Randomized phase II trial of either fluorouracil, parenteral hydroxyurea, interferon-alpha-2a, and filgrastim or doxorubicin/docetaxel in patients with advanced gastric cancer with quality-of-life assessment: eastern cooperative oncology group study E6296

Does Kidney Transplantation Affect Sleep and Fatigue in Patients With Kidney Disease?

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Sleep disorders and fatigue are highly prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients but there is limited evidence on the effect of kidney transplant (KTx) on these.

Reporting of health-related quality of life in randomized controlled trials involving palliative systemic therapy for esophagogastric cancer: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessments are increasingly incorporated into oncological randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The quality of HRQoL reporting in RCTs concerning palliative systemic treatment for advanced esophagogastric cancer is currently unknown. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to investigate the quality of HRQoL reporting over time.

METHODS

PubMed, CENTRAL and EMBASE were searched for RCTs concerning systemic treatment for advanced esophagogastric cancer up to February 2017. The Minimum Standard Checklist for Evaluating HRQoL Outcomes in Cancer Clinical Trials was used to rate the quality of HRQoL reporting. Univariate and multivariate generalized linear regression analysis was used to investigate factors affecting the quality of reporting over time.

RESULTS

In total, 37 original RCTs (N = 10,887 patients) were included. The quality of reporting was classified as 'very limited' in 4 studies (11%), 'limited' in 24 studies (65%), and 'probably robust' in 9 studies (24%). HRQoL reporting did not improve over time, and it did not improve following the publication of the CONSORT-PRO statement in 2013. The publication of HRQoL findings in a separate article and second-line treatment were associated with better reporting.

CONCLUSIONS

HRQoL reporting in RCTs concerning palliative systemic therapy for advanced esophagogastric cancer is limited and has not improved over time. This systematic review provides specific recommendations for authors to improve HRQoL reporting: formulate hypotheses a priori, clearly describe instrument administration, and handle missing data and interpret findings appropriately.

Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. In "Western" countries, most people are either diagnosed at an advanced stage, or develop a relapse after surgery with curative intent. In people with advanced disease, significant benefits from targeted therapies are currently limited to HER-2 positive disease treated with trastuzumab, in combination with chemotherapy, in first-line. In second-line, ramucirumab, alone or in combination with paclitaxel, demonstrated significant survival benefits. Thus, systemic chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment for advanced gastric cancer. Uncertainty remains regarding the choice of the regimen.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of chemotherapy versus best supportive care (BSC), combination versus single-agent chemotherapy and different chemotherapy combinations in advanced gastric cancer.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE and Embase up to June 2016, reference lists of studies, and contacted pharmaceutical companies and experts to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

SELECTION CRITERIA

We considered only RCTs on systemic, intravenous or oral chemotherapy versus BSC, combination versus single-agent chemotherapy and different chemotherapy regimens in advanced gastric cancer.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently identified studies and extracted data. A third investigator was consulted in case of disagreements. We contacted study authors to obtain missing information.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 64 RCTs, of which 60 RCTs (11,698 participants) provided data for the meta-analysis of overall survival. We found chemotherapy extends overall survival (OS) by approximately 6.7 months more than BSC (hazard ratio (HR) 0.3, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.24 to 0.55, 184 participants, three studies, moderate-quality evidence). Combination chemotherapy extends OS slightly (by an additional month) versus single-agent chemotherapy (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.89, 4447 participants, 23 studies, moderate-quality evidence), which is partly counterbalanced by increased toxicity. The benefit of epirubicin in three-drug combinations, in which cisplatin is replaced by oxaliplatin and 5-FU is replaced by capecitabine is unknown.Irinotecan extends OS slightly (by an additional 1.6 months) versus non-irinotecan-containing regimens (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.95, 2135 participants, 10 studies, high-quality evidence).Docetaxel extends OS slightly (just over one month) compared to non-docetaxel-containing regimens (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.78 to 0.95, 2001 participants, eight studies, high-quality evidence). However, due to subgroup analyses, we are uncertain whether docetaxel-containing combinations (docetaxel added to a single-agent or two-drug combination) extends OS due to moderate-quality evidence (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.71 to 0.91, 1466 participants, four studies, moderate-quality evidence). When another chemotherapy was replaced by docetaxel, there is probably little or no difference in OS (HR 1.05; 0.87 to 1.27, 479 participants, three studies, moderate-quality evidence). We found there is probably little or no difference in OS when comparing capecitabine versus 5-FU-containing regimens (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.11, 732 participants, five studies, moderate-quality evidence) .Oxaliplatin may extend (by less than one month) OS versus cisplatin-containing regimens (HR 0.81, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.98, 1105 participants, five studies, low-quality evidence). We are uncertain whether taxane-platinum combinations with (versus without) fluoropyrimidines extend OS due to very low-quality evidence (HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.06, 482 participants, three studies, very low-quality evidence). S-1 regimens improve OS slightly (by less than an additional month) versus 5-FU-containing regimens (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.00, 1793 participants, four studies, high-quality evidence), however since S-1 is used in different doses and schedules between Asian and non-Asian population, the applicability of this finding to individual populations is uncertain.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Chemotherapy improves survival (by an additional 6.7 months) in comparison to BSC, and combination chemotherapy improves survival (by an additional month) compared to single-agent 5-FU. Testing all patients for HER-2 status may help to identify patients with HER-2-positive tumours, for whom, in the absence of contraindications, trastuzumab in combination with capecitabine or 5-FU in combination with cisplatin has been shown to be beneficial. For HER-2 negative people, all different two-and three-drug combinations including irinotecan, docetaxel, oxaliplatin or oral 5-FU prodrugs are valid treatment options for advanced gastric cancer, and consideration of the side effects of each regimen is essential in the treatment decision. Irinotecan-containing combinations and docetaxel-containing combinations (in which docetaxel was added to a single-agent or two-drug (platinum/5-FUcombination) show significant survival benefits in the comparisons studied above. Furthermore, docetaxel-containing three-drug regimens have increased response rates, but the advantages of the docetaxel-containing three-drug combinations (DCF, FLO-T) are counterbalanced by increased toxicity. Additionally, oxaliplatin-containing regimens demonstrated a benefit in OS as compared to the same regimen containing cisplatin, and there is a modest survival improvement of S-1 compared to 5-FU-containing regimens.Whether the survival benefit for three-drug combinations including cisplatin, 5-FU, and epirubicin as compared to the same regimen without epirubicin is still valid when second-line therapy is routinely administered and when cisplatin is replaced by oxaliplatin and 5-FU by capecitabine is questionable. Furthermore, the magnitude of the observed survival benefits for the three-drug regimens is not large enough to be clinically meaningful as defined recently by the American Society for Clinical Oncology (Ellis 2014). In contrast to the comparisons in which a survival benefit was observed by adding a third drug to a two-drug regimen at the cost of increased toxicity, the comparison of regimens in which another chemotherapy was replaced by irinotecan was associated with a survival benefit (of borderline statistical significance), but without increased toxicity. For this reason irinotecan/5-FU-containing combinations are an attractive option for first-line treatment. Although they need to be interpreted with caution, subgroup analyses of one study suggest that elderly people have a greater benefit form oxaliplatin, as compared to cisplatin-based regimens, and that people with locally advanced disease or younger than 65 years might benefit more from a three-drug regimen including 5-FU, docetaxel, and oxaliplatin as compared to a two-drug combination of 5-FU and oxaliplatin, a hypothesis that needs further confirmation. For people with good performance status, the benefit of second-line chemotherapy has been established in several RCTs.

Clinical pharmacology and clinical trials of ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors: is it a viable cancer therapy?

PURPOSE

Ribonucleotide reductase (RR) enzymes (RR1 and RR2) play an important role in the reduction of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides which is involved in DNA replication and repair. Augmented RR activity has been ascribed to uncontrolled cell growth and tumorigenic transformation.

METHODS

This review mainly focuses on several biological and chemical RR inhibitors (e.g., siRNA, GTI-2040, GTI-2501, triapine, gemcitabine, and clofarabine) that have been evaluated in clinical trials with promising anticancer activity from 1960's till 2016. A summary on whether their monotherapy or combination is still effective for further use is discussed.

RESULTS

Among the RR2 inhibitors evaluated, GTI-2040, siRNA, gallium nitrate and didox were more efficacious as a monotherapy, whereas triapine was found to be more efficacious as combination agent. Hydroxyurea is currently used more in combination therapy, even though it is efficacious as a monotherapy. Gallium nitrate showed mixed results in combination therapy, while the combination activity of didox is yet to be evaluated. RR1 inhibitors that have long been used in chemotherapy such as gemcitabine, cladribine, fludarabine and clofarabine are currently used mostly as a combination therapy, but are equally efficacious as a monotherapy, except tezacitabine which did not progress beyond phase I trials.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of clinical trials, we conclude that RR inhibitors are viable treatment options, either as a monotherapy or as a combination in cancer chemotherapy. With the recent advances made in cancer biology, further development of RR inhibitors with improved efficacy and reduced toxicity is possible for treatment of variety of cancers.

Feasibility and Safety of Intradialysis Yoga and Education in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients

OBJECTIVE

Patients with end-stage renal disease on maintenance hemodialysis are much more sedentary than healthy individuals. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and safety of a 12-week intradialysis yoga intervention versus a kidney education intervention on the promotion of physical activity.

DESIGN AND METHODS

We randomized participants by dialysis shift to either 12-week intradialysis yoga or an educational intervention. Intradialysis yoga was provided by yoga teachers to participants while receiving hemodialysis. Participants receiving the 12-week educational intervention received a modification of a previously developed comprehensive educational program for patients with kidney disease (Kidney School). The primary outcome for this study was feasibility based on recruitment and adherence to the interventions and safety of intradialysis yoga. Secondary outcomes were to determine the feasibility of administering questionnaires at baseline and 12 weeks including the Kidney Disease-Related Quality of Life-36.

RESULTS

Among 56 eligible patients who approached for the study, 31 (55%) were interested and consented to participation, with 18 assigned to intradialysis yoga and 13 to the educational program. A total of 5 participants withdrew from the pilot study, all from the intradialysis yoga group. Two of these participants reported no further interest in participation. Three withdrawn participants switched dialysis times and therefore could no longer receive intradialysis yoga. As a result, 13 of 18 (72%) and 13 of 13 (100%) participants completed 12-week intradialysis yoga and educational programs, respectively. There were no adverse events related to intradialysis yoga. Intervention participants practiced yoga for a median of 21 sessions (70% participation frequency), with 60% of participants practicing at least 2 times a week. Participants in the educational program completed a median of 30 sessions (83% participation frequency). Of participants who completed the study (n = 26), baseline and 12-week questionnaires were obtained from 85%.

CONCLUSIONS

Our pilot study of 12-week intradialysis yoga and 12-week educational intervention reached recruitment goals but with less than targeted completion and adherence to intervention rates. This study provided valuable feasibility data to increase follow-up and adherence for future clinical trials to compare efficacy.

Prevalence and correlates of fatigue in chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease: are sleep disorders a key to understanding fatigue?

BACKGROUND

Fatigue is an important symptom to patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence and severity of fatigue among non-dialysis-dependent CKD and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, to examine the association of fatigue with subjective and objective sleep quality, and to identify other modifiable factors associated with fatigue.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey of 87 non-dialysis-dependent CKD (eGFR ≤45 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) and 86 ESRD patients was done using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F) and 36-Item Short-Form (SF-36) vitality scale. Higher FACIT-F score denoted less fatigue. Objective sleep was assessed using in-home polysomnography. Predictors of fatigue were determined using a linear regression model.

RESULTS

The mean FACIT-F score among all participants was 34.5 ± 11.0. Mean scores were similar among CKD and ESRD groups (34.25 ± 11.28 vs. 34.73 ± 10.86; p = 0.73). On univariate analyses, patients with higher levels of fatigue were more likely to have cardiovascular disease, benzodiazepine use, depressive symptoms, and slightly lower hemoglobin and serum albumin levels. There was no significant association between severity of sleep apnea and level of fatigue (Apnea Hypopnea Index 20.1 ± 27.6 vs. 20.3 ± 22.0; p = 0.69). Presence of cardiovascular disease, low serum albumin, depressive symptoms, poor subjective sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness and restless legs syndrome were independently associated with greater fatigue in multivariable regression models. The FACIT-F score correlated closely with the SF-36 vitality score (r = 0.81, p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with advanced CKD and ESRD experience profound fatigue. Depressive symptoms, restless legs syndrome, excessive daytime sleepiness, and low albumin levels may provide targets for interventions to improve fatigue in patients with advanced CKD.

Hydroxyurea: a key player in cancer chemotherapy

Hydroxyurea (HU) is a simple organic compound currently used as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent. It acts specifically on the S-phase of the cell cycle by inhibiting the enzyme ribonucleoside diphosphate reductase, thereby hindering the reductive conversion of ribonucleotides to deoxyribonucleotides and thus limiting de novo DNA synthesis. HU is employed in hemotological settings as a first-line treatment of myeloproliferative disorders, such as polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis, apart from having a vital role in combination therapy for management of malignant melanoma, head and neck cancers and brain tumors. It offers an advantage that the patient may take this drug on an ambulatory basis with minimum clinical toxicity, while some of its limitations include gastrointestinal disturbance and bone marrow depression. This review will summarize and present the overall effects of HU and its combination therapy as an anticancer agent.

Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer currently ranks second in global cancer mortality. Most patients are either diagnosed at an advanced stage, or develop a relapse after surgery with curative intent. Apart from supportive care and palliative radiation to localized (e.g. bone) metastasis, systemic chemotherapy is the only treatment option available in this situation.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the efficacy of chemotherapy versus best supportive care, combination versus single agent chemotherapy and different combination chemotherapy regimens in advanced gastric cancer.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE and EMBASE up to March 2009, reference lists of studies, and contacted pharmaceutical companies and national and international experts.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials on systemic intravenous chemotherapy versus best supportive care, combination versus single agent chemotherapy and different combination chemotherapies in advanced gastric cancer.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently extracted data. A third investigator was consulted in case of disagreements. We contacted study authors to obtain missing information.

MAIN RESULTS

Thirty five trials, with a total of 5726 patients, have been included in the meta-analysis of overall survival. The comparison of chemotherapy versus best supportive care consistently demonstrated a significant benefit in overall survival in favour of the group receiving chemotherapy (hazard ratios (HR) 0.37; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.24 to 0.55, 184 participants). The comparison of combination versus single-agent chemotherapy provides evidence for a survival benefit in favour of combination chemotherapy (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.74 to 0.90, 1914 participants). The price of this benefit is increased toxicity as a result of combination chemotherapy. When comparing 5-FU/cisplatin-containing combination therapy regimens with versus without anthracyclines (HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.62 to 0.95, 501 participants) and 5-FU/anthracycline-containing combinations with versus without cisplatin (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.73 to 0.92, 1147 participants) there was a significant survival benefit for regimens including 5-FU, anthracyclines and cisplatin. Both the comparison of irinotecan versus non-irinotecan (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.73 to 1.02, 639 participants) and docetaxel versus non-docetaxel containing regimens (HR 0.93; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.15, 805 participants) show non-significant overall survival benefits in favour of the irinotecan and docetaxel-containing regimens.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Chemotherapy significantly improves survival in comparison to best supportive care. In addition, combination chemotherapy improves survival compared to single-agent 5-FU. All patients should be tested for their HER-2 status and trastuzumab should be added to a standard fluoropyrimidine/cisplatin regimen in patients with HER-2 positive tumours. Two and three-drug regimens including 5-FU, cisplatin, with or without an anthracycline, as well as irinotecan or docetaxel-containing regimens are reasonable treatment options for HER-2 negative patients.

Fatigue in patients receiving maintenance dialysis: a review of definitions, measures, and contributing factors

Fatigue is a debilitating symptom or side effect experienced by many patients on long-term dialysis therapy. Fatigue has a considerable effect on patient health-related quality of life and is viewed as being more important than survival by some patients. Renal providers face many challenges when attempting to reduce fatigue in dialysis patients. The lack of a reliable, valid, and sensitive fatigue scale complicates the accurate identification of this symptom. Symptoms of daytime sleepiness and depression overlap with fatigue, making it difficult to target specific therapies. Moreover, many chronic health conditions common in the long-term dialysis population may lead to the development of fatigue and contribute to the day-to-day and diurnal variation in fatigue in patients. Key to improving the assessment and treatment of fatigue is improving our understanding of potential mediators, as well as potential therapies. Cytokines have emerged as an important mediator of fatigue and have been studied extensively in patients with cancer-related fatigue. In addition, although erythropoietin-stimulating agents have been shown to mitigate fatigue, the recent controversy regarding erythropoietin-stimulating agent dosing in patients with chronic kidney disease suggests that erythropoietin-stimulating agent therapy may not serve as the sole therapy to improve fatigue in this population. In conclusion, fatigue is an important and often underrecognized symptom in the dialysis population. Possible interventions for minimizing fatigue in patients on long-term dialysis therapy should aim at improving health care provider awareness, developing improved methods of measurement, understanding the pathogenesis better, and managing known contributing factors.

Docetaxel in the treatment of gastric cancer

Docetaxel is part of the standard chemotherapy in breast, non-small cell lung cancer and androgen-independent metastatic prostate cancer and has recently been approved for advanced gastric cancer. It demonstrated promising single-agent efficacy in gastric cancer and was therefore investigated in different combination regimens. The combination of docetaxel with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), capecitabine, irinotecan or cisplatin demonstrated high efficacy. The triple combination of docetaxel/cisplatin and 5-FU (DCF) was investigated in randomized Phase II trials and a randomized Phase III study (TAX325). In TAX325, DCF demonstrated superiority in terms of time to tumor progression, response rate and survival against a cisplatin/5-FU combination. Docetaxel was therefore approved for advanced gastric cancer by the US FDA and the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products and will evolve as an integral part of routine combination regimens against gastric cancer. This review will discuss and interpret the different Phase II and III trials of docetaxel in gastric cancer.

Experience with docetaxel in the treatment of gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death worldwide. In operable patients, standard care includes surgery with or without adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy; standard care for inoperable disease includes chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Docetaxel has shown in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects on human gastric cell lines and gastric cancer xenografts. Phase I through III trials of docetaxel alone and in combination with other chemotherapy agents have subsequently been conducted. This review provides an overview of these studies and suggestions for future directions in the treatment of gastric cancer.

Palliative chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

More than two-thirds of patients diagnosed with gastric cancer will have unresectable disease. They present a difficult problem to clinicians as to whether to choose a strictly supportive approach or expose patients to the side-effects of a potentially ineffective treatment. The objective of this article is to review the clinical trials utilizing cytotoxic chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

METHODS

A computerized (Medline) search was carried out to identify papers published on this topic between 1966 and 2003. Only articles with an English abstract were reviewed, and studies only presented in abstract form were not included in the analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 101 trials were subsequently identified. Four randomized trials compared palliative chemotherapy with best supportive care in 174 patients with advanced gastric cancer. Effectiveness and side-effects were evaluated in 73 phase II studies and 24 randomized phase III trials.

CONCLUSION

Analysis of results shows chemotherapy to be superior to best supportive care alone. Combination chemotherapy compared with monochemotherapy is associated with significantly higher overall (complete plus partial) response rates but nevertheless results in similar survival. ECF (epirubicin, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) currently represents one of the most effective regimens for advanced gastric cancer, whereas among the newer combinations, irinotecan- or taxane-based regimens have also given promising results. In patients with a poor performance status, consideration could be given to leucovorin-modulated 5-fluorouracil alone. Prognosis for the majority of patients, however, remains poor, as increases in survival were moderate at best.

Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

Gastric cancer currently ranks second in global cancer mortality. Most patients are either diagnosed at an advanced stage, or develop a relapse after apparently curative operation. Apart from supportive measures, systemic chemotherapy is the only treatment option available in this situation.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effect of chemotherapy versus best supportive care, combination versus single agent chemotherapy and different combination chemotherapy regimens in advanced gastric cancer.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library Issue 1, 2004), MEDLINE and EMBASE up to February 2004 and reference lists of articles. We also contacted pharmaceutical companies as well as national and international experts.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials on systemic intravenous chemotherapy versus best supportive care, combination versus single agent chemotherapy and different combination chemotherapies in advanced gastric cancer.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two authors independently extracted data. A third investigator was consulted in case of disagreements. We contacted study authors to obtain missing information.

MAIN RESULTS

Chemotherapy versus best supportive care consistently demonstrated a significant benefit in terms of overall survival in favour of the group receiving chemotherapy (Hazard Ratios (HR) 0.39; 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.28 to 0.52). Combination versus single-agent chemotherapy provides evidence for a survival benefit in favour of combination chemotherapy (HR 0.85; 95% CI 0.76 to 0.96). Numbers included in these comparisons were 184 and 1338 participants respectively. This benefit is achieved at the price of increased toxicity in the combination chemotherapy arms. When comparing 5-FU/cisplatin-containing combination therapy regimens with anthracyclines versus those without anthracyclines (HR 0.77; 95% CI 0.62 to 0.95 based on 501 participants) and 5-FU/anthracycline-containing combinations with cisplatin versus those without cisplatin (HR 0.83; 95% CI 0.76 to 0.91 based on 1147 participants), there was a significant survival benefit for regimens including 5-FU, anthracyclines and cisplatin.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Chemotherapy significantly improves survival in comparison to best supportive care. In addition, combination chemotherapy improves survival compared to single-agent 5-FU, but the effect size is much smaller. Among the combination chemotherapy regimens studied, best survival results are achieved with regimens containing 5-FU, anthracyclines and cisplatin. In this category, ECF (epirubicin, cisplatin and continuous infusion 5-FU) is tolerated best.

Clinical and psychometric validation of a questionnaire module, the EORTC QLQ-STO 22, to assess quality of life in patients with gastric cancer

The purpose of this study was to define the measurement properties and clinical validity of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) questionnaire module to assess health-related quality of life (HRQL) in gastric cancer. The EORTC gastric cancer module, QLQ-STO 22, was administered with the QLQ-C30, core questionnaire, to 219 patients undergoing treatment with curative or palliative intent before and after treatment. Reliability and validity of the module was tested and patients' debriefing comments analysed. Compliance rates were high, questionnaires well accepted and less than 4% of items had missing data. Multi-trait scaling analyses and face validity refined the module to five scales and four single items. Scales distinguished between clinically distinct groups of patients and demonstrated treatment-induced changes over time. Test-retest scores demonstrated good reliability. The EORTC QLQ-STO 22 demonstrates psychometric and clinical validity that supports its use to supplement the EORTC QLQ-C30 to assess quality of life in patients with gastric cancer undergoing surgery, surgery and chemoradiotherapy, palliative chemotherapy, palliative surgery and best supportive care.

Outcomes research in cancer clinical trial cooperative groups: the RTOG model

BACKGROUND

The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), a National Cancer Institute sponsored cancer clinical trials research cooperative, has recently formed an Outcomes Committee to assess a comprehensive array of clinical trial endpoints and factors impacting the net effect of therapy.

METHODS

To study outcomes in a consistent, comprehensive and coordinated manner, the RTOG Outcomes Committee developed a model to assess clinical, humanistic, and economic outcomes important in clinical trials.

RESULTS

This paper reviews how the RTOG incorporates outcomes research into cancer clinical trials, and demonstrates utilization of the RTOG Outcomes Model to test hypotheses related to non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this example, the clinical component of the model indicates that the addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy (RT) improves survival but increases the risk of toxicity. The humanistic component indicates that esophagitis is the symptom impacting quality of life the greatest and may outweigh the benefits in elderly (> or =70 years) patients. The economic component of the model indicates that accounting for quality-adjusted survival, concurrent chemoRT for the treatment of NSCLC is within the range of economically acceptable recommendations.

CONCLUSION

The RTOG Outcomes Model guides a comprehensive program of research that systematically measures a triad of endpoints considered important to clinical trials research.