Feasibility of combination chemotherapy with cisplatin and etoposide for haemodialysis patients with lung cancer

Systemic Treatment for Gynecological Cancer Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Gynecological cancer poses a serious threat to women's health. Chemotherapy-based systemic therapy plays a crucial role in the treatment of gynecological cancers. Many systemic therapeutic drugs are metabolized in the kidneys. Therefore, normal renal function is a prerequisite for gynecological tumor patients to complete the full course of systematic treatment and provide a guarantee for achieving an ideal prognosis. Chronic kidney disease often places restrictions on systematic treatment to different extents, such as influencing drug pharmacokinetics, increasing drug toxicity, and the risk of adverse drug reactions. Unfortunately, women undergoing renal replacement have a higher risk of developing gynecological cancers. This article summarizes the current knowledge on systemic treatment drugs for patients with gynecological cancer undergoing dialysis. We discuss the optimal choice of the systematic therapeutic protocol, administration of form and dosage, and window of chemotherapy during hemodialysis sessions to ensure both effectiveness and safety in gynecological cancer patients.

Hodgkin Lymphoma on Hemodialysis: A Review of Treatment and Recommendations

Chemotherapy for classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) patients on hemodialysis (HD) is an extremely challenging situation because pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of most chemotherapeutics are lacking for the HD patient, and the small amount of evidence available comes mostly from case reports and small case series. In this review, we provide recommendations based on treatment experience of cHL patients on HD in the literature. HD patients undergoing chemotherapy are at risk of overdose and toxicities because many drugs are significantly eliminated by the kidneys, and at the same time, are at risk of undertreatment because many drugs are removed by HD. Therefore, dose modifications and timing of drug administration in relation to HD sessions must be carefully planned according to the distinct traits of each chemotherapeutic. We carried out an exhaustive literature review of reports of actual administrations of chemotherapeutics to cHL on HD, and also extrapolated data from reports of the same chemotherapeutics that were administered to HD patients with malignancies other than cHL. We summarized the information found in the literature, and provide practical and balanced recommendations concerning dose modifications and optimal timing of drug administration in relation to HD sessions for each chemotherapeutic. Chemotherapy regimens and individual chemotherapeutics studied in this review include ABVD (doxorubicin + bleomycin + vinblastine + dacarbazine), BEACOPP (bleomycin + etoposide + doxorubicin + cyclophosphamide + vincristine + procarbazine + prednisolone), MOPP (mechlorethamine + vincristine + procarbazine + prednisolone), gemcitabine, vinorelbine, brentuximab vedotin, and PD-1 inhibitors (nivolumab and pembrolizumab).

Delivering Chemotherapy to a Metastatic Poor Risk Testicular Cancer Patient on Hemodialysis

A standard curative intent approach of chemotherapy treatment for metastatic testicular cancer has been well established. However, there is little guidance for patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) who require chemotherapy for this disease. Thus, we describe our treatment approach and rationale for a patient on HD with poor risk metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumor involving the testicle, lymph nodes, liver, and bone. After orchiectomy, five cycles of cisplatin and modified dose etoposide were delivered and strategically timed with HD. Treatment was complicated by significant neuropathy. Surgical resection of two liver lesions was performed after chemotherapy. Ten years post-chemotherapy, he remains free of clinical, biochemical, or radiological recurrence. While our patient remains free of disease after this treatment, the optimal chemotherapy and dialysis dose and schedule to maximize cure and minimize toxicity remains unknown.

Cancer Drug Dosing in Chronic Kidney Disease and Dialysis

Patients with malignancies have a high prevalence of kidney disease and are often treated with antineoplastic agents that undergo kidney metabolism or excretion or clearance via renal replacement therapies. Thus, the dosing of these agents, including classic chemotherapeutic drugs, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy, must take into account patients' kidney function. In this review, we will discuss the pitfalls of accurate measurement of kidney function and how kidney disease affects both pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of drugs. Lastly, we will discuss specific agents and summarize current dosing strategies for use in patients with chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease.

Chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the hemodialysis patient: A comprehensive review

Chemotherapy for non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the hemodialysis (HD) patient is a challenging situation. Because many drugs are predominantly eliminated by the kidneys, chemotherapy in the HD patient requires special considerations concerning dose adjustments to avoid overdose and toxicities. Conversely, some drugs are removed by HD and may expose the patient to undertreatment, therefore the timing of drug administration in relation to HD sessions must be carefully planned. Also, the metabolites of some drugs show different toxicities and dialysability as compared with the parent drug, therefore this must also be catered for. However, the pharmacokinetics of many chemotherapeutics and their metabolites in HD patients are unknown, and the fact that NHL patients are often treated with distinct multiagent chemotherapy regimens makes the situation more complicated. In a realm where uncertainty prevails, case reports and case series reporting on actual treatment and outcomes are extremely valuable and can aid physicians in decision making from drug selection to dosing. We carried out an exhaustive review of the literature and adopted 48 manuscripts consisting of 66 HD patients undergoing 71 chemotherapy regimens for NHL, summarized the data, and provide recommendations concerning dose adjustments and timing of administration for individual chemotherapeutics where possible. The chemotherapy regimens studied in this review include, but are not limited to, rituximab, cyclophosphamide + vincristine + prednisolone (CVP) and cyclophosphamide + doxorubicin + vincristine + prednisolone (CHOP)‐like regimens, chlorambucil, ibrutinib, bendamustine, methotrexate, platinum compounds, cytarabine, gemcitabine, etoposide, ifosfamide, melphalan, busulfan, fludarabine, mogamulizumab, brentuximab vedotin, and ⁹⁰Y‐ibritumomab tiuxetan.

Diversity of dose-individualization and therapeutic drug monitoring practices of platinum compounds: a review

Introduction: Platinum-derived drugs are commonly used for the treatment of solid tumors. The differences in chemical structures of these molecules lead to different pharmacological properties, in terms of indication, efficacy, and toxicity. Their pharmacokinetics (PK) differ according to their respective renal elimination and have led to many studies investigating their dose optimization. Area covered: This review attempts to summarize and compare PK and pharmacodynamics of cisplatin, carboplatin, and oxaliplatin, with an emphasis on differences of dose calculations and opportunities for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in various patient populations. Expert opinion: Although cisplatin and carboplatin can be considered as analogs since they share the same DNA interacting properties, the slower hydrolysis of the latter results in a better safety profile. Carboplatin is the only drug in oncology to be administrated according to a target area under the curve of concentration versus time, considering that its PK variability is almost fully explained by renal function, not by body size. This enables individual dosing based on predicted carboplatin clearance (along with patients renal characteristics) or on actual clearance with TDM, especially in a high-dose protocol.

Successful treatment of a patient with small cell lung cancer receiving hemodialysis, with concurrent oral etoposide and radiotherapy: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy that progresses rapidly and easily relapses. To the best of our knowledge, advances have been minimal for decades and the first-line treatment is still platinum-etoposide and radiotherapy. However, elderly patients with severe renal failure who suffer from SCLC usually show more serious drug-related side effects. A large proportion of them cannot tolerate the standard treatment, and their prognosis is poorer compared with that of younger patients. Presently, oral etoposide capsules may be accepted as a replaceable option. We report the case of a male patient with SCLC on hemodialysis who was successfully treated with concurrent oral etoposide monotherapy and radiotherapy and achieved excellent outcomes.

PATIENT'S CONCERNS

A 63-year-old man with severe renal failure was diagnosed with SCLC.

PRIMARY DIAGNOSES

SCLC was diagnosed using transbronchial biopsy.

INTERVENTIONS

He received concomitant single-agent oral etoposide (6 cycles) and local radiotherapy. Etoposide 100 mg once daily combined with thoracic radiation treatment (2 Gy/f, total DT: 50 Gy/25 f), was subsequently followed by prophylactic cranial irradiation plus anlotinib.

OUTCOMES

The patient achieved complete response after 1 cycle and the subsequent treatment was effective without any kidney damage and other severe side effects.

CONCLUSION

Though etoposide capsule is an old drug, its use should be considered in SCLC patients with renal insufficiency undergoing hemodialysis. However, treatment guidelines and research data for such patients are still lacking and further studies are needed. Although recent research focuses mainly on new drugs, some old drugs like etoposide which can bring unexpected positive effects should not be neglected.

Limitations of Systemic Oncological Therapy in Breast Cancer Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy, affecting middle-age and older women frequently suffering from other chronic diseases, including chronic kidney disease. The risk of breast cancer development in women on renal replacement therapy (peritoneal dialysis and haemodialysis) is higher than in the general population. Chronic kidney disease does not limit surgical treatment or radiotherapy; however, it affects the pharmacokinetics of drugs used in the systematic treatment to a different extent, increasing their toxicity and the risk of adverse drug reactions. This article summarizes the current knowledge (published studies accessed through PUBMED) on drugs used in chemotherapy, hormone therapy, anti-HER2 drugs, CDK4/6 inhibitors, PARP inhibitors, and immune therapy in breast cancer patients undergoing dialysis. We discuss the data, the optimal choice of the chemotherapeutic protocol, and the administration of drugs in a specific time relation to the haemodialysis session to ensure the most effective and safe treatment to breast cancer patients.

Decreased Disposition of Anticancer Drugs Predominantly Eliminated via the Liver in Patients with Renal Failure

Background:

Evidence has revealed that renal impairment can affect the systemic exposure of drugs which are predominantly eliminated via the liver. The modulation of drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters expressed in the liver and/or small intestine by diverse entities, including uremic toxins, in systemic circulation of patients with severe renal failure is considered as the cause of atypical pharmacokinetics, which sometimes induce undesirable adverse events that are especially critical for drugs with narrow therapeutic window such as anticancer drugs. A dosing strategy for anticancer drugs in these patients needs to be established.

Methods:

The effects of renal impairment on the systemic exposure and safety of anticancer drugs were summarized. The proposed mechanisms for the alterations in the pharmacokinetics of these anticancer drugs were also discussed.

Results:

Changes in pharmacokinetics and clinical response were reported in 9 out of 10 cytotoxic anticancer drugs investigated, although available information was limited and sometimes controversial. Systemic exposure of 3 out of 16 tyrosine kinase inhibitors was higher in patients with severe renal failure than that in patients with normal kidney function. An increase in systemic exposure of anticancer drugs in patients with renal impairment is likely to be observed for substrates of OATP1B1, despite the limited evidence.

Conclusion:

The molecular basis for the effect of uremia on non-renal drug elimination still needed to be clarified with further studies to generate generalizable concepts, which may provide insights into establishing better clinical usage of anticancer drugs, i.e. identifying patients at risk and dose adjustment.

Dose modifications and pharmacokinetics of adjuvant cisplatin monotherapy while on hemodialysis for patients with hepatoblastoma

Hepatoblastoma can be associated with chronic kidney disease and genitourinary anomalies. Cisplatin is a key agent for treating hepatoblastoma but renal clearance and toxicity can limit its use in end-stage renal disease. We present pharmacokinetic data and clinical outcomes using cisplatin on hemodialysis for three patients with hepatoblastoma. All patients were initially treated with surgery and adjuvant cisplatin [1.67 mg/kg (2 patients) or 50 mg/m² (1 patient)]. The patient treated with body surface area-based dosing had higher exposures and ototoxicity. Treating hepatoblastoma with cisplatin on hemodialysis using 1.67 mg/kg achieved clinical efficacy with minimal morbidity.

Pharmacokinetics of cisplatin in an esophageal cancer patient on hemodialysis who was treated with a full-dose cisplatin-fluorouracil regimen: A case report

Introduction

Cancer patients undergoing hemodialysis might be under-treated because the pharmacokinetics of anti-cancer drugs in such patients remain unknown and out of concern related to the potential development of severe adverse effects. However, patients with chemosensitive cancer, such as esophageal cancer, should receive chemotherapy at a dose that is sufficient to attain a favorable therapeutic effect. We herein present an interesting case involving an esophageal cancer patient who was successfully treated with subtotal thoracic esophagectomy, and adjuvant full-dose chemotherapy with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil while concomitantly undergoing hemodialysis. We carried out a pharmacokinetics analysis of cisplatin, and also conducted a systematic review on the dose and pharmacokinetics.

Case report

A 57-year-old male patient with esophageal cancer who was undergoing hemodialysis was referred to our hospital. He underwent subtotal thoracic esophagectomy. The pathological diagnosis was T1b, N2 (5/26), M0, ly2, v2, stage IIIA (Union for International Cancer Control, 8th edition). Because of the high degree of lymph node metastasis, adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin was recommended. Cisplatin (80 mg/m2) was infused intravenously within 30 min on day 1, and 5-fluorouracil (800 mg/m2) was infused continuously on days 1–5 of a 28-day cycle. Thrombocytopenia (grade 3) occurred on day 16, leucopenia (grade 3) occurred on day 23, and anemia (grade 3) occurred on day 30. The onset of hematologic toxicities was prolonged in comparison to patients with a normal renal function.

Systemic Treatments for Lung Cancer Patients Receiving Hemodialysis

Chemotherapy, and now targeted therapies and immunotherapies, are widely used for the management of patients with all stages of lung cancer. Some challenges present when patients are receiving concomitant hemodialysis for various comorbid conditions. However, this should not immediately rule out a patient for treatment. Many drugs may be safely given to patients who are receiving hemodialysis with the proper dosing schedule and careful monitoring. This article will outline the current literature surrounding the use of these drugs in patients undergoing active hemodialysis while being treated for lung cancer.

Management of patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing chemotherapy: recommendations of the Associazione Italiana di Oncologia Medica (AIOM) and the Società Italiana di Nefrologia (SIN)

Background

The overall risk of some cancers is increased in patients receiving regular dialysis treatment due to chronic oxidative stress, a weakened immune system and enhanced genomic damage. These patients could benefit from the same antineoplastic treatment delivered to patients with normal renal function, but a better risk/benefit ratio could be achieved by establishing specific guidelines. Key considerations are which chemotherapeutic agent to use, adjustment of dosages and timing of dialysis in relation to the administration of chemotherapy.

Methods

We have reviewed available data present in the literature, including recommendations and expert opinions on cancer risk and use of chemotherapeutic agents in patients with end-stage renal disease. Experts selected by the boards of the societies provided additional information which helped greatly in clarifying some issues on which clear-cut information was missing or available data were conflicting.

Results

Data on the optimal use of chemotherapeutic agents or on credible schemes of polychemotherapy in haemodialysed patients are sparse and mainly derive from case reports or small case series. However, recommendations on dosing and timing of dialysis can be proposed for the most prescribed chemotherapeutic agents.

Discussion

The use of chemotherapeutic agents as single agents, or in combination, can be safely given in patients with end-stage renal disease. Appropriate dosage adjustments should be considered based on drug dialysability and pharmacokinetics. Coordinated care between oncologists, nephrologists and pharmacists is of pivotal importance to optimise drug delivery and timing of dialysis.

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic considerations for cancer patients undergoing hemodialysis

INTRODUCTION

The increased incidence of cancer in hemodialysis patients has been discussed since the mid-70s. Today, physicians regularly encounter situations where they must manage the prescription of anticancer drugs in hemodialysis patients. Areas covered: Hemodialysis patients are at risk of dose-related toxicities due to pharmacokinetic modifications. Hemodialysis patients are at risk of therapeutic drug removal during their hemodialysis session, which may result in a loss of efficacy. In the advent of novel immunotherapies, particularly tumor vaccines, there is an increased theoretical risk of pharmacodynamic modification. Indeed, pharmacodynamic modifications have already been reported for viral vaccines. Expert opinion: It is important to consider all of the potential pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modifications before prescribing anticancer drugs in hemodialysis patients. However, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modification should not be considered a contraindication for anticancer drug use in hemodialysis patients, rather, clinicians should be aware of the need individualize treatment according to available recommendations.

A pharmacokinetic analysis of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in a patient with esophageal cancer on peritoneal dialysis

BACKGROUND

Very little is known about the pharmacokinetics of chemotherapeutic agents in patients also being treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. We sought to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil in plasma and peritoneal dialysate in a patient being treated for esophageal adenocarcinoma.

METHODS

A single patient with esophageal adenocarcinoma and on peritoneal dialysis for end-stage renal disease was treated with cisplatin 25 mg/m(2) on day 1 of weeks 1 and 5 and continuous infusional 5-fluorouracil 1000 mg/m(2)/day on days 1-4 of weeks 1 and 5 along with daily radiation therapy. Intense plasma and dialysate sampling was performed during the week 5 administration, followed by quantitation of platinum by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and 5-fluorouracil by LC-MS/MS.

RESULTS

Following systemic administration, clearance of ultrafilterable (active) platinum over the first 6 h was 20.8 L/h, which is lower than previously reported clearance levels of ultrafilterable platinum. Total platinum AUC was 131 μg h/mL, also higher than an AUC previously reported for total platinum in patients with normal renal function. Platinum-related material was detected in the peritoneal cavity, but this is likely inactive. 5-Fluorouracil penetrated the intraperitoneal cavity, but the contribution of peritoneal dialysis to drug clearance was negligible at 0.072 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Administration of intravenous cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy to a patient treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is feasible, but clearance in dialysate is nominal, thus suggesting that dose reduction is indicated for cisplatin. Systemic drug administration results in limited intraperitoneal penetration of 5-fluorouracil and inactive platinum species.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer: a morbidity limiting approach in a patient on chronic hemodialysis and double agent antiplatelet therapy

Patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis undergoing surgery for lung cancer represent a high-risk group because of electrolyte imbalance, anemia, hemodynamic instability, bleeding tendency, and immunocompromised state. We describe a patient on hemodialysis with three lung adenocarcinoma of the right lower lobe as an incidental finding during the clinical course of a myocardial infarction treated with drug-eluting stent implantation and double-agent antiplatelet therapy. Considering patient comorbidities, we decided to perform a right lower lobectomy and complete lymph node dissection by a minimally invasive technique. In our experience, the thoracoscopic approach allowed us to perform lobectomy with complete lymph nodes dissection without morbidity. The use of ultrasound scalpel permits a complete lymph node dissection minimizing bleeding even in a double antiplatelet therapy patient.

Successful treatment of mediastinal seminoma in a hemodialysis patient

BACKGROUND

Extragonadal germ cell tumors (GCTs) are relatively uncommon neoplasms, affecting primarily men during the third and fourth decades of life.

CASE REPORT

We describe an unusual case of mediastinal seminoma in a 21-year-old male on chronic peritoneal dialysis for renal failure of uncertain etiology. The patient was treated with chemotherapy consisting of etoposide and cisplatin (EP) combined with hemodialysis. Cisplatin (20 mg/m(2)), and etoposide (50 mg/m(2)) were given on days 1, 3, and 5 for induction. Hemodialysis was started 1 h after completion of etoposide infusion. Following this course of treatment, another 4 cycles of cisplatin (20 mg/m(2)), and etoposide (50 mg/m(2)) were given on successive days from day 1 to 5. Hemodialysis was carried out daily, prior to the start of chemotherapy. Subcutaneous PEG-filgrastim was given on day 6 in all cycles. The patient's status after the first post-induction treatment was complicated by a pseudomonas infection. Tumor response to chemotherapy was prompt with remission lasting to date, 17 months after diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

This case report is the second description of chemotherapy given to a hemodialysis patient with extragonadal GCT. We suggest that treatment with EP combined with hemodialysis according to the presented protocol is feasible, and may result in a favorable outcome.

[Management of chemotherapy in hemodialysis patients]

BACKGROUND

The increased incidence of cancer in dialysis patients has been discussed since the mid-70s. Consequently, oncologists, nephrologists and pharmacists are increasingly facing challenging situations of cytotoxic drug handling in dialysis patients. In dialysis patients, two main issues must be considered. First, renal function of hemodialysis (HD) patients is no longer functional. Therefore, these patients may necessitate drug dosage reduction, namely drug prescription, must be cautiously checked before administration with appropriate dosage adjustment whenever necessary to ensure efficacy while avoiding overdosage and related side effects. Secondly, drug clearance by dialysis must be taken into account for appropriate chemotherapy timing in order to avoid drug removal, which may result in a loss of efficacy.

METHODS

We reviewed the international literature on the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, tolerance and dosage adjustment of anticancer drugs used on hemodialysis cancer patients, using the key words: kidney, renal, dialysis, hemodialysis, end-stage renal disease and the name of each drug.

RESULTS

Only case reports and small series were found. 57.1% of the drugs need dosage adjustment and 64.3% should be administered after the dialysis session.

CONCLUSION

Cancer treatment in feasible in dialysis patients. Some drugs require dosage adaptation while others can be given as in patients with normal kidney function. These patients need coordinated care between oncologists, nephrologists and pharmacists to optimize drug delivery and logistics. Frailty scores, like in oncogeriatrics, should be built to optimally adapt cancer treatments in these dialysis patients.

Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis after tumor lysis syndrome in a case of advanced yolk sac tumor treated with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP) chemotherapy

Ovarian yolk sac tumor (YST) is a highly aggressive malignancy arising in young women. Chemotherapy has dramatically improved the prognosis, and bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP) combination chemotherapy appears to be the most effective combination regimen. A 23-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with worsening abdominal distention and a lower abdominal mass. She was diagnosed with a stage IIIc pure YST of the right ovary, and right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed; there were numerous disseminated peritoneal tumors within the abdominal cavity. A few days postoperatively, massive ascites developed, and right hydronephrosis occurred. Chemotherapy with BEP was started, and after 24 h of administration, oliguria and tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) developed. Continuous hemodiafiltration was started, and hemodialysis was initiated following full-dose standard cisplatin and etoposide on days 2-5 of the 1st cycle. After the electrolyte abnormalities and the elevation of creatinine became normal, the patient received an additional three cycles of BEP and achieved complete remission. However, she also suffered from severe non-hematological toxicities, including grade 3 left ventricular dysfunction and grade 4 pulmonary fibrosis. In the case of rapidly progressing and high-volume YST treated with BEP chemotherapy, special attention should be paid to bleomycin-induced pulmonary toxicity following TLS. Further study is required to optimize drug exposure to ensure efficacy and reduce the risk of side effects in this population.

A case of small-cell esophageal cancer with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis safely treated with cisplatin and etoposide

A 54-year-old male undergoing hemodialysis was admitted to our hospital because of difficulty in swallowing. Esophagography and esophageal endoscopy revealed an irregular ulcerated lesion in the cervical esophagus. It was diagnosed as a small-cell esophageal cancer from the biopsy sample. Computed tomography showed a tumor infiltrating the trachea and a few lymph node metastases in the cervix, upper mediastinum, and abdomen. The patient was started on chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) and etoposide (VP-16), which had been reported to be effective for small-cell lung cancer. The patient was treated with CDDP (80 mg/m(2)) on day 1 and VP-16 (100 mg/m(2)) on days 1, 3, and 5, every 4 weeks. On the days of chemotherapy, hemodialysis was started as soon as possible after completion of administration of the agents. No severe side effects were observed. After 4 courses of therapy, the patient achieved a partial response.

Proposal for dosage adjustment and timing of chemotherapy in hemodialyzed patients

BACKGROUND

The increased incidence of malignancies in patients with chronic renal failure has been discussed since the mid-70s. On the other hand, the high frequency of chronic renal insufficiency among cancer patients has been recently assessed in the Insuffisance Rénale et Médicaments Anticancéreux Study which demonstrated a prevalence as high as 50%-60% of the patients for all stages of kidney disease. Furthermore, the incidence of end-stage renal disease is growing worldwide and so is the number of patients on chronic dialysis, hemodialysis (HD) for the large majority of them. As a result, the question of cytotoxic drug handling in those patients in terms of dosage adjustment and time of administration regarding the dialysis sessions needs to be addressed to optimize cytotoxic drug therapy in those patients.

METHODS

We reviewed the international literature on the pharmacokinetics, efficacy, tolerance and dosage adjustment of cytotoxic drugs used to treat solid tumor patients and when available, specific literature on HD cancer patients.

RESULTS

From these data, dosing recommendations are given for the most prescribed cytotoxic drugs in clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

Dosage adjustments are often necessary in HD cancer patients. These adaptations have to be carefully carried out to optimize drug exposure, ensure efficacy and reduce the risk of side-effects.

Successful chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer in an elderly patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

A standard treatment has not yet been established for elderly small-cell lung cancer patients, especially when they have end-stage renal disease. We report the first case of successful chemoradiotherapy in an elderly small-cell lung cancer patient undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. A 77-year-old Japanese man on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis was diagnosed as having limited disease small-cell lung cancer. He received four monthly cycles of chemotherapy consisting of carboplatin at 240 mg/m(2) on day 1 and etoposide at 40 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 3. He underwent additional hemodialysis on days 1 and 3, while continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis continued as usual on the other days. Following chemotherapy, he underwent hyperfractionated radiotherapy to a total dose of 45 Grey, resulting in complete remission of the disease. A pharmacokinetic study showed an area under the concentration-time curve of carboplatin of 3.41 to 4.88 mg.min/mL, increasing gradually over the first three cycles, while etoposide did not show this gradual increase. The increased area under the concentration-time curve of carboplatin may have reflected a worsened renal function during chemotherapy. Despite dose reductions and favorable areas under the concentration-ime curve of carboplatin, the patient suffered grade 3-4 hematological toxicities, necessitating transfusions and a further dose reduction. The patient died of recurrent small-cell lung cancer 19 months after diagnosis.

Optimization of cisplatin doses in a testicular cancer patient with acute renal failure

Although testicular cancers are highly curable malignancies, conventional cisplatin based therapy often causes important toxicities, not often easily manageable. Nephrotoxicity occurs in almost all patients, and is potentialized in patients suffering from renal failure. Monitoring of residual levels of unbound platinum was used to define guidelines for cisplatin administration.

Monitoring of cisplatin was initiated in a patient treated for metastatic testicular cancer and acute renal failure. Reduced doses of cisplatin were first administered in conjunction with hemodialysis. Unbound and total platinum levels were determined by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

The data found allowed us to adapt and increase sequentially cisplatin doses, accordingly with the renal function. Full regimen doses were eventually administered when useful renal function returned. This simple approach may be useful in monitoring cisplatin administration during acute renal failure.

Successful treatment of small-cell lung cancer with irinotecan in a hemodialysis patient with end-stage renal disease

The prognosis of patients with end-stage renal disease has improved with advances in hemodialysis techniques. However, many patients who undergo hemodialysis suffer from various types of cancer. Limited data is available to guide clinical management of these patients who may have impaired renal function. Here, we report our experience with the use of irinotecan for the treatment of a hemodialysis patient with small-cell lung cancer and end-stage renal disease.

Pharmacokinetic analysis of carboplatin and etoposide in a small cell lung cancer patient undergoing hemodialysis

Cancer chemotherapy is not well established for patients on hemodialysis (HD). A 77-year-old man on HD presented with small cell lung cancer. He was treated with the combination of carboplatin and etoposide while the pharmacokinetics of the drugs were monitored. The patient showed a response with manageable toxicity and remained progression free for at least 8 months. The area under the concentration-time curve for each antitumor agent in the patient was within the therapeutic range achieved in individuals with normal renal function. Carboplatin and etoposide chemotherapy combined with HD thus allowed the drugs to achieve an appropriate area under the concentration-time curve and sufficient efficacy in a small cell lung cancer patient with chronic renal failure.

In vitro sensitivity testing of minimally passaged and uncultured gliomas with TRAIL and/or chemotherapy drugs

TRAIL/Apo-2L has shown promise as an anti-glioma drug, based on investigations of TRAIL sensitivity in established glioma cell lines, but it is not known how accurately TRAIL signalling pathways of glioma cells in vivo are reproduced in these cell lines in vitro. To replicate as closely as possible the in vivo behaviour of malignant glioma cells, 17 early passage glioma cell lines and 5 freshly resected gliomas were exposed to TRAIL-based agents and/or chemotherapeutic drugs. Normal human hepatocytes and astrocytes and established glioma cell lines were also tested. Cross-linked TRAIL, but not soluble TRAIL, killed both normal cell types and cells from three tumours. Cells from only one glioma were killed by soluble TRAIL, although only inefficiently. High concentrations of cisplatin were lethal to glioma cells, hepatocytes and astrocytes. Isolated combinations of TRAIL and chemotherapy drugs were more toxic to particular gliomas than normal cells, but no combination was generally selective for glioma cells. This study highlights the widespread resistance of glioma cells to TRAIL-based agents, but suggests that a minority of high-grade glioma patients may benefit from particular combinations of TRAIL and chemotherapy drugs. In vitro sensitivity assays may help identify effective drug combinations for individual glioma patients.

Concurrent weekly cisplatin chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a haemodialysis patient with locally advanced cervix cancer

AIMS

Concurrent cisplatin chemo-radiotherapy improves outcome in cervical carcinoma. In haemodialysis patients, cisplatin is potentially hazardous. We report the treatment of a haemodialysis patient with cervix cancer using cisplatin-based chemo-radiation. Mathematical modelling using toxicity data from a range of cisplatin dosages and schedules reported in published studies was undertaken.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The patient was treated using weekly cisplatin chemotherapy 25mg/m(2). The serum platinum levels were measured. Correlations between reported toxicity and platinum levels for a variety of cisplatin schedules in published studies were evaluated.

RESULTS

Treatment was completed with no interruptions and minimum acute toxicity. The platinum levels rose progressively. The elimination half-life was prolonged at 6.6-7.5 days. The percentage extraction varied between 7.7 and 41.0%. The cumulative cisplatin dose correlated with neurotoxicity (P=0.002). Myelotoxicity correlated with the peak cisplatin level in the first 15 days of treatment (P=0.01). With an elimination half-life of 7.5 days, 35 mg/m(2) weekly is predicted to have the same risk of myelotoxicity and neurotoxicity as 40 mg/m(2) weekly in a patient with normal renal function.

CONCLUSIONS

Weekly cisplatin chemotherapy 25mg/m(2) can be delivered safely in a haemodialysis patient. Dialysis is effective in eliminating platinum even if carried out more than 3h after infusion, but it should commence as soon as possible after cisplatin infusion, as the incidence of myelotoxicity is related to the peak platinum level.

Oncological and functional outcome of radical cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer and obstructive uropathy

PURPOSE

We present our experience with the perioperative, functional and oncological outcomes of radical cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer and obstructive uremia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From 1998 to June 2006, 58 patients with bladder cancer, and concomitant obstructive uropathy and azotemia presented to our institution. Mean +/- SD serum creatinine at presentation was 9.2 +/- 4.5 mg% (range 2.4 to 16.5). Radical cystectomy, bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy and urinary diversion were performed after stabilizing renal function with and without percutaneous nephrostomy in 28 and 8 patients, respectively. Various preoperative variables were evaluated for predicting long-term treatment failure and renal deterioration. Mean followup was 34 months.

RESULTS

Mean serum creatinine at surgery was 1.85 mg%. An ileal conduit was used in 32 patients and cutaneous ureterostomy was used in 4. One patient died of chest infection in the perioperative period. All patients had muscle invasive disease, while 15 had positive lymph nodes. At the mean followup 15 patients (41.6%) were free of disease and 21 had treatment failure. Of the factors evaluated pathological tumor stage, grade and lymph node involvement predicted the long-term oncological outcome, while serum creatinine greater than 2.5 mg% at surgery and ileal conduit diversion predicted long-term renal deterioration.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with bladder cancer who have obstructive uremia usually present with locally advanced disease. Radical cystectomy is not associated with additional morbidity, provided that patients are adequately prepared before surgery by optimizing renal function. An adequate number of these patients achieve long-term disease-free survival after radical cystectomy. As the urinary diversion of choice, an ileal conduit appears to be safe in patients with serum creatinine less than 2.5 mg% at surgery.

Systemic anticancer therapy in gynecological cancer patients with renal dysfunction

Chronic kidney disease is a common occurrence in patients with gynecological cancer. Systemic anticancer treatment in such patients is a challenge for clinicians because of altered drug pharmacokinetics. For those drugs that are excreted mainly by the kidneys, decreased renal function may lead to increased systemic exposure and increased toxicity. Dose adjustment based on pharmacokinetic changes is required in this situation to avoid life-threatening toxicity. In this review, we summarize the nephrotoxicity and pharmacokinetic data of agents commonly used in systemic anticancer treatment of gynecological cancers and dose adjustment guidelines in the presence of impaired renal function. We review 17 medications that need dose adjustment (cisplatin, carboplatin, doxorubicin, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, topotecan, irinotecan, etoposide, capecitabine, bleomycin, methotrexate, actinomycin D, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, metoclopramide, cimetidine, and diphenhydramine) as well as 27 drugs that do not (paclitaxel, docetaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, vincristine, letrozole, anastrozole, tamoxifen, leuprorelin, megestrol, gefitinib, erlotinib, trastuzumab, leucovorin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, erythropoietin, ondansetron, granisetron, palonosetron, tropisetron, dolasetron, aprepitant, dexamethasone, lorazepam, and diazepam). We also review the formulae commonly used to estimate creatinine clearance, including Cockcroft-Gault, Chatelut, Jelliffe, Wright, and the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease study formulae.

International Society of Geriatric Oncology (SIOG) recommendations for the adjustment of dosing in elderly cancer patients with renal insufficiency

A SIOG taskforce was formed to discuss best clinical practice for elderly cancer patients with renal insufficiency. This manuscript outlines recommended dosing adjustments for cancer drugs in this population according to renal function. Dosing adjustments have been made for drugs in current use which have recommendations in renal insufficiency and the elderly, focusing on drugs which are renally eliminated or are known to be nephrotoxic. Recommendations are based on pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic data where available. The taskforce recommend that before initiating therapy, some form of geriatric assessment should be conducted that includes evaluation of comorbidities and polypharmacy, hydration status and renal function (using available formulae). Within each drug class, it is sensible to use agents which are less likely to be influenced by renal clearance. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data of anticancer agents in the elderly are needed in order to maximise efficacy whilst avoiding unacceptable toxicity.

Pulmonary Resection for Non-small-cell Lung Cancer in Patients on Hemodialysis: Clinical Outcome and Long-term Results

Patients on hemodialysis (HD) who undergo surgery represent a high risk group requiring careful perioperative management to avoid electrolyte imbalance and hemodynamic instability. The aim of the study was to analyze the postoperative outcome in terms of complications and survival of a group of patients on HD who had undergone pulmonary resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Six patients on HD underwent seven pulmonary resections at our institution from 1998 to 2003. The underlying kidney disease was nephrosclerosis in two patients and glomerulonephritis in four. The mean levels of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were 107 +/- 11.5 mg/dl and 7.9 +/- 0.64 mg/dl, respectively. The mean preoperative PO2 and FEV1 were 77.6 +/- 2.4 mmHg and 2.4 +/- 0.16 liters, respectively. The histologic diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma in four cases and adenocarcinoma in three. One patient underwent two lung resections in 4 years for two primary lung cancers. Five patients underwent lobectomy, one underwent a wedge resection, and in one case pneumonectomy was performed after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. There was no operative mortality. Postoperatively, atrial fibrillation occurred in two patients associated with sputum retention in both, and two other patients had hyperkalemia (complication rate 57%). One patient died of cardiac complications 27 months after surgery. The remaining five patients are currently alive with no evidence of disease. Patients on HD who undergo lung resection have a high rate of postoperative complications. Although the underlying disease influences long-term survival, radical lung resection in NSCLC patients is recommended in selected cases. Careful metabolic, hematologic, and pharmaceutical management is mandatory during the perioperative period.

Clinical course of haemodialysis patients with malignancies and dose-adjusted chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy is not given routinely to patients with malignancies receiving chronic haemodialysis because evidence of a clear benefit is still lacking and severe side effects are feared. The aim of our retrospective study was to analyse the methods of dose adjustment and the clinical course of chronic haemodialysis patients with malignancies treated by chemotherapy.

METHODS

Between 1985 and 2001, a total of 48 cycles of 21 chemotherapy protocols were administered to 16 dialysis patients with nine haemoblastic and seven solid malignancies. We compared the dose actually administered with that theoretically derived from the proportional dose reduction rule of Dettli and the rule of Giusti and Hayton, using published pharmacokinetic parameters.

RESULTS

Kaplan-Meier estimates of median survival time were 30 months in patients with haemoblastic malignancies and 10 months for patients with solid malignancies. Eleven chemotherapies were administered in standard dosages and 10 chemotherapies in reduced dosages (39-80% of the regular dose); in all therapies, however, the dose was significantly higher than proposed by the Dettli rule (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Chemotherapy in patients with haemodialysis is feasible. Individual dose adjustment should be performed on the basis of pharmacokinetic data and the general condition of the patient, but it is still a matter of expert judgement, as there is no formal evidence available.

Pharmacokinetic analysis of combination chemotherapy with carboplatin and etoposide in small-cell lung cancer patients undergoing hemodialysis

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to use pharmacokinetic analysis to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of combined chemotherapy with carboplatin (CBDCA) and etoposide (ETP) in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three SCLC patients with chronic renal failure undergoing HD were treated with CBDCA (300 mg/m(2)) on day 1 and ETP (50 mg/m(2)) on days 1 and 3, followed by HD 1 h after completing the administration of anticancer agents on each day. The pharmacokinetic analysis of CBDCA and ETP was planned for at least the first two courses of the chemotherapy in each patient.

RESULTS

Two complete responses and one partial response were achieved in the three patients. Two patients experienced grade 3/4 neutropenia and required blood transfusion due to thrombocytopenia and anemia. Non-hematological toxicities were moderate. The pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that the platinum and the ETP concentrations in the plasma were similar to those in patients with normal renal function during the first 24 h, while the platinum still remained in the plasma for over 90 h.

CONCLUSIONS

Chemotherapy with CBDCA (300 mg/m(2) on day 1) and ETP (50 mg/m(2) on day 1, 3) as used in the present study may be a suitable regimen for SCLC patients undergoing HD, although careful attention should be given to hematological toxicities.