Mitomycin C and high-dose 5-fluorouracil with folinic acid as a therapeutic option for heavily pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: prospective phase II trial.

BACKGROUND: Standard treatment for patients with unresectable colorectal cancer metastases includes chemotherapy regimens based on irinotecan, oxaliplatin, fluoropyrimidines, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, and anti-EGFR. Additional therapeutic options are needed for patients with good performance status who have disease progression during or after standard therapies. METHODS: A nonrandomized phase II study was modeled as a two-stage Chen design. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) with progression after prior cytotoxic regimens based on oxaliplatin and irinotecan. Treatment consisted of mitomycin C in combination with high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and folinic acid (the MLF regimen; mitomycin C as an intravenous bolus of 6 mg/m² i.v. on days 1 and 22 every 7 weeks; folinic acid at 250 mg/m² in combination with 5-FU at 2,600 mg/m² as a continuous intravenous infusion (24 hours) weekly for 6 of every 7 weeks. RESULTS: The median age of the 74 eligible patients was 62 years (range: 47-79 years). In these heavily pretreated patients with mCRC, the MLF regimen was the fourth or fifth line in more than 60% of the patients. Two patients (3.2%) achieved a partial response, and 33 (53.2%) achieved a best response of stable disease, defined as neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for partial response nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease. Median progression-free survival was 4.9 months. The median overall survival was 9.7 months. The most common nonhematologic side effects included mucositis (24.4% for all grades, and 9.5% with grade 3/4), diarrhea (15.0% for all grades, 13.6% with grade 3/4), fatigue (44.7% for all grades, 13.6% with grade 3/4), nausea (12.3% for all grades, 6.8% with grade 3/4), and peripheral neuropathy (17.6% for all grades, 2.7% with grade 3/4). Among the most frequent hematological toxicities were neutropenia (27.1% for all grades, 14.9% with grade 3/4), thrombocytopenia (18.9% for all grades, 8.1% with grade 3/4), and anemia (13.6% for all grades, 4.1% with grade 3/4). Dose reductions due to adverse events were necessary in 29 of 74 patients (37.6%), and discontinuation of therapy due to toxicity was necessary for 14 of 74 patients (18.2%). CONCLUSION: Our study shows the MLF regimen can be administered safely to patients with heavily pretreated mCRC. Median progression-free and overall survival compares favorably with other options used or approved in this setting. A randomized trial in this setting should be considered.

Seeking new prognostic and predictive factors in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma - apoptosis-regulating factors.

Kidney cancer, despite the constant upward trend in the incidence of this type of cancer (about 1.5-5.9% per year), is rather rare, representing approximately 2-3% of all adult cancers. Since recently, drugs based on so-called targeted therapy play a decisive role in the treatment of patients with metastatic kidney cancer. Prognostic and predictive factors can significantly contribute to prognosis assessment and the correct classification of patients to specific forms of causal treatment of kidney cancer. In addition to the most commonly used and widely known prognostic factors, grouped in the so-called Motzer model, new prognostic markers of this tumour are being sought. Preliminary reports indicate that there may be a promising role of factors that regulate the cell cycle and apoptosis, and agents from the group of hypoxia-induced proteins. The proliferation markers or proteins related to cellular adhesion can also be relevant. This article presents examples of markers from the first of the above groups of proteins, which on the basis of the performed analyses showed independent prognostic or predictive value in kidney cancer.

Seeking new prognostic and predictive factors in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma - hypoxia-induced factors.

Malignant tumours of the kidneys are relatively rare tumours that occur in adults, although there has been a constant increase in the incidence of this cancer type in recent years. It occupies the 10(th) place in terms of the number of new cases of cancer in men and 14(th) place in women. Considerable progress in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma over the last years has forced researchers to look for new factors of potential prognostic or predictive value in this tumour type in order to clarify the selection of patients for optimal treatment. The drugs from the group of tyrosine kinase inhibitors have played a decisive role. So far, the Motzer model, grouping the prognostic factors, has been most commonly used in clinical practice. Based on the current research looking for new markers of prognostic or predictive value, these factors can be divided into cellular hypoxia-induced proteins and proteins regulating the cell cycle and the apoptosis process. In the second part of this study, hypoxia-inducible factors will be discussed.