Interleukin-35 gene therapy exacerbates experimental rheumatoid arthritis in mice

Interleukin (IL)-35 was initially described as an immunosuppressive cytokine specifically produced by CD4(+)FoxP3(+) regulatory T cells (Treg). Since Treg play a major role in autoimmunity control and protect from inflammation, we aimed at evaluating the role of IL-35 in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA), a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), using a non-viral gene transfer strategy. The clinical and histological effect of IL-35 was assessed in mice with CIA receiving an injection of two distinct plasmids encoding IL-35 gene (pIGneo-mIL-35 or pORF-mIL-35) 3 and 18 days after CIA induction. Treg and Th17 were characterized by flow cytometry in the spleen and lymph nodes of treated mice. Our results showed that whatever the plasmid used, IL-35 gene transfer resulted in a statistically significant increase in clinical scores of CIA compared to results with empty plasmid. The underlying cellular mechanisms of this effect were shown to be related to an increased Th17/Treg ratio in the spleen of pORF-mIL-35 treated mice. In conclusion, we show an unexpected but clear exacerbating effect of IL-35 gene transfer in an autoimmune and inflammatory RA model, associated with a modification of the Th17/Treg balance. Altogether, these result shows that this cytokine can promote chronic inflammation.

Abstract P3-13-07: A-TaXel: Multicenter phase II combination of bevacizumab (A) with weekly paclitaxel (Ta) and capecitabine (Xel) in first line treatment for patients with triple negative metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer (TNMBC), a GINECO study

Background: Weekly paclitaxel and capecitabine intermittent regimen is a safe and effective combination in first line treatment of MBC including triple negative cancer (Lortholary et al, Breast Cancer Res Treat 2012). In TNMBC, the combination of A with first line Ta or Xel has been shown to improve response rate (RR) and progression-free survival (PFS) (Miller K et al., N Engl J Med 2007, Robert J et al., J Clin Oncol 2011). This phase II study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of A-TaXel combination in TNMBC.

Methods: Patients (pts) with measurable TNMBC were treated in first line until progression with q28 cycles of Ta (80 mg/m2 D1, 8, 15) + Xel (800 mg/m2 bid D1-5, 8-12, 15-19) + A (10 mg/kg D1, 14). Primary end point was best overall RR; secondary were safety, PFS, response duration and overall survival (OS).

Results: From 04/2010 to 03/2012, 64 pts were accrued including 2 ineligible pts. Patients characteristics were: median age (56.7 yrs), ECOG PS 0 (55%), histological grade III (61%), previous adjuvant chemotherapy (74%), visceral disease (65%), > 1 metastatic sites (74%).

Patients received a median of 6 cycles (1-6), mean 5.1. Grade 3-4 neutropenia, anemia and thrombopenia were 23%, 4% and 16% respectively with febrile neutropenia in 5% of pts. G-CSF support was observed in 7% of cycles. Most frequent non hematologic toxicities were alopecia (gr2 40%), hand-foot syndrome (gr2 27%, gr3 13%), nail toxicity (gr2 40%), hypertension (gr3 35%), neuropathy (gr2 26%, gr3 6%), mucositis (gr2 16%, gr3-4 9%), fatigue (gr3 18%, gr4 2%), nausea (gr2 15%, gr3 2%) and thrombosis (gr2 3%, gr3-4 5%). Treatment interruption due to toxicity was 22%, DPD deficiency in one patient, hospitalization 23%.

RR was 77%, CR 19%, PR 58%, stable disease 14% and progressive disease 9%. Median response duration was 5.6 months. Median PFS was 7.9 months (6.7-9) and OS 19.2 months (17.3-21.1).

Conclusion: A-TaXel is an effective regimen with high RR and manageable toxicity.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P3-13-07.

OT1-02-09: A Phase II Randomized Trial of Lapatinib with Either Vinorelbine or Capecitabine as First- and Second-Line Therapy for HER2−Overexpressing Metastatic Breast Cancer

Background: Lapatinib, a dual kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2/ErbB2), is approved for the treatment of HER2−overexpressing (HER2+) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in combination with capecitabine following progression after trastuzumab, anthracyclines, and taxanes. Vinorelbine is an important chemotherapy option in MBC, and multiple phase II trials in combination with trastuzumab have been conducted.

Methods: This randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase II study (VITAL, LAP112620, NCT01013740) is evaluating the efficacy and safety of lapatinib with either vinorelbine or capecitabine in women with HER2+ MBC. A total of 105 stage IV breast cancer patients with disease progression who have received ≤1 chemotherapy regimen in the metastatic setting with an ECOG performance status of ≤1 are randomized 2:1 to either: lapatinib 1250 mg orally once daily (QD) continuously plus vinorelbine 20 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1 and 8 every third week; or lapatinib 1250 mg orally QD continuously plus capecitabine 2000 mg/m2/d orally in 2 doses 12 hours apart on days 1 to 14 every third week. Following progression in the randomized phase, patients will be given the option to cross over to the other arm. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival and will be analyzed with a descriptive intent since the study is not powered to detect differences between treatment arms. Secondary endpoints include overall response rate, overall survival, duration of response, time to response, and clinical benefit rate.

The study is currently recruiting in 8 countries in Europe (Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Spain) and 2 in Latin America (Chile, Mexico).

Funding Source: GlaxoSmithKline

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr OT1-02-09.

CT and MRI findings in primitive pituitary abscess: a case report and review of literature

Pituitary abscess is not rare. Clinical and radiological features in a primitive pituitary abscess are reported. Transphenoidal surgery revealed an abscess. Preoperative diagnosis of pituitary abscess remains difficult. Sellar round cystic mass isointense to grey matter on T1, high intensity signal on T2, with a peripheral rim enhancement following gadolinium injection associated with thickened stalk and diabetes insipidus may be suggestive of pituitary abscess.

Ethics in health care management: developing an instrument to assess humane caring

The care of patients should be professional, human and humane. This is an ethical issue. The words human (inhimillinen) and humane (ihmisläheinen) have different meanings in the Finnish language. At Kuopio University Hospital (1200 beds), in Finland, it was decided to provide patients with professional and humane caring. Ethical values differ for different groups of people. Therefore humane caring was assessed by questioning both hospital patients (n = 160) and staff (n = 196). The data were subjected to content analysis. The result was that the values obtained for both patients and staff were similar. Five descriptive categories of humane caring emerged. To discover what kind of caring was provided for patients, the categories were operationalized into 66 criteria and a questionnaire was drawn up on the basis of these criteria. The data for evaluation of the quality of caring were collected from patients (n = 1708). The data were analysed using cross-tabulations and the chi-squared test; sum variables were calculated for the five standards. The results suggest that special attention should be paid to vulnerable patient groups (e.g. the elderly and the young). One means of ethical management is to support our staff to care more humanely by discussing with them the results of this study, setting standards and criteria for humane caring and what this means in practice. It is hoped our caring will therefore be more humane.