Despite the initial clinical benefit, resistance to antiangiogenic therapies develops through the activation of alternative pathways. We measured plasma levels of circulating angiogenic factors to ...explore their predictive role in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients treated with pazopanib.
mRCC patients receiving first-line pazopanib were prospectively enrolled. The levels of circulating interleuchine (IL)-6, IL-8, stromal derived factor-1, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), osteopontin, and E-selectin were quantified at baseline and every 4 weeks until disease progression (PD). Patients were dichotomized into "low" and "high" subgroups by a cutoff point defined by the respective median circulating angiogenic factor (CAF) value at baseline. Then, association with the objective response was determined. Changes in CAF levels between baseline and PD were also compared.
Among 25 patients included in the final data set, 6 patients were still on treatment. As best response, 12 patients presented a partial response (48%), 9 showed stable disease, and 4 showed PD. The median follow-up was 31.9 months. The median progression-free survival was 14.8 months. Low baseline levels of IL-6, IL-8, HGF, and osteopontin were found to be significantly associated with objective response. In addition, patients with low baseline levels of HGF showed longer progression-free survival and overall survival, whereas patients with low baseline levels of IL-8 showed longer overall survival. Among patients experiencing PD, the median plasma levels of stromal derived factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor-A were significantly higher compared with the baseline (P=0.01; P=0.011). Conversely, the median levels of E-selectin were significantly lower compared with the baseline (P=0.017).
Changes in levels of selected CAFs were associated with response/resistance to pazopanib in mRCC patients.
Tumors bearing homologous recombination deficiency are extremely sensitive to DNA double strand breaks induced by several chemotherapeutic agents. ATM gene, encoding a protein involved in DNA damage ...response, is frequently mutated in colorectal cancer (CRC), but its potential role as predictive and prognostic biomarker has not been fully investigated. We carried out a multicenter effort aimed at defining the prognostic impact of ATM mutational status in metastatic CRC (mCRC) patients. Mutational profiles were obtained by means of next-generation sequencing. Overall, 35 out of 227 samples (15%) carried an ATM mutation. At a median follow-up of 56.6 months, patients with ATM mutated tumors showed a significantly longer median overall survival (OS) versus ATM wild-type ones (64.9 vs 34.8 months; HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.29-0.85; P = 0.01). In the multivariable model, ATM mutations confirmed the association with longer OS (HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.33-0.98; P = 0.04). The prognostic impact of ATM mutations was independent from TP53 mutational status and primary tumor location. High heterogeneity score for ATM mutations, possibly reflecting the loss of wild-type allele, was associated with excellent prognosis. In conclusion, we showed that ATM mutations are independently associated with longer OS in patients with mCRC.
Cabozantinib showed efficacy and manageable toxicity in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). In this study we aimed to describe the safety and to collect evidence on the potential ...efficacy of cabozantinib in mRCC patients with brain metastases (BM) in a real-world experience.
We retrospectively collected data of patients treated with cabozantinib within the Italian Managed Access Program. Patients were selected for the presence of BM before the start of treatment and for at least 1 previous tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment regimen for metastatic disease. Safety data were reported, and overall response rate (ORR), brain-specific response, progression-free survival (PFS), and median overall survival (OS) were analyzed.
Overall, 12 patients treated with cabozantinib were evaluated. Any grade adverse events (AEs) accounted for 92%, Grade 3/4 AEs rated at 36% with no major neurological side effects. The most common AEs included hypertension (33%), fatigue (24%), aminotransferase elevation (25%), hypothyroidism (16%), and gastrointestinal toxicity (16%). The ORR was 50% with a disease control rate of 75%. All 5 patients treated with a combined systemic and brain-directed approach obtained intracranial disease control, without increased toxicity. Median PFS and median OS were 5.8 and 8.8 months, respectively. Comparable safety and tolerability results for other TKI regimens were reported from the literature.
Cabozantinib showed safety, acceptable tolerability, and promising antitumor activity in a population of mRCC patients with BM from a real-world experience. A combined modality approach for renal cell carcinoma with BM, whenever feasible, could be recommended to improve oncological outcomes.
We addressed the unmet clinical need of the therapeutic management of patients with brain metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. We retrospectively analyzed 12 patients with brain metastasis treated with cabozantinib from a real-world experience. Cabozantinib was safe and showed promising antitumor activity after an antiangiogenic first-line therapy. Longer survivals were recorded with the integration of brain-directed therapy.
The repair enzyme O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) is a validated predictor of benefit from temozolomide (TMZ) in glioblastoma. However, only 10% of patients with MGMT-methylated ...metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) respond to TMZ.
Archived tumour samples (N = 41) from three phase II TMZ trials carried out in MGMT-methylated mCRC (assessed by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction PCR) were stratified by MGMT status as assessed by three different methods: mass spectrometry, PCR/methyl-BEAMing and RNA-seq. The performance of each method was assessed in relation to overall response rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).
Overall, 9 of 41 patients responded to TMZ. Overall response rates were 50% (9/18), 50% (6/12) and 35% (8/23) among patients determined likely to respond to TMZ by mass spectrometry, methyl-BEAMing and RNA-seq, respectively. Low/negative MGMT protein expressors by mass spectrometry had longer PFS than high MGMT expressors (3.7 vs 1.8 months; HR = 0.50, P = 0.014). Results for OS were similar but statistically non-significant (8.7 vs. 7.4 months; HR = 0.55, P = 0.077). No significant association between survival and MGMT status by methyl-BEAMing or RNA-seq could be demonstrated as comparable subgroups survival could not be confirmed/excluded. Specifically, the association of high versus low methyl-BEAMing MGMT hypermethylation with survival was HR = 0.783, P = 0.46 for PFS and 0.591, P = 0.126 for OS, while association of low versus high RNA-seq MGMT level with survival was HR = 0.697, P = 0.159 for PFS and HR = 0.697, P = 0.266 for OS.
Quantitative proteomic analysis of MGMT may be useful for refining the selection of patients eligible for salvage treatment with single-agent TMZ.
•10% O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT)-methylated metastatic colorectal cancers respond to temozolomide (TMZ).•50/50/35% responses for MGMT selection with mass spectrometry/methyl-BEAMing/RNA-seq.•Mass spectrometry: 100% sensitivity/50% specificity/80% accuracy for response to TMZ.•Low/negative MGMT protein expression was significantly associated with longer progression-free survival.•Quantitative proteomic MGMT analysis could refine patients' selection for TMZ.
Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare, slow growing tumor, traditionally considered chemoresistant. The only curative approach is cytoreductive surgery (CRS) followed by hyperthermic intraperitoneal ...chemotherapy (HIPEC). At disease relapse, or in patients with inoperable disease at diagnosis, no standard treatment has been defined, though nonrandomized series showed promising results with fluoropyrimidine-based regimens.
We conducted a prospective study in patients with relapsed or unresectable PMP and confirmed disease progression at baseline. Patients received MMC (7 mg/m
every 6 weeks, up to a maximum of 4 cycles) plus metronomic capecitabine (625 mg/sqm/day b.i.d.) and bevacizumab (7.5 mg/kg every 3 weeks) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or consent withdrawal. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS); secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), overall response rate according to RECIST v1.1 criteria, serum markers response and safety.
Fifteen patients were included. At a median follow-up of 26.1 months (IQR, 17.7-49.6), median PFS was 17.9 months (95% CI, 11.0-NE), with 1-year PFS and OS rates of 73% and 87%. Safety profile was manageable, with only 13% G3/G4 treatment-related adverse events.
Metronomic capecitabine, bevacizumab, and MMC are an active regimen in advanced and progressive PMP and favorably compares with historical series.
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.
Introduction:
Therapeutic decision-making in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) represents an open challenge. Radium-223 is approved for patients with symptomatic bone ...metastases, no visceral involvement, progressing after at least 2 lines of systemic therapy, or ineligible for any other systemic treatment.
Methods:
We performed a retrospective, observational study on patients with mCRPC treated with radium-223 at our institution outside of clinical trials, to assess the safety and activity in a real-world population. Data regarding baseline patient/disease characteristics and treatment outcomes (number of cycles, treatment-related adverse events AEs, cause of discontinuation, and best response) were collected.
Results:
Overall, 41 patients were treated from September 2015 to September 2018. Median age was 73 years; baseline Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) was 0, 1, or 2 in 15%, 80%, and 5% of cases, respectively; and 3%, 41%, 44%, and 12% of patients had <6, 6–20, >20, and superscan bone lesions, respectively. A median number of 5 cycles (interquartile range 3–6) with median dose 19.52 MBq (interquartile range 12.87–24.83) was received. Treatment schedule was completed in 49% of cases; discontinuations due to AEs, disease-related death, or disease progression occurred in 24%, 33%, and 43% of patients, respectively. Any-grade AEs occurred in 73% and grade 3/4 treatment-related AEs occurred in 29% of patients, mainly anemia, decreased platelet count, and fatigue. No skeletal-related events or treatment-related deaths were recorded. After treatment, 66%, 2%, and 32% of patients had a stable, improved, or deteriorated ECOG PS versus baseline, respectively, and 24%, 61%, and 15% reported a stable, improved, or worsened pain symptom control. Post-treatment versus baseline alkaline phosphatase was reduced or stable in 46% and increased in 54% of patients, whereas prostate-specific antigen was decreased or stable in 83% and increased in 17% of patients.
Conclusions:
Our study provides clinically useful real-world data on radium-223, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary patient management to guarantee the best continuum of care for patients with mCRPC.
In selected metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients, radical metastasectomy followed by observation is a potential strategy. It is still to be defined whether systemic therapy should be ...administered following metastasectomy.
To assess the potential benefit of postoperative treatment with sorafenib compared with observation alone after radical metastasectomy in mRCC patients.
The RESORT trial was a multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase 2 study conducted between November 2012 and November 2017 in Italy. Patients with clear-cell mRCC pretreated with nephrectomy and undergoing radical metastasectomy (three or fewer lesions) were eligible for the study. Patients were randomized (1:1) within 12 wk from metastasectomy to sorafenib (standard dose 400 mg twice daily) or observation for a maximum of 52 wk. Stratification factors were interval from nephrectomy, site, and number of lesions. Overall, 76 patients were screened and 69 were randomized: 33 were assigned to sorafenib and 36 to observation. The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Secondary endpoints were overall survival and the safety profile.
RFS curves were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to statistically compare the curves.
At a median follow-up of 38 mo, median RFS was 37 mo (95% confidence interval CI 20–not available NA) in the observation arm versus 21 mo (95% CI 11–NA) in the sorafenib arm (log-rank test p = 0.404), with 12-, 24-, and 36-mo RFS probability of 74% versus 63%, 59% versus 49%, and 50% versus 41%, respectively, in the observation versus the sorafenib arm. Any-grade adverse event (AE) rates were 84% in the sorafenib arm and 31% in the observation arm; grade ≥3 AE rates were 22% and 3% in the sorafenib and the observation arm, respectively, with a rate of treatment discontinuation for AEs of 19% in the sorafenib arm.
This prospective study showed that systemic treatment with sorafenib did not increase RFS as compared with observation in mRCC patients following radical metastasectomy.
This article reports the clinical outcome of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with sorafenib or managed with an observation-alone strategy after the radical surgery of metastases. We found that sorafenib did not improve the patient outcome in terms of relapse-free survival in this selected population.
This prospective study suggests that radical metastasectomy could improve the clinical outcome of selected patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, while the addition of sorafenib did not increase recurrence-free survival.
: So far, clinical experiences have proved metastasectomy as the only approach in the setting of metastatic renal cell carcinoma that may achieve the 'no evidence of disease' status, with an ...associated improvement in survival.
: This review aims to summarize the body of knowledge on therapeutic approaches to mRCC, with a specific insight on the role of metastasectomy and on which underlying factors could be good predictors to select patients who may benefit from surgery. In detail, we managed to identify as potential selection criteria: the number of lesions and their site, the DFI, patients' performance status and, most of all, the completeness of resection.
: The definition of the optimal treatment strategy of mRCC patients is still an unmet clinical need. The decision-making process about treatment strategy should consider specific tumor's and patient's characteristics, as well as the integration of the available therapeutic approaches with the aim to reach the best clinical outcome. We consider multidisciplinary management mandatory in order to tailor the treatment approach according to the patient and disease features. The experience of clinicians may be considered crucial in order to select the best candidates for a multimodal approach.
PDF
