Paclitaxel/carboplatin versus cyclophosphamide/adriamycin/cisplatin as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for advanced endometrial adenocarcinoma

Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in high-risk endometrial cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The benefits of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for high-risk endometrial cancer (HREC) in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages I-III remain controversial. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of postoperative CRT over radiotherapy (RT) alone, exclusively for patients with HREC for the following key endpoints: overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), the local recurrence rate, the distant metastasis rate, cancer-specific survival (CSS), grade III/IV acute and late toxicities, and the small bowel obstruction rate.

METHODS

Five databases, namely, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and ClinicalTrials.gov, were systematically explored and supplemented by manual searching to identify relevant studies published before Dec 9, 2017. Only prospective randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted for HREC comparing CRT and RT alone after surgery were included. All statistical analyses were performed using RevMan Version 5.3 software.

RESULTS

Six eligible trials involving 2105 patients were identified for the final meta-analysis (CRT: n = 1064; RT: n = 1041). No statistically significant differences were evident between the CRT and RT groups regarding OS (n = 2105, RR = 1.02, 95% CI 0.98-1.06, P = 0.40). Additionally, no differences were apparent in terms of the local recurrence rate (n = 690, RR = 0.48, 95% CI 0.19-1.18, P = 0.11) or distant metastasis rate (n = 1445, RR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.72-1.23, P = 0.67). However, CRT significantly prolonged overall five-year PFS (80.2% vs. 74.5%, +5.7%; RR = 1.08, P = 0.005) and five-year CSS (86.1% vs. 79.0%, +7.1%; RR = 1.09, P = 0.03). A higher incidence of grade III/IV toxicities (P < 0.00001) was evident with CRT, while grade III/IV late toxicities and the small bowel obstruction rate were not significantly different between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with endometrial cancers with stage I-III risk factors, adjuvant CRT can significantly improve PFS and CSS compared with RT. With the exception of increased acute toxicities, CRT is well accepted and tolerated in HREC patients.

Adjuvant concurrent chemoradiation followed by chemotherapy for high-risk endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

The adjuvant treatment of high-risk endometrial cancer (HREC) remains controversial. This prospective phase-II clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the adjuvant concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by chemotherapy in patients with HREC.

METHODS

Altogether 122 patients were enrolled between January 2007 and January 2013, in which 112 were analyzable. The inclusion criteria included endometrioid endometrial cancer of histological grade 3 and with greater than 50% myometrial invasion, cervical stromal invasion, pelvic and/or para-aortic lymph node metastases; non-endometrioid endometrial cancer; no residual disease and distant metastases. Pelvic radiation was administered with cisplatin on days 1 and 28. Para-aortic radiation was administered with confirmed para-aortic lymph node metastases, and vaginal afterloading brachytherapy with cervical stromal invasion after total hysterectomy. Four courses of paclitaxel and carboplatin (PC) or cisplatin, cyclophosphamide and epirubicin (CEP) were administered at three-week interval after radiation.

RESULTS

Ninety-six patients (85.7%) completed the planned treatment. Treatment discontinuation was the result of toxicity (5/112, 4.5%), disease progression (8/112, 7.1%), and patients refusal (3/112, 2.7%). There was no life-threatening toxicity. Twenty-five (22.3%) patients recurred, in which 4 cases recurred in the field of radiation, and 13 (11.6%) patients died of endometrial cancer during follow-up. The estimated five-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 73% and 84%, respectively. Adverse effects were less common in patients who received PC than CEP (p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This regimen demonstrated acceptable toxicity and good survival outcomes despite a preponderance (62.5%) of late stage disease. PC showed less adverse effects than CEP. A well designed randomized trial is under development.

CLINICAL TRIAL ID

https://clinicaltrials.gov/: 070148-7.

Relapse patterns and outcomes following recurrence of endometrial cancer in northern Thai women

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to analyze the patterns of relapse and survival outcomes in Northern Thai women with recurrent endometrial cancer (EC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical records were abstracted from EC patients who underwent primary surgery from 1999 to 2012. Data on clinicopathologic variables, sites of first recurrence, time to relapse of disease, and overall survival (OS) was analyzed. Associations between the clinicopathological variables and the rates of disease recurrence were determined.

RESULTS

Among 1,204 reviewed records, 42 eligible patients were identified with recurrent disease. The median age was 55 years and the median follow-up time was 26.0 months. The median times to recurrence (TTR) after completion of the initial treatment in the group of local relapse (LR) and distant/combined sites of recurrence (DCSR) was 6.6 (95% CI=4.6 to 8.6 months) and 16.9 months (95% CI=5.6 to 28.2 months), respectively (p=0.36). The 2-year survival and 3-year survival probability in the group of LR was 54.2% (95% CI=27.2 to 81.3%) and 34.7% (95% CI=9.2 to 60.2%), compared to 50.4% (95% CI=41.1 to 59.7%) and 42.1% (95%CI= 24.1 to 60.1%) for those with DCSR. Distant recurrence was the most frequent pattern of relapse. Overall survival was not significantly different in patients with local relapse when compared to those with DCSR (p=0.69).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with recurrence of EC after primary treatment had a worse prognosis and clinical aggressiveness. LR and DCSR occurred most during the first three years. The common sites of relapses were vaginal cuff, pelvis, and lungs. No significant clinicopathological predictor for survival outcomes was identified.

Adjuvant sequential chemoradiation therapy in high-risk endometrial cancer: results of a prospective, multicenter phase-II study of the NOGGO (North-Eastern German Society of Gynaecological Oncology)

PURPOSE

The management of high-risk endometrial cancer (HREC) remains controversial. We conducted a prospective multicenter phase-II clinical trial to evaluate an adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) with sequential radiotherapy (RT) in patients with HREC.

METHODS

Patients with HREC from 8 institutions in Germany were enrolled. After surgery, patients received four cycles of paclitaxel 175 mg/m² (P) and carboplatin AUC5 (C) (d1, q21d) and subsequent external pelvic radiation therapy (1.8 Gy/d, d1-5) at a total dose of 45 Gy with vaginal brachytherapy (3 × 5 Gy). Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the EORTC-QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Primary endpoints were tolerability, toxicity and QoL. Progression-free survival (PFS) was defined as secondary endpoint.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients were enrolled from 2004 through 2008. Median follow-up was 24 months (range 3-24 months). All patients received 4 cycles of P and C and completed RT. Overall, grade 3/4 haematological toxicity was 25.6 %. Three cycles were delayed because of leukopenia. Grade 3/4 non-haematologic toxicities were rare (≤3 %). No overall change in QoL occurred during treatment. Two-year median PFS and OS rates were both 75.8 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Adjuvant combination CT with P + C and sequential RT is well tolerated and a feasible regimen in patients with HREC. Subsequent phase-III trials are warranted.

Consistency of in vitro chemoresponse assay results and population clinical response rates among women with endometrial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

There are a number of equally efficacious chemotherapy options for the treatment of women with endometrial cancer, all of which work in only a subset of those women with this disease. An in vitro assay performed before therapy initiation to identify the drug(s) most likely to be effective for the individual patient would have clinical utility. Such an assay should yield response rates similar to those found in treated patient populations. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the patterns of in vitro tumor response rates as determined by ChemoFx are consistent with expected population response rates.

METHODS

Nine hundred twenty-three tumor specimens from patients with high-risk early-stage, advanced stage, or recurrent endometrial cancer were sent for testing with the ChemoFx drug response marker from August 2, 2006, to August 31, 2009. Tumors were categorized as responsive (R), intermediately responsive (IR), or nonresponsive to each drug or combination tested. Response rates from clinical trials were identified and compared with the corresponding in vitro response rates.

RESULTS

Of the 923 specimens received, 759 (82%) were successfully tested by ChemoFx. Of these, 755 were tested for at least 1 of 5 National Comprehensive Cancer Network-recommended endometrial cancer drugs. The response rates (R+IR) for these drugs were as follows: 66% carboplatin-paclitaxel, 48% carboplatin, 37% cisplatin, 23% doxorubicin, and 36% paclitaxel. Moreover, 20% of tumors were pan-sensitive (R or IR) to all 5 regimens tested, 27% were pan-resistant (nonresponsive), and 53% showed different degrees of response to different drugs.

CONCLUSIONS

ChemoFx in vitro response rates were consistent with published population response rates, and the ChemoFx drug response marker may provide clinically useful information to better optimize individual chemotherapy for treatment of women with endometrial cancer.

A feasibility study of carboplatin and weekly paclitaxel combination chemotherapy in endometrial cancer: a Kansai Clinical Oncology Group study (KCOG0015 trial)

OBJECTIVES

The optimal chemotherapy regimen for women with endometrial cancer has not been established. We assessed the feasibility, toxicity and clinical efficacy of combination triweekly carboplatin and weekly paclitaxel in women with endometrial cancer.

METHODS

Eligible patients had histologically confirmed primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (Group A), or had localized high-risk features (Group B). All were treated with paclitaxel 80 mg/m(2) (days 1, 8 and 15) and carboplatin AUC 5 (day 1) each 21-day cycle. A minimum of 3 cycles was planned; if 75% or more of patients were able to receive at least 3 cycles with acceptable toxicity, the regimen was declared "feasible."

RESULTS

Forty patients were enrolled and administered 163 cycles of therapy; 38 (95%) were chemo-naive. No patients received radiation previously. Group A (measurable disease) contained 15 patients (5 with recurrent disease, 7 receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy, and 3 treated adjuvantly following suboptimal cytoreduction). Group B (non-measurable disease) contained 25 patients (primary stage I:10, II:5, III:8, IV:1 and relapse 1). Hematological toxicities(G3/G4) were neutropenia (31%/33%) and thrombocytopenia (6%/0%). Reversible G3 hypersensitivity (5%) and G2 cardiotoxicity (3%) was uncommon. Thirty-one patients (78%) completed ≥3 cycles (median 4, range: 1-9). Thirteen of 15 (87%) measurable patients responded (3CR, 10PR). Eighty-seven percent of measurable patients were not progressive at 6 months. In Group A, QOL scores were significantly improved after 3 cycles of chemotherapy (p=0.037), and at the completion of chemotherapy (p=0.045). QOL scores in Group B did not change during therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

This combination chemotherapy is feasible and effective for endometrial cancer patients.

Comparison of the efficacy between paclitaxel/carboplatin and doxorubicin/cisplatin for concurrent chemoradiation in intermediate- or high-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer: a single institution experience

AIM

We sought to compare survival and toxicity between paclitaxel/carboplatin (TC) and doxorubicin/cisplatin (AP) for concurrent chemoradiation (CCR) in intermediate- or high-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer.

METHODS

The clinical data of 40 patients with intermediate- (FIGO stage IC-IIB, n = 12) or high-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer (FIGO stage IIIA-IVA, n = 28) were reviewed retrospectively between March 2000 and December 2007, who were treated with TC (n = 23, group 1) or AP (n = 17, group 2) for CCR after surgery.

RESULTS

Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were not different between groups 1 and 2 (median PFS and OS; 35 vs 24 and 76 vs 39 months, respectively, P > 0.05). However, >or=6 cycles of chemotherapy improved PFS compared with 3-5 cycles of chemotherapy (51 vs 21 months, P = 0.04), suggesting that >or=6 cycles of chemotherapy was an independent prognostic factor improving PFS (adjusted HR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.91; P = 0.04). Grade 3 or 4 hematological and non-hematological, especially, gastrointestinal, toxicities related with chemotherapy during CCR were more common in group 2 than in group 1, whereas there was no difference in grade 3 or 4 late complication by CCR between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that TC may have comparable efficacy to AP for CCR with lesser toxicity, and >or=6 cycles of chemotherapy may be more beneficial than 3-5 cycles of chemotherapy in intermediate- or high-risk endometrioid endometrial cancer. However, large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to support these results.

Controversies in the management of endometrial carcinoma

Endometrial carcinoma is the most common type of female genital tract malignancy. Although endometrial carcinoma is a low grade curable malignancy, the condition of the disease can range from excellent prognosis with high curability to aggressive disease with poor outcome. During the last 10 years many researches have provided some new valuable data of optimal treatments for endometrial carcinoma. Progression in diagnostic imaging, radiation delivery systems, and systemic therapies potentially can improve outcomes while minimizing morbidity. Firstly, total hysterectomy and bilateral salphingo-oophorectomy is the primary operative procedure. Pelvic lymhadenectomy is performed in most centers on therapeutic and prognostic grounds and to individualize adjuvant treatment. Women with endometrial carcinoma can be readily segregated intraoperatively into “low-risk” and “high-risk” groups to better identify those women who will most likely benefit from thorough lymphadenectomy. Secondly, adjuvant therapies have been proposed for women with endometrial carcinoma postoperatively. Postoperative irradiation is used to reduce pelvic and vaginal recurrences in high risk cases. Chemotherapy is emerging as an important treatment modality in advanced endometrial carcinoma. Meanwhile the availability of new hormonal and biological agents presents new opportunities for therapy.

Adjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy interposed with involved field radiation for advanced endometrial cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate recurrence and survival associated with adjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy interposed with involved field radiation for advanced endometrial cancer.

METHOD

This is a prospective cohort study of women with Stage III and IV endometrial cancer treated at a single institution between April 2002 and July 2006. Adjuvant therapy consisted of 4 cycles of intravenous paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (350 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks, followed by external beam radiotherapy (RT) to the pelvis (45 Gy), then another 2 cycles of chemotherapy. Para-aortic RT and/or HDR vault brachytherapy were added at the discretion of the treating physician. Toxicity of this protocol was previously reported. Primary endpoints for this study were disease-free and overall survival rates.

RESULTS

Forty-three patients with a median age of 64 years (46-83 years) were evaluated. The majority had Stage IIIC disease (63%), and the most common histology was serous carcinoma (49%). Six cycles of combination chemotherapy were completed in 81%, and all patients completed pelvic RT. Median follow-up was 30 months (9-71 months). Twenty-one patients (49%) recurred at a median of 17 months (7-62 months). There were only 3 local recurrences, including 2 in the pelvis and 1 in the vagina/vulva. Median disease-free survival (DFS) was 50 months and median overall survival (OS) has not been reached. Three year DFS and OS rates were 53% and 68%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Adjuvant carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy interposed with involved field radiation is associated with a low rate of local recurrence and favorable survival for advanced endometrial cancer.

Chemotherapy for high-risk early-stage endometrial cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To discuss the usefulness of chemotherapy in high-risk early-stage endometrial cancer and the best chemotherapy regimen.

RECENT FINDINGS

External radiation therapy has been successfully used to prevent local recurrence; however, it does not improve the overall survival and it increases the incidence of late toxicity. A recent randomized study revealed that adjuvant platinum-based combination chemotherapy might be a suitable alternative to radiotherapy for high-risk early-stage endometrial cancer. The optimal regimen is still in question because combinations of doxorubicin-cisplatin and paclitaxel-doxorubicin-cisplatin cause significant toxicity. The combination of paclitaxel-carboplatin may be better than doxorubicin-cisplatin with regard to toxicities.

SUMMARY

Radiation treatment following surgery has been the standard adjuvant therapy for endometrial cancer for a long time. Radiotherapy decreases the local recurrence rates; however, a significant impact on the overall survival has not been demonstrated. The usefulness of adjuvant chemotherapy has been demonstrated by only a little evidence. Nonetheless, we are encouraged by a recent randomized study. In light of the excellent outcomes associated with early-stage endometrial cancer, it is important to conduct another large randomized trial based on standardization of high-risk criteria to evaluate the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy.