBTR but those patients had no significant decrease in overall survival. There were no differences in distant metastasis between the groups. Clinical factors associated with a worse prognosis include the presence of nodal disease (HR 2.46, 95% CI 1.71-2.71, P<0.05) and tumor size (HR 1.91, 95% CI 1.346-2.711, P<0.05).

Conclusion: The 25 year survival rate among women receiving BCT vs MRM in the National Cancer Institute randomized trial appears to be equivalent and is consistent with findings across multiple trials. In patients receiving BCT there is an increased incidence of IBTR's. Despite a higher risk of local failure in the BCT group, there is no increased risk of distant failure or mortality. The risk of local failure however, should be discussed when counseling patients regarding their treatment options.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-10-01.

Long-term outcomes and toxicity of concurrent paclitaxel and radiotherapy for locally advanced head-and-neck cancer

PURPOSE

To report the long-term outcomes and toxicity of a regimen of infusion paclitaxel delivered concurrently with radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between 1995 and 1999, 35 patients with nonmetastatic, Stage III or IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck were treated with three cycles of paclitaxel as a 120-h continuous infusion beginning on Days 1, 21, and 42, concurrent with radiotherapy. The initial 16 patients received 105 mg/m(2)/cycle, and the subsequent 19 patients received 120 mg/m(2)/cycle. External beam radiotherapy was delivered to a dose of 70.2-72 Gy at five fractions weekly. Patients were followed to evaluate the disease outcomes and late toxicity of this regimen.

RESULTS

The median follow-up for all patients was 56.5 months. The median survival was 56.5 months, and the median time to local recurrence was not reached. Of the 35 patients, 15 (43%) developed hypothyroidism. Of the 33 patients who underwent percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement, 11 were percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube dependent until death or their last follow-up visit. Also, 5 patients (14%) required a tracheostomy until death, and 3 (9%) developed a severe esophageal stricture. All evaluated long-term survivors exhibited salivary hypofunction. Fibrosis in the radiation field occurred in 24 patients (69%).

CONCLUSION

The results of our study have shown that concurrent chemoradiotherapy with a 120-h infusion of paclitaxel provides long-term local control and survival in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Xerostomia, hypothyroidism, esophageal and pharyngeal complications, and subcutaneous fibrosis were common long-term toxicities; however, the vast majority of toxicities were grade 1 or 2.

Comparing measures of acute bowel toxicity in patients with prostate cancer treated with external beam radiation therapy

PURPOSE

This study strives to compare early measures of bowel toxicity in patients with prostate cancer receiving definitive or adjuvant 3D conformal external beam radiation therapy and concurrent daily endorectal application of amifostine.

METHODS

Eighteen patients were enrolled in the clinical study with a median follow-up of 12 months. Prescription doses ranged from 66 Gy to 76 Gy with a daily fractionation of 2 Gy. Acute bowel toxicity was measured at baseline, at Weeks 5 and 7 of radiotherapy, and at 1 and 3 months after the completion of therapy. Measures of acute bowel toxicity included the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) acute radiation morbidity scoring criteria, Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) self-assessment questionnaires, and proctoscopic examinations.

RESULTS

The mean EPIC bowel scores changed significantly through the course of therapy and follow-up (p < 0.0001), with a progressive decrease in scores at Weeks 5 and 7 of treatment, a partial recovery at 3 months, and a correlation to the gold standard RTOG grade (p = 0.004). Proctoscopic toxicity scores were low, did not vary over time, and did not correlate with either EPIC or RTOG scores.

CONCLUSION

The EPIC questionnaire measurements are most sensitive to changes in acute bowel toxicity through a course of radiotherapy and correlate with RTOG acute toxicity scores. Endoscopic examination of the rectal mucosa at the end and immediate follow-up of a course of therapy does not seem to be informative or reproducible between observers in the acute setting.

Powered wheelchairs and independence in young children with tetraplegia

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of early provision (< or = 8 years) of a powered wheelchair (PWC) in children with tetraplegia. Twenty-nine children (15 males, 14 females; mean age 6 years 3 months, age range 3 to 8 years) with spastic or dystonic tetraplegia were studied. All participants had severe motor impairment. Treatment outcomes were investigated in several dimensions of disablement: Impairment, Functional Limitation/Activity, Disability/Participation. It was found that the level of independence improved significantly after PWC provision, while motor impairment, IQ, and quality of life did not. The majority of children (21 of 27) reached a level of driving competence which allowed them to move around with or without minimal (i.e. verbal) adult support. Achievement of this competence was not statistically related to IQ or motor impairment but correlated to the time spent in the PWC. The majority of parents (21 of 25) were not in favour of the PWC when the study started but after PWC provision, 23 of 25 parents expressed positive feelings about it. Reactions of the majority of children (23 of 25) were positive from the beginning of the study and did not change over time. The authors concluded that PWCs can aid independence and socialization and the majority of children can achieve a good-enough driving competence, even those with severe learning disability or motor deficit. PWCs should not be viewed as a last resort but as a means of providing efficient self-locomotion in children with a severe motor deficit.

Functional status of adults with cerebral palsy and implications for treatment of children

This study examined the evolution of individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) from childhood to adulthood. Seventy-two adults with a diagnosis of CP born between 1934 and 1980 were studied. Individuals were recruited and data comprehensively collected using case notes and through direct assessments of the majority of participants from three rehabilitation units in Bologna, Padua, and Rovigo in Italy. The main findings can be summarized as follows: contact with health and rehabilitation services was radically reduced once individuals reached adulthood; more individuals who were integrated into mainstream schools achieved and maintained literacy than those who had attended special schools; in a high number of participants, motor performance deteriorated once into adulthood. Independent walking or other forms of supported locomotion were lost in many on reaching adulthood. Of those who continued to walk, walking deteriorated in terms of distance. It was concluded that even though CP has been considered as predominantly a childhood pathological condition, the evolution of the effects of CP do not stop at 16 or 18 years of age. For this reason, the traditional child- (or infant-) oriented approach concentrating mainly or exclusively on the achievement of independent walking, may not be an ideal approach to children with CP. Instead a more independence-oriented therapeutic approach would be appropriate.

Respiratory function and liver cirrhosis

Respiratory function was studied in 27 patients with liver cirrhosis and in a control group of 36 subjects. A significant difference in the overall comparison of the cirrhotic patients vs the control group was found only for average values of PEFR and FEF 25% (p less than 0.05); the significant reduction of PEFR was still present in ascitic subgroup. Considering other subgroups created vs control group, a restrictive alteration was observed in patients in Child's class C, with lower albumin levels and in presence of hyperbilirubinemia. An obstructive dysfunction was present in alcoholic cirrhotic patients. A significant decrease (p less than 0.05) of FEF 25-75% and FEF 75% (a specific small airways function index) was observed in patients with esophageal varices vs patients without varices, not related to ascites. The small airway functional alteration seems related to hemodynamic features of portal hypertension.

[Gilbert's syndrome: consideration of several diagnostic aspects]

Gilbert's syndrome is a frequent clinical condition with indirect hyperbilirubinemia, with controversial pathogenesis, nosography, and diagnostic criteria. Reliability of diagnostic test (caloric intake restriction and phenobarbital induction), as well as bilirubin modifications after physical exercise, were assessed in 7 patients with the disease. Phenobarbital induction appears to be the most suitable and reliable test for clinical non-invasive diagnosis of Gilbert's syndrome.