Purpose of Review
The aim of this review is to sum up the state of the art of urachal carcinoma (UC) in order to easily guide clinicians.
Recent Findings
UC is a rare and aggressive disease with ...consequent few data about diagnosis and treatment. Dates are mainly based on retrospective trial and case reports with limited prospective trial. Clinical presentation is not specific, often with urinary symptoms. Diagnosis is mainly based on CT scan and MRI, useful to evaluate local invasion and nodal status and to detect the presence of distant metastases. Therefore, biopsy is needed to obtain histological confirmation. Surgery is the gold standard for localized disease, while different chemotherapy schemes have been used in metastatic setting.
Summary
Novel findings based on mutational analysis of the tumor include the use of biological treatment, such as cetuximab, and immunotherapy, such as atezolizumab, with satisfactory responses, suggesting that personalized treatment could be the most suitable option for UC.
Enzalutamide and abiraterone have been shown to improve progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Moreover, some ...patients may not benefit from the inhibition of androgen receptor (AR) activity or, alternatively, may develop secondary resistance. Detection in patients' circulating tumor cells (CTCs) of ARV7, a splicing variant of AR lacking the ligand-binding domain, showed a link with treatment failure. Independent confirmation of the predictive role of CTC status combined with ARV7 detection is, therefore, a priority for extending personalized biomarker-driven treatments to all patients. In this prospective observational study, CTC status and the expression of AR and ARV7 were measured in 37 mCRPC patients, before starting treatment with enzalutamide or abiraterone, by employing commercially available kits. CTC status was positive in 21/37 patients: 46% and 24% of CTC-positive patients were defined as AR- and ARV7-positive, respectively. Kaplan-Meier estimates showed that positivity for each variable was significantly associated with poorer radiological PFS, PSA-PFS, and OS. All considered treatment outcomes worsened when going from CTC-negative to CTC-positive/ARV7-negative to CTC-positive/ARV7-positive patients, both in the global case series and in patients stratified into three groups based on basal PSA levels. Presently, technical approaches appear to be mature for introducing CTC/ARV7 tests in clinical practice.
Background
Taxanes are a mainstay in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Combination chemotherapy, including platinum–taxens doublets, can improve tumor responses and progression-free ...survival (PFS), but is associated with more toxicities and an uncertain benefit in terms of overall survival (OS).
Methods
We performed a retrospective study on 274 consecutive patients with mBC treated at the Division of Medical Oncology of Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy, during the decade 2007–2016 with the combination of carboplatin AUC 2 plus paclitaxel 80 mg/m
2
, both given on days 1 and 8 in every 21-day cycle.
Results
264 patients were evaluable for treatment safety and activity. The objective response rate (ORR) was 44.7%. Median PFS and OS were 8.6 and 23.7 months, respectively. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients had significantly lower PFS and OS times compared to other biology groups. At multivariable analysis, previous exposure to taxanes, HR-positive HER2-negative biology, a higher number of metastatic sites, and de novo metastatic disease at diagnosis were associated with reduced PFS, while receiving maintenance therapy correlated with improved PFS. Overall, the treatment was quite well tolerated, with 10.2% of patients discontinuing one or both drugs because of adverse events (AEs). G3–G4 neutropenia occurred in 16.8% of patients, while the incidence of febrile neutropenia was 2.3%.
Conclusions
Weekly carboplatin–paclitaxel regimen is active and well tolerated in mBC treatment. Prospective studies should be conducted to compare its efficacy and tolerability with standard single-agent paclitaxel or docetaxel treatment schedules, as well as with more recent combination regimens.
Aims
Triplet chemotherapy with fluoropyrimidines, oxaliplatin and irinotecan is a standard therapy for metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DPYD and UGT1A1 ...influence fluoropyrimdines and irinotecan adverse events (AEs). Low frequency DPYD variants (c.1905 + 1G > A, c.1679 T > G, c.2846A > T) are validated but more frequent ones (c.496A > G, c.1129‐5923C > G and c.1896 T > C) are not. rs895819 T > C polymorphism in hsa‐mir‐27a is associated with reduced DPD activity. In this study, we evaluated the clinical usefulness of a pharmacogenetic panel for patients receiving triplet combinations.
Methods
Germline DNA was available from 64 CRC patients enrolled between 2008 and 2013 in two phase II trials of capecitabine, oxaliplatin and irinotecan plus bevacizumab or cetuximab. SNPs were determined by Real‐Time PCR. We evaluated the functional variants in DPYD (rare: c.1905 + 1G > A, c.1679 T > G, c.2846A > T; most common: c.496A > G, c.1129‐5923C > G, c.1896 T > C), hsa‐mir‐27a (rs895819) and UGT1A1 (*28) genes to assess their association with grade 3–4 AEs.
Results
None of the patients carried rare DPYD variants. We found DPYD c.496A > G, c.1129‐5923C > G, c.1896 T > C in heterozygosity in 19%, 5% and 8%, respectively, homozygous rs895819 in hsa‐mir‐27a in 9% and homozygous UGT1A1*28 in 8%. Grade 3–4 AEs were observed in 36% patients and were associated with DPYD c.496A > G (odds ratio (OR) 4.93, 95% CI 1.29, 18.87; P = 0.021) and homozygous rs895819 in hsa‐mir‐27a (OR 11.11, 95% CI 1.21, 102.09; P = 0.020). Carriers of DPYD c.1896 T > C and homozygous UGT1A1*28 showed an OR of 8.42 (95% CI 0.88, 80.56; P = 0.052). Multivariate analysis confirmed an independent value for DPYD c.496A > G and c.1896 T > C.
Conclusions
Concomitant assessment of DPYD variants and the UGT1A1*28 allele is a promising strategy needing further validation for dose personalization.
Background:
Cabozantinib strongly inhibits osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption in vitro. We aimed to evaluate its effect on bone turnover markers (BTMs) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.
...Methods:
This is a monocentric prospective study on patients with mRCC treated with cabozantinib between October 2016 and July 2018. We collected blood samples at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of treatment. We compared sets of data obtained from plasma samples in the whole population with unpaired 2-tailed Student t tests and data for a subset of patients for which all timepoints were available with paired 2-tailed Student t tests. We used the Kaplan-Meier method for survival analyses and the log-rank test to compare the curves.
Results:
Our analysis included 39 patients. At month 3, the mean C-terminal cross-linked telopeptides of type I collagen (CTx) and the mean N-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (PINP) levels were significantly decreased in the whole population (p = 0.013 and p < 0.0001, respectively), as well as at paired analysis (p = 0.015 and p = 0.045, respectively). No differences were observed between baseline and 6 months (p = 0.053 and p = 0.087, respectively). After 3 months, the mean parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels significantly increased in the whole population (p = 0.004), as well as at paired analysis; the mean PTH levels increased significantly at 3 and 6 months, respectively (p = 0.019 and p = 0.041, respectively). Changes in BTM levels were not associated with outcome.
Conclusions:
Cabozantinib significantly reduced bone resorption as demonstrated by the decrease of CTx and showed a transient secondary increase of PTH.
Predictive biomarkers of efficacy and toxicity of bevacizumab have not yet been validated. This study assessed the influence of IL-8, eNOS and VEGF-A polymorphisms in RAS mutated metastatic ...colorectal cancer patients receiving bevacizumab-based chemotherapy.
120 patients treated with first-line combination FOLFOX6 plus bevacizumab were included. A historical cohort of 112 RAS mutated colorectal cancer patients treated with FOLFOX6 alone served as control group. The following SNPs were analyzed: IL-8 c.-251T>A; eNOS c.-786T>C and c.-894G>T; VEGF-A c.936C>T, c.958T>C, c.1154A>G and c.2578C>A. Correlation of SNPs, baseline IL-8 serum levels and bevacizumab-efficacy was done.
In the bevacizumab group, carriers of the IL-8 alleles c.-251TA+AA showed a shorter PFS (P=0.002) and OS (P=0.03) compared to TT alleles. Patients with pre-treatment IL-8 < 18.25 pg/ml showed significantly longer median PFS and OS (PFS: 10.9 vs 7.6 months, P=0.005; OS: 30.7 vs 18.2 months, P<0.001) compared to patients with IL-8 higher levels (>18,25 pg/ml). IL-8 c.-251TA+AA carriers had significantly higher IL-8 levels (P<0.0001). Multivariate analysis confirmed association of IL-8 polymorphism with PFS, and of IL-8 baseline levels with both PFS and OS. IL-8 SNP did not affect the outcome in the control group. The eNOS polymorphism c.-894G>T was found associated with higher severe toxicity (P=0.0002) in patients carrying the c.-894TT genotype.
Although our data need prospective validation, IL-8 and eNOS SNPs may be have a role as predictive biomarkers for bevacizumab efficacy and toxicity.
Abstract only
638
Background: In-vitro studies have shown that cabozantinib has a strong inhibitory action on osteoclast differentiation and bone-resorption activity. The aim of this analysis was to ...investigate the effects of cabozantinib on bone turnover markers in patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Methods: We included mRCC pts treated with cabozantinib within the Italian Managed Access Program (MAP) at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan (Italy). Plasma samples from every patient were collected at baseline and after 3 and 6 months of treatment. The bone resorption markers C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTx) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase isoenzyme 5b (TRACP 5b), the osteoclastogenesis markers osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), vitamin D and parathormone (PTH) were measured by immunometric assay techniques. Data were analyzed using the RM One-Way ANOVA test with Greenhouse-Geisser correction followed by uncorrected Fisher’s LSD multiple comparison tests with individual variances computed for each comparison. Statistical tests were performed using the program GraphPad Prism (San Diego, CA). Results: Twenty-two pts have been treated with cabozantinib. Mature data were available for 11 pts. Analysis of TRACP 5b, OPG, RANKL and vitamin D did not show any significant variations during treatment with cabozantinib. CTx showed a significant reduction after 6 months of treatment (MV 171.5 pg/mL, STD 208.4) from baseline (mean value MV 352.2 pg/mL, standard deviation STD 210.1) (p = 0.0439) in the whole study population. PTH levels significantly increased after 3 months of treatment (MV 86.79 pg/mL, STD 34.99) from baseline (MV 30.77 pg/mL, STD 12.64) (p = 0.0003), while significantly decreased after 6 months (MV 75.01 pg/mL, STD 53.1) (p = 0.0174). Conclusions: Our data suggested that cabozantinib significantly reduced bone resorption as demonstrated by the decrease of CTx; it was also associated with an asymptomatic transient secondary increase of parathormone. This is the first clinical evidence on effects of cabozantinib on bone metabolism in a small population of mRCC pts.
Abstract only
e12556
Background: Safety and activity of weekly carboplatin plus paclitaxel in patients (pts) with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) are poorly known. Nevertheless, taxane-based ...chemotherapy (ChT) is the milestone in mBC treatment. In this retrospective analysis, we report the safety and clinical activity of this combination in a consecutive series of pts treated at IRCCS Fondazione Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori in Milan in the last decade. Methods: We collecteddata on mBC patients treated between January 2007 and December 2016 with carboplatin AUC 2 plus paclitaxel 80 mg/m
2
on days 1 and 8, every three weeks. Selection criteria were: ECOG 0-1; evaluable and/or measurable mBC; known estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PgR) status and HER2 expression levels. 274 pts fulfilled the selection criteria, and 265 pts were evaluable for response and survival. Response was assessed according to RECIST criteria. Results: The median number of administered cycles was 6 (range 1-17). 66.4% and 88.3% of pts had received taxanes or antracyclines, respectively, as an adjuvant treatment or in the metastatic setting. 97% of HER2+ pts received trastuzumab concomitant with ChT. Among patients with ER/PgR-positive tumors, 42.8% received different endocrine treatments as maintenance therapy after achieving the best response with ChT or due inacceptable toxicity. Hematological and gastrointestinal toxicities were the most frequent adverse events (AEs), and were severe in 19% and 1.2% of pts, respectively. In particular, G3-G4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia occurred in 16.8 % and 1.9 % of pts, respectively. 10.2% of pts discontinued the treatment because of toxicity. The objective response rate was 44.8% in the overall population, with median progression free survival (mPFS) of 8.6 months and median overall survival (mOS) of 23.7 months. Conclusions: Weekly carboplatin plus paclitaxel is a well-tolerated and active regimen across all different molecular subgroups of mBC. Table: see text
Immunocompromised patients have been shown to have an impaired immune response to COVID-19 vaccines.
Here we compared the B-cell, T-cell and neutralizing antibody response to WT and Omicron BA.2 ...SARS-CoV-2 virus after the fourth dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in patients with hematological malignancies (HM, n=71), solid tumors (ST, n=39) and immune-rheumatological (IR, n=25) diseases. The humoral and T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were analyzed by quantifying the anti-RBD antibodies, their neutralization activity and the IFN-γ released after spike specific stimulation.
We show that the T-cell response is similarly boosted by the fourth dose across the different subgroups, while the antibody response is improved only in patients not receiving B-cell targeted therapies, independent on the pathology. However, 9% of patients with anti-RBD antibodies did not have neutralizing antibodies to either virus variants, while an additional 5.7% did not have neutralizing antibodies to Omicron BA.2, making these patients particularly vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The increment of neutralizing antibodies was very similar towards Omicron BA.2 and WT virus after the third or fourth dose of vaccine, suggesting that there is no preferential skewing towards either virus variant with the booster dose. The only limited step is the amount of antibodies that are elicited after vaccination, thus increasing the probability of developing neutralizing antibodies to both variants of virus.
These data support the recommendation of additional booster doses in frail patients to enhance the development of a B-cell response directed against Omicron and/or to enhance the T-cell response in patients treated with anti-CD20.
Treatment of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) dramatically changed. PEACE-1 and ARASENS trials established triplet therapy efficacy. Identifying prognostic factors supporting ...treatment choice is pivotal.
TEAM is an observational, retrospective study to evaluate prognostic role of variables in mHSPC patients receiving upfront docetaxel in 11 Italian centers. Outcome measures were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall-survival (OS).
From September 2014 to December 2020, 147 patients were included. Median PFS and OS were 11.6 and 37.4 months. At univariate analysis, PFS-related variables were Gleason Score (GS) (P = .001), opioid use (P = .004), bone metastases number (P < .001), baseline PSA (P = .006), Hb (P < .001), ALP (P < .001) and LDH (P = .002), time between ADT and docetaxel start (P = .018), 3-month PSA (P < .001) and ALP (P < .001), and number of docetaxel cycles (P < .001). OS-related variables were PSA at diagnosis (P = .024), primary tumor treatment (P = .022), baseline pain (P = .015), opioid use (P < .001), bone metastases number (P < . 001), baseline Hb (P < .001), ALP (P < .001) and LDH (P = .001), NLR ratio (P = .039), 3-month PSA (P < .001) and ALP (P < .001) and docetaxel cycles number (P < .001). At multivariate analysis, independent prognostic variables were GS, opioid use, baseline LDH and time between ADT and docetaxel initiation for PFS, and baseline Hb and LDH for OS.
Patients receiving upfront docetaxel with high GS, high disease burden, pain or opioid use, baseline unfavorable laboratory values had worse outcomes. Patients had greater docetaxel benefit when initiated early after ADT start. These parameters could be taken into account when selecting candidates for triplet therapy.
Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer benefits from upfront treatment intensification. To date, we do not have a validated prognostic model to guide treatment choice. In our study, docetaxel-treated patients with high Gleason score, high disease burden, pain or unfavorable laboratory parameters at baseline had worse outcomes. These results may be useful in tailoring treatment in this setting.
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