Real-world use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in ambulatory breast cancer patients: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: To prevent febrile neutropenia (FN), European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) guidelines recommend primary prophylaxis with granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (PPG) for patients at high risk (≥ 20%) of FN. In Belgium, the use of PPG is restricted by specific reimbursement criteria. The impact of these criteria on PPG use and adherence to guidelines is unknown. METHODS: This multicentre, cross-sectional, observational study aimed to describe PPG use by FN risk category in breast cancer patients who were scheduled to receive myelosuppressive chemotherapy in outpatient clinics in Belgium during a 2-week period between 13 October and 12 December 2014. RESULTS: In total, 490 patients were enrolled. Median age was 57.0 years. Based on their chemotherapy regimen, 53.9, 5.1 and 41.0% of patients were at a low, intermediate and high risk of FN, respectively. Overall, 39.8% of patients received PPG (17.0, 12.0 and 73.1% of those receiving low-, intermediate- and high-risk regimens, respectively). In the high-risk category, PPG was used in 89.9% of dose-dense and in 25.0% of classical chemotherapy regimens. PPG use was adherent to EORTC guidelines in 75.3% of patients (30.6% appropriate use, 44.7% appropriate non-use). EORTC guidelines would recommend PPG use in 46.1% of this study population (n = 226), and its use was reimbursable in Belgium in 76.1% of these patients (n = 172), but only 66.4% of them received PPG (n = 150). CONCLUSIONS: Both Belgian reimbursement criteria and physician decision-making led to a proportion of patients for whom PPG treatment was recommended but finally not receiving it.

Hypofractionated palliative radiotherapy for bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate hematuria-free survival as well as acute and late toxicity after hypofractionated palliative radiotherapy for bladder cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between September 2004 and January 2013, 44 patients with biopsy-proven urothelial carcinoma of the bladder were irradiated according to a palliative schedule to a total dose of 34.5 Gy in six fractions of 5.75 Gy given once a week. RESULTS: After a mean follow-up of 10 months, 91% of patients were still hematuria free, with a mean hematuria-free survival of 13 months. Severe (≥ grade 3) acute and late urinary toxicity was observed in 9 and 19% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: This hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule appears to result in acceptable toxicity and manages successful and long-term palliation of hematuria in most patients.