NRG-CC004 ancillary data study-exploring the effect of bupropion on sexual desire in female cancer survivors with and without vulvovaginal symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Female cancer survivors often experience estrogen-deprivation symptoms, which may lead to decreases in sexual desire, vulvovaginal health (lubrication, dryness, discomfort), and sexual satisfaction. Interventions are needed to address these concerns. AIM: The objective of this secondary analysis was to determine if women with higher (better) scores on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) lubrication and pain subscales reported higher desire scores based on treatment with bupropion vs placebo. METHODS: Participants were part of NRG Oncology's NRG-CC004 (NCT03180294), a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating bupropion (150 vs 300 mg) to improve sexual desire in survivors of breast or gynecologic cancer. All participants with baseline data from the FSFI lubrication, pain, and desire subscales with 5- and/or 9-week data were analyzed. The FSFI subscale scores were correlated using Spearman correlation coefficients. Logistic regression was used to determine associations between FSFI desire and other FSFI subscales while accounting for treatment arm and other covariates. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome of NRG Oncology's NRG-CC004 (NCT03180294) randomized phase II dose-finding trial was change from baseline to 9 weeks on the FSFI desire subscale score. Similar to the parent study, the primary outcome for this ancillary data study was the FSFI desire subscale score at 5 and 9 weeks. RESULTS: Overall, 230 participants completed the FSFI at baseline and 189 at 9 weeks. The strongest correlations were between lubrication and pain at baseline (all participants, rho = 0.77; bupropion arms, rho = 0.82), week 5 (all participants, rho = 0.71; bupropion arms, rho = 0.68), and week 9 (all participants, rho = 0.75; bupropion arms, rho = 0.78), and the weakest correlations were between desire and pain. In patients in the treatment arms there were no interactions between lubrication or pain.The impact of various covariates on the FSFI score for desire at 9 weeks demonstrated that participants of non-White race (odds ratio [OR], 0.42; 95% CI, 0.21-0.81; P = .010), with a high lubrication score (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.21-0.61; P = .0002), with a high pain score (less pain) (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.29-0.87; P = .014), or with prior pelvic surgery (OR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.23-0.63; P = .0002) had lower odds of having low desire. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Acute estrogen-deprivation symptoms should be addressed prior to sexual desire intervention. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: This secondary analysis was not powered to examine all variables. CONCLUSION: Lubrication and pain were predictors of low desire. Therefore, vulvovaginal atrophy and associated genitourinary symptoms of menopause such as vaginal dryness and dyspareunia should be addressed prior to or in parallel with interventions for sexual desire.

Phase III Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of Donepezil for Treatment of Cognitive Impairment in Breast Cancer Survivors After Adjuvant Chemotherapy (WF-97116).

PURPOSE: To test efficacy of donepezil, a cognitive enhancer, to improve memory in breast cancer survivors who report cancer-related cognitive impairment 1-5 years postchemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Adult female BCS exposed to ≥4 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy 1-5 years before enrollment who reported cancer-related cognitive impairment were eligible. Participants, enrolled at sites affiliated with the Wake Forest NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Research Base, were randomly assigned to receive 5 mg of donepezil once daily for 6 weeks titrated to 10 mg once daily for 18 weeks or placebo. Cognition and self-report cognitive functioning was assessed at baseline, 12, 24 (end of intervention), and 36 (washout) weeks postrandomization. Mixed-effects repeated measures analysis of covariance models were used to assess treatment differences in immediate recall (primary outcome) on the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) and other cognitive domains (secondary outcomes) with covariates of treatment, time, time by treatment interaction, baseline outcome level, age stratification, and an unstructured covariance matrix to account for within participant correlation over time. RESULTS: Two hundred seventy-six BCS from 87 NCORP practices (mean age, 57.1, standard deviation [SD], 10.5) who were at a mean of 29.6 months (SD, 14.2) postchemotherapy were randomly assigned to donepezil (n = 140) or placebo (n = 136). At 24 weeks, treatment groups did not differ on HVLT-R scores (donepezil mean = 25.98, placebo = 26.50, P = .32). There were no statistically significant differences between treatments at 12, 24, or 36 weeks for attention, executive function, verbal fluency, processing speed, or self-reported cognitive functioning. Endocrine therapy and menopausal status did not affect results. CONCLUSION: BCS 1-5 years after completing chemotherapy with documented memory problems, randomly assigned to 24 weeks of 5-10 mg of donepezil once daily, did not perform differently at the end of treatment on tests of memory, other cognitive functions, or subjective functioning than those randomly assigned to placebo.

Randomized Controlled Phase II Evaluation of Two Dose Levels of Bupropion Versus Placebo for Sexual Desire in Female Cancer Survivors: NRG-CC004.

PURPOSE: Because of the negative impact of cancer treatment on female sexual function, effective treatments are warranted. The purpose of this multisite study was to evaluate the ability of two dose levels of extended-release bupropion, a dopaminergic agent, to improve sexual desire more than placebo at 9 weeks, measured by the desire subscale of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and to evaluate associated toxicities. METHODS: Postmenopausal women diagnosed with breast or gynecologic cancer and low baseline FSFI desire scores (< 3.3), who had completed definitive cancer therapy, were eligible. Women were randomly assigned to receive 150 mg or 300 mg once daily of extended-release bupropion or a matching placebo. t-tests were performed on the FSFI desire subscale to evaluate whether there was a significantly greater change from baseline to 9 weeks between placebo and each bupropion arm as the primary end point. Sixty-two patients per arm provided 80% power using a one-sided t-test. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty women were randomly assigned from 72 institutions through the NRG Oncology NCORP network. At 9 weeks, there were no statistically significant differences in change of the desire subscale scores between groups; participants in all three arms reported improvement. The mean changes for each arm were placebo 0.62 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.18), 150-mg once daily bupropion 0.64 (SD = 0.95), and 300-mg once daily bupropion 0.60 (SD = 0.89). Total and subscale scores on the FSFI were low throughout the study, indicating dysfunction in all groups. CONCLUSION: Bupropion was not more effective than placebo in improving the desire subscale of the FSFI. Subscale and total scores of the FSFI demonstrated dysfunction throughout the 9 weeks of the study. More research is needed to support sexual function in female cancer survivors.

Oxybutynin vs Placebo for Hot Flashes in Women With or Without Breast Cancer: A Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial (ACCRU SC-1603).

BACKGROUND: Hot flashes (HFs) negatively affect quality of life among perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. This study investigated the efficacy of oxybutynin vs placebo in decreasing HFs. METHODS: In this randomized, multicenter, double-blind study, women with and without breast cancer with 28 or more HFs per week, lasting longer than 30 days, who were not candidates for estrogen-based therapy, were assigned to oral oxybutynin (2.5 mg twice a day or 5 mg twice a day) or placebo for 6 weeks. The primary endpoint was the intrapatient change from baseline in weekly HF score between each oxybutynin dose and placebo using a repeated-measures mixed model. Secondary endpoints included changes in weekly HF frequency, HF-related daily interference scale questionnaires, and self-reported symptoms. RESULTS: We enrolled 150 women. Baseline characteristics were well balanced. Mean (SD) age was 57 (8.2) years. Two-thirds (65%) were taking tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor. Patients on both oxybutynin doses reported greater reductions in the weekly HF score (5 mg twice a day: -16.9 [SD 15.6], 2.5 mg twice a day: -10.6 [SD 7.7]), placebo -5.7 (SD 10.2); P < .005 for both oxybutynin doses vs placebo), HF frequency (5 mg twice a day: -7.5 [SD 6.6], 2.5 mg twice a day: -4.8 [SD 3.2], placebo: -2.6 [SD 4.3]; P < .003 for both oxybutynin doses vs placebo), and improvement in most HF-related daily interference scale measures and in overall quality of life. Patients on both oxybutynin arms reported more side effects than patients on placebo, particularly dry mouth, difficulty urinating, and abdominal pain. Most side effects were grade 1 or 2. There were no differences in study discontinuation because of adverse effects. CONCLUSION: Oxybutynin is an effective and relatively well-tolerated treatment option for women with HFs.

Phase II Trial of Eribulin in Patients With Metastatic Hormone Refractory Prostate Cancer: A Trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (E5805).

BACKGROUND: Eribulin mesylate, a synthetic analog of halichondrin B, is a novel tubulin-binding agent that inhibits cancer cell proliferation at low-nanomolar levels. METHODS: In a multicenter ECOG trial, patients with progressive metastatic CRPC, ECOG 0-2 were treated with eribulin 1.4 mg/m as an IV bolus over 5 minutes on days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle. This noncomparative study stratified points to either a chemonaive (CN), prior-taxane (Tax) only, or 2 prior cytotoxic (TCx) chemotherapy arm. The trial was powered to detect a 50% PSA reduction using Consensus Criteria in at least 40% versus 20% (90% power, one-sided α=0.10) for the CN stratum and 25% versus. 10% (power 87%, one-sided α=0.10) for the Tax and TCx strata. RESULTS: In total, 119 pts received treatment of which 116 were eligible for the primary response determination in this study. Median age 70 years (range, 45 to 88); median number of treatment cycles 4 (range, 1 to 20+); ECOG 0-1 90%. Confirmed PSA response rates (50% decline from baseline) were 29% (90% [18.2%, 41.2%]; P=0.20), 10% (90% [5.2%, 27.1%]; P=1.00), and 4% ([0.2%, 18.3%]; P=0.59) in the chemonaive stratum, the prior-taxane stratum, and the 2-prior-chemotherapy stratum, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 3.5 months (95% CI, 2.0, 5.9), 2.3 months (95% CI, 2.0, 2.9) and 3.7 months (95% CI, 2.1, 4.2) for the chemonaive stratum, the prior-taxane stratum and the 2-prior-chemotherapy stratum, respectively. Nonhematological toxicities of any grade (mainly grade 1 and 2) were fatigue (74%), neuropathy (40%), alopecia (39%), nausea (35%), and anorexia (34%). Common hematological toxicities were decreased leukocytes (75%), decreased neutrophils (72%), and decreased hemoglobin (66%). The most common grade ≥ 3 toxicities were decreased neutrophils (55%), decreased leukocytes (42%), sensory neuropathy (13%), and fatigue (11%). Overall, there was a 4% rate of febrile neutropenia. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, per the prespecified study endpoints, eribulin did not have adequate activity in chemotherapy naïve or chemotherapy pretreated patients with metastatic CRPC to support further study in this setting.

Long-term follow-up of chemoimmunotherapy with rituximab, oxaliplatin, cytosine arabinoside, dexamethasone (ROAD) in patients with relapsed CD20+ B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Results of a study of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center Research Consortium (MCCRC) MC0485 now known as academic and community cancer research united (ACCRU).

Patients with relapsed aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are often treated with platinum-based chemoimmunotherapy regimens in preparation for autologous stem cell transplant. We sought to reduce toxicity and maintain efficacy by using oxaliplatin with rituximab, cytarabine and dexamethasone (ROAD) in a phase II clinical trial in patients who had relapsed after one prior regimen. ROAD was delivered q21 days and consisted of rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV weekly x 4 doses (cycle 1 only); dexamethasone 40 mg PO/IV d2 - 5; oxaliplatin 130 mg/m2 IV day 2; cytarabine 2000 mg/m2 IV × two doses on days 2 to 3; and pegfilgrastim 6 mg SC on day 4. Forty-five eligible patients were accrued between 2006 and 2008. Patient characteristics were a median age of 69 years; 96% had received prior rituximab; 53% were within one year of diagnosis. The median number of cycles received was 2 (range, 1-6). Forty-four % received ROAD as an outpatient. The overall response rate was 71% with 27% (12/45) CR and 44% (20/45) PR. Forty-four % (20/45) of all patients and 69% (18/26) of patients whom responded after 2 cycles proceeded to transplant. Median overall survival was 26 mos (95% CI: 7.3 mos-not reached) and median progression-free survival was 11 mos (95% CI: 6-104 mos). There was no grade 3/4 nephrotoxicity; the rate of grade 3/4 neuropathy was 4%. Forty-two percent of all patients and 69% of patients transplanted remain alive at 5 years. ROAD represents an acceptable salvage therapeutic option for patients with relapsed aggressive NHL.

A phase I/II study of bortezomib in combination with paclitaxel, carboplatin, and concurrent thoracic radiation therapy for non-small-cell lung cancer: North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG)-N0321.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the advances in radiation techniques and chemotherapy, survival with current platinum-based chemotherapy and concomitant thoracic radiation remains dismal. Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, modulates apoptosis and cell cycle through disruption of protein degradation. The combination of bortezomib and carboplatin/paclitaxel and concurrent radiation in unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer was evaluated in this phase I/II study. METHODS: Patients with histologic or cytologic confirmed stage III nonmetastatic non-small-cell lung cancer who were candidates for radiation therapy were eligible. In the phase I portion, patients received escalating doses of bortezomib, paclitaxel, and carboplatin concomitantly with thoracic radiation (60 Gy/30 daily fractions) using a modified 3 + 3 design. The primary endpoint for the phase II portion was the 12-month survival rate (12MS). A one-stage design with an interim analysis yielded 81% power to detect a true 12MS of 75%, with a 0.09 level of significance if the true 12MS was 60% using a sample size of 60 patients. Secondary endpoints consisted of adverse events (AEs), overall survival, progression-free survival, and the confirmed response rate. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients enrolled during the phase I portion of the trial, of which four cancelled before receiving treatment, leaving 27 evaluable patients. Of these 27 patients, two dose-limiting toxicities were observed, one (grade 3 pneumonitis) at dose level 1 (bortezomib at 0.5 mg/m, paclitaxel at 150 mg/m, and carboplatin at area under the curve of 5) and one (grade 4 neutropenia lasting ≥8 days) at dose level 6 (bortezomib 1.2 mg/m, paclitaxel 175 mg/m, and carboplatin at area under the curve of 6). During the phase I portion, the most common grade 3 of 4 AEs were leukopenia (44%), neutropenia (37%), dyspnea (22%), and dysphagia (11%). Dose level 6 was declared to be the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) and the phase II portion of the study opened. After the first 26 evaluable patients were enrolled to the RP2D, a per protocol interim analysis occurred. Of these 26 patients, 23 (88%) survived at least 6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 70-98%), which was enough to continue to full accrual per study design. However, due to slow accrual, the study was stopped after 27 evaluable patients were enrolled (6-phase I RP2D; 21-phase II). Of these 27 patients, the 12MS was 73% (95% CI, 58-92%), the median overall survival was 25.0 months (95% CI, 15.6-35.8), and the median progression-free survival was 8.4 months (95% CI, 4.1-10.5). The confirmed response rate was 26% (seven of 27; 95% CI, 11-46%), consisting of four partial responses and three complete responses. Grade 3+ and grade 4+ AEs occurred in 82% and 56% of patients, respectively. One patient experienced grade 5 pneumonitis that was possibly related to the treatment. Grade 3 and 4 hematological toxicities were observed in 82% and 56% patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of bortezomib to concurrent carboplatin/paclitaxel and radiation seemed to be feasible, although associated with increased hematological toxicities. A favorable median overall survival of 25 months suggests a potential benefit for this regimen.

Quality of life in MAP.3 (Mammary Prevention 3): a randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating exemestane for prevention of breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Exemestane, a steroidal aromatase inhibitor, reduced invasive breast cancer incidence by 65% among 4,560 postmenopausal women randomly assigned to exemestane (25 mg per day) compared with placebo in the National Cancer Institute of Canada (NCIC) Clinical Trials Group MAP.3 (Mammary Prevention 3) trial, but effects on quality of life (QOL) were not fully described. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Menopause-specific and health-related QOL were assessed by using the four Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL) domains and the eight Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scales at baseline, 6 months, and yearly thereafter. MENQOL questionnaire completion was high (88% to 98%) in both groups at each follow-up visit. Change scores for each MENQOL and SF-36 scale, calculated at each assessment time relative to baseline, were compared by using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Clinically important worsened QOL was defined as a MENQOL change score increase of more than 0.5 (of 8) points and an SF-36 change score decrease of more than 5 (of 100) points from baseline. RESULTS: Exemestane had small negative effects on women's self-reported vasomotor symptoms, sexual symptoms, and pain, which occurred mainly in the first 6 months to 2 years after random assignment. However, these changes represented only a small excess number of women being given exemestane with clinically important worsening of QOL at one time or another; specifically, 8% more in the vasomotor domain and 4% more each in the sexual domain and for pain. No other between-group differences were observed. Overall, slightly more women in the exemestane arm (32%) than in the placebo arm (28%) discontinued assigned treatment. CONCLUSION: Exemestane given for prevention has limited negative impact on menopause-specific and health-related QOL in healthy postmenopausal women at risk for breast cancer.

The use of Ginkgo biloba for the prevention of chemotherapy-related cognitive dysfunction in women receiving adjuvant treatment for breast cancer, N00C9.

PURPOSE: Patients undergoing treatment for cancer often report problems with their cognitive function, which is an essential component of health-related quality of life. Pursuant to this, a two-arm randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase III clinical trial was conducted to evaluate Ginkgo biloba (EGB 761) for the prevention of chemotherapy-related cognitive dysfunction in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: Previously chemotherapy naïve women about to receive adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer were randomized to receive 60 mg of EGB 761 or a matching placebo twice daily. The study agent was to begin before their second cycle of chemotherapy and to be taken throughout chemotherapy and 1 month beyond completion. The primary measure for cognitive function was the High Sensitivity Cognitive Screen (HSCS), with a secondary measure being the Trail Making Tests (TMT) A and B. Subjective assessment of cognitive function was evaluated by the cognitive subscale of the Perceived Health Scale (PHS) and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Data were collected at baseline and at intervals throughout and after chemotherapy, up to 24 months after completion of adjuvant treatment. The primary statistical analysis included normalized area under the curve (AUC) comparisons of the HSCS, between the arms. Secondary analyses included evaluation of the other measures of cognition as well as correlational analyses between self-report and cognitive testing. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-six women provided evaluable data. There were no significant differences in AUC up to 12 months on the HSCS between arms at the end of chemotherapy or at any other time point after adjuvant treatment. There were also no significant differences in TMT A or B at any data point. Perceived cognitive functions, as measured by the PHS and confusion/bewilderment subscale of the POMS, were not different between arms at the end of chemotherapy. There was also little correlation between self-reported cognition and cognitive testing. No differences were observed in toxicities per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) assessment between Ginkgo biloba and placebo throughout the study; however, after chemotherapy, the placebo group reported worse nausea (p = .05). CONCLUSION: This study did not provide any support for the notion that Ginkgo biloba, at a dose of 60 mg twice a day, can help prevent cognitive changes from chemotherapy. These analyses do provide data to further support the low associations between patients' self-report of cognition and cognitive performance, based on more formal testing.

North central cancer treatment group (NCCTG) N0537: phase II trial of VEGF-trap in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with an anthracycline and/or a taxane.

INTRODUCTION: Angiogenesis is an established target for the treatment of MBC. Aflibercept (VEGF-Trap) is a humanized fusion protein, which binds VEGF-A, VEGF-B, and PIGF-1 and -2. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 2-stage phase II study with primary end points of confirmed tumor response and 6-month progression-free survival (PFS). If either end point was promising after the initial 21 patients, an additional 20 patients would be enrolled. Measurable disease, <2 previous chemotherapy treatments, previous anthracycline or taxane therapy, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1 were required. Aflibercept was given at a dose of 4 mg/kg intravenous every 14 days. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were enrolled; 71% had visceral disease, 57% were estrogen receptor negative, 19% had HER2(+) disease with previous trastuzumab treatment, and 33% had 2 previous chemotherapy regimens. Partial response rate was 4.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.1%-23.8%) and 6-month PFS was 9.5% (95% CI, 1.2%-30.4%). Neither primary end point met efficacy goals and the study was terminated. A median of 3 cycles was given. Median PFS was 2.4 months. Common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were hypertension (33%), fatigue (19%), dyspnea (14%), and headache (14%). Two cases of severe left ventricular dysfunction were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Aflibercept did not meet efficacy goals in patients previously treated with MBC. Toxicity was as expected for anti-VEGF therapy.

Phase II study of the multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor XL647 in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: XL647 is an oral small-molecule inhibitor of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases, including endothelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, HER2 and Ephrin type-B receptor 4 (EphB4). We undertook an open-label, multi-institutional Phase II study to investigate the efficacy and safety of XL647 in treatment-naive non-small-cell lung cancer patients clinically enriched for the presence of EGFR mutations. METHODS: Eligibility included patients with advanced-stage treatment-naive lung adenocarcinoma with a known sensitizing mutation of EGFR or patients with at least one of the following criteria: being Asian, female, or having minimal or no smoking history. Two dosing schedules were evaluated; in the "intermittent 5 & 9 dosing" cohort, XL647 350 mg for 5 days every 14 days was given; and in the "daily dosing" cohort, XL647 300 mg daily for 28 days was administered. Tumor EGFR mutation status was determined on available tissue. The primary end point was confirmed objective response rate. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were treated on the intermittent 5 & 9 dosing- and 14 on the daily-dosing schedule. The majority of patients were eligible on the basis of smoking history. The response rate and progression-free survival for the two schedules combined were 20% and 5.3 months (90% confidence interval, 3.7-6.7), respectively. Thirty-eight patients (69%) had material available for mutation testing and 14 EGFR-sensitizing mutations were detected. The response rate and progression-free survival for EGFR-mutation-positive patients were 57% (8/14) and 9.3 months (90% confidence interval, 5.5-11.7). The toxicities were comparable between the two schedules; the most common adverse effects being diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: XL647 administered on an intermittent or daily-dosing schedule demonstrated antitumor activity in patients with EGFR-activating mutations. The adverse-event profile was similar for the two dosing schedules.

Brief report: a phase II "window-of-opportunity" frontline study of the MTOR inhibitor, temsirolimus given as a single agent in patients with advanced NSCLC, an NCCTG study.

BACKGROUND: In an effort to evaluate the single agent activity of temsirolimus in previously untreated non-small-cell lung cancer, the North Central Cancer Treatment Group undertook a frontline "window-of-opportunity" study. METHODS: Patients received 25 mg of temsirolimus administered intravenously as a weekly 30 minute infusion, on a 4-week cycle. Based on a two-stage Fleming design, the treatment would be promising if at least four of the first 25 evaluable patients in stage I or at least six of the 50 evaluable patients at the end of stage II have a confirmed response. Fresh tumor biopsies were obtained to evaluate predictive markers of temsirolimus activity. RESULTS: A total of 55 patients were enrolled with 52 patients being evaluable. The median age was 64 years. Adverse events (grade 3/4) occurring in 33 patients included dyspnea (12%), fatigue (10%), hyperglycemia (8%), hypoxia (8%), nausea (8%), and rash/desquamation (6%). The clinical benefit rate was 35% with four patients achieving a confirmed partial response and 14 patients with stable disease for 8 weeks or more. The 24-week progression-free survival rate was 25%. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 2.3 and 6.6 months, respectively. Expression of p70s6 kinase, phospho-p70s6 kinase, Akt, phospho-Akt, and phosphatase and tensin homolog mutation did not correlate with clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Temsirolimus given as a single agent in frontline therapy in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer was tolerable and demonstrated clinical benefit but did not meet the primary objective in this study. Patient selection will be needed to enhance the efficacy.

Phase II trial of lapatinib and topotecan (LapTop) in patients with platinum-refractory/resistant ovarian and primary peritoneal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Resistance to chemotherapy is a major challenge in the treatment of ovarian/peritoneal cancer. One purported mechanism of topotecan resistance is the breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and P-glycoprotein (Pgp). We designed a phase II clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and adverse event profile of concomitant topotecan and lapatinib, a small molecule pan-erbB inhibitor that can block BCRP/Pgp efflux of topotecan. METHODS: Patients with platinum-refractory or resistant epithelial ovarian/peritoneal cancer were treated with topotecan 3.2 mg/m² IV on Day 1, 8 and 15 and lapatinib 1250 mg PO daily, continuously in 28 day cycles. The primary endpoint was response rate. For correlative studies, archived tissue was assessed for expression of EGFR, HER2, HIF-1α, CD31, and BCRP. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were enrolled and treated. Four experienced evidence of clinical benefit: one partial response and three with stable disease. Using a two-stage Simon design, the trial was stopped after the first stage due to insufficient activity. Grades 3+ and 4+ adverse events (AE) were experienced in 14 and 4 patients, respectively. The most common grade 3/4 AE were neutropenia (56%), thrombocytopenia (28%), and diarrhea (22%). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of lapatinib plus topotecan for the treatment of platinum refractory/resistant epithelial ovarian cancer lacks sufficient activity to warrant further investigation. In particular, hematologic adverse events were substantial. Expression of correlative study markers did not reveal patterns of predicted benefit or toxicity. Disruption of erbB signaling and BCRP/Pgp efflux with lapatinib was insufficient for overcoming topotecan resistance, suggesting alternative mechanisms of resistance are involved.

The use of Valeriana officinalis (Valerian) in improving sleep in patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer: a phase III randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study (NCCTG Trial, N01C5).

Sleep disorders are a substantial problem for cancer survivors, with prevalence estimates ranging from 23% to 61%. Although numerous prescription hypnotics are available, few are approved for long-term use or have demonstrated benefit in this circumstance. Hypnotics may have unwanted side effects and are costly, and cancer survivors often wish to avoid prescription drugs. New options with limited side effects are needed. The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy of a Valerian officinalis supplement for sleep in people with cancer who were undergoing cancer treatment. Participants were randomized to receive 450 mg of valerian-or placebo orally 1 hour before bedtime for 8 weeks. The primary end point was area under the curve (AUC) of the overall Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Secondary outcomes included the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire, the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI), and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Toxicity was evaluated with both self-reported numeric analogue scale questions and the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE), version 3.0. Questionnaires were completed at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks. A total of 227 patients were randomized into this study between March 19, 2004, and March 9, 2007, with 119 being evaluable for the primary end point. The AUC over the 8 weeks for valerian was 51.4 (SD = 16), while that for placebo was 49.7 (SD = 15), with a P value of 0.6957. A supplemental, exploratory analysis revealed that several fatigue end points, as measured by the BFI and POMS, were significantly better for those taking valerian over placebo. Participants also reported less trouble with sleep and less drowsiness on valerian than placebo. There were no significant differences in toxicities as measured by self-report or the CTCAE except for mild alkaline phosphatase increases, which were slightly more common in the placebo group. This study failed to provide data to support the hypothesis that valerian, 450 mg, at bedtime could improve sleep as measured by the PSQI. However, exploratory analyses revealed improvement in some secondary outcomes, such as fatigue. Further research with valerian exploring physiologic effects in oncology symptom management may be warranted.

Exploring therapeutic decisions in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer: results and conclusions from North Central Cancer Treatment Group Study N0222.

How do oncologists choose therapy for the elderly? Oncologists assigned patients aged 65 years or older with incurable non-small cell lung cancer to: (a) carboplatin (AUC = 2) + paclitaxel 50 mg/m(2) days 1, 8, 15 (28-day cycle × 4) followed by gefitinib; or (b) gefitinib 250 mg/day. With (a), 12 of 34 were progression-free at 6 months; median time to cancer progression was 3.9 months. With (b), the same occurred in 11 of 28 patients with the latter being 4.9 months. The most common reason for conventional chemotherapy was oncologists' opinion that the cancer was aggressive, and for gefitinib alone, patients' reluctance to receive chemotherapy. Interestingly, age had no influence.

The use of vitamin E for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: results of a randomized phase III clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) continues to be a substantial problem for many cancer patients. Pursuant to promising appearing pilot data, the current study evaluated the use of vitamin E for the prevention of CIPN. METHODS: A phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in patients undergoing therapy with neurotoxic chemotherapy, utilizing twice daily dosing of vitamin E (400 mg)/placebo. The primary endpoint was the incidence of grade 2+ sensory neuropathy (SN) toxicity (CTCAE v 3.0) in each treatment arm, analyzed by chi-square testing. Planned sample size was 100 patients per arm to provide 80% power to detect a difference in incidence of grade 2+ SN toxicity from 25% in the placebo group to 10% in the vitamin E group. RESULTS: Two-hundred seven patients were enrolled between December 1, 2006 and December 14, 2007, producing 189 evaluable cases for analysis. Cytotoxic agents included taxanes (109), cisplatin (8), carboplatin (2), oxaliplatin (50), or combination (20). There was no difference in the incidence of grade 2+ SN between the two arms (34%-vitamin E, 29%-placebo; P = 0.43). There were no significant differences between treatment arms for time to onset of neuropathy (P = 0.58), for chemotherapy dose reductions due to neuropathy (P = 0.21), or for secondary endpoints derived from patient-reported neuropathy symptom assessments. The treatment was well tolerated overall. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin E did not appear to reduce the incidence of sensory neuropathy in the studied group of patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy.

Prophylactic tetracycline does not diminish the severity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor-induced rash: results from the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (Supplementary N03CB).

PURPOSE: Previous studies suggest tetracycline and other antibiotics lessen the severity of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor-induced rash. This study sought to confirm such findings. METHODS: Patients starting an EGFR inhibitor were eligible for this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study and had to be rash-free. They were then randomly assigned to tetracycline 500 mg orally twice a day for 28 days versus a placebo. Rash development and severity (monthly physician assessment and weekly patient-reported questionnaires), quality of life (SKINDEX-16), and adverse events were monitored during the 4-week intervention and then for an additional 4 weeks. The primary objective was to compare the incidence of grade 2 or worse rash between study arms; 32 patients per group provided a 90% probability of detecting a 40% difference in incidence with a type I error rate of 0.05 (two-sided). RESULTS: Sixty-five patients were enrolled, and groups were balanced on baseline characteristics. During the first 4 weeks, healthcare provider-reported data found that 27 tetracycline-treated patients (82%) and 24 placebo-exposed patients (75%) developed a rash. This rash was a grade 2+ in 17 (52%) and 14 (44%), respectively (p = 0.62). Comparable grade 2+ rash rates were observed during weeks 5 through 8 as well as with patient-reported rash data throughout the study period. Quality of life was comparable across study arms, and tetracycline was well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Although previous studies suggest otherwise, this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study did not find that tetracycline lessened rash incidence or severity in patients who were taking EGFR inhibitors.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of a topical treatment for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: NCCTG trial N06CA.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a troublesome chronic symptom that has no proven pharmacologic treatment. The purpose of this double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was to evaluate a novel compounded topical gel for this problem. METHODS: Patients with CIPN were randomized to baclofen 10 mg, amitriptyline HCL 40 mg, and ketamine 20 mg in a pluronic lecithin organogel (BAK-PLO) versus placebo (PLO) to determine its effect on numbness, tingling, pain, and function. The primary endpoint was the baseline-adjusted sensory subscale of the EORTC QLQ-CIPN20, at 4 weeks. RESULTS: Data in 208 patients reveal a trend for improvement that is greater in the BAK-PLO arm over placebo in both the sensory (p = 0.053) and motor subscales (p = 0.021). The greatest improvements were related to the symptoms of tingling, cramping, and shooting/burning pain in the hands as well as difficulty in holding a pen. There were no undesirable toxicities associated with the BAK-PLO and no evidence of systemic toxicity. CONCLUSION: Topical treatment with BAK-PLO appears to somewhat improve symptoms of CIPN. This topical gel was well tolerated, without evident systemic toxicity. Further research is needed with increased doses to better clarify the clinical role of this treatment in CIPN.

Phase III, randomized study of the effects of parenteral iron, oral iron, or no iron supplementation on the erythropoietic response to darbepoetin alfa for patients with chemotherapy-associated anemia.

PURPOSE: Functional iron deficiency may impair response to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in iron-replete patients with chemotherapy-associated anemia (CAA). This study evaluated whether coadministration of parenteral iron improves ESA efficacy in patients with CAA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective, multicenter, randomized trial enrolled 502 patients with hemoglobin (Hb) less than 11 g/dL who were undergoing chemotherapy for nonmyeloid malignancies. All patients received darbepoetin alfa once every 3 weeks and were randomly assigned to receive either ferric gluconate 187.5 mg intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks, oral daily ferrous sulfate 325 mg, or oral placebo for 16 weeks. RESULTS: There was no difference in the erythropoietic response rate (ie, proportion of patients achieving Hb ≥ 12 g/dL or Hb increase ≥ 2 g/dL from baseline): 69.5% (95% CI, 61.9% to 76.5%) of IV iron-treated patients achieved an erythropoietic response compared with 66.9% (95% CI, 59.1% to 74.0%) who received oral iron and 65.0% (95% CI, 57.2% to 72.3%) who received oral placebo (P = .75). There were also no differences in the proportion of patients requiring red cell transfusions, changes in quality of life, or the dose of darbepoetin administered. Adverse events (AEs) tended to be more common in the IV iron arm: grade 3 or higher AEs occurred in 54% (95% CI, 46% to 61%) of patients receiving IV iron compared with 44% (95% CI, 36% to 52%) who received oral iron and 46% (95% CI, 38% to 54%) who received oral placebo (P = .16). CONCLUSION: In patients with CAA, addition of IV ferric gluconate to darbepoetin failed to provide additional benefit compared with oral iron or oral placebo.

Placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of a urea/lactic acid-based topical keratolytic agent for prevention of capecitabine-induced hand-foot syndrome: North Central Cancer Treatment Group Study N05C5.

PURPOSE: Hand-foot syndrome (HFS) is a dose-limiting toxicity of capecitabine for which no effective preventative treatment has been definitively demonstrated. This trial was conducted on the basis of preliminary data that a urea/lactic acid-based topical keratolytic agent (ULABTKA) may prevent HFS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A randomized, double-blind phase III trial evaluated 137 patients receiving their first ever cycle of capecitabine at a dose of either 2,000 or 2,500 mg/m(2) per day for 14 days. Patients were randomly assigned to a ULABTKA versus a placebo cream, which was applied to the hands and feet twice per day for 21 days after the start of capecitabine. Patients completed an HFS diary (HFSD) daily. HFS toxicity grade (Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events [CTCAE] v3.0) was also collected at baseline and at the end of each cycle. The primary end point was the incidence of moderate/severe HFS symptoms in the first treatment cycle, based on the patient-reported HFSD. RESULTS: The percentage of patients with moderate/severe HFS symptoms was not different between groups, being 13.6% in the ULABTKA arm and 10.2% in the placebo arm (P = .768 by Fisher's exact test). The odds ratio was 1.37 (95% CI, 0.37 to 5.76). Cycle 1 CTCAE skin toxicity was higher in the ULABTKA arm but not significantly so (33% v 27%; P = .82). No significant differences were observed in other toxicities between groups. CONCLUSION: These data do not support the efficacy of a ULABTKA cream for preventing HFS symptoms in patients receiving capecitabine.