Influence of co-morbidity on renal function assessment by Cockcroft–Gault calculation in lung cancer and mesothelioma patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy

Pharmacokinetic considerations in geriatric cancer patients

Pharmacological anticancer therapy in elderly people has to account for pharmacokinetic aspects in view of age-related changes in organ function and disease-related alterations. Age-related changes in organ function might still be physiological and have to be discriminated from concomitant diseases and their pharmacotherapy. Although efficacy is retained with pharmacological anticancer therapies in elderly patients, plasma drug concentrations and the incidence of adverse reactions often increase. Thus, altered organ function in elderly will be reviewed with respect to clinically relevant outcomes. Furthermore, possible consequences of therapeutic drug monitoring will be discussed focusing on novel targeted therapies with small molecules. Examples of therapeutic drug monitoring during targeted therapies may represent an easy tool to overcome the individual pharmacokinetic situation of elderly cancer patients and may contribute to enhanced safety, when implemented in clinical routine.

Age-dependent error in creatinine clearance estimated by Cockcroft-Gault equation for the elderly patients in a Japanese hospital: a cross-sectional study

The aim of this study is to assess the accuracy of creatinine clearance (CCr) calculated by the Cockcroft-Gault (CG) equation for elderly patients in a Japanese hospital. This study was a retrospective chart review of patients aged ≥ 55 years with a CCr measurement by a 24-h urine collection (24-h) prior to general surgery in our hospital between April 2009 and March 2017. In total, 1028 Japanese patients were included (mean age 73.0 ± 8.9 years). The serum creatinine value was 0.82 ± 0.24 mg/dL. The CCr estimated by CG and measured by 24 h was 64.2 ± 20.9 mL/min and 71.5 ± 21.0 mL/min, respectively. The CG CCr was significantly underestimated in patients aged ≥ 65 years, and the discrepancy exhibited an age-dependent character. The error was reached at 21.7 ± 13.2 mL/min in patients aged ≥ 90 years (P < 0.001). The age-dependent errors almost completely disappeared when the modified CG equation was used, in which the term of age in the original CG equation was constantly regarded as 65, if the patient was 65 years or older. Anesthesiologists and intensivists should pay attention to the potential risk of underestimating kidney function when using the CG equation for Japanese elderly patients.

[Impact of lung cancer treatments on renal function]

INTRODUCTION

Renal failure in patients with lung cancer may be multifactorial: related to the patients and their comorbidities, direct tumor compression or the toxicity of cancer treatments and other associated medications. This literature review is intended to describe the state of knowledge regarding the nephrotoxicity of treatments used in thoracic oncology.

FINDINGS

The majority of chemotherapy treatments are potentially nephrotoxic. Cisplatin and pemetrexed exhibit mainly renal tubular toxicity, while vascular renal impairment is found with gemcitabine and bevacizumab. Cisplatin results in acute renal failure in 30% of patients. Renal protective strategies (compliance with recommendations, limitation of nephrotoxic treatments, hydration, magnesium supplementation) must be employed systematically. Targeted therapies do not require any adjustment of the dosage in case of moderate or severe renal insufficiency but adapting the doses of biphosphonates to renal function is necessary.

CONCLUSION

This review highlights the need for monitoring of renal function in patients with lung cancer during treatment with chemotherapy or biphosphonates.

Correlation of Cystatin-C and radionuclidic measurement method of glomerular filtration rate in patients with lung cancer receiving cisplatin treatment

OBJECTIVE

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent which affects renal functions adversely. The best indicator of renal functions is glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measurement. Cystatin-C appears to be a good alternative to existing methods of measuring GFR. However, it is controversial whether Cystatin-C demonstrates GFR correctly for patients receiving chemotherapy. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between GFR values calculated by Cystatin-C based formulas, radionuclidic method (multiple blood sampling) and blood Cystatin-C values in patients with lung cancer, receiving cisplatin treatment in both pre-treatment and post-treatment periods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-six patients with lung cancer who were going to receive cisplatin treatment were included in this study. However, the evaluation was performed with 20 patients since 16 of them could not complete the treatment. Blood Cystatin-C values, GFR values calculated via Cystatin-C based formulas, and radionuclidic method were investigated before and after the cisplatin treatment.

RESULTS

After treatment significant decreases were detected in GFR values, obtained via radionuclidic measuring method. However, there was no significant difference in Cystatin-C values between pre-treatment and post-treatment periods. Also GFR values obtained by Cystatin-C based formulas were not significantly different in pre-treatment and post-treatment periods. There were meaningful correlations between radionuclidic method and Cystatin-C values and Cystatin-C based formulas before treatment. However, all correlations disappeared after the treatment.

CONCLUSION

GFR values, calculated by Cystatin-C may not be reliable in following renal functions in patients receiving chemotherapy. When reliable monitoring of the renal functions is necessary radionuclidic method may be preferred in these patients.

Estimation of renal function in lung cancer patients

INTRODUCTION

In lung cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, renal function is an important parameter to be monitored. Since measurement of renal function with either isotope or creatinine clearance is time consuming and expensive, we evaluated which of the following equations: Cockcroft-Gault (CG), Wright, modification of diet in renal disease equation (MDRD), MDRD adjusted for body surface area (BSA) and chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration (CKD-EPI) best resembles endogenous creatinine clearance (ECC) and could therefore replace its measurement in clinical practice.

METHODS

218 lung cancer patients, who had their 24-h creatinine secretion in urine measured prior to the start of any chemotherapy, were included. Estimation of renal function was calculated and compared to ECC.

RESULTS

There were no major differences in the performance of the tested equations. Mean percentage error of more than 20% and general underestimation was common to all equations. Wright equation performed best although it describes only 43% of ECC variability. Mean measured ECC was 94 mL/min (95% confidence interval [CI]: 90-98 mL/min) and 90 mL/min for Wright equation (95% CI: 87-93 mL/min) (Supp. Fig. 3). MDRD and CKD-EPI equation performed poorest since they do not include any body size descriptor. Large deviations of differences were observed, with a median standard deviation of more than 20% and deviations from ECC exceeding 100%. Wright equation performed best, whereas, despite their leading role in the detection of renal diseases, the MDRD and CKD-EPI equation performed poorest since they do not include any body size descriptor. In the range of ECC<50 mL/(min×1.73 m(2)), the CG equation most often detected a contraindication for cisplatin use. Differences between ECC and calculated values correlated with patients' weight, BSA and body mass index when these were not included in the equation itself.

CONCLUSIONS

In evaluating the renal function of lung cancer patients, equations adjusted for body size descriptors should be preferred. Estimated renal function should be interpreted against the characteristics of patient's body size and special attention is needed when these are reaching the extremes.