Phase II study of CLAD (cyclophosphamide, liposomal doxorubicin and dexamethasone) in patients with advanced multiple myeloma and historical comparison to CAD (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and dexamethasone).

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in combination with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone (CLAD). In this prospective open-label phase II study, 60 patients with advanced multiple myeloma (MM) received three weekly cycles of CLAD, consisting of cyclophosphamide 200 mg/m2 i.v. d1-4, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin 20 mg/m2 i.v. d1 and dexamethasone 40 mg p.o. d1-4 for a maximum of six cycles in absence of disease progression. Efficacy and toxicity was compared to our immediate historical cohort of 46 patients treated with cyclophosphamide, dexamethasone and conventional doxorubicin (CAD). A total of 239 cycles of CLAD and 209 cycles of CAD, respectively, were given. The objective response rate was 71% (CLAD) and 74% (CAD). Non-cumulative hematological toxicity was predominant in both regimens. It was found that CLAD is an active and well-tolerated treatment regimen for MM. Response rate is comparable to other anthracycline containing regimens like CAD with an advantage in hematological toxicity and lower infectious complications, and a presumed advantage of lower cardiotoxicity.

A randomized phase II trial of gemcitabine plus treosulfan versus treosulfan alone in patients with metastatic uveal melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Several trials demonstrated efficacy of the gemcitabine/treosulfan (GeT) combination in metastatic uveal melamoma. This randomized phase II trial compared the GeT combination versus treosulfan alone (T) in this rare disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Chemotherapy-naive patients with proven metastatic uveal melanoma were randomly assigned to receive 1000 mg/m(2) of gemcitabine plus 3500 mg/m(2) of treosulfan (GeT) or 3500 mg/m(2) of T. Chemotherapy was administered on days 1 and 8 in both arms, cycles were repeated on day 29. Primary end point was rate of responses and disease stabilizations. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients were randomized. Seven confirmed stable diseases (SDs) and one partial remission (PR) were observed in 24 patients treated with the GeT regimen, whereas no PR and only three SDs were observed in the T arm (P = 0.08). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3 months (95% CI 1.1-4.9) and 2 months (95% CI 1.7-2.3) in the GeT and T arm (P = 0.008, log-rank). Six and 12 months PFS was 34.8% and 17.9% and 16.7% and 0% always favoring the GeT arm. CONCLUSIONS: This first randomized trial in metastatic uveal melanoma showed a superior PFS and a trend for a higher response/stabilization rate of the GeT combination over T.

Quantitative real-time RT-PCR detects elevated Wilms tumor gene (WT1) expression in autologous blood stem cell preparations (PBSCs) from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients indicating contamination with leukemic blasts.

High-dose chemotherapy with subsequent autologous stem cell transplantation is believed to be of therapeutic benefit in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), especially when no allogeneic bone marrow donor is available. One of the main risks is contamination of the stem cell preparations with leukemic blasts, which may account for a higher relapse rate compared to allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Since overexpression of WT1 is common in leukemic blasts, we investigated, whether PBSCs from AML patients express WT1 at a higher level as compared to patients with solid cancers. PBSCs of seven patients with AML and of five patients with solid cancers were investigated for WT1 expression. Total WT1 copy count was determined in a standardized quantitative real time RT-PCR. WT1 expression was found in all AML PBSCs with an average copy number of 49.99 +/- 61.09. In solid cancers WT1 expression was statistically significantly lower with a copy number of 3.51 +/- 1.92. In AML patients with sustained complete remission we found a nearly significantly lower WT1 expression than in patients who relapsed within the first year after stem cell transplantation. Our data show a higher WT1 expression in PBSCs of AML patients compared to patients with solid cancers. This finding might indicate a contamination with leukemic blasts. Quantification of WT1 in PBSCs might therefore be useful to estimate the risk of relapse after autologous stem cell transplantation in AML patients.

CSF evaluation in primary CNS lymphoma patients by PCR of the CDR III IgH genes.

BACKGROUND: Cytologic evaluation of CSF does not consistently detect malignant cells in patients with primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL). The potentially more sensitive molecular assessment of monoclonality has not been shown in CSF samples. METHODS: The authors studied nested PCR of the complementary determining region III (CDR III) on 76 CSF specimens of patients with PCNSL. Patients with systemic disseminated B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 17) and 17 patients with no history of lymphoma were compared. PCR products were evaluated by automated fluorescent fragment analysis (ALF). RESULTS: In 68 patients with PCNSL, the authors analyzed the first obtained CSF sample. Nevertheless, 60 patients were taking corticosteroids. In 16 PCNSL samples, amplifiable DNA was not yielded. Taking into account that at least two independent assays have to be performed, CDR III PCR consistently revealed monoclonal products in eight PCNSL and polyclonal results in 52 PCNSL specimens. CDR III PCR detected no monoclonal PCR products in patients without history of lymphoma. In 10 patients with PCNSL, the PCR result and the CSF cytology were discordant. Concerning therapeutic impact, leptomeningeal tumor spread did not predict tumor response in this group of patients with PCNSL. CONCLUSIONS: This study performed CDR III PCR as a routine diagnostic technique applicable even on CSF samples with low cell counts. These data present low incidence of leptomeningeal involvement in this subset of pretreated PCNSL patients. Because the CSF evaluation did not predict outcome in our patients, further analysis in patients with PCNSL should focus on CSF samples that are obtained very early after diagnosis.

Cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and dexamethasone (CAD) is a highly effective therapy for patients with advanced multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced multiple myeloma (stage III or progressive myeloma) received the CAD protocol every three weeks: cyclophosphamide 200 mg/m2 i.v./orally days 1-4, adriamycin 30 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 and dexamethasone 40 mg p.o. days 1-4. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients with a median age of sixty years (range 34-84 years) were enrolled. According to Durie-Salmon 44 patients were in stage III, 2 in stage II; 6 patients had renal insufficiency (stage B). Twenty-three patients were pre-treated at least with melphalane/prednisone. RESULTS: Remission rates were as follows: complete remission 4%, partial remission 70%, minimal change 11%, no change 11%, progressive disease 4%. After an observation time of 14 months the median progression free interval for 33 patients not treated with subsequent high-dose chemotherapy with stem-cell support was more than 14 months. Overall, treatment was well tolerated. After 209 cycles given febrile neutropenia occurred in 11% of cycles including one fatal outcome. Neutropenia or thrombocytopenia grade 3-4 WHO was recorded in 18% and 6% of the cycles, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that CAD is an effective regimen with an overall remission rate of 74%. The CAD protocol should be further evaluated in prospective trials.

Platelet glycoprotein expression in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by a haematopoetic insufficiency that can lead to acute leukemia. A multistep pathogenesis caused by a clonal stem cell defect affecting several differentiation pathways has been proposed for MDS. Contrary to the better characterized alteration of lymphoid and myeloid differentiation, defects in thrombocytopoesis in MDS remain less clear. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ia/IIa, IIb/IIIa, Ib/IX, and IV in 21 MDS patients (12 RA, 2 RARS, 4 RAEB, 1 RAEB-T, 2 CMML) and healthy controls by flowcytometric analysis and quantitation of platelet GP RNA using fluorescence-based PCR. We observed a reduced cell surface expression of GPIb (p<0.01) and GPIIb/IIIa (p<0.01), while GPIa/IIa and GPIV expression was only marginally different between patients and controls. In contrast, there was a two-fold increase of platelet GPIb and GPIIb RNA and a three-fold increase of GPIV RNA among MDS patients. Increased levels of platelet GPIb and GPIIb RNA were significantly more prominent among patients with RAEB(-T)/CMML (p<0. 05) in comparison to patients with RA/RARS. In conclusion, we demonstrate alterations in the cell surface expression and RNA content of platelet GPs in MDS patients. These data are consistent with dysmegakaryocytopoiesis and a defect in thrombocytopoiesis among MDS patients resulting from the clonal stem cell defect in MDS.

Analysis of glycoprotein Ia, Ib, IIb and IV RNA in platelets: quantitative determination using fluorescence-based polymerase chain reaction.

The aim of this study was to analyze the RNA level of glycoprotein (GP) receptors in platelets. We have therefore established a quantitative fluorescence-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to analyze GP Ia, Ib, IIb, and IV RNA. Isolation of platelet RNA was performed by guanidium isothiocyanate/phenol chloroform extraction. An internal standard consisting of cRNA copies from plasmid pAW109 was included before reverse transcription in each RNA sample and PCR amplification was performed using fluorescence-labeled primers. Subsequently, PCR fragments were separated by gel electrophoresis and quantitation of the GP-specific fragments was done by measuring the fluorescence intensities in comparison to the internal standard. Relative amount of GP RNA/platelet were calculated taking into account the number of platelets used for isolation of platelet RNA and the platelet size as determined by flow-cytometric analysis. Using this method we analyzed the GPIa, Ib, IIb and IV RNA content of platelets in healthy blood donors. In parallel experiments the number of GP cell surface receptors was measured by flow-cytometric analysis and correlated with the GP-specific RNA content. This method may be useful to study the GP-specific RNA content in platelets as well as in other tissues, such as megakaryocytes, especially in patients with congenital or acquired platelet function disorders.