A European, prospective, observational study of enzalutamide in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: PREMISE.

In randomized clinical trials, the androgen-receptor inhibitor enzalutamide has demonstrated efficacy and safety in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study captured efficacy, safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of enzalutamide in mCRPC patients in a real-world European setting. PREMISE (NCT0249574) was a European, long-term, prospective, observational study in mCRPC patients prescribed enzalutamide as part of standard clinical practice. Patients were categorized based on prior docetaxel and/or abiraterone use. The primary endpoint was time to treatment failure (TTF), defined as time from enzalutamide initiation to permanent treatment discontinuation for any reason. Secondary endpoints included prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, time to PSA progression, time to disease progression and safety. PROs included EuroQol 5-Dimension, 5-Level questionnaire, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate and Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form. Overall, 1732 men were enrolled. Median TTF with enzalutamide was 12.9 months in the chemotherapy- and abiraterone-naïve cohort (Cohort 1) and 8.4 months in the postchemotherapy and abiraterone-naïve cohort (Cohort 2). Clinical outcomes based on secondary endpoints also varied between cohorts. Cohorts 1 and 2 showed small improvements in health-related quality of life and pain status. The proportions of patients reporting treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were 51.0% and 62.2% in Cohorts 1 and 2, respectively; enzalutamide-related TEAEs were similar in both cohorts. The most frequent TEAE across cohorts was fatigue. These data from unselected mCRPC patients in European, real-world, clinical-practice settings confirmed the benefits of enzalutamide previously shown in clinical trial outcomes, with safety results consistent with enzalutamide's known safety profile.

Enzalutamide with androgen deprivation therapy in Japanese men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer: A subgroup analysis of the phase III ARCHES study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy in Japanese men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. METHODS: A post-hoc analysis of the Japanese subgroup in the phase III, randomized, multinational ARCHES study (NCT02677896) was carried out. Patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer were randomized to receive enzalutamide or a placebo, plus androgen deprivation therapy, stratified by disease volume and prior docetaxel therapy. The primary end-point was radiographic progression-free survival. Secondary end-points included time to prostate-specific antigen progression and overall survival. RESULTS: Of 1150 patients, 92 Japanese patients were randomized to enzalutamide (n = 36) or a placebo (n = 56), plus androgen deprivation therapy; none received prior docetaxel. Enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy reduced the risk of radiographic progression or death in Japanese patients by 61% versus the placebo, similar to the overall population. Similar results were observed with secondary end-points, showing clinical benefit of enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy in Japanese patients. Overall survival data were immature. Grade 3-4 adverse events were reported in 47% and 25% of the enzalutamide and placebo groups, respectively. Nasopharyngitis, hypertension and abnormal hepatic function were reported more frequently in Japanese patients versus the overall population. CONCLUSIONS: Enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy has clinical benefit with a tolerable safety profile in Japanese men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, consistent with the overall population.

ARCHES: A Randomized, Phase III Study of Androgen Deprivation Therapy With Enzalutamide or Placebo in Men With Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE: Enzalutamide, a potent androgen-receptor inhibitor, has demonstrated significant benefits in metastatic and nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). METHODS: ARCHES (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02677896) is a multinational, double-blind, phase III trial, wherein 1,150 men with mHSPC were randomly assigned 1:1 to enzalutamide (160 mg/day) or placebo, plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), stratified by disease volume and prior docetaxel chemotherapy. The primary end point was radiographic progression-free survival. RESULTS: As of October 14, 2018, the risk of radiographic progression or death was significantly reduced with enzalutamide plus ADT versus placebo plus ADT (hazard ratio, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.50; P < .001; median not reached v 19.0 months). Similar significant improvements in radiographic progression-free survival were reported in prespecified subgroups on the basis of disease volume and prior docetaxel therapy. Enzalutamide plus ADT significantly reduced the risk of prostate-specific antigen progression, initiation of new antineoplastic therapy, first symptomatic skeletal event, castration resistance, and reduced risk of pain progression. More men achieved an undetectable prostate-specific antigen level and/or an objective response with enzalutamide plus ADT (P < .001). Patients in both treatment groups reported a high baseline level of quality of life, which was maintained over time. Grade 3 or greater adverse events were reported in 24.3% of patients who received enzalutamide plus ADT versus 25.6% of patients who received placebo plus ADT, with no unexpected adverse events. CONCLUSION: Enzalutamide with ADT significantly reduced the risk of metastatic progression or death over time versus placebo plus ADT in men with mHSPC, including those with low-volume disease and/or prior docetaxel, with a safety analysis that seems consistent with the safety profile of enzalutamide in previous clinical trials in castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Efficacy and Safety of Enzalutamide vs Bicalutamide in Younger and Older Patients with Metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer in the TERRAIN Trial.

PURPOSE: Enzalutamide significantly prolonged median progression-free survival vs bicalutamide in chemotherapy naïve men with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer in the TERRAIN (Enzalutamide versus Bicalutamide in Castrate Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer) trial. In this post hoc analysis we investigated the influence of age on the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide vs bicalutamide in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were randomized 1:1 to enzalutamide 160 mg per day or bicalutamide 50 mg per day. Progression-free survival, time to prostate specific antigen progression and safety were analyzed post hoc in younger (age less than 75 years) and older (age 75 years or greater) subgroups. RESULTS: Enzalutamide significantly reduced the risk of disease progression or death vs bicalutamide in patients younger than 75 years (HR 0.38, 95% CI 0.27-0.52, p <0.0001) and 75 years old or older (HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.92, p = 0.018). Time to prostate specific antigen progression was also significantly prolonged with enzalutamide vs bicalutamide in each subgroup. The adverse event distribution between treatments was similar in each subgroup except for more (5% or greater difference between subgroups) atrial fibrillation, urinary tract infections, falls and decreased appetite as well as less extremity pain and hot flushing in enzalutamide treated patients 75 years old or older, and less back pain and hot flushing in bicalutamide treated patients 75 years old or older. Grade 3 or greater cardiac events were more frequent in enzalutamide treated and bicalutamide treated patients who were 75 years old or older vs younger than 75 years. Fatigue was more frequent in enzalutamide treated patients with a similar distribution in each age subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Enzalutamide improved clinical outcomes vs bicalutamide irrespective of age. Increased falls and cardiac events suggest caution when prescribing to older patients (age 75 years or greater) with significant comorbidity.

Antitumour Activity and Safety of Enzalutamide in Patients with Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Previously Treated with Abiraterone Acetate Plus Prednisone for ≥24 weeks in Europe.

BACKGROUND: Enzalutamide and abiraterone acetate plus prednisone, which target the androgen receptor axis, have expanded the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Retrospective analyses suggest some cross-resistance between these two drugs when used sequentially, but robust, prospective studies have not yet been reported. OBJECTIVE: To fulfil a regulatory postregistration commitment by evaluating the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who progressed following abiraterone acetate plus prednisone treatment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Multicentre, single-arm, open-label study, enrolled patients with progressing mCRPC after ≥24 wk of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone treatment. All patients maintained castration therapy during the trial. Prior chemotherapy was allowed but not required. INTERVENTION: Patients received enzalutamide 160mg/d orally. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The primary endpoint was radiographic progression-free survival. Secondary endpoints were overall survival, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, and time-to-PSA progression. Safety data were also assessed. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to descriptively analyse time-to-event endpoints. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Overall, 214 patients received enzalutamide treatment, 145 of whom were chemotherapy-naïve. Median radiographic progression-free survival was 8.1 mo (95% confidence interval: 6.1-8.3); median overall survival had not been reached. Unconfirmed PSA response rate was 27% (48 of 181). Median time-to-PSA progression was 5.7 mo (95% confidence interval: 5.6-5.8). The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were fatigue (32%), decreased appetite (25%), asthenia (18%), back pain (17%), and arthralgia (16%). No seizures were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Enzalutamide showed antitumour activity in some patients with mCRPC who had previously progressed following ≥24 wk of abiraterone acetate plus prednisone treatment. PATIENT SUMMARY: Patients with mCRPC who progressed on previous abiraterone acetate plus prednisone treatment, with or without prior chemotherapy, received enzalutamide. Although cross-resistance between the two agents was observed in a majority of patients, some still benefited from enzalutamide treatment.

Long-Term Antitumor Activity and Safety of Enzalutamide Monotherapy in Hormone Naïve Prostate Cancer: 3-Year Open Label Followup Results.

PURPOSE: A phase 2 study of enzalutamide monotherapy in patients with hormone naïve prostate cancer demonstrated high prostate specific antigen response rates at 25 weeks, 1 year and 2 years with minimal effects on total body bone mineral density and favorable safety. In this followup analysis we evaluated enzalutamide antitumor activity and safety at 3 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a single arm analysis 67 patients with hormone naïve prostate cancer and noncastrate testosterone (230 ng/dl or greater) received enzalutamide 160 mg per day orally until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was the prostate specific antigen response (80% or greater decline from baseline). RESULTS: No patients discontinued treatment during year 3. Of 42 patients with prostate specific antigen assessments at 3 years 38 (90.5%, 95% CI 77.4-97.3) maintained a prostate specific antigen response. Of 26 patients with metastases at baseline 17 (65.4%) had a complete or partial response as the best overall response during 3 years. In patients who completed the 3-year visit minimal mean changes from baseline were observed in total body bone mineral density or bone mineral density of the femoral neck, trochanter, spine L1-L4 or forearm (range -2.7% to -0.1%). At 3 years total body fat had increased a mean of 16.5%, total lean body mass had decreased a mean of -6.5% and global health status had minimally decreased from baseline. Common adverse events were gynecomastia, fatigue, hot flush and nipple pain. CONCLUSIONS: Enzalutamide antitumor activity was maintained in patients with hormone naïve prostate cancer at 3 years. Overall bone mineral density, global health status and safety results were similar to those at 2 years.

Impact of Enzalutamide Compared with Bicalutamide on Quality of Life in Men with Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: Additional Analyses from the TERRAIN Randomised Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important goal in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). OBJECTIVE: To examine the impact of enzalutamide versus bicalutamide on HRQoL in mCRPC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: TERRAIN is a multinational, phase 2, randomised, double-blind study in asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic men with mCRPC (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01288911). Patients were randomised (1:1) via an interactive voice and web response system to enzalutamide 160mg/d (n=184) or bicalutamide 50mg/d (n=191), with androgen deprivation therapy. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: HRQoL was assessed using Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (FACT-P), European Quality of Life 5-Domain Scale (EQ-5D), and Brief Pain Inventory, Short-form questionnaires every 12 wk. Primary and secondary analyses utilised mixed models for repeated measures and pattern mixture models, respectively. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: At 61 wk, 84 (46%) enzalutamide and 39 (20%) bicalutamide patients in the study were assessed. At 61 wk, changes from baseline favoured enzalutamide versus bicalutamide on three FACT-P domains in mixed models for repeated measures analyses and seven in pattern mixture models analyses. There were no differences in changes for EQ-5D index/visual analogue scale scores. Risk of first deterioration was lower with enzalutamide for FACT-P total (hazard ratio: 0.64, 95% confidence interval: 0.46-0.89, p=0.007), FACT-G total (hazard ratio: 0.70, 95% confidence interval: 0.50-0.98, p=0.04), PCS pain (hazard ratio: 0.74, 95% confidence interval: 0.54-1.00, p=0.048), and EQ-5D index (hazard ratio: 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.47-0.93, p=0.02) scores versus bicalutamide. Brief Pain Inventory, Short-form scores increased in both groups. There was no difference in time-to-pain progression. Study limitations include the exploratory nature of the HRQoL analyses, lack of multiple comparisons corrections, and unknown effects of anxiety/depression on HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic mCRPC, enzalutamide provides HRQoL benefit versus bicalutamide. PATIENT SUMMARY: Enzalutamide treatment was associated with better health-related quality of life in several domains versus bicalutamide in asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. This likely relates to previously reported lower rates of symptomatic disease progression.

Long-term Efficacy and Safety of Enzalutamide Monotherapy in Hormone-naïve Prostate Cancer: 1- and 2-Year Open-label Follow-up Results.

BACKGROUND: Enzalutamide is an androgen receptor inhibitor with a demonstrated overall survival benefit in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. A phase 2 study of enzalutamide monotherapy in patients with hormone-naïve prostate cancer (HNPC) showed a high response rate for the prespecified primary endpoint (ie, prostate-specific antigen [PSA] response at week 25), regardless of metastases at baseline, and favorable tolerability. OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term efficacy and safety of enzalutamide monotherapy at 1 and 2 yr. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Open-label, single-arm study in patients with HNPC and noncastrate testosterone (≥230 ng/dl). INTERVENTION: Oral enzalutamide 160mg/d until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND ANALYSIS: PSA response (≥80% decline from baseline) assessed at 1 yr (49 wk) and 2 yr (97 wk). RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The median (range) age was 73 (48-86) yr and 26 patients (39%) presented with metastases at study entry. Of 67 patients enrolled, 45 (67%) remained on enzalutamide at week 97. For patients remaining on therapy, the PSA response rate at week 97 was 100% (95% confidence interval 92-100%). Of 26 patients with metastases at baseline, 13 (50%) had a complete and four (15.4%) had a partial response as best overall tumor response up to 97 wk on treatment. There was overall maintenance of total-body bone mineral density (BMD) and moderate changes in lean and fat body mass at 49 and 97 wk. The most common adverse events were gynecomastia, nipple pain, fatigue, and hot flushes. The study limitations include lack of a control group and of endocrine, glycemic, and lipid data at 97 wk. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term enzalutamide monotherapy in men with noncastrate HNPC is associated with large sustained reductions in PSA, signals indicating a favorable tumor response, and favorable safety/tolerability profile, with relatively small negative effects on total-body BMD. PATIENT SUMMARY: In this long-term follow-up of the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide monotherapy in patients with hormone-naïve prostate cancer, enzalutamide maintained long-term reductions in prostate-specific antigen, with a minimal impact on total-body bone mineral density. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01302041.

Safety, tolerability and anti-tumour activity of the androgen biosynthesis inhibitor ASP9521 in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: multi-centre phase I/II study.

BACKGROUND: ASP9521 is a first-in-class orally available inhibitor of the enzyme 17 ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 5 (17 ßHSD5; AKR1C3), catalysing the conversion of dehydroepiandrosterone and androstenedione into 5-androstenediol and testosterone. It has demonstrated anti-tumour activity in in vitro and in vivo preclinical models. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This first-in-man phase I/II study utilised a 3 + 3 dose escalation design starting at 30 mg ASP9521/day, with the aim of defining a maximum tolerated dose, as defined by the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities. Eligible patients received ASP9521 orally for 12 weeks. Safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics and anti-tumour activity were assessed. RESULTS: Thirteen patients (median age: 68 years; range 52-76) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) progressing after chemotherapy were included; 12 patients discontinued treatment at or before week 13, mainly due to disease progression. The most common adverse events were grade 1/2 and included asthenia (N = 5), constipation (N = 4), diarrhoea (N = 3), back pain (N = 3) and cancer pain (N = 3). PK demonstrated a half-life (t1/2) ranging from 16 to 35 h, rapid absorption and dose proportionality. No biochemical or radiological responses were identified; neither endocrine biomarker levels nor circulating tumour cell counts were altered by ASP9521. Given the lack of observable clinical activity, the study was terminated without implementing a planned 12-week dose expansion part at selected doses or a planned food-effect study part. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with mCRPC, ASP9521 demonstrated dose-proportional increase in exposure over the doses evaluated, with an acceptable safety and tolerability profile. However, the novel androgen biosynthesis inhibitor showed no relevant evidence of clinical activity.

A randomized multicenter study of optimal circadian time of vinorelbine combined with chronomodulated 5-fluorouracil in pretreated metastatic breast cancer patients: EORTC trial 05971.

Studies in animals synchronized with an alternation of 12 h of light and 12 h of darkness have showed that hematological and systemic toxicities could be reduced if vinorelbine were administered 19 or 23 hours after light onset (HALO), corresponding to 17:00 and 21:00 h in diurnally active humans. This trial aimed to define the least toxic time of vinorelbine administration in metastatic breast cancer patients. Initially, the study treatment consisted of three courses of vinorelbine of 30 mg/m(2)/d on D1 and D6 and chronomodulated 5-fluorouracil of 850 mg/m(2) from D2 to D5 every 21 days. Ninety metastatic breast cancer patients were randomized to receive vinorelbine at one of the eight possible dosing times. Further to the recommendations of the Independent Data Monitoring Committee, the vinorelbine dose was reduced to 25 mg/m(2)/d midway through the study. The primary objective of the study was detection of the least toxic time based on the incidence of grade 3-4 (G3-4) neutropenia. To show a significant result, the 90% confidence interval width of the least toxic time had to be<6 h. The least toxic time detection based on the incidence of other toxicities was also analyzed. The time of least drug toxic was estimated using a logistic regression model assuming that the logit transformation of the toxicity rate follows a sinusoidal distribution over 24 h. The bootstrap technique was used to obtain the 90% confidence interval. The least toxic time of G3-4 neutropenia was observed at 21:00 h with a non-significant 90% CI. Secondary endpoint analyses indicated the least toxic time could differ when based on other toxicity parameters (e.g., a significant least toxic time of 17:00 h was observed for G3-4 leucopenia), in agreement with animal data. The least toxic time of 10:30 h was estimated for any G3-4 gastrointestinal toxicity. This results of this study do not allow us to recommend an optimal time for vinorelbine administration. It has highlighted, however, the inherent methodological difficulties in the conduct of such a trial in the human setting. It indicates that future optimal time-finding trials should have tolerability and/or activity as the primary endpoint in place of a particular toxicity. The randomized optimal time-finding design may be used to identify the best time of chemotherapy administration.

Implications of circadian clocks for the rhythmic delivery of cancer therapeutics.

The circadian timing system controls drug metabolism and cellular proliferation over the 24 h through molecular clocks in each cell, circadian physiology, and the suprachiasmatic nuclei--a hypothalamic pacemaker clock that coordinates circadian rhythms. As a result, both the toxicity and efficacy of over 30 anticancer agents vary by more than 50% as a function of dosing time in experimental models. The circadian timing system also down-regulates malignant growth in experimental models and possibly in cancer patients. Programmable-in-time infusion pumps and rhythmic physiology monitoring devices have made possible the application of chronotherapeutics to more than 2000 cancer patients without hospitalization. This strategy first revealed the antitumor efficacy of oxaliplatin against colorectal cancer. In this disease, international clinical trials have shown a five-fold improvement in patient tolerability and near doubling of antitumor activity through the chronomodulated, in comparison to constant-rate, delivery of oxaliplatin and 5-fluorouracil-leucovorin. Here, the relevance of the peak time, with reference to circadian rhythms, of the chemotherapeutic delivery of these cancer medications for achieving best tolerability was investigated in 114 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer and in 45 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The incidence of severe adverse events varied up to five-fold as a function of the choice of when during the 24 h the peak dose of the medications was timed. The optimal chronomodulated schedules corresponded to peak delivery rates at 1 a.m. or 4 a.m. for 5-fluorouracil-leucovorin, at 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. for oxaliplatin, and at 4 p.m. for carboplatin. Sex of patient was an important determinant of drug schedule tolerability. This finding is consistent with recent results from a chronotherapy trial involving 554 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, where sex also predicted survival outcome from chronotherapy, but not conventional drug delivery. Ongoing translational studies, mathematical modeling, and technology developments are further paving the way for tailoring cancer chronotherapeutics to the main rhythmic characteristics of the individual patient. Targeting therapeutic delivery to the dynamics of the cross-talk between the circadian clock, the cell division cycle, and pharmacology pathways represents a new challenge to concurrently improve the quality of life and survival of cancer patients through personalized cancer chronotherapeutics.

Phase III trial comparing 4-day chronomodulated therapy versus 2-day conventional delivery of fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin as first-line chemotherapy of metastatic colorectal cancer: the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Chronotherapy Group.

PURPOSE: In two previous randomized trials, the adjustment of chemotherapy delivery to circadian rhythms improved tolerability and anticancer activity compared with constant-rate infusion during 5 days in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For this multicenter randomized trial, it was hypothesized that a chronomodulated infusion of fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin for 4 days (chronoFLO4) would improve survival by 10% compared with conventional 2-day delivery of the same drugs (FOLFOX2). Patients were treated every 2 weeks with intrapatient dose escalation. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were similar in both arms for the 564 patients (36 institutions, 10 countries). Median survival was 19.6 months (95% confidence limit [CL] = 18.2, 21.2) with chronoFLO4 and 18.7 months with FOLFOX2 (95% CL = 17.7, 21.0; P = .55). The main dose-limiting toxicities were diarrhea for chronoFLO4 and neutropenia for FOLFOX2. The analysis of survival predictors showed that sex was the single most important factor (P = .001). In women, the risk of an earlier death with chronoFLO4 was increased by 38% compared with FOLFOX2, with median survival times of 16.3 and 19.1 months (P = .03), respectively. In men, the risk of death was decreased by 25% with chronoFLO4 compared with FOLFOX2, with median survival times of 21.4 and 18.3 months (P = .02), respectively. CONCLUSION: Both regimens achieved similar median survival times more than 18 months with an acceptable toxicity. The chronomodulated schedule produced a survival advantage over FOLFOX in men. The strong sex dependency of optimal scheduling of fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin calls for translational investigations of determinants related to the patient's molecular clock.

Using the continual reassessment method: lessons learned from an EORTC phase I dose finding study.

Many clinicians often do not feel comfortable with the Continual Reassessment Method (CRM). This article reviews its implementation, showing the characteristics, advantages and limitations of this method in Phase I studies as an alternative to the classical 'Fibonacci' escalation schema. A two center, dose escalation phase I study of rViscumin was carried out. Thirty-seven patients were included at 14 different dose-levels (10 to 6400 ng/kg). The complete clinical results are presented elsewhere. A 2-step CRM design enables one to speed-up the study and most importantly to obtain an accurate estimate of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Different management issues related to a multicenter study are illustrated and we show how the method can go wrong when severe toxicity, or dose limiting toxicity (DLT), is not considered by the clinician as being sufficient to limit dose escalation (here a grade 3 asthenia related to the drug). This would have affected any dose finding methods. We believe that CRM is a good alternative to the standard method from both a statistical and a practical point of view but further methodological research is necessary to address the issues related to the composite nature of the endpoint.

Comparison of CA-125 and standard definitions of progression of ovarian cancer in the intergroup trial of cisplatin and paclitaxel versus cisplatin and cyclophosphamide.

PURPOSE: A definition for progression of ovarian cancer has been proposed based on either a confirmed doubling of CA-125 levels from the upper limit of normal or from the nadir level if levels are persistently elevated. Retrospectively, we determined whether the use of this CA-125 definition in a randomized trial would have shown the same magnitude of difference between the treatment arms as was shown when the standard progression definition was used. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 680 patients in the Taxol Intergroup Trial with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma, of whom 628 were assessable according to CA-125. The date of progression according to clinical or radiologic criteria was compared with the date of progression according to CA-125. RESULTS: Of the 628 patients assessable for both definitions, 556 clinical or radiologic progressions were determined compared with 389 according to the CA-125 definition. There was a highly significant difference in the hazard of progression between the paclitaxel and cisplatin arm (TP) compared with the cyclophosphamide and cisplatin arm (CP) when either standard or CA-125 criteria were used to define progression (standard, P = .002; CA-125, P = .011). The hazard ratio of TP/CP over time was similar when comparing the different methods of defining progression. CONCLUSION: The results of this analysis show that the magnitude of the therapeutic benefit was similar whether CA-125 or standard criteria were used to define progression.

Elevated serum cytokines correlated with altered behavior, serum cortisol rhythm, and dampened 24-hour rest-activity patterns in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Incapacitating symptom burden in cancer patients contributes to poor quality of life (QOL) and can influence treatment outcomes because of poor tolerance to therapy. In this study, the role of circulating cytokines in the production symptoms in cancer patients is evaluated. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Eighty patients with metastatic colorectal cancer with either normal (group I, n = 40) or dampened (group II, n = 40) 24-hour rest/activity patterns measured by actigraphy were identified. Actigraphy patterns were correlated with QOL indices, serum cortisol obtained at 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and with serum levels of transforming growth factor-alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin 6 (IL-6) obtained at 8:00 a.m. and analyzed in duplicate by ELISA. Cytokine levels and survival were also correlated. RESULTS: Group II patients had significantly higher pre treatment levels of all three cytokines, displayed significantly poorer emotional and social functioning, had higher fatigue, more appetite loss, and poorer performance status compared with group I patients. Transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and IL-6 were significantly increased in the patients with WHO performance status >1 and in those with appetite loss. Fatigue was significantly associated with elevated TGF-alpha only. IL-6 was increased in those patients with extensive liver involvement and multiple organ replacement, and it was significantly correlated with dampened cortisol rhythm. In a multivariate analysis, IL-6 was correlated with poor treatment outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Significant correlations were found between serum levels of TGF-alpha and IL-6, circadian patterns in wrist activity and serum cortisol and tumor-related symptoms in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. These data support the hypothesis that some cancer patient's symptoms of fatigue, poor QOL, and treatment outcome are related to tumor or host generated cytokines and could reflect cytokine effects on the circadian timing system. This interplay between cytokine signaling pathways, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the autonomic nervous system, and efferent pathways of the suprachiasmatic nucleus that control circadian physiology, opens the way to new rational interventions for symptom management in cancer patients.

Cost effectiveness of paclitaxel/cisplatin compared with cyclophosphamide/cisplatin in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in Belgium.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the economic impact of two polychemotherapy regimens for patients with advanced ovarian cancer from the perspective of the Belgian health insurance and financing system. DESIGN: An economic evaluation was integrated in an intergroup randomised controlled trial (EORTC 55931) in which patients were randomised to receive the new treatment of paclitaxel and cisplatin or the standard therapy of cyclophosphamide and cisplatin. Data on the use of medical resources were collected prospectively for the 231 European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) patients in the trial and costs were valued by using unit prices. The outcome for the economic evaluation was mean survival time as determined by the so-called restricted means method, with the time point of restriction fixed by statistical criteria. A correction of censoring of the cost data collected in the trial was also performed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES AND RESULTS: The paclitaxel and cisplatin group experienced a statistically significant improvement in mean survival time of 4 months, which was associated with an increase in the average total cost per patient of 6795 euros (EUR; 1998 values), when costs were assessed over the same period as the gain in mean survival time. This corresponds to a point estimate of the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of EUR20 385 per life-year gained. The impact of uncertainty was assessed by using a bias-corrected and accelerated bootstrap method with 5000 resamples, and the final results of the analysis are expressed in terms of a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. CONCLUSIONS: The present economic evaluation has shown that the substitution of paclitaxel for cyclophosphamide in the chemotherapy regimen for women with advanced ovarian cancer leads to a significant improvement in patient survival, which is associated with an increase in costs for the Belgian health insurance system.