Background Early detection of pharyngeal cancer has been difficult. We reported that narrow-band imaging (NBI) endoscopy can detect superficial pharyngeal cancer, and these lesions can be treated ...endoscopically. Objective To assess the safety and long-term efficacy of transoral organ-preserving pharyngeal endoscopic resection (TOPER) for superficial pharyngeal cancer. Design and Setting Retrospective 2-center cohort study. Patients The study included 104 consecutive patients with superficial pharyngeal cancer. Intervention TOPER with the patients under general anesthesia. Main Outcome Measurements Safety of the procedure, long-term survival, clinical outcome. Results A total of 148 consecutive lesions were resected in 104 patients. There was no severe adverse event. Temporary tracheostomy was required in 17 patients (16%) to prevent airway obstruction. The median fasting period and hospital stay after TOPER were 2 days (range 1-20 days) and 8 days (range 3-58 days), respectively. Ninety-six patients (92%) had no local recurrence or distant metastases. Local recurrence at the primary site developed in 6 patients, but all were resolved by repeat TOPER. With a median follow-up period of 43 months (range 3-96 months), the overall survival rate at 5 years was 71% (95% CI, 59-82). Cause-specific survival rate at 5 years was 97% (95% CI, 93-100). The cumulative development rate of multiple cancers in pharyngeal mucosal sites at 5 years was 22% (95% CI, 12-33). The pharynx was preserved in all patients, and they experienced no loss of function. Limitation Retrospective design. Conclusions Peroral endoscopic resection of superficial pharyngeal cancer is a feasible and effective treatment with curative intent.
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Summary Background VEGFR-2 has a role in gastric cancer pathogenesis and progression. We assessed whether ramucirumab, a monoclonal antibody VEGFR-2 antagonist, in combination with paclitaxel would ...increase overall survival in patients previously treated for advanced gastric cancer compared with placebo plus paclitaxel. Methods This randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 3 trial was done at 170 centres in 27 countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Patients aged 18 years or older with advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma and disease progression on or within 4 months after first-line chemotherapy (platinum plus fluoropyrimidine with or without an anthracycline) were randomly assigned with a centralised interactive voice or web-response system in a 1:1 ratio to receive ramucirumab 8 mg/kg or placebo intravenously on days 1 and 15, plus paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. A permuted block randomisation, stratified by geographic region, time to progression on first-line therapy, and disease measurability, was used. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Efficacy analysis was by intention to treat, and safety analysis included all patients who received at least one treatment with study drug. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT01170663 , and has been completed; patients who are still receiving treatment are in the extension phase. Findings Between Dec 23, 2010, and Sept 23, 2012, 665 patients were randomly assigned to treatment—330 to ramucirumab plus paclitaxel and 335 to placebo plus paclitaxel. Overall survival was significantly longer in the ramucirumab plus paclitaxel group than in the placebo plus paclitaxel group (median 9·6 months 95% CI 8·5–10·8 vs 7·4 months 95% CI 6·3–8·4, hazard ratio 0·807 95% CI 0·678–0·962; p=0·017). Grade 3 or higher adverse events that occurred in more than 5% of patients in the ramucirumab plus paclitaxel group versus placebo plus paclitaxel included neutropenia (133 41% of 327 vs 62 19% of 329), leucopenia (57 17% vs 22 7%), hypertension (46 14% vs eight 2%), fatigue (39 12% vs 18 5%), anaemia (30 9% vs 34 10%), and abdominal pain (20 6% vs 11 3%). The incidence of grade 3 or higher febrile neutropenia was low in both groups (ten 3% vs eight 2%). Interpretation The combination of ramucirumab with paclitaxel significantly increases overall survival compared with placebo plus paclitaxel, and could be regarded as a new standard second-line treatment for patients with advanced gastric cancer. Funding Eli Lilly and Company.
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Summary Background Trastuzumab, a monoclonal antibody against human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2; also known as ERBB2), was investigated in combination with chemotherapy for first-line ...treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer. Methods ToGA (Trastuzumab for Gastric Cancer) was an open-label, international, phase 3, randomised controlled trial undertaken in 122 centres in 24 countries. Patients with gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer were eligible for inclusion if their tumours showed overexpression of HER2 protein by immunohistochemistry or gene amplification by fluorescence in-situ hybridisation. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a chemotherapy regimen consisting of capecitabine plus cisplatin or fluorouracil plus cisplatin given every 3 weeks for six cycles or chemotherapy in combination with intravenous trastuzumab. Allocation was by block randomisation stratified by Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, chemotherapy regimen, extent of disease, primary cancer site, and measurability of disease, implemented with a central interactive voice recognition system. The primary endpoint was overall survival in all randomised patients who received study medication at least once. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT01041404. Findings 594 patients were randomly assigned to study treatment (trastuzumab plus chemotherapy, n=298; chemotherapy alone, n=296), of whom 584 were included in the primary analysis (n=294; n=290). Median follow-up was 18·6 months (IQR 11–25) in the trastuzumab plus chemotherapy group and 17·1 months (9–25) in the chemotherapy alone group. Median overall survival was 13·8 months (95% CI 12–16) in those assigned to trastuzumab plus chemotherapy compared with 11·1 months (10–13) in those assigned to chemotherapy alone (hazard ratio 0·74; 95% CI 0·60–0·91; p=0·0046). The most common adverse events in both groups were nausea (trastuzumab plus chemotherapy, 197 67% vs chemotherapy alone, 184 63%), vomiting (147 50% vs 134 46%), and neutropenia (157 53% vs 165 57%). Rates of overall grade 3 or 4 adverse events (201 68% vs 198 68%) and cardiac adverse events (17 6% vs 18 6%) did not differ between groups. Interpretation Trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy can be considered as a new standard option for patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer. Funding F Hoffmann-La Roche.
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Summary Background Although trastuzumab plus chemotherapy is the standard of care for first-line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer, there is no established therapy in the second-line ...setting. In GATSBY, we examined the efficacy and tolerability of trastuzumab emtansine in patients previously treated for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer (unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic gastric cancer, including adenocarcinoma of the gastro-oesophageal junction). Methods This is the final analysis from GATSBY, a randomised, open-label, adaptive, phase 2/3 study, done at 107 centres (28 countries worldwide). Eligible patients had HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer and progressed during or after first-line therapy. In stage one of the trial, patients were randomly assigned to treatment groups (2:2:1) to receive intravenous trastuzumab emtansine (3·6 mg/kg every 3 weeks or 2·4 mg/kg weekly) or physician's choice of a taxane (intravenous docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks or intravenous paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 weekly). In stage two, patients were randomly assigned to treatment groups (2:1) to receive the independent data monitoring committee (IDMC)-selected dose of trastuzumab emtansine (2·4 mg/kg weekly) or a taxane (same regimen as above). We used permuted block randomisation, stratified by world region, previous HER2-targeted therapy, and previous gastrectomy. The primary endpoint (overall survival) was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , number NCT01641939. Findings Between Sept 3, 2012, and Oct 14, 2013, 70 patients were assigned to receive trastuzumab emtansine 3·6 mg/kg every 3 weeks, 75 to receive trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg weekly, and 37 to receive a taxane in the stage 1 part of the trial. At the pre-planned interim analysis (Oct 14, 2013), the IDMC selected trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg weekly as the dose to proceed to stage 2. By Feb 9, 2015, a further 153 patients had been randomly assigned to receive trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg weekly and a further 80 to receive a taxane. At data cutoff, median follow-up was 17·5 months (IQR 12·1–23·0) for the trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg weekly group and 15·4 months (9·2–18·1) in the taxane group. Median overall survival was 7·9 months (95% CI 6·7–9·5) with trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg weekly and 8·6 months (7·1–11·2) with taxane treatment (hazard ratio 1·15, 95% CI 0·87–1·51, one-sided p=0·86). The trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg group had lower incidences of grade 3 or more adverse events (134 60% of 224 patients treated with trastuzumab emtansine vs 78 70% of 111 patients treated with a taxane), and similar incidences of adverse events leading to death (eight 4% vs four 4%), serious adverse events (65 29% vs 31 28%), and adverse events leading to treatment discontinuation (31 14% vs 15 14%) than did taxane treatment. The most common grade 3 or more adverse events in the trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg weekly group were anaemia (59 26%) and thrombocytopenia (25 11%) compared with neutropenia (43 39%), and anaemia (20 18%), in the taxane group. The most common serious adverse events were anaemia (eight 4%), upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage (eight 4%), pneumonia (seven 3%), gastric haemorrhage (six 3%), and gastrointestinal haemorrhage (five 2%) in the trastuzumab emtansine 2·4 mg/kg weekly group compared with pneumonia (four 4%), febrile neutropenia (four 4%), anaemia (three 3%), and neutropenia (three 3%) in the taxane group. Interpretation Trastuzumab emtansine was not superior to taxane in patients with previously treated, HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer. There is still an unmet need in this patient group and therapeutic options remain limited. Funding F Hoffmann-La Roche.
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RET rearrangements are rare oncogenic alterations in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Vandetanib is a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor exhibiting RET kinase activity. We aimed to assess the ...efficacy and safety of vandetanib in patients with advanced RET-rearranged NSCLC.
In this open-label, multicentre, phase 2 trial (LURET), patients with advanced RET-rearranged NSCLC continuously received 300 mg of oral vandetanib daily. RET-positive patients were screened using a nationwide genomic screening network of about 200 participating institutions. Primary endpoint was the independently assessed objective response in eligible patients. This study is registered with UMIN-CTR, number UMIN000010095.
Between Feb 7, 2013, and March 19, 2015, 1536 patients with EGFR mutation-negative NSCLC were screened, of whom 34 were RET-positive (2%) and 19 were enrolled. Among 17 eligible patients included in primary analysis, nine (53% 95% CI 28-77) achieved an objective response, which met the primary endpoint. In the intention-to-treat population of all 19 patients treated with vandetanib, nine (47% 95% CI 24-71) achieved an objective response. At the data cutoff, median progression-free survival was 4·7 months (95% CI 2·8-8·5). The most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were hypertension (11 58%), diarrhoea (two 11%), rash (three 16%), dry skin (one 5%), and QT prolongation (two 11%).
Vandetanib showed clinical antitumour activity and a manageable safety profile in patients with advanced RET-rearranged NSCLC. Our results define RET rearrangement as a new molecular subgroup of NSCLC suitable for targeted therapy.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan and the Practical Research for Innovation Cancer Control from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, AMED.
Summary Background The best chemotherapy regimen for metastatic gastric cancer is uncertain, but promising findings have been reported with irinotecan plus cisplatin and S-1 (tegafur, ...5-chloro-2,4-dihydropyrimidine, and potassium oxonate). We aimed to investigate the superiority of irinotecan plus cisplatin and non-inferiority of S-1 compared with fluorouracil, with respect to overall survival, in patients with metastatic gastric cancer. Methods We undertook a phase 3 open label randomised trial in 34 institutions in Japan. We enrolled patients aged 20–75 years or younger, who had histologically proven gastric adenocarcinoma, and randomly assigned them by minimisation to receive either: a continuous infusion of fluorouracil (800 mg/m2 per day, on days 1–5) every 4 weeks (n=234); intravenous irinotecan (70 mg/m2 , on days 1 and 15) and cisplatin (80 mg/m2 , on day 1) every 4 weeks (n=236); or oral S-1 (40 mg/m2 , twice a day, on days 1–28) every 6 weeks (n=234). The primary endpoint was overall survival. Analyses were done by intention to treat. This study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov , number NCT00142350 , and with UMIN-CTR, number C000000062. Findings All randomised patients were included in the primary analysis. Median overall survival was 10·8 months (IQR 5·7–17·8) for individuals assigned fluorouracil, 12·3 months (8·1–19·5) for those allocated irinotecan plus cisplatin (hazard ratio 0·85 95% CI 0·70–1·04; p=0·0552), and 11·4 months (6·4–21·3) for those assigned S-1 (0·83 0·68–1·01; p=0·0005 for non-inferiority). Three treatment-related deaths occurred in the irinotecan plus cisplatin group and one was recorded in the S-1 group. Interpretation S-1 is non-inferior to fluorouracil and, in view of the convenience of an oral administration, could replace intravenous fluorouracil for treatment of unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer, at least in Asia. Irinotecan plus cisplatin is not superior to fluorouracil in this setting. Funding Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan; Taiho Pharmaceutical; Yakult Honsha.
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Summary Background Treatments that confer survival benefit are needed in patients with heavily pretreated metastatic colorectal cancer. The aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and ...safety of TAS-102—a novel oral nucleoside antitumour agent. Methods Between August 25, 2009, and April 12, 2010, we undertook a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial in Japan. Eligible patients were 20 years or older; had confirmed colorectal adenocarcinoma; had a treatment history of two or more regimens of standard chemotherapy; and were refractory or intolerant to fluoropyrimidine, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin. Patients had to be able to take oral drugs; have measurable lesions; have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of between 0 and 2; and have adequate bone-marrow, hepatic, and renal functions within 7 days of enrolment. Patients were randomly assigned (2:1) to either TAS-102 (35 mg/m2 given orally twice a day in a 28-day cycle 2-week cycle of 5 days of treatment followed by a 2-day rest period, and then a 14-day rest period) or placebo; all patients received best supportive care. Randomisation was done with minimisation methods, with performance status as the allocation factor. The randomisation sequence was generated with a validated computer system by an independent team from the trial sponsor. Investigators, patients, data analysts, and the trial sponsor were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. Safety analyses were done in the per-protocol population. The study is in progress and is registered with Japan Pharmaceutical Information Center, number JapicCTI-090880. Findings 112 patients allocated to TAS-102 and 57 allocated to placebo made up the intention-to-treat population. Median follow-up was 11·3 months (IQR 10·7–14·0). Median overall survival was 9·0 months (95% CI 7·3–11·3) in the TAS-102 group and 6·6 months (4·9–8·0) in the placebo group (hazard ratio for death 0·56, 80% CI 0·44–0·71, 95% CI 0·39–0·81; p=0·0011). 57 (50%) of 113 patients given TAS-102 in the safety population had neutropenia of grade 3 or 4, 32 (28%) leucopenia, and 19 (17%) anaemia. No patient given placebo had grade 3 or worse neutropenia or leucopenia; three (5%) of 57 had grade 3 or worse anaemia. Serious adverse events occurred in 21 (19%) patients in the TAS-102 group and in five (9%) in the placebo group. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Interpretation TAS-102 has promising efficacy and a manageable safety profile in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who are refractory or intolerant to standard chemotherapies. Funding Taiho Pharmaceutical.
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Background There is no effective treatment for gastroesophageal anastomotic strictures that are refractory to repeated endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD). However, EBD is still selected worldwide to ...manage such refractory strictures. To relieve the symptoms of dysphagia and keep a wide lumen, we developed a new incisional treatment, radial incision and cutting (RIC). Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the RIC method for the treatment of refractory anastomotic strictures. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting National Cancer Center and University Hospital. Patients This study involved 54 consecutive patients with refractory anastomotic stricture after esophagogastric surgery. Intervention RIC. Main Outcome Measurements The safety and clinical success of RIC and the long-term patency after RIC compared with those of continued EBD. Results The median procedure time of RIC was 14 minutes (range, 4–40 minutes). No serious adverse events associated with RIC were observed. Immediately after RIC, 81.3% (26/32) of patients were able to eat solid food without symptoms of dysphagia. As a short-term effect, the dysphagia improved after RIC in 93.8% (30/32) of the patients. As a long-term effect, 63% (17/27) and 62% (13/21) of patients were able to eat solid food 6 and 12 months after RIC, respectively. The 6-month and 12-month patency rates were significantly different between the RIC group and the continued EBD group (65.3% vs 19.8%, P < .005; 61.5% vs 19.8%, P < .005). Limitations Nonrandomized retrospective study. Conclusions RIC is an effective and safe method. The demonstration of the validity of this method may place RIC as a new medical treatment for patients with refractory stricture after surgical resection for esophagogastric diseases.
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Background and Aims Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a less-invasive salvage treatment option for local failure at the primary site after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. ...The objective of this study was to clarify the long-term outcomes and prognostic factors of salvage PDT. Methods One hundred thirteen consecutive patients treated in our institution with PDT for local failure limited to within T2 without any metastases after definitive CRT performed between 1998 and 2008 were retrospectively enrolled. The complete response rate, adverse events, and survival outcomes were assessed and prognostic factors were investigated using a multivariate analysis. Results The complete response rate was 58.4% (95% confidence interval CI, 49.3%-67.5%). The progression-free survival (PFS) and the overall survival (OS) rates at 5 years after salvage PDT were 22.1% (95% CI, 14.3%-30.0%) and 35.9% (95% CI, 26.7%-45.1%). N0 before CRT was significantly associated with OS (hazard ratio HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.33-0.91, P = .020), whereas the impact of T1 or T2 before CRT on PFS (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.38-1.04, P = .068) and that of a longer period between CRT and PDT on OS (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.39-1.05, P = .078) were marginal. The treatment-related death rate was 1.8%. Conclusions Salvage PDT was found to have a superior outcome and a satisfactory safety profile. An earlier clinical stage before CRT and a longer interval between CRT and PDT may be associated with a longer survival period.
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Background The accurate diagnosis of gastric small depressive lesions (SDLs), including gastritis and cancerous lesions, is difficult with conventional endoscopy when using white-light imaging (WLI). ...Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is expected to make a more accurate diagnosis of gastric SDLs than WLI because it provides better visualization of the mucosal surface and microvascular architecture when combined with magnifying endoscopy. Objective To compare the real-time diagnostic accuracy of magnifying WLI and magnifying NBI for gastric SDLs. Design Prospective study. Setting National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan. Patients Fifty-seven lesions in 53 consecutive patients were analyzed: 30 cancers and 27 benign lesions. Interventions If previously undiagnosed gastric SDLs smaller than 10 mm were identified during an endoscopic examination, magnifying observation with both WLI and NBI was performed for each SDL. Endoscopic diagnosis of SDLs was made by each method on site. Main Outcome Measurements The diagnostic accuracy and the time required for diagnosis. Results The diagnostic accuracy was significantly higher for NBI than for WLI (79% vs 44%; P = .0001), as was its sensitivity (70% vs 33%; P = .0005). The diagnostic specificity of NBI (89%) was higher than that of WLI (67%), but the difference was not statistically significant. The time required for the diagnosis was equivalent with both methods. Limitations Single-center study, small sample size. Conclusions Adding NBI to the WLI examination is essential for making an accurate diagnosis of gastric SDLs compared with magnifying WLI alone. (UMIN Clinical Trials Registry identification number C000000421)
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