11β-HSD1 inhibition in men mitigates prednisolone-induced adverse effects in a proof-of-concept randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Glucocorticoids prescribed to limit inflammation, have significant adverse effects. As 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) regenerates active glucocorticoid, we investigated whether 11β-HSD1 inhibition with AZD4017 could mitigate adverse glucocorticoid effects without compromising their anti-inflammatory actions. We conducted a proof-of-concept, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study at Research Unit, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK (NCT03111810). 32 healthy male volunteers were randomized to AZD4017 or placebo, alongside prednisolone treatment. Although the primary endpoint of the study (change in glucose disposal during a two-step hyperinsulinemic, normoglycemic clamp) wasn't met, hepatic insulin sensitivity worsened in the placebo-treated but not in the AZD4017-treated group. Protective effects of AZD4017 on markers of lipid metabolism and bone turnover were observed. Night-time blood pressure was higher in the placebo-treated but not in the AZD4017-treated group. Urinary (5aTHF+THF)/THE ratio was lower in the AZD4017-treated but remained the same in the placebo-treated group. Most anti-inflammatory actions of prednisolone persisted with AZD4017 co-treatment. Four adverse events were reported with AZD4017 and no serious adverse events. Here we show that co-administration of AZD4017 with prednisolone in men is a potential strategy to limit adverse glucocorticoid effects.

Time-varying risk of microvascular complications in latent autoimmune diabetes of adulthood compared with type 2 diabetes in adults: a post-hoc analysis of the UK Prospective Diabetes Study 30-year follow-up data (UKPDS 86)

BACKGROUND

Latent autoimmune diabetes of adulthood (LADA) differs in clinical features from type 2 diabetes. Whether this difference translates into different risks of complications remains controversial. We examined the long-term risk of microvascular complications in people enrolled in the UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS), according to their diabetes autoimmunity status.

METHODS

We did a post-hoc analysis of 30-year follow-up data from UKPDS (UKPDS 86). UKPDS participants with diabetes autoantibody measurements available and without previous microvascular events were included. Participants with at least one detectable autoantibody were identified as having latent autoimmune diabetes, and those who tested negative for all autoantibodies were identified as having type 2 diabetes. The incidence of the primary composite microvascular outcome (first occurrence of renal failure, renal death, blindness, vitreous haemorrhage, or retinal photocoagulation) was compared between adults with latent autoimmune diabetes and those with type 2 diabetes. The follow-up ended on Sept 30, 2007. Baseline and updated 9-year mean values of potential confounders were tested in Cox models to adjust hazard ratios (HRs). UKPDS is registered at the ISRCTN registry, 75451837.

FINDINGS

Among the 5028 participants included, 564 had latent autoimmune diabetes and 4464 had type 2 diabetes. After median 17·3 years (IQR 12·6-20·7) of follow-up, the composite microvascular outcome occurred in 1041 (21%) participants. The incidence for the composite microvascular outcome was 15·8 (95% CI 13·4-18·7) per 1000 person-years in latent autoimmune diabetes and 14·2 (13·3-15·2) per 1000 person-years in type 2 diabetes. Adults with latent autoimmune diabetes had a lower risk of the composite outcome during the first 9 years of follow-up than those with type 2 diabetes (adjusted HR 0·45 [95% CI 0·30-0·68], p<0·0001), whereas in subsequent years their risk was higher than for those with type 2 diabetes (1·25 [1·01-1·54], p=0·047). Correcting for the higher updated 9-year mean HbA_1c seen in adults with latent autoimmune diabetes than in those with type 2 diabetes explained entirely their subsequent increased risk for the composite microvascular outcome (adjusted HR 0·99 [95% CI 0·80-1·23], p=0·93).

INTERPRETATION

At diabetes onset, adults with latent autoimmune diabetes have a lower risk of microvascular complications followed by a later higher risk of complications than do adults with type 2 diabetes, secondary to worse glycaemic control. Implementing strict glycaemic control from the time of diagnosis could reduce the later risk of microvascular complications in adults with latent autoimmune diabetes.

FUNDING

European Foundation for the Study of Diabetes Mentorship Programme (AstraZeneca).

Age at diagnosis and distant metastasis in breast cancer--a surprising inverse relationship

INTRODUCTION

Predictors for site of distant metastasis and impact on survival in breast cancer are incompletely understood.

METHODS

Clinico-pathological risk factors for site of distant metastasis and survival were analysed in patients with invasive breast cancer treated between 1986 and 2006.

RESULTS

Of 3553 patients, with median follow-up 6.32years, 825 (23%) developed distant metastasis. The site of metastasis was bone in 196/825 (24%), viscera in 540/825 (65%) and unknown in 89 (11%). Larger primary invasive tumour size, higher tumour grade and axillary nodal positivity increased risk of metastasis to all sites. Lobular carcinoma was more likely to first metastasise to bone compared to invasive ductal carcinoma (NST). Oestrogen receptor (ER) negative, progesterone receptor (PgR) negative and/or Human epidermal growth factor (HER2) positive tumours were more likely to metastasise to viscera. A striking relationship between increasing age at diagnosis and a reduction in risk of distant metastasis to bone and viscera was observed. Median time to death from onset of metastatic disease was 1.52 (Interquartile range (IQR) 0.7-2.9)years for patients with bone metastasis and 0.7 (IQR 0.2-1.5)years for visceral metastasis. On multivariate analysis, despite the decrease in risk of distant metastasis with increasing age, there was an elevated hazard for death in patients >50years at diagnosis of metastasis if they developed bone metastasis, with a similar trend observed in the >70years age group if they developed visceral metastasis.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that there are biological mechanisms underlying the impact of age on the development of distant metastasis and subsequent death. This may have important implications in the treatment of breast cancer.

Sentinel node biopsy using a magnetic tracer versus standard technique: the SentiMAG Multicentre Trial

BACKGROUND

The SentiMAG Multicentre Trial evaluated a new magnetic technique for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) against the standard (radioisotope and blue dye or radioisotope alone). The magnetic technique does not use radiation and provides both a color change (brown dye) and a handheld probe for node localization. The primary end point of this trial was defined as the proportion of sentinel nodes detected with each technique (identification rate).

METHODS

A total of 160 women with breast cancer scheduled for SLNB, who were clinically and radiologically node negative, were recruited from seven centers in the United Kingdom and The Netherlands. SLNB was undertaken after administration of both the magnetic and standard tracers (radioisotope with or without blue dye).

RESULTS

A total of 170 SLNB procedures were undertaken on 161 patients, and 1 patient was excluded, leaving 160 patients for further analysis. The identification rate was 95.0 % (152 of 160) with the standard technique and 94.4 % (151 of 160) with the magnetic technique (0.6 % difference; 95 % upper confidence limit 4.4 %; 6.9 % discordance). Of the 22 % (35 of 160) of patients with lymph node involvement, 16 % (25 of 160) had at least 1 macrometastasis, and 6 % (10 of 160) had at least a micrometastasis. Another 2.5 % (4 of 160) had isolated tumor cells. Of 404 lymph nodes removed, 297 (74 %) were true sentinel nodes. The lymph node retrieval rate was 2.5 nodes per patient overall, 1.9 nodes per patient with the standard technique, and 2.0 nodes per patient with the magnetic technique.

CONCLUSIONS

The magnetic technique is a feasible technique for SLNB, with an identification rate that is not inferior to the standard technique.

Abstract P4-17-05: Reconstructive breast surgery using an acellular dermal matrix: prospective outcomes of an observational, cohort study (POBRAD)

Withdrawn by Author

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-17-05.

Serum cotinine and prognosis in breast cancer

Various studies have suggested that women who smoke have a worse prognosis if they develop breast cancer. Cotinine levels have been measured in sera from 511 patients with stage I and II breast cancer diagnosed between 1975 and 1980, all of whom had complete follow-up. Although the known prognostic factors, axillary nodal status, tumour size and grade were found to be significant, there was no relationship between serum cotinine and metastasis-free survival. A point estimate of serum cotinine was not found to be a determinant of survival in women with early breast cancer.

Abstract P4-09-13: Predicting Potential Patterns of Metastatic Spread and Outcomes in Breast Cancer

Background: Metastasis progression in breast cancer can be viewed as a stepwise sequence of events that occurs with distinct temporal patterns and in unique organ sites. Our previous results indicate that metastatic spread occurs along distinct pathways governed by biological characteristics of the primary tumour.

Aim: To examine clinical and histopathological factors that predict for patterns of metastatic spread and survival in breast cancer. Materials and Methods: A study population consisting of 5569 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 1975 and 2006 was studied. Median follow-up was 7.7 years, interquartile range (IQR) 3.4-14.3 years. The median metastasis-free interval was 6.7 years, IQR 2.6-14.6 years. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and group comparisons made with a log-rank test. Both univariate and stepwise Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate the relationship between prognostic factors and breast cancer survival. Results: Of 5569 patients, 1718 (31%) developed distant metastasis; 499 (29%) to bone, 990 (58%) to other organs and 229 (13%) to bone followed by a second metastatic event in another organ site within 6 months after the first event (bone + 2nd site).

Patterns of metastatic spread: In univariate analysis, ER-ve tumours were 45% more likely to spread to other organs or to bone + 2nd site. Grade 3 cancers, compared with grade 1 tumours, had a 2-fold increase in the likelihood of metastasising to bone only, 4-fold to bone + 2nd site and 7.5-fold to other organs. In multivariate analysis, node positivity, higher grade and larger tumour size predicted for metastasis to bone or any other organ site whilst node positivity and ER negativity predicted for metastasis to bone + 2nd site. Patients &gt;70 years were 60% less likely to have bone metastasis compared with patients &lt;50 years. ER+ve tumours did not show an increased predilection to bone metastasis on multivariate analysis. Survival from 1st onset of metastasis (breast cancer-related deaths): The median survival in months [95% CI] for patients who developed bone metastasis was 24 [21,26], bone + 2nd site 12 [9, 13] and other organ sites 14 [13, 16] months, respectively. There was a highly significant exponential decrease in survival with increasing age (P&lt;0.02). This effect was even more pronounced in those patients &gt;70 years age who developed bone + 2nd site metastasis (5 times greater hazard of dying compared with &lt;50 years), and was further amplified in grade 3 tumours in this group of patients. Furthermore, node positivity and grade 3 tumours had the maximum negative effect on survival in this group compared with patients who had metastasised to bone only or to other organ sites. Conclusion: The clinical and histopathological factors that predict for patterns of metastatic spread and survival in breast cancer in this large cohort support some previous observations, refute others and demonstrate new findings. These observations merit further investigation and, potentially, future trials of adjuvant therapy that are designed according to predictive patterns of metastatic spread.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2010;70(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-09-13.

Overdiagnosis and overtreatment of breast cancer: estimates of overdiagnosis from two trials of mammographic screening for breast cancer

Randomised controlled trials have shown that the policy of mammographic screening confers a substantial and significant reduction in breast cancer mortality. This has often been accompanied, however, by an increase in breast cancer incidence, particularly during the early years of a screening programme, which has led to concerns about overdiagnosis, that is to say, the diagnosis of disease that, if left undetected and therefore untreated, would not become symptomatic. We used incidence data from two randomised controlled trials of mammographic screening, the Swedish Two-county Trial and the Gothenburg Trial, to establish the timing and magnitude of any excess incidence of invasive disease and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in the study groups, to ascertain whether the excess incidence of DCIS reported early in a screening trial is balanced by a later deficit in invasive disease and provide explicit estimates of the rate of 'real' and non-progressive 'overdiagnosed' tumours from the study groups of the trials. We used a multistate model for overdiagnosis and used Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods to estimate the parameters. After taking into account the effect of lead time, we estimated that less than 5% of cases diagnosed at prevalence screen and less than 1% of cases diagnosed at incidence screens are being overdiagnosed. Overall, we estimate overdiagnosis to be around 1% of all cases diagnosed in screened populations. These estimates are, however, subject to considerable uncertainty. Our results suggest that overdiagnosis in mammography screening is a minor phenomenon, but further studies with very large numbers are required for more precise estimation.

Tetanus antibody levels among adolescent girls in developing countries

Neonatal and maternal tetanus infections remain an important cause of death in many countries. Few studies have reported tetanus toxoid antibody levels of adolescent girls. As part of the Expanded Programme on Immunization most girls receive up to 3 injections in early childhood, and many subsequently do not receive booster vaccinations until pregnant. We determined (by ELISA) tetanus antibody seropositivity in adolescent girls from Malawi (in 1996), Nigeria (in 1993) and Pakistan (in 1996), and response to tetanus vaccination in adolescent girls from Pakistan. Geometric mean titres (GMT, IU/mL) were 0.94 in 117 Malawian, 0.32 in 154 Nigerian and 1.08 in 162 Pakistani girls. In Nigeria, 54.7% of adolescents were seronegative, of whom 26.8% had a history of unsafe abortion. In Malawi and Pakistan all girls were seropositive and in Pakistan, following a booster vaccination, titres increased 3-fold, with a lower response in older girls. The results indicated that adequate childhood immunization is likely to provide protective levels through adolescence. Booster vaccination in late childhood/early adolescence should protect the majority of women throughout their reproductive lives. This practice would reduce the risks of girls exposed to infection through unsafe abortions, and may be the best option for countries seeking to improve their vaccination schedule, especially where tetanus vaccine coverage in pregnant women is unacceptably low.

A community based study of vitamin A and vitamin E status of adolescent girls living in the Shire Valley, Southern Malawi

OBJECTIVE

To assess vitamin A and E status and anaemia in non-pregnant Malawian adolescent girls.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study in rural village communities in the Shire Valley, Southern Malawi.

SUBJECTS

Adolescent girls, n = 118, aged between 10 and 19 y, 112 of whom were unmarried.

METHODS

Socio-demographic information was collected by questionnaire, heights and weights were measured. Vitamin A was assessed by the Modified Relative Dose Response (MRDR) test, in addition to serum retinol values. Blood samples were collected 4-5 h after administration of 3,4-didehydroretinyl acetate. Retinol and alpha-tocopherol levels were measured by HPLC. Serum retinol results for non-pregnant girls were compared with values for 43 adolescent pregnant girls which were available from a previous study.

RESULTS

26.6% of non-pregnant girls had serum retinol values < 0.70 micromol/L; 40.2% had an MRDR ratio > 0.060. In 59.3%, serum tocopherol levels were < 11.5 micromol/L and the tocopherol/cholesterol ratio was < 2.2 in 23.9%. 11.3% had a haemoglobin > or = 12 g/dl. Vitamin A levels were significantly related to age, and younger girls were more likely to be deficient. Significant correlations were found between serum retinol, MRDR values and serum tocopherol. Girls with a low body mass index for age had tocopherol cholesterol ratios < 2.2. Low serum retinol values occurred significantly more often in stunted girls (P=0.01). Serum retinol values of adolescent pregnant girls were significantly lower than those of non-pregnant adolescents (P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Vitamin A and E deficiency and anaemia were common in adolescent non-pregnant girls, and thought to partly result from increased growth requirements. Girls who become pregnant at an early age are at risk of depletion of their nutritional reserves. Measures to reduce nutritional deficiencies before the first pregnancy are needed.