Chemo-Immunotherapy of Advanced Aids-Related Kaposi'S Sarcoma

Aims and background

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is the most common neoplastic complication of HIV infection and AIDS. Multiple cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens have been used with various response rates. We have evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of low-dose chemotherapy in patients with poor-prognosis AIDS-related KS and the role of interferon alpha (IFN-α) in complete responders.

Methods

Twenty-five previously untreated patients with advanced KS received bleomycin (BL) 10 mg/m2 and vinblastine (VB) 6 mg/m2 on days 1 and 15 every two weeks. After six cycles, patients in complete remission received IFN-alpha (3 million U s.c. 3 times/week) combined with antiretroviral therapy. All patients were evaluated for toxicity using the World Health Organization (WHO) toxicity schedule. Both Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) and AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) response criteria were used to evaluate response and survival.

Results

The overall response rate was 84% (95% confidence interval, 51–117%) with six complete remissions (24%) and 15 partial remissions (60%) by ECOG criteria, and 92% (95% confidence interval: 58–128%) with 17 partial remissions (68%) by ACTG criteria. The median duration of response on IFN-alpha treatment was 4.5 months (range, 2–10). The overall median survival duration for all 25 patients was 9 months (range, 2–39). Grade 3–4 anemia was observed in five patients and grade 3–4 neutropenia in two patients. No other clinically significant (> grade 3) toxicities were observed.

Conclusions

Combination of BL and VB is effective and well tolerated, even if new therapeutic options are developing. This disease remains a challenging problem, so larger studies using the combination of chemotherapy and/or IFN-alpha with antiretroviral treatment are warranted.

Secondary Leukemia following Treatment for Hodgkin's Disease

Aims and Background

Patients treated for Hodgkin's disease with chemotherapy or with the association of chemotherapy and radiotherapy have an increased risk of secondary leukemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the leukemogenic risk due to these treatment modalities.

Methods

We performed a case-control study on a population of 1410 patients treated for Hodgkin's disease from 1970 to 1990 in our Institute. Among these patients, we identified 25 cases of secondary leukemia and 3 cases of myelodysplasia, all occurring more than one year after the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease. Three cases occurred among the patients treated with radiotherapy alone. When we analyzed the risk in relation to the type of treatment (radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or both), the comparisons were relative to patients treated with radiotherapy alone.

Results

We found that chemotherapy alone is associated with a fivefold increased risk (odds ratio = 5.4) compared with radiotherapy alone. When both treatments are used, the risk is not further increased (odds ratio = 4.4). Patients receiving more than 6 courses of chemotherapy have an excess risk (relative risk = 2.5) compared with those treated with 6 courses or less. No increased risk was observed after splenectomy.

Conclusions

This study confirms an increased incidence of secondary leukemia occurring in patients treated for Hodgkin's disease. The increased risk seems to be correlated with the number of courses of alkylating agent therapy, whereas it is unaffected by the addition of radiotherapy.

Lipid Bound Sialic Acid in Cancer Patients

Serum lipid-bound sialic acid (LSA) was measured with a recently described procedure in 108 healthy subjects and in 138 patients with a variety of solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. At the time of serum sampling, 128 patients had active disease and 10 patients had no evidence of disease. LSA was elevated in 104 of 128 (81.2%) patients with active disease, while carcinoembryonic antigen, analyzed in 74, was elevated only in 21 (28.4%) (P < 0.05). Sensitivity of the serum LSA test ranged from 66% for breast and gastrointestinal cancer to 92% for lung cancer. In patients with lung cancer, ovarian cancer or Hodgkin's disease, LSA was correlated with the extent of disease and it also proved to be useful in following the course of disease. Our preliminary data indicate that this test can be used as a monitor of tumor burden.

Serum Copper Level in Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas

Serum copper level (SCL) was studied by the atomic absorption technique in 103 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. SCL was increased in 61 % of patients at diagnosis or during active disease; values within normal range were found in 88 % of patients in complete remission. The difference between mean SCL during active disease and in remission was highly significant, independently of stage and histologic type, so that: a) Within the same clinical stage high SCL at diagnosis was associated with poorer response to therapy in stage II and stage III (respectively P = 0.033 and P = 0.049), but not in stage IV, where the complete remissions were only 8 out of 42. A shorter 5-year survival was also shown in stages III and IV with high SCL at diagnosis (respectively P < 0.025 and P < 0.05), but not in stage II where the deaths were only 3 out of 24. b) Within histologic types, SCL is a useful prognostic index of response to therapy and survival, although a statistically significant difference was only reached for poorly differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma. We conclude that SCL may be a good parameter of disease activity and a useful index of response to therapy and survival in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Urinary Hydroxyproline in Multiple Myeloma: Correlation with Clinical Stages and Bone Disease

Twenty-four-hour urinary hydroxyproline excretion (HOP) (normal values: 6–22 mg/day/m2) was measured by the Hypronosticon test in 50 untreated patients with plasma cell myeloma. At diagnosis, HOP was elevated in 36 of 50 patients (72 %) with a mean value of 35.9 mg/day/m2. Extent of bone lesions and clinical stage were accurately assessed in all patients. Higher HOP values were found in patients with a higher degree of bone lesions (multiple lytic areas and/or destruction of skeletal segments). According to clinical stages, HOP was very elevated only in stage III (mean value: 43.7); in stages I and II the mean value (25.2) was just above the normal range. Our data indicate that HOP in multiple myeloma at diagnosis is closely related to the extension of skeletal lesions and that during the clinical course it may be useful in the follow-up of bone disease.

Cisplatin plus Vindesine versus Cisplatin plus VP16 versus Doxorubicin plus Cytoxan in Non-Small-Cell Carcinoma of the Lung. A Randomized Study

From March 1981 to January 1984, 116 patienst with advanced non-small-cell carcinoma of the lung (NSCCL) were randomly assigned to 3 combinations as follows: CDDP + DVA, CDDP + VP16 and DXR + CTX. 94 patients were evaluable for response, 106 for toxicity and survival. Of 31 patients, 15 (48%; 3 CRs and 12 PRs) responded to CDDP + DVA; of 33 patients, 12 (36%, 2 CRs and 10 PRs) responded to CDDP + VP16; of 30 patients, 3 (10%) obtained a PR with DXR+CTX (CDDP+DVA vs DXR + CTX, P < 0.005; CDDP + VP16 vs DXR + CTX, P < 0.05; CDDP + DVA vs CDDP + VP16, P = NS). The median duration of response was 22 weeks in the CDDP-DVA group, 17 weeks in the CDDP-VP16 group, and 16 weeks in the DXR+CTX group. No significant difference in survival was observed among the 3 groups (median: 43, 47, 41 weeks, respectively). Hematologic and neurologic toxicities were significantly higher in the DVA-containing regimen. Despite the lack of improvement of overall survival with the CDDP-containing combinations over the DXR + CTX control group, the good response rate makes them suitable to be used in combined therapeutic strategies.

Tamoxifen Treatment for Advanced Renal Cell Cancer

Twelve patients with metastatic clear cell renal cancer received a course of tamoxifen. Three showed stable disease for a period from 2 to 12 months and 1 a mixed response for a short time. It does not appear that tamoxifen may be a useful agent in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Vindesine in Plasma Cell Tumors

Twenty-one patients with plasma cell tumors received vindesine (VDS) at the dose of 3 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 plus prednisone at the dose of 100 mg p.o. from day 1 to 5, recycling every 8 days 3 times and then every 10-12 days. In 3 patients with gastric or duodenal ulcer prednisone was not administered. All but one patient were heavily pretreated and resistant to M-2 regimen. Overall there were 4 objective responses (19%): 2 among 15 patients (13%) with multiple myeloma and 2 among 6 patients (33%) with extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP). The responses lasted for 2, 12, 15 and 48+ months. One previously untreated EMP patient received VDS without prednisone and obtained a complete long-lasting remission. The association of VDS with high-dose prednisone seems to have some activity in plasma cell tumors; probably in multiple myeloma the objective responses are due to the high dose of cortisone rather than to VDS. On the contrary, in EMP patients, VDS may be an active agent, even if administered without cortisone.

The role of prognostic factors in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with targeted therapies (TT): Data from an Italian retrospective multicentric study

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Background: Several prognostic factors in mRCC have been largely described in the literature. This study was aimed to verify whether some of these factors maintain their prognostic role in a cohort of pts treated in the community setting outside clinical trials. Methods: 902 pts with mRCC treated with TT from 2007 to December 2012 in 28 Italian centres were included in the analysis. Various potential prognostic factors were correlated with overall survival (OS). Results: Median age was 60 (range 25-89), 75% of pts were males; median OS (mOS) was 24 mo. Histology was clear cell (CC), CC with sarcomatoid component, papillary, NOS, not available in 82%, 6%, 4%, 4% and 4 %, respectively. mOS in the CC subgroup was 28 vs 12.5 mo of the non CC subset (p<0.001). Nephrectomy was performed in 88% of the cases. mOS of these pts was 28 mo vs 6.5 in those without surgery (p<0.001). The number of metastatic sites was >2 in 43% of the pts. mOS of this group was 18 mo vs 31 mo of pts with ≤2 metastatic sites (p=0.0001). MSKCC risk was good in 32%, intermediate in 53% and poor in 15% of the pts. According to MSKCC risk score, mOS was 6.4, 24 and 49 mo in poor, intermediate and good subsets, respectively (p<0.001). The small subset of pts (2%) with both thrombophilia and neutrophilia had a dismal mOS of 3 mo. PS (ECOG) was 0-1 in 90% of the pts; mOS of pts with PS ≥2 was 6 mo (p=0.0001). The findings of multivariate analysis are showed in the Table. Conclusions: The results of our survey confirm that clear cell histology, prior nephrectomy, number of metastatic sites, PS, MSKCC risk, platelets, and neutrophils count maintain their prognostic value also in mRCC pts treated with TT in the everyday clinical practice. [Table: see text]

Differences in the availability of new anti-cancer drugs for Italian patients treated in different regions. Results of analysis conducted by the Italian Society Of Medical Oncology (AIOM)

AIMS AND BACKGROUND

Italy is divided into 20 regions. As a consequence of local autonomy, following marketing authorization by the Italian Medicines Agency, each drug for hospital use is not immediately available, because its approval needs to undergo further steps that can be different among regions. The Italian Society of Medical Oncology conducted the present study to describe the impact of the existence of sub-national pharmaceutical formularies on the disparity of access to new anti-cancer drugs among patients treated in different Italian regions.

METHODS

The availability of 8 new anti-cancer drugs at a regional level and the coherence of regional authorizations compared with national authorizations approved by the Italian Medicines Agency were analyzed as of April 2009.

RESULTS

Fourteen regions and autonomous province of Trento have a regional pharmaceutical formulary. In most cases, the regional pharmaceutical formularies include the eight analyzed drugs, with therapeutic indications coherent with national marketing authorization indications. Five drugs (bevacizumab, trastuzumab, rituximab, erlotinib, sunitinib) were included in all the existing regional pharmaceutical formularies, without restrictions, whereas three drugs (cetuximab, sorafenib, pemetrexed) were found to have restrictions in some regions.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of multiple hierarchical levels of drug evaluation creates a potential element of disparity in the access to pharmacological therapies for Italian citizens.

Treatment of breast cancer in older women

BACKGROUND

Breast carcinoma management in the elderly often differs from the management in younger women and there is considerable controversy about what constitutes appropriate cancer care for older women. This controversy is reflected in the persistence of age-dependent variations in care over time, with older women being less likely to receive definitive care for breast cancer. There has been a significant increase in the last years in the number of studies conducted in older patients with breast cancer. Although available age-specific clinical trials data demonstrate that treatment efficacy is not modified by age, this evidence is limited by the lack of inclusion of substantial numbers of older women, particularly those of advanced age and those with comorbidities.

METHOD

The literature-based evidence of the last 10 years was extensively reviewed on the main issues concerning the treatment of breast cancer in older women.

RESULTS

Surgical treatment in older patients has evolved from avoidance to mastectomy to breast-conserving surgery, similarly to younger patients. Given its negative effect on the quality of life, in the last few years the role of adjuvant radiotherapy has been questioned in elderly patients with breast cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy benefit in older patients applies mainly to Estrogen-receptor-negative patients, while in Estrogen-receptor-positive patients a major role is played by endocrine treatment. New "elderly-friendly" drugs, that can help clinicians to reduce toxicity, are now available for breast cancer.

Capecitabine plus irinotecan (CAPIRI) as first-line treatment for patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (MCRC)

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Background: Twice-daily oral capecitabine mimics 5-FU infusion and has superior efficacy, improved safety and convenience compared with 5-FU/LV in MCRC and early-stage colon cancer. Preclinical and phase I/II clinical data suggest supra-additive efficacy of X + irinotecan and no significant pharmacokinetic interactions. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of X plus weekly irinotecan (CAPIRI) in 3-week cycles as first-line treatment for MCRC. Methods: Pts with no prior treatment for MCRC received irinotecan 80 mg/m2 i.v. infusion on d1&8 + capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 orally bid d1–14, q3w. Results: Baseline characteristics of the 39 enrolled pts (22 men/17 women) were: median age 59.9 years (range 38–76), ECOG PS 0–1, colon cancer (n=25), rectal cancer (n=14), metastatic sites (liver 74%, pelvis 20%, nodes 23%, lung 18%, peritoneum 10%, primary tumor 20%). Previous treatments were as follows: adjuvant chemotherapy (36%), radiotherapy (5%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (3%). Pts received a total of 199 cycles (mean 5.1 per pt, range 1–13). All 39 pts were evaluable for safety and 38 for efficacy. The most common treatment-related grade 3/4 adverse events were nausea/vomiting (23% of pts), diarrhea (10%), and leucopenia (5%). The overall response rate was 45%, including 3 complete and 14 partial responses. A further 8 pts (21%) had stable disease. The duration of response in pts with a complete response was >10 months. Conclusions: These early findings indicate that this combination is effective and well tolerated as first-line treatment for MCRC. Replacing 5-FU with capecitabine in XELIRI offers benefits to the pt in terms of efficacy, safety, convenience, reduced discomfort and avoidance of central venous access compared with infusional 5-FU/LV-based regimens (IFL and FOLFIRI).

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Insight into the treatment of cancer in older patients: Developments in the last decade

In the last decades there has been an increased interest in the treatment of elderly cancer patients and a change in attitude of both clinicians and their patients has occurred. Drugs are now available that might be considered "elderly-friendly" and the enormous advances in surgical procedures and supportive treatments over the recent years have enabled adverse effects to be minimized. A Geriatric Assessment is increasingly used as a tool to define those patients who are more suitable for aggressive chemotherapy or, on the contrary, palliative treatment. For almost all cancers, older patients are better treated today than they were in the past, even though we are still far from optimal management. Despite the perceived barriers to including elderly patients in clinical trials, there are few data to support excluding them. We must not permit increased age in cancer patients to continue to be an important and independent risk factor for receiving inadequate care.

Vinorelbine and prednisone in frail elderly patients with intermediate-high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas

BACKGROUND

Frail patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) are generally excluded from clinical trials and not even treated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of vinorelbine and prednisone in frail elderly patients with NHL.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Thirty consecutive frail elderly patients were entered in a phase II study with vinorelbine 25 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1 and 8 and oral prednisone 30 mg total dose on days 1-8 for six cycles. Criteria of frailty were age > or =80 years, or age > or =70 years and three or more comorbidities of grade 3 or at least one comorbidity of grade 4 according to the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS), or not self-sufficient or the presence of one or more geriatric syndromes.

RESULTS

Of 30 evaluable patients, three (10.0%) achieved a complete response (CR), nine (30.0%) showed a partial response (PR), while 10 presented with stable disease and eight with progressive disease. The median duration of CR was 29 months (range 5-36 months), and the median duration of PR was 1 month (range 1-22 months). Three patients had grade 3 neutropenia and one had grade 4. One grade 4 neurotoxicity was observed. Three patients died because of heart failure within 28 days of therapy, and one patient died after 4 days because of rapid progression. The median overall survival was only 10 months.

CONCLUSION

Vinorelbine and prednisone is a relatively non-toxic combination with modest activity in frail patients with NHL. If initial aggressive chemotherapy has been excluded, this combination could be tried to obtain a temporary palliation.

Treatments of AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma

Although Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) has decreased in countries where the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen is available, however it remains, after non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, the most common malignancy in HIV+ patients. Advances in the treatment of AIDS-KS have been achieved, even though a gold standard therapy has not been yet defined. With the availability of HAART, a dramatic KS clinical response has been documented, making HAART essential in all patients. In case of aggressive and/or life threatening KS, more complex therapeutic schedules have to be taken into account, including chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy. Liposomal anthracyclines and paclitaxel have been approved by FDA as first line and second line mono-therapy, respectively. Interferon-alpha (INF-alpha) is the only immunomodulant agent to have shown a therapeutic effect. Among the new drugs, many antiangiogenetic agents have produced encouraging responses. Finally, the identification of the HHV-8 as a causative agent and new metalloproteinase inhibitors may offer promising targets for the KS treatment.

A Consensus Protocol: Image-improved Therapeutic Guidelines for Limited Adult Hodgkin's Disease

Hodgkin's disease (HD) has greatly benefited from new technologies in terms of less invasive and more accurate staging as well as improved overall and relapse-free survival. However, the likelihood of late adverse effects of treatment, including second tumors, has increased due to the longer survival of patients with HD. Today's trend is to aim at minimal therapeutic exposure while guaranteeing lower therapy-related morbidity. This encourages new research efforts but also leads to less uniformity in treatments, as observed in the Veneto Region in Italy. The Gruppo Veneto Linfomi, composed of representatives of Radiotherapy and Oncology Departments of the Veneto Region, has been analyzing this problem and proposing therapy guidelines since 1995. A set of 10 prognostic factors has been developed to identify three prognostic groups: highly favorable (HF) are patients up to 40 years of age presenting with stage I disease involving only one site of disease with a maximum tumor diameter (TD) of 5 cm and no adverse factors. In this group only mantle field irradiation is recommended if the disease is located in the neck or above, inverted-Y irradiation is recommended for distal subdiaphragmatic lesions, and subtotal nodal irradiation in all other cases. HF cases may also be treated like favorable cases with limited chemoradiation. Favorable (F) cases are patients in stage I with a TD greater than 5 cm and smaller than 10 cm or stage II, up to three sites of disease and negative prognostic factors for systemic disease. All other patients are included in the “not favorable” (NF) group at Ann Arbor stage I or II with any adverse prognostic factor. For the latter two groups, chemotherapy with the ABVD or Stanford V regimen precedes involved-field radiotherapy to sites with a TD of at least 5 cm. The total irradiation dose is determined by local disease extent and level of response to chemotherapy. Images on which the radiation fields are drawn serve as an important reference to improve the homogeneity of treatments. This protocol includes a list of adverse treatment effects (chemo- and/or radiotherapy) together with follow-up guidelines for the early detection of secondary cancers in previously irradiated patients.

Stanford V regimen plus consolidative radiotherapy is an effective therapeutic program for bulky or advanced-stage Hodgkin's disease

Since September 1996, 48 untreated patients with bulky or advanced-stage Hodgkin's disease received the 12-week Stanford V chemotherapy regimen followed by consolidation radiotherapy at a dose of 36 Gy to bulky mediastinal disease and 30.6 Gy to the initial sites of disease > or =3 cm in transverse diameter. After the combined therapy, 46 of 48 (96%) achieved complete remissions. With a median follow-up of 48 months, the 5-year overall survival was 95% and freedom from progression 86%. There were no treatment-related deaths. All but one premenopausal female patient (who received pelvic and inguinal irradiation) recovered normal menses. Until now no case of secondary leukemia or myelodysplasia was observed. Our results confirm that the Stanford V regimen with consolidation radiotherapy is safe and effective in patients with bulky or advanced-stage Hodgkin's disease, achieving very high remission and overall 5-year survival rates. Longer follow-up is necessary to evaluate the extent of all complications.

Phase II trial of interferon-alpha-2a plus psolaren with ultraviolet light A in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of psolaren with ultraviolet light A (PUVA) and interferon-alpha-2a (IFN-alpha-2a) in patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From May 1993 to January 1999, 63 symptomatic patients with all stages of MF and SS were treated in a prospective Phase II trial with systemic escalating doses of IFN-alpha-2a combined with PUVA for 1 year, followed by indefinite PUVA maintenance in complete responding patients.

RESULTS

Sixty-three patients were enrolled (Stage IA, n = 6; IB, n = 37; IIA, n = 3; IIB, n = 3; III, n = 12; IVA, n = 2). Ten patients had received previous therapy. The median follow-up duration for the entire cohort is 37 months. Of 63 patients, 51 achieved a complete response (CR; 74.6%) or partial response (PR; 6%) to therapy. The median response duration is 32 months. The 5-year overall survival rate is 91% and the 5-year disease-free survival rate is 75%. No life-threatening side effects were observed. Five patients stopped IFN-alpha-2a therapy due to toxicity. Eighty-four percent of the patients received more than 75% of the planned dose (12 million units three times a week).

CONCLUSIONS

This combination of IFN-alpha-2a and phototherapy is an effective and safe therapy for patients with symptomatic MF.

Cemp, a mitoxantrone containing combination, in the treatment of intermediate and high grade non-hodgkin's lymphoma: an effective and non toxic therapeutic alternative for adult and elderly patients

Here we report the results of a randomised multicenter phase III clinical trial which assesses the therapeutic efficacy and tolerability of a chemotherapy protocol CEMP (cyclophosphamide, etoposide, mitoxantrone and prednisone) in adult and elderly patients with advanced intermediate and high-grade NHL. Between October 1991 and October 1995, 139 patients, aged 55 to 79 years, with diffuse intermediate and high-grade lymphoma, were enrolled. A considerable percentage of patients had clinically aggressive disease: 32.4% had systemic symptoms, 79% had stage III or IV disease, 33.8% had bone marrow involvement, 46% had splenic involvement and 42.5% had increased values of serum lactate dehydrogenate. Complete remission was achieved in 70 of the 139 patients (51.9%) and PR in 12 (16.6%) with an overall response of 68.5%. The overall response survival rate at 6 years was 39%, whereas DFS rate was 48.7% and PFS rate was 28.5%. At four years 49% of the patients were still in CR. Dividing the patients in two groups, under and over 65 years of age, we obtained the same results as far as overall response is concerned. No toxic deaths occurred, neither cardiac, renal nor liver complications happened. CEMP regimen is an effective and safe protocol with good results in elderly people, well comparable to those achieved in younger ones.

Elderly ovarian cancer: treatment with mitoxantrone-carboplatin

OBJECTIVE

Data concerning optimal treatment of elderly patients with ovarian cancer are scanty. The management of ovarian cancer in the aged patient is many-sided: the diagnosis can be difficult and delayed, and aggressive surgery is often not attempted because of concomitant morbidity. We tested a combination of carboplatin and mitoxantrone potentially associated with low toxicity in elderly patients with ovarian cancer.

METHODS

Eighty-two patients older than 70 years (median age, 75; range, 70-88) with epithelial ovarian cancer were referred to our multicenter group and enrolled into this pilot study. Carboplatin (JM8) was given at the dose of 230 mg/m2 and mitoxantrone at the dose of 9 mg/m2 every 28 days.

RESULTS

Dose-limiting toxicity was represented by 4 cases of thrombocytopenia and 1 case of gastrointestinal toxicity. These 5 episodes occurred in 328 assessable cycles, representing a low toxicity profile (3%). Of the 68 assessable patients, 36 (53%) did not respond to chemotherapy (no change + progressive disease), complete response was observed in 15 (22%), and partial remission was observed in 16 (23.5%), accounting for an overall response rate of 45%.

CONCLUSION

The carboplatin-mitoxantrone combination, at the dosage tested in this study, appears to be well tolerated by elderly patients with advanced ovarian cancer and is associated with an acceptable response rate. Optimally debulked patients also showed improved survival when compared with patients with more extensive tumor.

Gastric MALT lymphomas: the value of an endoscopic follow-up evaluation

BACKGROUND

Findings have demonstrated the close association between primary gastric B-cell lymphomas originating from mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) and Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection, with their regression after an HP eradication therapy in up to 70% of the cases. Endoscopic-biopsy diagnosis and endoscopic ultrasound are of major importance as decisive prognostic factors and therapeutic determinants.

OBJECTIVES

We report 3 years of experience and follow-up evaluation in the management of MALT lymphomas. We also describe the guidelines strategy therapy used in our institution.

METHODS

Since July 1996, nine patients with a histologic diagnosis of low-grade, HP-positive MALT gastric lymphomas, have been followed up. All patients had stage IE lymphomas (according to Musshoff classification). Eradication of HP was performed with triple therapy amoxycillin, clarithromycin, and omeprazole using over a 14-day period. The patients were seen for endoscopic follow-up assessment after 3, 6, 9, and 15 months, then twice a year. The actual median follow-up time was 30.4 months (range, 16-38 months).

RESULTS

All the patients are now free of disease and asymptomatic. We have registered two cases of HP relapse (both after 1-year follow-up evaluation), positively treated with the same triple therapy, and three cases of disease relapse treated with single-dose chemotherapy (plus radiotherapy in one patient).

CONCLUSIONS

In our experience the eradication of HP appears to be effective, and we consider it the first therapeutic option in patients with stage IE gastric low-grade MALT lymphoma, although long-term results are still needed. Prolonged follow-up evaluation (particularly by endoscopy) is necessary (and feasible in our experience) to determine whether these remissions are long-lasting. We recommend that HP be eradicated in these lymphomas before referral to other standard treatment.

VACOP-B, high-dose cyclophosphamide and high-dose therapy with peripheral blood progenitor cell rescue for aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with bone marrow involvement: a study by the non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Co-operative Study Group

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Sequential treatment with the addition of high-dose therapy (HDT) and peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) rescue has been reported to be active as front-line therapy in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with bone marrow (BM) involvement. We designed an intensive sequential therapy as front-line therapy in this subset of patients and conducted a phase II study.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and BM involvement at diagnosis received 8 weeks of VACOP-B chemotherapy as induction therapy. The second phase included high-dose cyclophosphamide (HDCY) (7 g/m(2)) with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) followed by leukaphereses. The third phase included HDT according to the BEAM protocol or melphalan (140 mg/m(2)) plus total body irradiation (8 Gy in a single dose).

RESULTS

Forty patients were included in the study. According to the intention-to-treat, after VACOP-B, 11 (27.5%) and 22 (55%) patients achieved complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR), respectively. Thirty-four received HDCY. After HDCY, 18 patients (45%) were in CR and 13 (32.5%) in PR. Twenty-nine underwent HDT plus peripheral blood cell rescue (PBPC) rescue. At the completion of treatment 29 patients (72.5%) were in CR, and 3 patients (7.5%) in PR. The actuarial 3-year overall survival, disease free survival and failure free survival are 48%, 55% and 40%, respectively. Overall severe toxicity was 7.5%.

INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS

This phase II study suggests that the intensified treatment described is feasible and active in aggressive NHL with BM involvement. A randomized trial is now underway to test this approach.

Gastric non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: analysis of 252 patients from a multicenter study

AIMS AND BACKGROUND

The stomach is the most common site of primary extranodal non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and no agreement has been reached so far on the best therapeutic approach. The main objects of this study were to report the long-term results and to evaluate the importance of some possible prognostic factors in a large series of patients. NHL was considered primary gastric if the main symptoms at presentation were those of gastric disease.

METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN

We analyzed 252 consecutive patients treated between 1980 and 1993 in five hospitals in north-east Italy. According to the Working Formulation, 98 patients had low grade lymphoma, 59 intermediate grade (D to F), 81 G or high grade and 14 were not classified. The patients were divided into two groups: one including patients with limited disease (localized to the stomach or perigastric lymph nodes: 165 patients) and one including those with advanced disease (87 patients). The treatment consisted of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or combinations of these. Sixteen patients received only supportive therapy.

RESULTS

The five-year overall survival was 65.4%: 80.3% for patients with limited disease and 36.7% for those with advanced disease (P < 0.0001). Among the limited disease patients the five-year survival was 84.4% for those treated with gastrectomy alone and 88.7% for those who received also adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.11). However, while chemotherapy did not improve survival in low grade NHL, it seemed to produce a better survival in the intermediate and high grade groups (P = 0.06). Twelve patients were treated with primary chemotherapy and the five-year survival was 71.2%. In multivariate regression analysis the most important variable for overall survival was surgery for the whole group of 252 patients (P < 0.0001), while it was age for the group with limited disease (P = 0.0008).

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery alone can be curative for most patients with gastric lymphoma limited to the stomach or to the perigastric lymph nodes; surgery followed by chemotherapy seems to produce better results than surgery alone in intermediate and high grade lymphomas. Also a non-surgical approach with first-line chemotherapy is associated with a high rate of complete remissions and five-year survival. In advanced disease the five-year survival is similar to that of nodal NHL.

VACOP-B versus VACOP-B plus autologous bone marrow transplantation for advanced diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of a prospective randomized trial by the non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group

PURPOSE

The aim of this multicenter randomized study was to compare conventional therapy with conventional plus high-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) as front-line treatment for poor-prognosis non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between October 1991 and June 1995, 124 patients, aged 15 to 60 years, with diffuse intermediate- to high-grade NHL (Working Formulation criteria), stages II bulky (> or = 10 cm), III, or IV were enrolled. Sixty-one patients were randomized to receive etoposide, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin (VACOP-B) for 12 weeks and cisplatin, cytarabine, and dexamethasone (DHAP) as a salvage regimen (arm A), and 63 to receive VACOP-B for 12 weeks plus HDT and ABMT (Arm B).

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in terms of complete remissions (CRS) in the two groups: 75% in arm A, and 73% in arm B. The median follow-up observation time was 42 months. The 6-year survival probability was 65% in both arms. There was no difference in disease-free survival (DFS) or progression-free survival (PFS) between the two groups. DFS was 60% and 80% (P = .1) and PFS was 48% and 60% (P = .4) for arms A and B, respectively. Procedure feasibility was the major problem. In arm B, 29% of enrolled patients did not undergo HDT and ABMT. A statistical improvement in terms of DFS (P = .008) and a favorable trend in terms of PFS (P = .08) for intermediate-/high- plus high-risk group patients assigned to HDT and ABMT was observed.

CONCLUSION

In this study, conventional chemotherapy followed by HDT and ABMT as front-line therapy seems no more successful than conventional treatment in terms of overall results. However, our results suggest that controlled studies of HDT plus ABMT should be proposed for higher risk patients.

Surgical second look in ovarian cancer: a randomized study in patients with laparoscopic complete remission--a Northeastern Oncology Cooperative Group-Ovarian Cancer Cooperative Group Study

PURPOSE

The usefulness of extensive and repetitive surgery for patients with ovarian cancer still remains unproven (at least for some conditions). We planned an accurate prospective test of the hypothesis that patients with advanced-stage disease, after they had reached a clinical complete remission (CR), may benefit from surgical second look (SSL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred two patients in CR (as assessed by clinical findings, markers, and visualization by computed tomographic [CT] scan and laparoscopy), after initial debulking and first-line chemotherapy, were randomized to two arms, which were well balanced for predictive criteria such as age, stage at presentation, histology, grading, date of randomization, and residua after first surgery. Forty-eight patients were randomly assigned to receive follow-up evaluation only, while 54 were assigned to receive second surgery (eight of them refused). Of 46 surgical patients, 35 had negative and 11 positive surgical findings (24% clinically false-negative).

RESULTS

Despite the microscopic residua found at open surgery, and the fact that the patients were then treated with second-line chemotherapy, SSL did not increase the probability of survival in this setting. In an analysis of the results according to the intention-to-treat criteria, after a 60-month follow-up period, the overall survival rates in the two groups of patients (SSL v no SSL) were 65% and 78%, respectively (P = .14). Multivariate analysis according to predictive criteria confirmed there was no significant difference between the two groups (P = .39).

CONCLUSION

Our study shows the following: (1) our second-line treatment is scarcely effective; (2) SSL accurately defines complete responders to first-line chemotherapy; (3) SSL per se does not prolong survival; and (4) if confirmed, a less invasive procedure could replace SSL as a valuable method in new first-line regimens in ovarian cancer patients with clinical CR confirmed by laparoscopy.

Hybrid MOPP/ABVD and radiotherapy in advanced Hodgkin's disease

BACKGROUND

In patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease (HD), the alternation of MOPP with ABVD or hybrid MOPP/ABVD are associated with a high CR rate and a high probability of 5-year survival. However, even after effective chemotherapy the risk of nodal relapse is not negligible, and not only in initial bulky site(s) of disease. For this reason, in an attempt to prevent relapses after combination chemotherapy alone, we performed a prospective study to evaluate the efficacy and toxic effects of 6 courses of hybrid MOPP/ABVD followed by radiotherapy (RT) in stages II A bulky, II B, III and also in stage IV with bulky disease of residual after chemotherapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January 1985 to August 1993, 133 patients with HD (128 newly diagnosed, stage II A bulky-IV, 5 in first relapse after RT) were treated according to the following program: 6 courses of the hybrid MOPP/ABVD regimen followed by RT (STNI + spleen in stages II A, II B, III without pelvic lymph node involvement, TNI + spleen in stage III with pelvic lymph node involvement, involved field in stage IV with bulky disease or residual after chemotherapy). The total dose of RT was 4000 cGy to the sites of bulky or residual disease and 2000 cGy to the other sites.

RESULTS

After hybrid MOPP/ABVD, 107 of 130 (82.3%) fully evaluable patients were classified as in CR or CR(U). After completion of RT, 108 patients were in CR and 3 were in PR, for an overall response rate of 85%. With a median follow-up duration of 45 months, the actuarial 5-year survival is 76% and the progression-free survival 68.6%. So far, only 14 patients have relapsed (6 within the irradiation field) and the 5-year relapse-free survival is 82.5%.

CONCLUSION

Six courses of hybrid MOPP/ABVD followed by RT in stages II A bulky, II B, III and in stage IV with bulky disease or residual after chemotherapy produced a high CR rate with low risk of relapse. However, a longer follow-up is necessary to evaluate the late effects of combined therapy.

Prolonged survival (17 years) in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia after therapy for Hodgkin's disease

A case of secondary chronic myelogenous leukemia after successful therapy for Hodgkin's disease is reported. The patient was diagnosed as having stage IIIA Hodgkin's disease, at the age of 33. He underwent staging laparosplenectomy and was treated with radiotherapy plus chemotherapy. Forty three months after the diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease, a Philadelphia-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia developed. It required periodic chemotherapy and each time a remission, lasting several months (up to 14 months), was obtained. The disease had an unusually prolonged clinical course, and the blast crisis, of lymphoid type, occurred only 17 years later.

MACOP-B versus ProMACE-MOPP in the treatment of advanced diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: results of a prospective randomized trial by the non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group

PURPOSE

The aim of our study was to compare in a multicentric randomized trial two regimens widely used in the treatment of advanced-stage intermediate- to high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and to assess whether a third-generation regimen (methotrexate with leucovorin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin [MACOP-B]) was superior to a second-generation regimen (procarbazine, methotrexate with leucovorin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide [ProMACE-MOPP]).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Between January 1987 and August 1991, 221 patients with diffuse intermediate- to high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (Working Formulation groups F, G, H, and K), stage II bulky (> 10 cm), III, or IV, were randomized by the Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group (NHLCSG) to receive ProMACE-MOPP for six cycles or MACOP-B for 12 weeks. Survival, progression-free survival, and disease-free survival were determined, and multivariate analysis of prognostic factors was performed.

RESULTS

In the two groups of patients, there was no significant difference in terms of complete remission (CR) rate (49.1% with ProMACE-MOPP and 52.3% with MACOP-B), 3-year overall survival rate (45.2% with PROMACE-MOPP and 52.3% with MACOP-B), and 3-year progression-free survival rate (36.4% with ProMACE-MOPP and 36.1% with MACOP-B). In terms of toxicity, no significantly greater toxicity occurred in either arm. Overall toxicity was acceptable. The most frequent side effects were grade II through IV leukopenia, infection, mucositis, and anemia. Treatment-related deaths were equally distributed.

CONCLUSION

No significant differences in terms of efficacy and/or toxicity between ProMACE-MOPP and MACOP-B are evident. These results are consistent with recent randomized trials showing that the new-generation aggressive regimens are no better than previous ones.

Late relapses in Hodgkin's disease: outcome of patients relapsing more than twelve months after primary chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Patients with Hodgkin's disease whose initial complete remissions (CR) after primary chemotherapy were longer than 1 year are thought to have better prognoses than patients whose initial remissions were shorter than 1 year. However, only a few studies have analyzed the long-term survival in addition to the results of retreatment in patients relapsing after CR lasting more than 1 year.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed the data of 40 patients with Hodgkin's disease who were treated in a single institution and whose CR were > 1 year after primary chemotherapy. Therapy at relapse was not standardized: of 36 patients evaluable for response, 29 received second-line chemotherapy and 7 received radiotherapy alone.

RESULTS

Sixty-five percent of the patients obtained CR (median duration: 21 months). Sixty-eight percent of the complete responders relapsed again; however, long-lasting third and fourth remissions were observed. All of the 7 patients whose retreatment consisted of radiotherapy alone obtained CR, but only 1 is in continuous CR. The presence of nodular sclerosing histologic subtype, the absence of extranodal involvement and the use of hybrid MOPP/ABVD or ABVD alone as salvage treatment are independently associated with a higher CR rate and a higher probability of 5-year survival. The 5-year survival for all 40 patients is 49%. For the patients obtaining CR, the 5-year survival and the 5-year relapse-free survival are 76% and 25%, respectively. However, the survival curve continues to fall in the succeeding years because of third and fourth relapses and the occurrence of secondary acute leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

CONCLUSIONS

A high percentage of patients relapsing more than 12 months after primary chemotherapy can obtain second CR. Even if most of our patients eventually relapse, third and fourth CRs are not uncommon. However, the long-term survival is low and it is further diminished by secondary leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A combination of mitoxantrone, etoposide and prednisone in elderly patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

From January 1988 to December 1991, 55 elderly patients (14 pretreated and 41 previously untreated) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) entered a prospective study to evaluate the feasibility of a combination of mitoxantrone (7-9 mg/m2), VP 16-213 (150 mg, 2-hour infusion on day 1, and 200 mg per os on days 3 and 5) and low-dose prednisone (25 mg days 1-5) (MVP regimen), recycling every 21-28 days. The median age was 75 (range 64-93). All but 4 pretreated patients had intermediate- or high-grade lymphomas. Complete remissions were obtained in 22 of 40 (55%) evaluable previously untreated patients, and partial remissions in 10 (2 of these obtained complete remissions after radiotherapy), for an overall response rate of 80%. The median duration of response was 12 months. At 24 months the overall survival was 52% and the relapse-free survival was 31%. Of 14 pretreated patients complete remissions were obtained in 4 (29%) and partial remissions in 3. Granulocytopenia and fever were the most important side effects; two patients contracted bronchopneumonia and one of them died. Other toxicities were mild. We conclude that this combination chemotherapy is effective as first-line and salvage treatment in elderly patients with intermediate- and high-grade NHL, and that it is feasible on an outpatient basis, with manageable toxicity.

[Small-cell lung tumors: is a more accurate staging possible and useful?]

Small cell lung cancer is generally staged as a localized or diffuse disease due to its great invasiveness and quick spread. The authors investigated the advantages of a more accurate staging by TNM system applied to small cell lung cancer. Sixteen patients (12 males and 4 females, mean age 54 years, max 66, min 48) were submitted to a treatment protocol consisting of 6 cycles of chemotherapy over an 18-month period. All patients underwent CT before and after the third and sixth cycles. Disease evolution was evaluated by means of the TNM system; relative to the N parameter, the American Thoracic Society criteria were followed. After completion of the third chemotherapy cycle, CT demonstrated reduction in T in 7/16 cases, while in the extant patients T was unchanged. N decreased too in 7 patients and remained unchanged in the others. CT examinations at the end of the whole treatment protocol demonstrated no changes in T. As for N, CT showed evolution from N0 to N2 in one case and from N3 to N0 in another one, while no changes were observed in the extant patients. The M parameter was constantly negative in all cases. Our results demonstrate that this approach to small cell lung cancer permits a more accurate characterization of the disease, thus making it easier to monitor the positive/negative response to treatment and allowing the latter to be personalized.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma: clinical behaviour and response to treatment

The clinical features and response to treatment of 35 patients (pts) with extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) were retrospectively analysed. The median age at diagnosis was 49 years (28-72). Twenty-two pts (63%) had stage I disease (localized to the primary site) 12 of whom (34%) had stage I-E (locally extended). Three pts (9%) had stage II (regional lymph nodes involved) and 10 (29%) stage III (disseminated disease). In locoregional disease (stages I, I-E, II) complete local control was achieved in 22 of 25 pts (88%), while in diffuse disease (stage III) complete remission (CR) was obtained in 5 of 10 pts (50%) (p = 0.05). In 9 of 18 pts treated with surgery, local control was achieved, and in 8 of the 9 patients with incomplete resection local control was obtained with additional radiation and/or chemotherapy. In 8 (66%) of the 12 pts treated with radiation complete local control was achieved. In 11 (58%) of 19 pts evaluable for initial chemotherapy CR was obtained. Three of these pts were treated with chemotherapy only and were alive and disease-free after a minimum follow-up of 8 years. The median time to relapse in local disease was 48 months versus 13 in disseminated disease. For pts with local disease the median survival time was 114 months and for disseminated disease 16 months (p = 0.0000). We conclude that in stage I chemotherapy is curative per se. In local stages (I, I-E and II) adjuvant chemotherapy should be considered, while in stage III only palliative therapy is feasible.

Randomized study of chlorambucil (CB) compared to interferon (alfa-2b) combined with CB in low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: an interim report of a randomized study. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Cooperative Study Group

Alpha interferon has shown initial promise in the treatment of low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), especially with the nodular form of the disease. The present study enrolled 70 NHL patients who received either chlorambucil (CB; 10 mg/day) or CB plus interferon alfa-2b (5 million units (MU)/m2 subcutaneously three times a week). Among 63 evaluable patients, similar response rates (62.1% and 64.7% respectively) were recorded for the treatment arms. In patients receiving no maintenance therapy, those who received interferon alfa-2b during the induction phase showed a favourable trend in terms of incidence of relapse compared to those who had received chlorambucil alone. During maintenance therapy with interferon alfa-2b, no significant differences in the occurrence of relapse have yet been seen compared to patients on no maintenance therapy. A longer observation period is needed to make a definitive conclusion about the usefulness of interferon maintenance therapy and to evaluate further the effects of the combined schedule of chlorambucil and interferon induction on the duration of remission.