1
|
Baretti M, Karunasena E, Zahurak M, Walker R, Zhao Y, Pisanic TR, Wang TH, Greten TF, Duffy AG, Gootjes E, Meijer G, Verheul HMW, Ahuja N, Herman JG, Azad NS. A phase 2 trial of gemcitabine and docetaxel in patients with metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma with methylated checkpoint with forkhead and ring finger domain promoter and/or microsatellite instability phenotype. Clin Transl Sci 2021; 14:954-963. [PMID: 33811727 PMCID: PMC8212722 DOI: 10.1111/cts.12960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract We previously reported CHFR methylation in a subset of colorectal cancer (CRC; ∼30%) with high concordance with microsatellite instability (MSI). We also showed that CHFR methylation predicted for sensitivity to docetaxel, whereas the MSI‐high phenotypes were sensitive to gemcitabine. We hypothesized that this subset of patients with CRC would be selectively sensitive to gemcitabine and docetaxel. We enrolled a Phase 2 trial of gemcitabine and docetaxel in patients with MSI‐high and/or CHFR methylated CRC. The primary objective was Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 response rate. Enrolled patients were treated with gemcitabine 800 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 and docetaxel 70 mg/m2 on day 8 of each 21‐day cycle. A total of 6 patients with CHFR‐methylated, MSI‐high CRC were enrolled from September 2012 to August 2016. The study was closed in September of 2017 due to poor accrual prior to reaching the first interim assessment of response rate, which would have occurred at 10 patients. No RECIST criteria tumor responses were observed, with 3 patients (50%) having stable disease as best response, 1 lasting more than 9 months. Median progression‐free survival (PFS) was 1.79 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.28, not available [NA]) and median overall survival (OS) was 15.67 months (95% CI = 4.24, NA). Common grade 3 toxicities were lymphopenia (67%), leukopenia (33%), and anemia (33%). Although negative, this study establishes a proof‐of‐concept for the implementation of epigenetic biomarkers (CHFR methylation/MSI) as inclusion criteria in a prospective clinical trial to optimize combinatorial strategies in the era of personalized medicine. Study Highlights WHAT IS THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE ON THE TOPIC?
CHFR silencing via DNA methylation has been suggested to be predictive of taxane sensitivity in diverse tumors. The frequent association of CHFR methylation with microsatellite instability (MSI) suggested a possible combination therapy with gemcitabine, because the MSI phenotype may result in sensitivity to nucleoside analogues.
WHAT QUESTION DID THIS STUDY ADDRESS?
We hypothesized that metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), which have CHFR methylation and MSI phenotype were sensitive to gemcitabine and docetaxel, and have designed this Phase 2 trial in biomarker‐selected mCRC to test this prediction.
WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD TO OUR KNOWLEDGE?
The study enrolled a molecularly defined subgroup of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and showed that the combination is safe in this population. Nevertheless, due to poor enrollment and early termination, no conclusions on the primary and secondary end points could be made.
HOW MIGHT THIS CHANGE CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OR TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE?
This study supports the feasibility of implementing DNA methylation markers in a prospective clinical trial and further efforts toward their application as predictive biomarkers for therapeutic agents in defined subsets of patients are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marina Baretti
- Johns Hopkins Medicine Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Enusha Karunasena
- Johns Hopkins Medicine Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Marianna Zahurak
- Department of Oncology, Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Rosalind Walker
- Johns Hopkins Medicine Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yang Zhao
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas R Pisanic
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tza-Huei Wang
- Johns Hopkins Institute for NanoBioTechnology, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Tim F Greten
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Austin G Duffy
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Elske Gootjes
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, location VUMC, Amsterdam and Radboud UMC, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerrit Meijer
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, location VUMC, Amsterdam and Radboud UMC, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Henk M W Verheul
- Amsterdam University Medical Center, location VUMC, Amsterdam and Radboud UMC, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nita Ahuja
- Oncology and Pathology, Smilow Cancer Hospital, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - James G Herman
- Department of Medicine, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Nilofer S Azad
- Johns Hopkins Medicine Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
Despite considerable progress over the past two decades in the management of advanced ovarian cancer, the majority of patients with this type of malignancy still die from their disease, and the search for new and improved first-line and salvage chemotherapy regimens continues. As part of this work, the antitumour activity and effect on survival of new chemotherapy combinations containing the novel taxane docetaxel are being explored. Dual therapy with docetaxel plus a camptothecin (a topoisomerase inhibitor) has shown promise in second-line treatment, and preliminary data indicate good activity of docetaxel in combination with gemcitabine. Triple-therapy studies have produced mixed results, but encouraging activity has been reported when the anthracycline, epirubicin, is added to docetaxel and carboplatin – sequential therapy with docetaxel, cisplatin and epirubicin is currently being assessed. Combinations of docetaxel, carboplatin and gemcitabine may also be of future interest. Early efficacy and tolerability results with novel combination chemotherapy regimens involving docetaxel thus offer the promise of additional progress in the chemotherapy of advanced ovarian cancer, and further trials should be encouraged.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J U Mäenpää
- Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ganjoo KN, Gordon MS, Sandler AB, Warner RE, Fife K, Poirier S, Seshadri R, Loehrer PJ. A phase I study of weekly gemcitabine and docetaxel in patients with advanced cancer: a Hoosier Oncology Group Study. Oncology 2002; 62:299-304. [PMID: 12138236 DOI: 10.1159/000065060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of weekly gemcitabine plus docetaxel, a dose escalation trial of both drugs was developed with each administered weekly for 3 weeks out of 4. PATIENTS AND METHODS Dose levels for gemcitabine (mg/m(2)) and docetaxel (mg/m(2)) were as follows: level 1: 600/25; level 2: 600/35; level 3: 750/35; and level 4: 900/35. Sixteen patients with adequate renal, hepatic, and hematologic function and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 were treated. Primary sites included pancreas (12) and others (4). RESULTS Three patients were treated at each dose level from level 1 through level 4. The dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was neutropenia, the maximum tolerated dose being 750 mg/m(2) of gemcitabine and 35 mg/m(2) of docetaxel. No grade 4 nonhematologic toxicity was seen. Three patients had grade 4 neutropenia. Of the 12 patients with pancreatic cancer, 1 had a partial remission and 7 had stable disease with a median duration of 8 weeks. CONCLUSIONS Gemcitabine and docetaxel can be safely administered weekly at a dose of 750 and 35 mg/m(2), respectively. The DLT was neutropenia. Disease stabilization suggests that this may be an active regimen in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristen N Ganjoo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Indiana University and The Walther Cancer Institute, Indianapolis, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
Palliative treatment is often the only remaining option in the management of pancreatic carcinoma, but its efficacy is poor due to low tumor sensitivity and inadequate treatment protocols. There are several options of palliative treatment with antitumor or supportive intention. Classical end points of palliative treatment are survival, tumor response, and quality of life. A decade ago, palliative chemotherapy consisted mainly of 5-fluorouracil as the standard agent in combination with either other agents and/or radiotherapy. Only the new antineoplastic drug gemcitabine, which was introduced simultaneously with the definition of novel end points of chemotherapy such as clinical benefit, allowed to achieve some progress. However, while gemcitabine monotherapy appeared to be superior to 5-fluorouracil and improved important parameters of quality of life, it could not provide a significant improvement of survival. A novel concept, therefore, is to improve this beneficial cytostatic response in pancreatic carcinoma using a gemcitabine-based protocol by combining it with antineoplastic drugs such as taxanes or platin analogs. This strategy may have the potential to improve the outcome in palliative chemotherapy of pancreatic carcinoma patients with advanced tumor growth or metastases. Best supportive care in pancreatic cancer consists of the treatment of symptoms, such as pain, jaundice, duodenal obstruction, weight loss, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and tumor-associated depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Ridwelski
- Division of Oncosurgery/Oncology, Department of Surgery, University Hospital, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Briasoulis E, Froudarakis M, Milionis HJ, Peponis I, Constantopoulos S, Pavlidis N. Chemotherapy-induced noncardiogenic pulmonary edema related to gemcitabine plus docetaxel combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support. Respiration 2001; 67:680-3. [PMID: 11124653 DOI: 10.1159/000056300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Several cancer therapeutic agents have been associated with pulmonary toxicity. Herein, we describe the case of a 73-year-old woman with breast cancer metastatic to the liver, who developed noncardiogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) while on treatment with gemcitabine plus docetaxel combination with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support. Gemcitabine, a deoxycytidine analogue, is reported to produce mild self-limiting and only occasionally severe pulmonary toxicity. The microtubule stabilizer docetaxel has been associated with water retention complications. The combination of these two agents has shown promising activity in several solid tumors and is in a phase of clinical development with prophylactic G-CSF in most of the trials due to the high rate of dose-limiting neutropenia observed with this combination. In our case pulmonary toxicity resolved rapidly following the administration of corticosteroids. A possible deleterious synergy of the compounds involved in this case is discussed and the medical literature on NPE related to cancer therapy is shortly reviewed. We conclude that NPE should always be considered in patients with respiratory function deterioration while on therapy with the gemcitabine-docetaxel combination and G-CSF. Corticosteroids can provide maximum benefit if started early upon diagnosis coupled with withdrawal of the causative drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E Briasoulis
- Department of Medical Oncology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|