Anaphylactic shock secondary to intravenous administration of folinic acid: a first report

BACKGROUND

Folates, components of the B-complex vitamins, have numerous pharmacological effects. In oncology combining folates with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) enhances the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy in colon cancer patients. Folic acid has been rarely involved in adverse allergic reactions. To the best of our knowledge no anaphylactic reaction secondary to folinic acid (FA) administration has ever been reported before.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An 80-year-old patient had adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer including FA and 5-FU and irinotecan as a second line agent after multiple metastases.

RESULTS

Following FA administration anaphylactic shock occurred. Diagnosis was made according to the French method of adverse reactions monitoring.

CONCLUSION

Anaphylactic shock may be an adverse reaction of FA in patients receiving chemotherapy for colon cancer.

[Concurrent split-course chemotherapy and radiotherapy for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer: preliminary results of a Phase II study]

PURPOSE

We initiated at Hospital de Mulhouse a prospective phase II study to assess a split-course concurrent radiochemotherapy in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From March 1996 to December 1997, 28 patients were included in our study. All patients had a stage III cancer. The chemotherapy scheduled included vinorelbine (20 mg/m2/d, d1 and d5), cisplatin (20 mg/m2/d, from d1 to d5), and 5-Fluorouracil (350 mg/m2/d, from d1 to d5 by continuous infusion). The planned irradiation dose was 12.5 Gy per week with one daily fraction of 2.5 Gy from d1 to d5. Cycles were repeated every four weeks, for four cycles (50 Gy). Patients with a partial or complete response were proposed a fifth cycle.

RESULTS

Of the 28 patients of the study, only 27 were analysed; one patient had a metastatic disease at diagnosis. Major hematologic toxicity occurred in 26% of the patients. One to five cycles of chemoradiotherapy were administrated per patient (median: four). Four patients had received fewer than three cycles and their responses were not assessable. Of the 23 patients assessed, 12 responses (52%) were observed, three CR (13%) and nine PR (39%). Median follow-up was 14 months, and median survival 13.5 months. One- and two-year survival rates were respectively 63% and 14%. Local control rates was 11%, and 44% of the patients had a metastatic evolution.

CONCLUSION

Very preliminary results of this phase II study are disappointing, and quite inferior to the published results using chemoradiotherapy with conventional or hyperfractionated radiotherapy. Hematologic toxicity is restrictive. This type of chemoradiotherapy cannot be recommended.

Response to second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma previously responsive to first-line treatment: prognostic factors

BACKGROUND

The aim of this retrospective study was to determine those prognostic factors associated with response to a second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma (MBC) that was previously responsive to a first-line chemotherapy.

METHODS

The 70 MBC patients studied had previously responded to a first-line chemotherapy, mainly anthracycline or anthracenedione-containing regimens. During first-line chemotherapy they had received treatment until the maximum response was obtained, at which time treatment was discontinued. Second-line chemotherapy regimens were of several types (48.5% with anthracycline). A study of prognostic factors associated with response to second-line chemotherapy was performed by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

Second-line chemotherapy achieved a 44% response rate, with a median response duration of 10 months. Survival was 13 months in the entire patient group, 22 months in responders, and 8 months in nonresponders. Univariate analysis identified seven factors related to patient response rate to second-line treatment. A better response rate to second-line chemotherapy was observed in patients with the following features: 1) chemotherapy free time (time between onset of metastatic disease and initiation of first-line) < 12 months (P = 0.03); 2) complete response to first-line chemotherapy (P = 0.013); 3) response duration to first-line chemotherapy > 14 months (P = 0.0001); 4) progression free interval (time between end of first-line treatment and initiation of second-line chemotherapy) > 11 months (P = 0.0001); 5) performance status at second-line treatment < 2 (P = 0.04); 6) tumor index at second-line chemotherapy < 4 (P = 0.05); and 7) treatment with an anthracycline-containing second-line regimen (P = 0.03). In multivariate analysis, only progression free interval was identified as being associated with response rate to second-line chemotherapy (P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Retained chemosensitivity appeared to be an important characteristic in patients responding to second-line chemotherapy.

[Hyperfractionated reirradiation after salvage surgery in cervico-facial carcinoma. Result of a pilot study in 14 patients]

PURPOSE

Between November 1988 and May 1992, 14 patients were enrolled in a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility and results of hyperfractionated reirradiation for the treatment of head and neck recurrences or of second primary tumors developed in a previously irradiated volume.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients underwent a surgical resection for the treatment of their recurrence or second cancer. Reirradiation was proposed because of positive margins and/or lymph node metastasis with extra-capsular spread. The planned reirradiation dose was 60 Gy over 5 weeks, with two daily fractions of 1.2 Gy delivered 6-8 hours apart.

RESULTS

Of the 14 patients, 10 received the reirradiation scheduled dose (ie, 60 Gy). All patients experienced an acute mucositis that never led to disruption of the treatment. Ten patients died 3 to 41 months after reirradiation (mean: 14 months), three were disease-free 48 to 71 months after reirradiation and one was alive with local progressive disease 74 months after reirradiation. The overall local control rate within the reirradiated volume was 43%. The 24- and 36-month overall survival rates were 50 and 35%, respectively. Overall, 13 late complications were noted: four were grade 1, seven were grade 2, and two were grade 3. Three patients still alive in September 1993 and whose initial files were available were enrolled in an additional study to assess from dose-volume histograms the cumulative doses delivered by the two irradiations.

CONCLUSION

Despite poor local control, reirradiation using a hyperfractionation schedule with high dose level is feasible in terms of acute and late toxicity.

Hyperfractionation in the reirradiation of head and neck cancers. Result of a pilot study

Between November 1988 and May 1992, 19 patients were enrolled in a pilot study to evaluate feasibility and results of a hyperfractionated reirradiation in the treatment of head and neck recurrences or second primary tumors developed in previously irradiated volume. Patients were divided in two groups according to the initial treatment before reirradiation: group 1 included 14 patients treated with radical surgery and reirradiated because histological evidence of positive margins and/or extra capsular spread of tumor in lymph node metastases; group 2 included five patients treated with three cycles of CDDP-5FU for unresectable tumors and reirradiated because they experienced a complete or good partial (> or = 80%) response after chemotherapy. The reirradiation planned dose was 60 Gy in 5 weeks, with two daily fractions of 1.2 Gy spaced by 6-8 h intervals. Reirradiation was delivered exclusively with photon beams in 17 cases and with a combination of photon and electron beams in two cases. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 45 months with a median of 17 months. Of the 19 patients, 13 received the reirradiation scheduled dose of 60 Gy. For the six remaining patients, the reirradiation doses ranged from 45.6 to 57.6 Gy. All patients experienced an acute mucositis which never led to interruption of treatment. Of the 14 patients of group 1, 10 died 3-41 months after reirradiation (mean: 14 months), three were disease-free 16-37 months after reirradiation and one patient was alive with local progressive disease 39 months after the reirradiation. The overall local control within reirradiated volume was 36% before and 43% after salvage surgery. For all group 1 patients, 12- and 24-month overall survival was 64 and 36%, respectively (mean: 21 months). All patients of group 2 presented a local failure within the reirradiated volume. Three of them died 12, 16 and 25 months after reirradiation, while two of them were alive with progressive disease 25 and 30 months after reirradiation, respectively. The mean survival was 22 months. Overall, 15 late complications were noted: five grade 1, eight grade 2 and two grade 3. There was no lethal complication. Four patients alive in September 1993, and whose initial technical files were available, were enrolled in an additional study to assess the cumulative doses delivered by the two irradiations. Despite disappointing loco-regional control rates, a reirradiation of 60 Gy using a hyperfractionated schedule is feasible in terms of acute and late toxicity.

Radiotherapy of stage I and II carcinomas of the mobile tongue and/or floor of the mouth

From 1977 to 1990, 94 evaluable patients were treated with iridium-192 implantation in the Centre Claudius Regaud for a Stage I (52 patients) or a Stage II (42 patients) squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue and/or the floor of the mouth. Interstitial brachytherapy was associated with external irradiation in 68 patients (group 1; mean dose, 48 Gy for external irradiation, 26 Gy for brachytherapy) or was exclusive in 26 patients (group 2; mean dose, 66 Gy). The mean follow-up was 44 months. Eleven acute complications were noted during or immediately after the implant (1 lethal myocardial infarction, 6 hematomas of the tongue which spontaneously resolved, 3 local sepsis). The mean duration of the mucositis was 9 weeks (from 4 to 20 weeks). Ten patients (17%) experienced a late complication (8 in group 1, 2 in group 2): 3 bone necroses requiring hemimandibulectomy (1 post-operative death), 1 tongue necrosis treated by a transoral mucosal excision, 6 bone expositions which recovered after medical treatment. Local control rates for T1 and T2 tumors were 75% (39/52) and 51% (21/41), respectively. Sixteen patients (17%) presented a nodal relapse which was associated in 6 cases with a concomitant local relapse. The local control rate of T1 tumors was 64% (23/36) in group 1 versus 100% (16/16) in group 2 (p < 0.01). For T2 tumors, these figures were 45% (14/31) and 70% (7/10), respectively (p > 0.3). The influence of 13 parameters on the local control was studied in analysis. In the one model analysis, a cox regression tumor size was significantly predictive of actuarial local recurrence (p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Concomitant association of radiotherapy and chemotherapy (CDDP 4-6 mg/m2/daily in continuous i.v. administration) in locally advanced ORL tumors]

In order to enhance radiation effects in the treatment of unresectable Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma, we initiated a phase I-II study in February 1991 with concomitant radiation and cisplatin in the treatment of resectable Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma. The first patient was treated in a palliative intend for a cervical recurrence (cutaneous metastatic lymphangitis) of laryngeal cancer. The seven other patients had a Stage IV M0, previously untreated, oropharyngeal carcinoma. Standard external radiation was carried out up to a total dose of 60 Gy/6 weeks (7 MeV electron beam) for the 1st patient and 72 Gy/8 weeks (Co60 beam) for the 7 other patients. Cisplatin was given during the entire radiation treatment, by continuous infusion, 5 days a week, at doses of 4 mg/m2/d for the 1st patient, 5 mg/m2/d for the two following patients and 6 mg/m2/d for the last five patients. One patient with a poor initial performance status (three in the WHO scale) stopped his treatment on the 6th week due to a grade 3 mucositis with deglutition pneumonia. He died 2 months later with progressive carcinoma. For one other patient, treatment was discontinued for 1 week after 48 Gy, due to a grade 3 mucositis. The other patients completed the planned protocol without any interruption. Mucositis (grade 3 in two cases, grade 2 in four cases), dermitis (grade 3 in two cases, grade 2 in four cases) and neutropenia (grade 2 in two cases) were the most frequent acute toxicity. Of the seven patients treated with a curative intend, six are free of disease at 6 to 28 months after completion of treatment. A pharmacokinetic study showed a total platinum accumulation. The mean value at the end of treatment reached 1157 ng/ml. Only one patient experienced an accumulation of the ultrafilterable platinum (137 ng/ml at the end of treatment).