Predicting genitourinary toxicity in patients receiving cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy: a Cancer and Leukemia Group B study

Tolerance to Chemotherapy in Elderly Patients with Cancer

Background

Due to demographic changes, the number of elderly people with cancer will increase in the next decades. In the past, elderly patients with cancer were often excluded from clinical trials. Chronological age has been considered a risk factor for increased toxicity and reduced tolerance to chemotherapy.

Methods

We present a review on toxicity of chemotherapy and factors associated with toxicity in elderly patients with cancer, and we discuss chemotherapeutic agents and treatment options in treating this patient population.

Results

Age is a risk factor for increased toxicity to chemotherapy and decreased tolerance. However, few trials have been reported with adjustment for age-associated changes such as impairment of functional status and increased comorbidity, which also show an independent association with increased toxicity. Published data may include several biases, such as referral and publication bias.

Conclusions

Decision making in elderly cancer patients should be based on the results of a geriatric assessment. Patients with few or no limitations should be treated as younger patients are treated. Data with a high level of evidence are unavailable for patients showing moderate or severe limitations in a geriatric assessment.

Bodyweight change during the first 5 days of chemotherapy as an indicator of cisplatin renal toxicity

To determine whether bodyweight (BW) loss, daily urine volume (UV) or furosemide use are associated with cisplatin nephrotoxicity, performance status, serum chemistries before treatment, average daily UV, maximum BW loss and use of furosemide on days 1-5 of chemotherapy were evaluated retrospectively in chemotherapy-naive patients with thoracic malignancies who had received 80 mg/m(2) cisplatin. Associations between these parameters and the worst serum creatinine levels (group 1, grade 0-1; and group 2, grade 2-3) during the first cycle were evaluated. Of the 417 patients (327 men and 90 women; median age, 59 years), 390 were categorized into group 1 and 27 were categorized into group 2. More women and older patients were observed in group 2 than in group 1 (11.1 vs 5.2%, P = 0.044, and 65 vs 59 years, P = 0.041, respectively). The median average daily UV was 3902 mL in group 1 and 3600 mL in group 2 (P = 0.021). A maximum BW loss > or 2.1 kg was noted in 4.4% of patients in group 1 and 18.5% of patients in group 2 (P = 0.006). Furosemide was used in 206 (49.4%) patients. The median total dose of furosemide in groups 1 and 2 were 0 mg and 26 mg, respectively (P = 0.024). A multivariate analysis showed that a maximum BW loss > or = 2.1 kg and the total furosemide dose were significantly associated with group category. In conclusion, BW loss and total furosemide dose were associated with cisplatin nephrotoxicity.

Comparative adverse effect profiles of platinum drugs

Since the discovery of the biologically active platinum complexes 30 years ago, 2 agents have become widely established in clinical oncology practice. Both cisplatin and carboplatin are platinum(II) complexes with 2 ammonia groups in the cis- position. However, they differ in their solubility, chemical reactivity, dichloride or alicyclic oxygenated leaving groups, pharmacokinetics and toxicology. Cisplatin causes severe renal tubular damage and reduces glomerular filtration, and requires concurrent saline hydration and mannitol diuresis to eliminate potentially lethal and unacceptable damage to the kidneys. Carboplatin, at conventional doses, causes no decrease in glomerular filtration and only minor transient elevations in urinary enzymes. Cisplatin is the most emetic cancer drug in common use, while nausea and vomiting associated with carboplatin are moderately severe. Serotonin release from enterochromaffin gut mucosal cells and stimulation of serotonin 5-HT3-receptors mediates acute emesis. Selective inhibitors of the 5-HT3-receptor protect against cisplatin- and carboplatin-induced nausea and vomiting. Peripheral neurotoxicity is the most dose-limiting problem associated with cisplatin. Loss of vibration sense, paraesthesia and sensory ataxia comes on after several treatment cycles. Carboplatin, however, is relatively free from peripheral neurotoxicity. Audiometry shows cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in 75 to 100% of patients, which may be associated with tinnitus and hearing loss. Ototoxicity is rare with conventional dose carboplatin therapy. Monitoring hearing with audiograms may identify early signs before significant impairment occurs. Cisplatin causes mild haematological toxicity to all 3 blood lineages. Haematological toxicity is dose-limiting for carboplatin, with thrombocytopenia being a greater problem than leucopenia. Although carboplatin is not toxic to the kidney, renal function markedly affects the severity of carboplatin-induced thrombocytopenia. The major clearance mechanism of cisplatin is irreversible binding in plasma and tissues, while carboplatin is cleared by glomerular filtration. Metabolism of cisplatin to aqua, amino acid and protein species is extensive, whereas carboplatin exists mainly as the free unchanged form. Strong relationships between carboplatin renal clearance, glomerular filtration rate, area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) of filterable platinum and severity of thrombocytopenia have prompted dose adjustment according to renal function. New analogues such as JM216 offer the potential advantages of oral administration and few nonhaematological toxicities. Analogues based on the diaminocyclohexane ligand have encountered problematic neurotoxicity.