We compared the efficacy and safety of low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs) in patients with cancer who are at low risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Patients were treated by medical oncologists ...in Turkey at 15 sites, where they were enrolled and followed up for a period of 12 months. Due to the study design, there was no specific treatment protocol for LMWH. Primary end points were efficacy and the time to change in VTE status. Of the included 250 patients, 239 (95.6%), 176 (70.4%), 130 (52.0%), and 91 (36.4%) completed their day 15, month 3, month 6, and month 12 visits, respectively. Number of patients treated with enoxaparin, bemiparin, and tinzaparin were 133, 112, and 5, respectively. Anticoagulant therapy provoked thrombus resolution in 1.2% and 12.7% of patients using enoxaparin and bemiparin, respectively (P = .004). Thrombus resolution was observed in 81 more patients at month 3 visit. This ratio was 35 (40.2%) of 87 and 46 (54.1%) of 85 patients administered enoxaparin and bemiparin at the third visit, respectively (P = .038). Thrombus resolution was observed in 21 more patients during month 6 visit. This ratio was 5 (7.7%) of 65 and 15 (23.4%) of 64 patients administered enoxaparin and bemiparin at the fourth visit, respectively (P = .022). The LMWH was discontinued in only 2 patients due to gastrointestinal bleeding. This pioneering study shows bemiparin is more effective than enoxaparin in thrombosis resolution and has a similar tolerability profile.
The prognosis of patients with advanced HCC can vary widely depending on factors such as the stage of the cancer, the patient's overall health, and treatment regimens. This study aimed to investigate ...survival outcomes and associated factors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this retrospective study, data from 23 medical oncology clinics were analyzed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) values were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors associated with survival which were identified in univariate analysis were subsequently evaluated in a multivariate Cox-regression survival analysis was conducted using the backward stepwise (Conditional LR) method to determine the independent predictors of PFS and OS. Of 280 patients, 131 received chemotherapy and 142 received sorafenib, 6 received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 1 received nivolumab for first-line setting. The median follow-up time was 30.4 (95%CI 27.1-33.6) months. For-first line, median PFS was 3.1 (95%CI2.7-3.5) months, and it was significantly longer in patients who received sorafenib or atezolizumab-bevacizumab or nivolumab (PFS 5.8 (95%CI 4.2-7.5) than in those received chemotherapy (PFS 2.1 (95%CI 1.9-2.3) in the first-line setting (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that male gender (HR: 2.75, 95% CI: 1.53-4.94, p = 0.01), poor ECOG performance score (HR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.10-3.21, p = 0.02), higher baseline AFP level (HR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.54-3.67, p < 0.001) and upfront sorafenib treatment (HR,0.38; 95% CI: 0.23-0.62, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with shorter PFS. The median OS was 13.2 (95%CI 11.1-15.2) months. It was significantly longer in patients who received sorafenib or atezolizumab-bevacizumab or nivolumab in the first-line setting followed by TKIs (sorafenib or regorafenib, OS 18.6 (95%CI 13.8-23.5)) compared to those who received chemotherapy (OS 10.3 (95%CI 6.6-14.1)) in the first-line setting. The multivariate analysis revealed that upfront chemotherapy treatment approach, male gender (HR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.07-2.94, p = 0.02), poor ECOG performance score (HR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.24-3.09, p = 0.004) and Child-Pugh score, presence of extrahepatic disease (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.09-2.18, p = 0.01), and higher baseline AFP value (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.03-2.19, p = 0.03) were significantly associated with poor prognosis. Additionally, regarding of treatment sequence, upfront sorafenib followed by regorafenib showed a significantly lower risk of mortality (HR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.25-0.66, p < 0.001). Sorafenib followed by regorafenib treatment was associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality rather than upfront sorafenib followed by BSC group or upfront chemotherapy followed by TKIs. These findings underscore the importance of the optimal treatment sequences to improve survival in patients with advanced HCC.
Breast cancer bone metastasis causing severe morbidity is commonly encountered in daily clinical practice. It causes pain, pathologic fractures, spinal cord and other nerve compression syndromes and ...life threatening hypercalcemia. Breast cancer metastasizes to bone through complicated steps in which numerous molecules play roles. Metastatic cells disrupt normal bone turnover and create a vicious cycle to which treatment efforts should be directed. Bisphosphonates have been used safely for more than two decades. As a group they delay time to first skeletal related event and reduce pain, but do not prevent development of bone metastasis in patients with no bone metastasis, and also do not prolong survival. The receptor activator for nuclear factor κB ligand inhibitor denosumab delays time to first skeletal related event and reduces the skeletal morbidity rate. Radionuclides are another treatment option for bone pain. New targeted therapies and radionuclides are still under investigation. In this review we will focus on mechanisms of bone metastasis and its medical treatment in breast cancer patients.
Introduction: The efficacy and tolerability of Enzalutamide and Abiraterone Acetate have been reported in elderly patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, there ...is no randomized study directly comparing antitumor effects between these 2 agents in geriatric patients. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Enzalutamide (ENZA) and Abiraterone Acetate (AA) as a first-line treatment of mCRPC in elderly patients. Materials and methods: The geriatric patients (≥75 years of age) with a diagnosis of mCRPC and treated with first-line ENZA or AA were included. The impacts of clinical parameters and treatment modalities on overall survival (mOS) were analyzed retrospectively and Cox regression analysis was performed. Results: One hundred thirty-four mCRPC patients (77 in AA, 57 in ENZA), with a median age of 81 (75–93) were analyzed. The patient and disease characteristics were similar between arms. While there were more grade 1–2 toxicities in AA arm (45.5% vs 17.5%, P = 0.001), the discontinuation due to toxicity was similar between groups (8.5% vs 5.9%, P = 0.81). The mOS was 18.0 months (95% CI, 15.2–20.7) in AA, and 20.0 months (95% CI, 4.4–35.5) in ENZA arm (P = 0.47). In multivariate analysis, high Gleason score (≥8) (HR: 2.0 (95% CI, 1.1–3.4), P = 0.009) and high initial PSA values (≥100 ng/mL) (HR: 2.6 (95% CI, 1.5–4.8), P = 0.001) were poor prognostic factors. The choice of AA vs ENZA was insignificant as a predictor of OS (HR: 0.87 (95% CI, 0.48–1.56), P = 0.65). Conclusion: In the first-line treatment of mCRPC in elderly (≥75) patients, AA and ENZA showed similar results in terms of mPFS and mOS. The clinical impacts of second-generation androgen receptor pathway inhibitors in the elderly population should be tested in prospective randomized studies.
In the randomized KEYNOTE-407 study (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02775435), pembrolizumab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel/nab-paclitaxel (chemotherapy) significantly improved overall survival (OS) and ...progression-free survival (PFS) compared with placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated metastatic squamous NSCLC. We report updated efficacy outcomes from the protocol-specified final analysis and, for the first time, progression on next line of treatment.
Eligible patients were randomized to chemotherapy plus either pembrolizumab (n = 278) or placebo (n = 281). After positive results from the second interim analysis, patients still receiving placebo could cross over to pembrolizumab monotherapy at the time of confirmed progressive disease. The primary end points were OS and PFS. PFS-2 (time from randomization to progression on next-line treatment/death, whichever occurred first) was an exploratory end point.
After median (range) follow-up of 14.3 (0.1–31.3) months, pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy continued to exhibit a clinically meaningful improvement over placebo plus chemotherapy in OS (median, 17.1 mo 95% confidence interval (CI): 14.4‒19.9 versus 11.6 mo 95% CI: 10.1‒13.7; hazard ratio HR, 0.71 95% CI: 0.58‒0.88) and PFS (median, 8.0 mo 95% CI: 6.3‒8.4 versus 5.1 mo 95% CI: 4.3‒6.0; HR, 0.57 95% CI: 0.47‒0.69). PFS-2 was longer for patients randomized to first-line pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy (HR, 0.59 95% CI: 0.49‒0.72). Grade 3 to 5 adverse events occurred in 74.1% and 69.6% of patients receiving pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy and placebo plus chemotherapy, respectively.
Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy continued to exhibit substantially improved OS and PFS in patients with metastatic squamous NSCLC. The PFS-2 outcomes support pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy as a standard first-line treatment in patients with metastatic squamous NSCLC.
We aimed to examine cemiplimab, a programmed cell death 1 inhibitor, in the first-line treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) of at least 50%.
In ...EMPOWER-Lung 1, a multicentre, open-label, global, phase 3 study, eligible patients recruited in 138 clinics from 24 countries (aged ≥18 years with histologically or cytologically confirmed advanced non-small-cell lung cancer, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–1; never-smokers were ineligible) were randomly assigned (1:1) to cemiplimab 350 mg every 3 weeks or platinum-doublet chemotherapy. Crossover from chemotherapy to cemiplimab was allowed following disease progression. Primary endpoints were overall survival and progression-free survival per masked independent review committee. Primary endpoints were assessed in the intention-to-treat population and in a prespecified PD-L1 of at least 50% population (per US Food and Drug Administration request to the sponsor), which consisted of patients with PD-L1 of at least 50% per 22C3 assay done according to instructions for use. Adverse events were assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of the assigned treatment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03088540 and is ongoing.
Between June 27, 2017 and Feb 27, 2020, 710 patients were randomly assigned (intention-to-treat population). In the PD-L1 of at least 50% population, which consisted of 563 patients, median overall survival was not reached (95% CI 17·9–not evaluable) with cemiplimab (n=283) versus 14·2 months (11·2–17·5) with chemotherapy (n=280; hazard ratio HR 0·57 0·42–0·77; p=0·0002). Median progression-free survival was 8·2 months (6·1–8·8) with cemiplimab versus 5·7 months (4·5–6·2) with chemotherapy (HR 0·54 0·43–0·68; p<0·0001). Significant improvements in overall survival and progression-free survival were also observed with cemiplimab in the intention-to-treat population despite a high crossover rate (74%). Grade 3–4 treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 98 (28%) of 355 patients treated with cemiplimab and 135 (39%) of 342 patients treated with chemotherapy.
Cemiplimab monotherapy significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared with chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer with PD-L1 of at least 50%, providing a potential new treatment option for this patient population.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi.
Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality both globally and in our country. In Turkey, we conducted a multicenter investigation into the effectiveness of second-line treatments and ...real-life data for patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (NCT04757311).
In this retrospective analysis, records from 28 centers were collected, and histopathological, molecular, and clinical characteristics were documented. Patients were categorized into groups based on their second-line biological treatments: anti-EGFR (Group A and Group B, panitumumab and cetuximab) and anti-VEGF (Group C, bevacizumab and aflibercept). They were then compared within these groups.
A total of 588 patients with documented RAS wild-type status were evaluated. The median OS was 15.7, 14.3 and 14.7 months in Group A, Group B and Group C, respectively (
= 0.764). The median PFS of the patients in second-line setting that received panitumumab, cetuximab and bevacizumab/aflibercept were 7.8, 6.6 and 7.4 months, respectively (
= 0.848).
According to the results of our real-life data study, there is no significant difference in efficiency between the combination of biological agent and chemotherapy used in the second-line treatments.
Many patients with HR+, HER2- early breast cancer (EBC) will not experience recurrence or have distant recurrence with currently available standard therapies. However, up to 30% of patients with ...high-risk clinical and/or pathologic features may experience distant recurrence, many in the first few years. Superior treatment options are needed to prevent early recurrence and development of metastases for this group of patients. Abemaciclib is an oral, continuously dosed, CDK4/6 inhibitor approved for HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer (ABC). Efficacy and safety of abemaciclib in ABC supported evaluation in the adjuvant setting.
This open-label, phase III study included patients with HR+, HER2-, high-risk EBC, who had surgery and, as indicated, radiotherapy and/or adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with four or more positive nodes, or one to three nodes and either tumor size ≥ 5 cm, histologic grade 3, or central Ki-67 ≥ 20%, were eligible and randomly assigned (1:1) to standard-of-care adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) with or without abemaciclib (150 mg twice daily for 2 years). The primary end point was invasive disease-free survival (IDFS), and secondary end points included distant relapse-free survival, overall survival, and safety.
At a preplanned efficacy interim analysis, among 5,637 randomly assigned patients, 323 IDFS events were observed in the intent-to-treat population. Abemaciclib plus ET demonstrated superior IDFS versus ET alone (
= .01; hazard ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.93), with 2-year IDFS rates of 92.2% versus 88.7%, respectively. Safety data were consistent with the known safety profile of abemaciclib.
Abemaciclib when combined with ET is the first CDK4/6 inhibitor to demonstrate a significant improvement in IDFS in patients with HR+, HER2- node-positive EBC at high risk of early recurrence.
Among patients with hepatocellular carcinoma whose disease had progressed during receipt of sorafenib or other systemic therapy, median overall survival was 10.2 months with cabozantinib and 8.0 ...months with placebo. High-grade adverse events were as previously noted for the drug.
e16505 Background: In metastatic cancers, treatments are aimed at palliation, focusing on life extension and quality of life (QoL) improvement rather than cure. This study aims to investigate the ...alignment between patient expectations and the realistic outcomes of treatment in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and metastatic bladder cancer (mBC). Methods: Between 15.03.2023-15.01.2024, an online survey was conducted targeting patients with mRCC and mBC. The primary objective was to evaluate the patients’ understanding and expectations concerning curability and the anticipated outcomes of their treatments in a metastatic setting. Additionally, the study aimed to explore the impact of patients' QoL and levels of optimism on their perceptions of cure and treatment outcomes. EORTC 30.3 QoL questionnaire and Life Oriented Test (LOT) were administered. Results: A total of 169 patients participated, with a median age of 63 years.72.2% of patients assessed their general health state as "good", 13.6% as "excellent", 11.8% as "fair", and 2.4% as "poor." Out of the patients surveyed, 40.2% considered cure as "very likely," 45% as "likely," 4.7% as "a little likely," and one as "not possible." The table shows patients' perspectives on improving disease symptoms, doing daily tasks easier, and living longer with treatment. Patients' perception of cure was not affected by gender, age, treatment modality, or general health status. While only 9 patients perceived cure as "a little likely" or "not possible," this group has lower median QoL and LOT scores than those who believed cure was "very likely" or "likely." This pattern is observed in their perceptions regarding the improvement symptoms, ability to make daily life activities easier, and expectations of living longer. Conclusions: Patients with mRCC and mBC have expectations of cure from treatments that may not align with clinical realities. Prioritizing clear communication and patient participation in treatment planning, particularly around palliative care is essential for effective care delivery. Table: see text
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