The utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in determining survival outcomes in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical cystectomy for high-risk bladder cancer

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Background: Pre-operative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been found to be associated with adverse pathological results and poor long-term outcomes in patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC) for urothelial carcinoma (UC). We aimed to evaluate the predictive utility of NLR in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and RC for high-risk UC. Methods: We reviewed the records of 585 patients treated with NAC and RC at our institution from 2000-2013. We calculated NLR before initiation of NAC (pre-chemo NLR) and during the recovery window between NAC and RC (post-chemo NLR).. We excluded patients with concomitant infection, blood disorder, or second malignancy. We used univariate and multivariate CART models to determine the optimal NLR cut-off for survival outcomes. We estimated disease-specific (DSS) and overall survival (OS) using the Kaplan-Meier method. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to explore the association of NLR with DSS and OS. Results: 584 patients had NLR information in our cohort. The median follow-up among survivors was 4.9 years (IQR 2.4 – 8.8 years). We identified optimal NLR cut-points of 7.1 for pre-chemo, 4.9 for post-chemo, and 1.9 for change in NLR [(post-chemo) – (pre-chemo)]. Post-chemo NLR showed the strongest association with OS and DSS. Patients with a post-chemo NLR ≥ 4.9 (n = 103) had a 5-yr DSS and OS of 42% and 33% respectively, compared to 69% and 58% for patients with an NLR < 4.9 (n = 481). In the multivariable analysis, post-chemo NLR ≥ 4.9 was an independent predictor of DSS (HR = 2.5 [95% CI:1.8, 3.6] p < 0.001 ), and OS (HR = 2.1 [95% CI:1.6, 2.8] p < 0.001). Conclusions: A post-chemo NLR ≥ 4.9 is associated with poor DSS and OS in patients treated with NAC and RC. These findings may help guide treatment planning for adjuvant therapy following RC in patients with high-risk clinically localized bladder cancer.

Pilot study of dovitinib in patients with VHL disease

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Background: Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is an autosomal dominant inherited disease occurring in 1 in 35,000 births. Individuals with germline mutations in the VHL gene may phenotypically express a variety of lesions including hemangioblastomas (HBs), pancreatic cysts, renal cysts, and renal cell carcinomas (RCC). Previous studies have shown differentially increased FGFR3 levels in HBs compared to RCC. In this pilot trial, we investigated the safety and efficacy profile of TKI 258 (dovitinib), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of VEGF and FGF receptors, in VHL related lesions, focusing on HBs. Methods: A MDACC IRB-approved protocol planned to enroll 25 subjects who had genetically confirmed VHL disease or clinical diagnosis of VHL, and measurable HBs with no immediate risk of needing intervention. Dovitinib 500mg/day was given in a 4 week cycle on 5 day on/2 day off schedule. In the absence of adverse events (AE), treatment lasted 6 cycles or until disease progression. Evaluation of response to treatment was done every 8 weeks including imaging, laboratory, and clinical evaluation. The trial design used a continuous Bayesian stopping rule based on toxicities that resulted in discontinuation of dovitinib and another for lack of efficacy. Signed informed consent completed on all patients enrolled. Results: Trial stopped after six patients enrolled due to toxicity stopping rule. Patients’ ages ranged 18-61 with 5/6 being male. With regards to safety, 6/6 subjects had at least one AE with the most common AEs being rash, diarrhea, and fatigue including a grade 3 AE (severe rash) in one patient. 1/6 was stopped due to noncompliance, 1/6 stopped due to progression, 3/6 stopped due to side effects despite dose reduction, and 1/6 completed full six cycles at full dose. Best response in 6/6 subjects was stable disease (SD) in HBs. Conclusions: This pilot study of dovitinib in patients with VHL disease with measureable HBs did not show a favorable safety or efficacy profile for this dose and schedule. Half of the patients discontinued the drug due to AEs before study completion, and the best achieved response was SD. Further investigation into alternative scheduling and other FGFR inhibitors in the treatment of HBs is warranted given the strong pre-clinical data. Clinical trial information: NCT01266070.

Risk group stratification in patients with micropapillary bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy and/or neoadjuvant chemotherapy

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Background: Micropapillary bladder cancer (MPBC) is an aggressive variant of urothelial carcinoma. We have previously published clinical risk stratification groups for patients with conventional urothelial carcinoma and sought to identify if these were valid in patients with this variant histology. Methods: An IRB approved review of 1910 patients in our radical cystectomy database revealed 106 patients with preoperative diagnosis of ≤cT4aN0M0 MPBC between December 1992 and January 2012 who underwent upfront radical cystectomy (RC, n = 74) or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by RC (n = 32). To determine whether patients with MPBC can be risk stratified using traditional risk factors, a recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was performed. Results: In multivariate analyses, hydronephrosis (HR=3.1; p=0.01), and extent of MPBC at transurethral resection (TUR) (HR=1.9; p=0.04) were associated with shortened OS. In the reduced model, clinical stage also achieved significance (HR=2.8; p=0.03). Results were similar for DSS: hydronephrosis (HR=2.4, p=0.03), extent of MPBC (HR=2.1, p=0.03) and clinical stage (HR=4.7, p=0.02). Using the RPA analysis, following risk groups were identified according to OS or DSS: 1) cT1 disease with no hydronephrosis; 2) cT2 or higher with no hydronephrosis; or 3) hydronephrosis (with any cT stage). These groups corresponded to a low, intermediate and high-risk groups with 5-year OS and DSS rates of 85% and 91%, 50% and 57% and 16% and 17%, (p<0.001), respectively. We found these risk groups to hold true in those treated with NAC or upfront RC; those who received NAC trended towards better outcomes. Conclusions: In patients with MPBC, preoperative risk factors can help stratify patients into different risk groups similar to what is seen in patients with conventional UC. Presence of hydronephrosis is an especially ominous sign.

Percentage of sarcomatoid component as a prognostic indicator for survival in sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma

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Background: Renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid component (sRCC) is characterized by the microscopic spectrum of spindle cells within a background of RCC. The presence of sarcomatoid elements is associated with higher stage of presentation and decreased patient survival. The objective of this study is to examine the clinicopathological characteristics associated with overall survival (OS), specifically examining the percentage of sarcomatoid component (PSC) to stratify risk. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data for all radical nephrectomy patients with pathologically confirmed sarcomatoid component from 1987−2011. All slides were re−reviewed by a GU pathologist to ascertain PSC. Patient characteristics were tabulated overall and by disease status (metastatic vs. localized). Cutpoints in the percent sarcomatoid providing a meaningful difference in OS were identified by recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) as univariate and combined with patient characteristics. Factors selected included age, gender, race, clinical stage, tumor histology, and treatment. The Kaplan−Meier method and two−sided log−rank test was used to assess differences in OS. Results: Among 186 patients with sRCC, 64 (34%) had localized and 122 (66%) metastatic disease. Patients were primarily white (76%) males (63%) with clear cell histology (73%), and did not receive neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy (87%). The median follow−up time was 12.1 months (range, 0.1 to 242.2 months). The median OS was 12.6 months (95% confidence interval (CI) 10.7−14.9 months). Two subgroups were identified with a cut−point of 12.5% for PSC after univariate RPA. Patients with PSC ≥ %12.5 were at higher risk of death compared to patients with <%12.5 (45% vs. 61% 1 year OS; p value=0.04). Mutlivariate RPA revealed clinical stage and percent sarcomatoid were significantly associated with OS. Patients with localized disease were most likely to be alive at 1 year (74%). Among patients with metastatic disease with PSC<%42.5 had 1−year OS of 44% vs. 27% for patients with ≥%42.5 cutoff (p<0.001). Conclusions: The PSC appears to be a prognostic factor in the OS of patients with RCC, with larger percentage of involvement portending a worse survival.

Geographic distribution of regional metastatic nodes affects the outcome of trimodality-eligible patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND/AIM

Malignant nodes in patients with localized esophageal adenocarcinoma (L-EAC) portend a poor prognosis. We assessed the correlation of the distribution of nodes with the outcome of patients undergoing chemoradiation/surgery (trimodality therapy).

METHODS

We studied 209 L-EAC patients who had confirmed or suspicious nodes at baseline staging. All patients received trimodality therapy and were grouped according to the nodal geography: above the diaphragm (AD), below the diaphragm (BD), or above and below the diaphragm (ABD). Survival estimates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the outcomes of the groups were assessed by the log-rank test.

RESULTS

Patients were primarily Caucasian (91%) and male (93%), with a baseline stage III L-EAC (89%). The median follow-up was 2.8 years (range, 0.4-11.7). Of the 209 patients, 35% (n = 73) had AD nodes, 20% (n = 41) had BD nodes, and 45% (n = 95) had ABD nodes. ABD patients had a 5-year overall survival rate of 33%, whereas this rate was 55% in AD patients and 60% in BD patients (p = 0.02). Patients with a higher histology grade were also at a higher risk of relapse and had a poor survival (p < 0.01 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

L-EAC patients in the ABD group had the worst outcome after trimodality treatment compared to those in the AD or BD group. Novel strategies are needed for ABD patients.

Prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients with positive peritoneal cytology

41

Background: Laparoscopic staging of patients with GC can disclose peritoneal metastases. Although this finding is associated with a poor prognosis, some patients achieve a long-term survival. In an attempt to provide explanation we compared the overall survival (OS) of patients with GC peritoneal metastases from two settings: cytology positive only (Cy+) and grossly positive (Gross+). Methods: 146 GC patients with peritoneal metastases were identified between 2000 and 2014. Cox-model regression was used for overall survival (OS) analyses. Results: Patient/treatment characteristics were as follows: males (66%), good ECOG scores (0-1; 89%), metastases confirmed by a diagnostic laparoscopy (84%), poorly differentiated histology(92%), received chemotherapy (89%), received chemoradiation (22%), and received surgery (10%). The median follow-up time for all patients was 12.9 months and median OS was 15 months. Patients with Gross+ were at higher risk of death compared to Cy+ patients (50% vs. 83%1-year OS, respectively). Only diagnostic laparoscopy and metastasis type (Gross+ vs. Cy+) were significant in both univariate and multivariate OS models. With both factors in the same model, patients with Gross+ were more than twice as likely to die when compared to those with Cy+ (HR=2.23; p=0.001) while patients having a diagnostic laparoscopy were half as likely to die (HR=0.52; p=0.01). Conclusions: The one-year OS of patients with Cy+ peritoneal metastases is significantly longer than those with Gross+ findings. As such, novel strategies for Cy+ patients may further prolong their survival. From U. T. M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (UTMDACC), Houston, Texas, USA. (Supported in part by UTMDACC, and CA 138671 and CA172741 from the NCI).

Characterization of Anthropometric Changes that Occur During Neoadjuvant Therapy for Potentially Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

BACKGROUND

Little is known about changes in body composition that may occur during neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer. This study was designed to characterize these changes and their potential relationships with therapeutic outcomes.

METHODS

The study population consisted of patients with potentially resectable pancreatic cancer treated on a phase II trial of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and chemoradiation. Skeletal muscle and adipose tissue compartments were measured before and after administration of neoadjuvant therapy using SliceOMatic software (TomoVision, 2012) and protocol-mandated CT scans. Sarcopenia was defined using gender-adjusted norms.

RESULTS

Among 89 eligible patients, 46 (52 %) patients met anthropometric criteria for sarcopenia prior to the initiation of neoadjuvant therapy. Further depletion of skeletal muscle, visceral adipose tissue, and subcutaneous adipose tissue occurred during neoadjuvant therapy, but these losses did not preclude the performance of potentially curative surgery. Degree of skeletal muscle loss correlated with disease-free survival while visceral adipose loss was associated with overall and progression-free survival. However, completion of all therapy, including pancreatectomy, was the only independently significant predictor of outcome in a multivariate analysis of overall survival.

DISCUSSION

These data suggest that body composition analysis of standard CT images may provide clinically relevant information for patients with potentially resectable pancreatic cancer who receive neoadjuvant therapy. Anthropometric changes must be considered in the design of preoperative therapy regimens, and further efforts should focus on maintenance of muscle and visceral adipose tissue in the preoperative setting.

Human Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Stellate Cells Remain Activated after in vivo Chemoradiation

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by an extensive fibrotic reaction or desmoplasia and complex involvement of the surrounding tumor microenvironment. Pancreatic stellate cells are a key mediator of the pancreatic matrix and they promote progression and invasion of pancreatic cancer by increasing cell proliferation and offering protection against therapeutic interventions. Our study utilizes human tumor-derived pancreatic stellate cells (HTPSCs) isolated from fine needle aspirates of pancreatic cancer tissue from patients with locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma before and after treatment with full-dose gemcitabine plus concurrent hypo-fractionated stereotactic radiosurgery. We show that HTPSCs survive in vivo chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment and display a more activated phenotype post-therapy. These data support the idea that stellate cells play an essential role in supporting and promoting pancreatic cancer and further research is needed to develop novel treatments targeting the pancreatic tumor microenvironment.

The effect of peritransplant minimal residual disease in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

BACKGROUND

Allogeneic HSCT is highly effective for treating ALL. However, many ALL patients relapse after HSCT. There has been a continuing effort to improve identification of patients at high risk of relapse, with the goal of early intervention to improve outcome.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this retrospective analysis, we examined the effect of MRD on the risk of hematologic relapse in 149 adult patients with ALL in morphologic remission undergoing allogeneic HSCT. MRD was assessed at the time of HSCT and after HSCT.

RESULTS

Patients with pretransplant MRD had a trend for shorter progression-free survival (PFS) at 2 years compared with patients without MRD, nearing statistical significance; 28% versus 47%, P = .08, on univariate analysis. This trend remained on multivariate analysis with better PFS in patients without MRD at the time of HSCT, hazard ratio (HR), 0.62 (95% confidence interval, 0.37-1.04); P = .07. Additionally, emergence of MRD after HSCT was a strong predictor for overt hematologic relapse (HR, 4; P < .001) with a median latency interval of 3.8 months.

CONCLUSION

These findings demonstrate the predictive value of monitoring for MRD around the time of transplant in adult patients with ALL.

Acupuncture and other physical treatments for the relief of pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee: network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effectiveness of acupuncture with other relevant physical treatments for alleviating pain due to knee osteoarthritis.

DESIGN

Systematic review with network meta-analysis, to allow comparison of treatments within a coherent framework. Comprehensive searches were undertaken up to January 2013 to identify randomised controlled trials in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, which reported pain.

RESULTS

Of 156 eligible studies, 114 trials (covering 22 treatments and 9,709 patients) provided data suitable for analysis. Most trials studied short-term effects and many were classed as being of poor quality with high risk of bias, commonly associated with lack of blinding (which was sometimes impossible to achieve). End of treatment results showed that eight interventions: interferential therapy, acupuncture, TENS, pulsed electrical stimulation, balneotherapy, aerobic exercise, sham acupuncture, and muscle-strengthening exercise produced a statistically significant reduction in pain when compared with standard care. In a sensitivity analysis of satisfactory and good quality studies, most studies were of acupuncture (11 trials) or muscle-strengthening exercise (9 trials); both interventions were statistically significantly better than standard care, with acupuncture being statistically significantly better than muscle-strengthening exercise (standardised mean difference: 0.49, 95% credible interval 0.00-0.98).

CONCLUSIONS

As a summary of the current available research, the network meta-analysis results indicate that acupuncture can be considered as one of the more effective physical treatments for alleviating osteoarthritis knee pain in the short-term. However, much of the evidence in this area of research is of poor quality, meaning there is uncertainty about the efficacy of many physical treatments.

Adenoma detection in patients undergoing a comprehensive colonoscopy screening

Measures shown to improve the adenoma detection during colonoscopy (excellent bowel preparation, cecal intubation, cap fitted colonoscope to examine behind folds, patient position change to optimize colon distention, trained endoscopy team focusing on detection of subtle flat lesions, and incorporation of optimum endoscopic examination with adequate withdrawal time) are applicable to clinical practice and, if incorporated are projected to facilitate comprehensive colonoscopy screening program for colon cancer prevention. To determine adenoma and serrated polyp detection rate under conditions designed to optimize quality parameters for comprehensive screening colonoscopy. Retrospective analysis of data obtained from a comprehensive colon cancer screening program designed to optimize quality parameters. Academic medical center. Three hundred and forty-three patients between the ages of 50 years and 75 years who underwent first screening colonoscopy between 2009 and 2011 among 535 consecutive patients undergoing colonoscopy. Comprehensive colonoscopy screening program was utilized to screen all patients. Cecal intubation was successful in 98.8% of patients. The Boston Bowel Preparation Scale for quality of colonoscopy was 8.97 (95% confidence interval [CI]; 8.94, 9.00). The rate of adenoma detection was 60% and serrated lesion (defined as serrated adenomas or hyperplastic polyps proximal to the splenic flexure) detection was 23%. The rate of precancerous lesion detection (adenomas and serrated lesions) was 66%. The mean number of adenomas per screening procedure was 1.4 (1.2, 1.6) and the mean number of precancerous lesions (adenomas or serrated lesions) per screening procedure was 1.6 (1.4, 1.8). Retrospective study and single endoscopist experience. A comprehensive colonoscopy screening program results in high-quality screening with high detection of adenomas, advanced adenomas, serrated adenomas, and multiple adenomas.

A phase II, randomized, double blind comparison of calcium aluminosilicate clay (CASAD) versus placebo (dibasic calcium carbonate) for the prevention of diarrhea in patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with irinotecan (I)

3600

Background: CASAD is a naturally occurring calcium montmorrilonite clay that serves as a cation exchange absorbent. One of the active metabolites of Irinotecan is SN-38, which is adsorbed by CASAD in vitro. The study hypothesis was that oral CASAD would reduce the rate of grade 3/4 diarrhea in mCRC patients treated with irinotecan. Methods: The study is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double blinded placebo-controlled phase II trial. One hundred patients receiving I-based chemotherapy were randomized equally between CASAD (1000 mg po 4x daily) and placebo in order to have 75% power to detect a difference in the proportions of patients with grade 3/4 diarrhea within 6 weeks at a 1-sided 5% significance level. We also compared symptom burden using the MDASI questionnaire summed over the 13 symptom items for weeks 0, 3, 5, and 6. Results: Between 5/2009 and 5/2012, 100 patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio between study arms. Median age 57 yrs, 54% male, 74% Non-Hispanic White, 93% performance status 0 or 1. Serious diarrhea was less frequent than expected based upon prior studies with Irinotecan. In evaluable patients, no significant difference in the rate of G3/4 diarrhea was seen (the primary endpoint): CASAD arm: 7/43 pts (16%), Placebo arm: 3/32 pts (9%), p=0.70. The rate of any diarrhea among all pts was also similar: CASAD arm 64% vs. Placebo arm 70%. The rate of study dropout was 14% in CASAD and 38% for placebo (p=0.01; 2-sided). No differences were found in symptom burden or individual symptom items or serious adverse events. Conclusions: Compared with placebo, CASAD use was safe but ineffective in preventing diarrhea in mCRC patients treated with irinotecan-containing chemotherapy regimens. There were no favorable or unfavorable signals in terms of the patient experience related to symptoms, but there were significantly more dropouts in the placebo arm. Future CASAD trials are focused on active treatment of diarrhea. Clinical trial information: NCT00748215.

Lynch syndrome testing in ethnically diverse patients: Mutation spectrum and performance of prediction models

1546

Background: Lynch syndrome (LS) is characterized by deficiency in DNA mismatch repair (MMR). Several models can predict the probability of MMR gene mutations, but all were derived from populations in Northern Europe and America. We aimed to characterize MMR mutations and to evaluate the performance of 4 models (Leiden, MMRpredict, MMRpro, and PREMM1,2,6) in an ethnically diverse high-risk population. Methods: Mutation and pedigree data from 387 distinct probands tested for germline MMR mutations at a single center between 2003-2012 were analyzed. Mutation testing was triggered by suggestive tumor microsatellite results and/or clinical/family history. Race/ethnicity was self-reported: 84 (22%) were ethnically-diverse (African American, 19; Hispanic, 29; Asian/Arabic, 34; and other, 2) and 303 (78%) were white. Area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) for all 4 models was analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Pathogenic mutations were detected in 152 patients (39%; MLH1 in 37, MSH2/EPCAM in 84, MSH6 in 21, and PMS2 in 10). The detection rate was significantly lower in ethnically-diverse patients when compared to white patients (30 vs. 42%; p=0.04). The mutation frequency of the major MMR genes MLH1 and MSH2 differed, although the overall mutation distribution did not reach statistical significance (MLH1, 40 vs. 22%; MSH2: 36 vs. 59%; MSH6: 20 vs. 13%; and PMS2: 4 vs. 7%; p=0.10 vs. white). The Leiden, MMRpredict, MMRpro, and PREMM1,2,6 models trended toward inferior discrimination for the ethnically diverse patients, with AUCs of 0.63, 0.64, 0.63, and 0.66 respectively (vs. AUCs of 0.71, 0.69, 0.72, and 0.76 for white patients), but the difference was not statistically significant(p=0.11, 0.17, 0.09, and 0.08, respectively). Adjusting for family size did not significantly alter results. Conclusions: In ethnically-diverse patients, the overall detection rate for pathogenic MMR mutations is significantly lower, with associated differences in mutation frequencies and in predictive model performance. We caution against relying solely on predictive scores, as high-risk ethnically-diverse patients without an identified mutation may deserve to be followed as clinical LS patients.

Serum insulin to predict time to castration-resistant progression and overall survival in metastatic androgen-dependent prostate cancer (mADPCa)

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Background: Duration of response to androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) is highly variable in patients with mADPC and prognostic markers are needed. Insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia may contribute to prostate cancer progression. We hypothesized that pretreatment serum insulin levels would predict time to castration-resistant progression (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Methods: Sera from men treated on a randomized phase 3 trial of first line ADT vs. ADT plus chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed using a multiplex ELISA for cytokines and angiogenic factors (CAFs). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to identify associations between CAFs and PFS/OS. Results: 66 pts were evaluable, 86% Caucasian, median age 72 yrs, median PSA 31.5ng/mL, 77% Gleason score of ≥8, and 53% high volume metastatic disease (HVM). Thirty-five pts received ADT; 31 pts received ADT+chemo. In univariate analysis, higher pretreatment insulin and C-peptide were positively correlated with PFS, whereas higher hepatocyte-growth factor (HGF), osteopontin (OPN) and HVM were negatively correlated with PFS. In multivariate analysis, only higher insulin was associated with longer PFS (HR=0.72, 95%CI 1.32 -0.87; p<0.001), whereas higher HGF and OPN were associated with reduced PFS (HR=1.82, 95%CI 0.59-2.83, p<0.01 and HR=1.81, 95%CI 1.18-2.47, p<0.001, respectively). Higher Insulin and Program Death 1 (PD1) were associated with longer OS on multivariate analysis (HR=0.78 p<0.02 and HR=0.55 p<0.02, respectively), whereas HVM and higher OPN were associated with reduced OS (HR=2.28 p<0.01 and HR=1.60 p<0.02). Using low insulin, high HGF and high OPN as 3 independent risk factors (RF), 3 distinct risk groups could predict PFS: good (zero RF), intermediate (1 or 2 RF) and poor risk (3 RF), with median PFS of 6.90, 1.97, and 0.86 years, respectively (p<0.001). Conclusions: Higher pretreatment insulin was associated with prolonged PFS and OS in men with mADPC treated with ADT. Our data suggest that insulin levels are a biomarker for sensitivity to ADT and highlight the complex interactions between metabolism and PCa progression.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy with concurrent full-dose gemcitabine for locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a pilot trial demonstrating safety

Background

Concurrent chemoradiation is a standard option for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Concurrent conventional radiation with full-dose gemcitabine has significant toxicity. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) may provide the opportunity to administer radiation in a shorter time frame with similar efficacy and reduced toxicity. This Pilot study assessed the safety of concurrent full-dose gemcitabine with SBRT for LAPC.

Methods

Patients received gemcitabine, 1000 mg/m² for 6 cycles. During week 4 of cycle 1, patients received SBRT (25 Gy delivered in five consecutive daily fractions of 5 Gy prescribed to the 75-83% isodose line). Acute and late toxicities were assessed using NIH CTCAE v3. Tumor response was assessed by RECIST. Patients underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy at baseline, 2, and 6 months to assess the duodenal mucosa. Quality of life (QoL) data was collected before and after treatment using the QLQ-C30 and QLQ-PAN26 questionnaires.

Results

Between September 2009 and February 2011, 11 patients enrolled with one withdrawal during radiation therapy. Patients had grade 1 to 2 gastrointestinal toxicity from the start of SBRT to 2 weeks after treatment. There were no grade 3 or greater radiation-related toxicities or delays for cycle 2 of gemcitabine. On endoscopy, there were no grade 2 or higher mucosal toxicities. Two patients had a partial response. The median progression free and overall survival were 6.8 and 12.2 months, respectively. Global QoL did not change between baseline and immediately after radiation treatment.

Conclusions

SBRT with concurrent full dose gemcitabine is safe when administered to patients with LAPC. There is no delay in administration of radiation or chemotherapy, and radiation is completed with minimal toxicity.

Characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation (sRCC)

401

Background: sRCC is an aggressive subset of renal cell carcinomas that is associated with poor prognosis. We describe clinical and pathological characteristics and outcomes of the largest single-institutional cohort of patients with sRCC who underwent nephrectomy. Methods: Data were collected from 1986 to 2011 for patients identified as having sRCC. 221 patients with complete data who underwent a radical or partial nephrectomy and had a sarcomatoid component in the primary kidney tumor were included in the analysis. Clinical and pathologic variables were reviewed and Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare differences in overall survival. Results: Mean age at diagnosis was 57 years and median tumor size was 11 cm (range 1.5-27.0 cm). 93% of patients were symptomatic at presentation and 96% had an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1. 12 patients had a preoperative biopsy that showed sRCC. 75% of patients were pT3 or higher at time of nephrectomy and 69% presented with metastatic disease. Of these, 11.8% had radiographic evidence of regional nodal involvement alone and 88.2% had distant metastatic disease. The associated epithelial component was clear cell in 72% of the patients, papillary in 12.7% and chromophobe in 3.1%. 29 patients received presurgical systemic therapy, while 161 patients received postoperative systemic therapy. During a median follow-up of 20.5 months, 187 patients (84%) died. Overall survival for the entire cohort at 1 year was 48%. Overall 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates for patients with metastatic disease at presentation versus no metastatic disease were 36, 20, and 16% versus 74, 51, and 44% respectively (p < 0.001). Patients with clear cell RCC epithelial component had a survival advantage over those with non-clear cell components with 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates of 52, 34, and 31% versus 38, 19, and 12% (p = 0.0057). Conclusions: The majority of patients with sRCC who underwent nephrectomy present with metastatic disease and outcomes are dismal despite surgical intervention and multimodal therapy. Overall survival is better for patients who present without metastatic disease and have clear cell histology at time of nephrectomy.