Association of nutritional status and serum albumin levels with development of toxicity in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer treated with paclitaxel-cisplatin chemotherapy: a prospective study

Systematic nutritional screening and assessment in older patients: Rationale for its integration into oncology practice

As the global population ages, so does the number of older people being diagnosed, treated and surviving cancer. Challenges to providing appropriate healthcare management stem from the heterogeneity common in this population. Although malnutrition is highly prevalent in older people with cancer, ranging between 30 % and 80 % according to some analyses, is associated with frailty, and has been shown to be a major risk factor for poor treatment response and worse overall survival, addressing nutrition status is not always a priority among oncology healthcare providers. Evaluation of nutritional status is a two-step process: screening identifies risk factors for reduced nutritional intake and deficits that require more in-depth assessment. Screening activities can be as simple as taking weight and BMI measurements or using short nutritional questionnaires and asking the patient about unintentional weight loss to identify potential nutritional risk. Using geriatric assessment, deficits in the nutritional domain as well as in others reveal potentially reversible geriatric and medical problems to guide specific therapeutic interventions. The authors of this paper are experts in the fields of geriatric medicine, oncology, and nutrition science and believe that there is not only substantial evidence to support regularly performing screening and assessment of nutritional status in older patients with cancer, but that these measures lead to the planning and implementation of patient-centered approaches to nutrition management and thus enhanced geriatric-oncology care. This paper presents rationale for systematic nutrition screening and assessment in older adults with cancer.

Impact of breast cancer neoadjuvant chemotherapy on plasma and urine amino acid profile, plasma proteins and nitrogen metabolism

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is the preferred treatment option in locally advanced breast cancer (BC). The administration of NAC is associated with a wide range of adverse effects. This pilot observational prospective study examined the effect of NAC using anthracycline + cyclophosphamide (AC) followed by paclitaxel (PTx) on a portfolio of 22 plasma and urinary amino acids, plasma proteins (albumin, prealbumin, transferrin), and products of nitrogen metabolism (urea, creatinine, uric acid) in plasma and urine. Plasma and 24-h urine samples were obtained from ten patients with early breast cancer (N1-3 N0-2 M0), at the following time points: before the start of NAC and during the AC/PTx treatment period (a total of 8 measurements at three-weekly intervals). Amino acids were analyzed using ion exchange chromatography. There were no significant differences in the measured parameters in plasma and urine between pre-NAC and during AC- and PTx-treatment. No trend was detected. A significant difference in the portfolio of plasma and urinary amino acids was found only in the pre-treatment period compared to the control group. Levels of eight plasma amino acids (8/22) were significantly reduced and those of nine urine amino acids were increased (9/22). Nitrogenous catabolites in plasma and urine were not indicative of increased protein catabolism during the anthracycline and taxane treatment periods. A slightly positive nitrogen balance was accompanied by an average weight gain of 3.3 kg (range 0-6 kg). The AC/PTx treatment regimen did not cause significant changes in the monitored laboratory parameters.

Impact of Pretreatment Weight Loss on Radiotherapy Utilization and Clinical Outcomes in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

BACKGROUND

Cancer cachexia is a syndrome of unintentional weight loss resulting in progressive functional impairment. Knowledge of radiation therapy utilization in patients with cancer cachexia is limited. We evaluated the use of curative and palliative-intent radiation for the management of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with cachexia to determine whether tumor-directed therapy affected cachexia-associated outcomes.

METHODS

Using an Institutional Tumor Registry, we evaluated all patients with stages of NSCLC treated at a tertiary care system from 2006 to 2013. We adopted the international consensus definition for cachexia, with staging designated by the registry and positron emission tomography. Radiotherapy delivery and intent were retrospectively assessed.

RESULTS

In total, 1330 patients with NSCLC were analyzed. Curative-intent radiotherapy was utilized equally between patients with cachexia and non-cachexia with stages I to III NSCLC. Conversely, significantly more patients with stage IV disease and cachexia received palliative radiotherapy versus those without (74% vs 63%, P = 0.006). Cachexia-associated survival was unchanged irrespective of tumor-directed radiation therapy with curative or palliative intent. In fact, pretreatment cachexia was associated with reduced survival for patients with stage III NSCLC receiving curative-intent radiotherapy (median survival = 23.9 vs 15.0 mo, P = 0.009). Finally, multivariate analysis identified pretreatment cachexia as an independent variable associated with worsened survival (hazard ratio = 1.31, CI: 1.14,1.52).

CONCLUSION

Patients with advanced NSCLC with cachexia received more palliative-intent radiation than those without weight loss. Tumor-directed therapy in either a curative or palliative approach failed to alter cachexia patient survival across all stages of the disease. These findings offer critical information on the appropriate utilization of radiation in the management of patients with NSCLC with cachexia.

A novel model to predict the risk of hematological toxicity in lung adenocarcinoma patients with pemetrexed plus platinum chemotherapy based on real-world data

BACKGROUND

Pemetrexed plus platinum chemotherapy is the first-line treatment option for lung adenocarcinoma. However, hematological toxicity is major dose-limiting and even life-threatening. The ability to anticipate hematological toxicity is of great value for identifying potential chemotherapy beneficiaries with minimal toxicity and optimizing treatment. The study aimed to develop and validate a prediction model for hematologic toxicity based on real-world data.

METHODS

Data from 1754 lung adenocarcinoma patients with pemetrexed plus platinum chemotherapy regimen as first-line therapy were used to establish and calibrate a risk model for hematological toxicity using multivariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis based on real-world data. The predictive performance of the model was tested in a validation cohort of 753 patients. An area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis were used to assess the prediction model.

RESULTS

5 independent factors (platinum, pre-use vitamin B12, cycle of chemotherapy before hematological toxicity, Hb before first chemotherapy, and PLT before first chemotherapy) identified from multivariate and stepwise logistic regression analysis were included in the prediction model. The hematological toxicity prediction model achieved a sensitivity of 0.840 and a specificity of 0.822. The model showed good discrimination in both cohorts (an AUC of 0.904 and 0.902 for the derivation and validation cohort ROC) at the cut-off value of 0.591. The calibration curve showed good agreement between the actual observations and the predicted results.

CONCLUSION

We developed a prediction model for hematologic toxicity with good discrimination and calibration capability in lung adenocarcinoma patients receiving a pemetrexed plus platinum chemotherapy regimen based on real-world data.

Predicting outcomes of Lung Cancer using the modified glasgow prognostic score: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background & Objective

Previous studies have suggested that the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) could be a potential biomarker for lung cancer (LC). However, the association between mGPS and overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS) in lung cancer patients remains unclear. The purpose of our study was to investigate possible correlation between mGPS and OS or PFS in LC patients.

Methods

An extensive search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMbase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Trip Database, Worldwide Science, and Google Scholar databases was done for relevant articles, published prior to May 30, 2021, that report correlation between mGPS and OS or PFS in LC patients. Pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used as the main parameters for evaluation.

Results

A total of 28 studies involving 9,748 lung cancer patients were analysed. The pooled analysis revealed that elevated mGPS (≥ 0) was associated with poor OS (HR=1.54; 95% CI, 1.32-1.77) and PFS (HR=1.49; 95% CI, 1.17-1.82). Furthermore, a significant correlation between mGPS (1 or 2) and OS was observed. However, no significant correlation was found between mGPS (1 or 2) and PFS. Subgroup analysis based on ethnicity demonstrated that mGPS ≥ 0 was associated with worse OS compared to mGPS=0 in both Asian (HR=1.46; 95% CI, 1.04-1.89; p<0.05) and Caucasian (HR=1.64; 95% CI, 1.35-1.94; p<0.05) cohorts of LC patients.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate that positive mGPS is associated with poor survival results. Therefore, mGPS may be used as a biomarker for predicting prognosis in LC patients.

Determinants of Cancer-Related Fatigue among Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

Objectives: This systematic review aims to assess and explore various determinants of cancer- related fatigue. Methods: A systematic search of various determinants of Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) was performed in different databases like PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Clinical Key dating from 1990 to September 2020. Results: A total of 6115 studies were screened and 95 articles related to determinants of fatigue were retained. Various modifiable and non-modifiable determinants including socio-demographic, clinical, treatment related, plasma biomarker related, genetic, behavioural, concurrent symptoms related and psychological determinants were identified. Depression was one of the significant factors reported in 28% of studies, followed by pain, (17%), performance status (16%), chemotherapy and anxiety (15%). Conclusion: It is recommended that nurses and clinicians should anticipate, identify and take appropriate interventions to manage those modifiable factors. Ultimately, managing the modifiable factors helps in the comprehensive care of cancer patients.

Peripheral neuropathy and lifestyle factors in women with breast cancer receiving taxane-based chemotherapy: Pathway analysis

PURPOSE

Peripheral neuropathy adversely affects the treatment process of cancer, and thus it is important to reveal the factors leading to peripheral neuropathy and to take the necessary precautions to avoid it. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and lifestyle factors (nutrition, physical activity and sleep quality).

METHODS

This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 108 individuals who were treated in the chemotherapy unit of a hospital between April 2021 and April 2022 in Turkey. Data were collected using the Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy Assessment Tool (CIPNAT), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Mini Nutritional Assessment Test (MNA), and the sleep level Visual Analog Scale. Number, percentages, means, and standard deviations were calculated, and multiple linear regression analysis and path analysis were conducted to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The results indicate that the total MET score significantly and positively predicted the sleep scale score (β = 0.24, p < 0.01), while it negatively and significantly predicted the CIPNAT score (β = -0.30, p < 0.001). In addition, both the MNA screening score and the sleep scale score significantly and negatively predicted the CIPNAT score (β = -0.25, p < 0.01, β = -0.29, p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Lifestyle factors (exercise, nutrition, sleep) were found to have an effect on peripheral neuropathy. It is thought that increasing the level of exercise improves sleep quality, and regular nutrition, quality sleep and increased physical activity may be effective in reducing peripheral neuropathy.

Chapter 3: Management of kidney injury caused by cancer drug therapy, from clinical practice guidelines for the management of kidney injury during anticancer drug therapy 2022

Cisplatin should be administered with diuretics and Magnesium supplementation under adequate hydration to avoid renal impairment. Patients should be evaluated for eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) during the treatment with pemetrexed, as kidney injury has been reported. Pemetrexed should be administered with caution in patients with a CCr (creatinine clearance) < 45 mL/min. Mesna is used to prevent hemorrhagic cystitis in patients receiving ifosfamide. Febuxostat is effective in avoiding hyperuricemia induced by TLS (tumor lysis syndrome). Preventative rasburicase is recommended in high-risk cases of TLS. Thrombotic microangiopathy could be triggered by anticancer drugs and there is no evidence of efficacy of plasma exchange therapy. When proteinuria occurs during treatment with anti-angiogenic agents or multi-kinase inhibitors, dose reductions or interruptions based on grading should be considered. Grade 3 proteinuria and renal dysfunction require urgent intervention, including drug interruption or withdrawal, and referral to a nephrologist should be considered. The first-line drugs used for blood pressure elevation due to anti-angiogenic agents are ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors and ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers). The protein binding of drugs and their pharmacokinetics are considerably altered in patients with hypoalbuminemia. The clearance of rituximab is increased in patients with proteinuria, and the correlation with urinary IgG suggests similar pharmacokinetic changes when using other antibody drugs. AIN (acute interstitial nephritis) is the most common cause of ICI (immune checkpoint inhibitor)-related kidney injury that is often treated with steroids. The need for renal biopsy in patients with kidney injury that occurs during treatment with ICI remains controversial.

The incidence and risk factors for acute kidney injury in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

Recent observational studies reported acute kidney injury (AKI) events in over 10% of the patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, these studies included patients treated in high-resource settings and earlier lines. Therefore, we aimed to assess the AKI rates and predisposing factors in ICI-treated patients from a limited resource setting. We evaluated 252 patients with advanced cancer for this retrospective cohort study. AKI events were defined by Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes criteria. The median age was 59 years. The melanoma (18.3%), non-small cell lung cancer (14.7%) and renal cell carcinoma (22.6%) patients comprised over half of the cohort. During the follow-up, 45 patients (17.9%) had at least one AKI episode. In multivariable analyses, patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) [odds ratio (OR), 3.385; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.510-7.588; P  = 0.003], hypoalbuminemia (OR, 2.848; 95% CI, 1.225-6.621; P  = 0.015) or renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitor use (OR, 2.236; 95% CI, 1.017-4.919; P  = 0.045) had increased AKI risk. There was a trend towards increased AKI risk in patients with diabetes (OR, 2.042; 95% CI, 0.923-4.518; P  = 0.78) and regular proton pump inhibitors use (OR, 2.024; 95% CI, 0.947-4.327; P  = 0.069). In this study, we observed AKI development under ICIs in almost one in five patients with cancer. The increased AKI rates in CKD, hypoalbuminemia or RAAS inhibitor use pointed out a need for better onco-nephrology collaboration and efforts to improve the nutritional status of ICI-treated patients.

Predictive model of chemotherapy-related toxicity in elderly Chinese cancer patients

Purpose: Older cancer patients are more likely to develop and die from chemotherapy-related toxicity. However, evidence on drug safety and optimal effective doses is relatively limited in this group. The aim of this study was to develop a tool to identify elderly patients vulnerable to chemotherapy toxicity. Patients and methods: Elderly cancer patients ≥60 years old who visited the oncology department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 2008 and 2012 were included. Each round of chemotherapy was regarded as a separate case. Clinical factors included age, gender, physical status, chemotherapy regimen and laboratory tests results were recorded. Severe (grade ≥3) chemotherapy-related toxicity of each case was captured according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 5.0. Univariate analysis was performed by chi-square statistics to determine which factors were significantly associated with severe chemotherapy toxicity. Logistic regression was used to build the predictive model. The prediction model was validated by calculating the area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic (ROC). Results: A total of 253 patients and 1,770 cases were included. The average age of the patients was 68.9 years. The incidence of grade 3-5 adverse events was 24.17%. Cancer type (non-GI cancers), BMI<20 kg/m2, KPS<90%, severe comorbidity, polychemotherapy, standard dose chemotherapy, low white blood cells count, anemia, low platelet cells count, low creatine level and hypoalbuminemia were associated with severe chemotherapy-related toxicity. We used these factors to construct a chemotherapy toxicity prediction model and the area under the ROC curve was 0.723 (95% CI, 0.687-0.759). Risk of toxicity increased with higher risk score (11.98% low, 31.51% medium, 70.83% high risk; p < 0.001). Conclusion: We constructed a predictive model of chemotherapy toxicity in elderly cancer patients based on a Chinese population. The model can be used to guide clinicians to identify vulnerable population and adjust treatment regimens accordingly.

Glomerular Filtration Rate Measurement and Chemotherapy Dosing

Many chemotherapeutic drugs used to treat malignancies undergo renal clearance. Thus, accurate knowledge of kidney function is critical to ensure proper dosing, maximize efficacy, and minimize toxicity of drugs that often have a narrow therapeutic index. Making this issue more salient is the fact that impaired kidney function, as assessed by glomerular filtration rate (GFR), is encountered commonly in patients with cancer. Recent data and expert guidelines recommend the use of the Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration equation to guide the assessment of kidney function, except when directly measured GFR is clinically necessary. Controversies regarding the measurement of kidney function include the use of race in this equation, indexing to body surface area, and dosing of medications based on stages of chronic kidney disease versus more discrete values of estimated GFR. The development of accurate, real-time GFR measures may hold great promise in allowing for more accurate dosing of these important drugs.

Organophosphorus Poisoning: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and Cardiac Failure as Cause of Death in Hospitalized Patients

Industrial production of food for animals and humans needs increasing amounts of pesticides, especially of organophosphates, which are now easily available worldwide. More than 3 million cases of acute severe poisoning are estimated to occur worldwide every year, and even more cases remain unreported, while 200,000–350,000 incidentally or intentionally poisoned people die every year. Diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in organophosphate poisoning have, however, remained unchanged. In addition to several neurologic symptoms (miosis, fasciculations), hypersecretion of salivary, bronchial, and sweat glands, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of urine rapidly induce dehydration, hypovolemia, loss of conscience and respiratory distress. Within hours, signs of acidosis due to systemic hypoxia can be observed at first laboratory investigation after hospitalization. While determination of serum-cholinesterase does not have any diagnostic value, it has been established that hypoalbuminemia alone or accompanied by an increase in creatinine, lactate, or C-reactive protein serum levels has negative prognostic value. Increased serum levels of C-reactive protein are a sign of systemic ischemia. Protective mechanical ventilation should be avoided, if possible. In fact, acute respiratory distress syndrome characterized by congestion and increased weight of the lung, accompanied by heart failure, may become the cause of death. As the excess of acetylcholine at the neuronal level can persist for weeks until enough newly, locally synthesized acetylcholinesterase becomes available (the value of oximes in reducing this time is still under debate), after atropine administration, intravenous albumin and fluid infusion should be the first therapeutic interventions to reestablish normal blood volume and normal tissue oxygenation, avoiding death by cardiac arrest.

Predictive factors associated with pemetrexed acute toxicity

PURPOSE

Pemetrexed has shown efficacy as monotherapy or in combination with platinum salts in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma. However, severe hematological toxicities induced by pemetrexed-based chemotherapy have been observed. Some studies have suggested that drug interactions may be associated with pemetrexed toxicity. The objective of this study was to determine predictive factors, including drug interactions, associated with pemetrexed toxicity.

METHODS

This retrospective open monocentric study included patients consecutively treated with pemetrexed after a multidisciplinary risk assessment. Patients who experienced toxicity of grade 3 or 4 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0, or a grade 2 leading to a change in management, during the first four courses of pemetrexed, were assigned to the early limiting toxicities (ELT) group. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to test the association variables with the occurrence of ELT.

RESULTS

Seventy-four patients were included in this study (median age: 67 years, with non-small cell lung cancer adenocarcinoma (88%), mesothelioma (7%), or others (5%). Thirty-six patients (49%) were assigned to the ELT group (27 grades 3 and 4; 9 grade 2 with management modification). Three baseline factors were associated with pemetrexed ELT in univariate and multivariate analysis: cystatin clearance (p = 0.0135), albumin level (p = 0.0333), and proton pump inhibitors use (p = 0.035).

CONCLUSION

To conclude, ELT induced by pemetrexed-based treatments occur frequently in cancer patients in a real-world setting. A pretherapeutic assessment before pemetrexed initiation should include three major checkpoints: use of proton pump inhibitors, sarcopenia, and denutrition evaluation.

Diet as a Factor Supporting Lung Cancer Treatment-A Systematic Review

The purpose of this study was to summarize the evidence from epidemiological studies concerning associations between diet and the effectiveness of treatment for lung cancer. For this review, a literature search has been conducted in the EMBASE and PubMed databases, including papers published between 1977 and June 2022. The term "lung cancer" was used in conjunction with "diet". Footnotes from the selected papers were also analyzed. The present study is in line with the recommendations included in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The review included studies involving adults, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort and observational studies. In total, 863 papers were found, with duplicates excluded. Ultimately, 20 papers were reviewed. The present systematic review indicates that vitamin A, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), vitamin E, selenium, and zinc-as antioxidants-can strengthen the body's antioxidant barrier. Furthermore, preoperative immunonutrition may not only improve perioperative nutritional status following induction chemoradiotherapy in lung cancer surgery patients but also reduce the severity of postoperative complications. Similarly, a protein supply may exert a beneficial effect on human health by increasing average body weight and muscle mass. Omega-3 fatty acid content in the diet and the consumption of their main source, fish, may have some regulatory effect on inflammation in patients with lung cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In addition, n-3 fatty acids inhibit tumor cell proliferation and may reduce the toxicity of chemotherapy. Increased energy and protein intake are strongly associated with improved quality of life, functional outcomes, hand grip strength, symptoms, and performance in patients with lung cancer. The use of a supportive diet should be the standard of care, alongside pharmaceutical therapy, in treatment for patients with lung cancer.

External Validation of Risk Factors for Unplanned Hospitalization in Older Adults With Advanced Cancer Receiving Chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Older adults (age ≥65 years) receiving chemotherapy are at risk for hospitalization. Predictors of unplanned hospitalization among older adults receiving chemotherapy for cancer were recently published using data from a study conducted by the Cancer and Aging Research Group (CARG). Our study aimed to externally validate these predictors in an independent cohort including older adults with advanced cancer receiving chemotherapy.

METHODS

This validation cohort included patients (n=369) from the GAP70+ trial usual care arm. Enrolled patients were aged ≥70 years with incurable cancer and were starting a new line of chemotherapy. Previously identified risk factors proposed by the CARG study were ≥3 comorbidities, albumin level <3.5 g/dL, creatinine clearance <60 mL/min, gastrointestinal cancer, ≥5 medications, requiring assistance with activities of daily activities (ADLs), and having someone available to take them to the doctor (ie, presence of social support). The primary outcome was unplanned hospitalization within 3 months of treatment initiation. Multivariable logistic regression was applied including the 7 identified risk factors. Discriminative ability of the fitted model was performed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC) curve.

RESULTS

Mean age of the cohort was 77 years, 45% of patients were women, and 29% experienced unplanned hospitalization within the first 3 months of treatment. The proportions of hospitalized patients with 0-3, 4-5, and 6-7 identified risk factors were 24%, 28%, and 47%, respectively (P=.04). Impaired ADLs (odds ratio, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.04-2.99) and albumin level <3.5 g/dL (odds ratio, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.37-3.62) were significantly associated with increased odds of unplanned hospitalization. The AUC of the model, including the 7 identified risk factors, was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.59-0.71).

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of a higher number of risk factors was associated with increased odds of unplanned hospitalization. This association was largely driven by impairment in ADLs and low albumin level. Validated predictors of unplanned hospitalization can help with counseling and shared decision-making with patients and their caregivers.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov identifier: NCT02054741.

Mid-upper Arm Circumference as an Indicator of Quality of Life of Patients with Advanced Cancer

OBJECTIVE

Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) has been used to assess malnutrition and health status across various disease groups. However, it is unclear whether MUAC is associated with quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced cancer. Our goal was to investigate the relationship between MUAC and QOL in ambulatory out-patients with advanced cancer.

METHOD

This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary cancer center in South Korea. A total of 200 patients with advanced cancer at oncology clinics of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from March 2016 to January 2019 were enrolled. Out-patients with advanced cancer whose survival was expected to be less than one year by their oncologists were enrolled. QOL of patients was evaluated using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Associations of QOL with MUAC and nutritional parameters were examined with generalized linear models.

RESULTS

The most common cancer sites were the lung, colon or rectum, and genitourinary tract. In univariate analyses, significant factors associated with higher summary score of EORTC QLQ-C30 were higher MUAC (≥ 26.5 cm, p < 0.001), higher body mass index (BMI) (≥ 22 kg/m², p < 0.001), higher serum albumin (≥ 3.7 g/dL, p < 0.01), higher creatinine (≥ 0.8 mg/dL, p = 0.023), and higher uric acid (≥ 5 mg/dL, p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, higher serum albumin (≥ 3.7 g/dL, p < 0.01) and higher MUAC (≥ 26.5 cm, p = 0.03) were independently associated with better summary score of EORTC QLQ-C-30.

CONCLUSION

MUAC was highly associated with QOL in terms of summary score and overall health status. Thus, MUAC, with its simplicity, can be a useful tool to reflect QOL in patients with advanced cancer.

Differences in Treatment Modalities and Prognosis of Elderly Patients with Ovarian Cancer: A Two-Center Propensity Score-Matched Study

Background: The prognosis of older patients with ovarian cancer is poor. We evaluated the effect of chronological age and different treatment characteristics on the prognosis of older patients with ovarian cancer; Methods: The study retrospectively analyzed patients aged over 60 years who underwent cytoreduction followed by platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy between January 2011 and December 2019 in two national centers in China. Propensity score matching (PSM, 1:1) was performed to stratify the comorbidity- and treatment-related factors. The Kaplan−Meier method was employed to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) in the original cohort and the cohort after PSM; Results: A total of 324 patients were evaluated. The Age ≥ 70 group often received more neoadjuvant chemotherapy (62.3% vs. 31.2%, p < 0.001), more discontinuation of adjuvant chemotherapy (31.2% vs. 10.8%, p < 0.001), and had more severe chemotherapy-related toxicity (45.6% vs. 34.2%, p = 0.040) than the Age < 70 group. After matching, the PFS of the Age < 70 group was not significantly different from the Age ≥ 70 group (median PFS = 12.4 and 11.9 months, respectively, p = 0.850). Furthermore, the advanced FIGO stage, non-R0 cytoreduction, and discontinuation of adjuvant chemotherapy were all found to be poor prognostic factors. Serum albumin level <40 g/L (HR = 2.441, p = 0.018) and age ≥ 70 years (HR = 2.639, p = 0.008) led to more severe chemotherapy-related toxicity. Additionally, poor renal function (HR = 5.128, p = 0.002) was in association with discontinuation of adjuvant chemotherapy; Conclusions: The chronological age of older patients cannot be seen as a poor prognostic factor. Older patients may benefit most from R0 cytoreduction followed by the completion of chemotherapy. Postoperative poor renal function and serum albumin level <40 g/L may help predict the discontinuation of adjuvant chemotherapy.

Serum protein and electrolyte imbalances are associated with chemotherapy induced neutropenia

Introduction

Cancer and its treatment using various chemotherapeutic agents can have many adverse side effects. These side effects often result in significant changes in haematological and biochemical composition of blood. As a result, the regular monitoring of serum biochemical and haematological changes plays an important role in management of disease. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between haematological and biochemical changes in neutropenic cancer patients following chemotherapy. Specifically we evaluated the association between neutrophil count and serum proteins and electrolytes.

Methods

For this purpose we analysed retrospectively collected laboratory results from two independent patient cohorts. Each cohort was divided into a control group consisting of patients with normal haematological parameters and a study group which included patients with reduced neutrophil counts. Neutropenic patients (study group) were cancer patients on chemotherapy.

Results and conclusion

Blood samples of cancer patients in study group showed reduction in haemoglobin, neutrophils and platelets. Neutropenic group showed a significant reduction in serum albumin, total protein, calcium, and potassium. Our results show that patients with severe neutropenia had pronounced changes in serum protein and electrolytes and increased incidence of abnormal serum protein and electrolyte level. The changes in the neutrophil counts showed a positive correlation with the changes in serum protein and electrolyte levels. A similar trend was seen in both the patient cohorts: the discovery set (176 patients) and the validation set (200 patients). Taken together our results suggest that chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is associated with dysregulation in haemoglobin, platelets, serum proteins and electrolytes.

Serum Albumin: Early Prognostic Marker of Benefit for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Monotherapy But Not Chemoimmunotherapy

BACKGROUND

Cancer cachexia exhibits decreased albumin and associates with short overall survival (OS) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but whether on-treatment albumin changes associate with OS in NSCLC patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and combination chemoimmunotherapy has not been thoroughly evaluated.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We conducted a single-center retrospective study of patients with advanced NSCLC who received first-line ICI with or without chemotherapy between 2013 and 2020. The association of pretreatment albumin and early albumin changes with OS was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 210 patients were included: 109 in ICI cohort and 101 in ICI + Chemo cohort. Within a median of 21 days from treatment initiation, patients with ≥ 10% of albumin decrease had significantly shorter OS compared to patients without albumin decrease in ICI cohort. Pretreatment albumin and albumin decrease within the first or second cycle of treatment were significantly and independently associated with OS in ICI cohort, but not in ICI + Chemo cohort. The lack of association between albumin and OS with the addition of chemotherapy was more pronounced among patients with ≥ 1% PD-L1 expression in subgroup analysis.

CONCLUSION

Pretreatment serum albumin and early albumin decrease in ICI monotherapy was significantly associated with OS in advanced NSCLC. Early albumin change, as a routine lab value tested in clinic, may be combined with established biomarkers to improve outcome predictions of ICI monotherapy. The underlying mechanism of the observed association between decreased albumin and ICI resistance warrants further investigation.

The role of systemic immuno-inflammatory factors in resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma: a cohort retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy, surgery being the only potentially curative treatment. The systemic inflammatory response is an important factor in the development of cancer. There is still controversy regarding its role in pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Our study is a retrospective observational cohort study. We included patients diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), who underwent surgical resection in our hospital, between January 2012 and December 2019. We gathered information from preoperative and postoperative blood tests. Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet to lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte to monocyte ratio (LMR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were determined.

RESULTS

We included 312 patients. All the immune-inflammatory scores assessed significantly changed after the surgery. The impact on overall survival of these markers showed that only some of the postoperative scores predicted survival: high PLR had a negative prognostic impact, while high lymphocyte and PNI values had a positive effect on overall survival.

DISCUSSION

The circulating immune cells and their values integrated in the assessed prognostic scores suffer statistically significant changes after curative pancreatic surgery. Only the postoperative values of lymphocyte count, PLR, and PNI seem to influence the overall survival in PDAC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov-identifier NCT05025371 .

Prognostic value of prognostic nutritional index and its variations in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer patients treated with anlotinib monotherapy

Background

Anlotinib is a third‐line or further therapy for advanced non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the lack of simple biomarkers to predict the curative effect of anlotinib creates significant unmet needs in exploring the markers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and its variations and efficacy of anlotinib.

Methods

Data for patients with advanced NSCLC who received anlotinib were collected at Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital. The data included the values of pretreatment PNI (pre‐PNI), posttreatment PNI (post‐PNI), and ΔPNI (post‐PNI minus the pre‐PNI). The Kaplan–Meier method was used to generate survival curves, whereas univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to analyze survival predictors.

Results

A high disease control rate was associated with a high pre‐PNI (p = 0.007), high post‐PNI (p = 0.000), and high ΔPNI (p = 0.006). Univariable analysis revealed that pre‐PNI ≤41.80, post‐PNI ≤42.48, and ΔPNI ≤0.20 were significant risk factors for poor survival. According to the multivariate analysis, progression‐free survival (PFS) in patients with post‐PNI ≤42.48 was significantly shorter than in patients with higher values (median PFS: 1.5 months vs. 4.0 months, p = 0.010).

Conclusions

Pre‐PNI, ΔPNI, and post‐PNI were found to be predictive factors for response in advanced NSCLC patients treated with anlotinib as a third‐line or further treatment. Only post‐PNI was a reliable predictor of PFS. Therefore, PNI and its variations, particularly post‐PNI, are affordable and accessible predictors of NSCLC patients treated with anlotinib in clinical work.

Handgrip Strength, Overhydration and Nutritional Status as a Predictors of Gastrointestinal Toxicity in Cervical Cancer Patients. A Prospective Study

Background: Antineoplastic treatments produce adverse events (AE) such as gastrointestinal toxicity. These AE can reduce nutritional intake and promote weight and muscle mass loss. Objective: To determine if body composition, nutritional status, or muscle function predicts gastrointestinal toxicity during chemotherapy in cervical cancer (CC) patients. Methods: Women with CC were studied. Nutritional status was evaluated according to PG-SGA, and body composition was measured with bioimpedance. Toxicity was graded according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Results: A total of 207 women, 81 with toxicity and 126 without toxicity groups, were studied. Patients in the toxicity group had less handgrip strength (17.7 ± 5.0 vs. 20.3 ± 5.0 p = 0.0004); phase angle (5.2 ± 1.1 vs. 5.9 ± 1.0, p = 0.0065); higher prevalence of sarcopenia (35.9% vs. 20.6%, p = 0.016); overhydration (25.9% vs. 6.3% p < 0.001); and PG-SGA C (14.1% vs. 4.0%, p < 0.001) when compared to patients without toxicity. Handgrip strength (HR: 0.93, 95% CI 0.88-0.98, p = 0.028), overhydration (HR: 2.82, 95% CI 1.22-6.51, p = 0.015) and been severely malnourished according to PG-PGA (HR: 3.6, 95%CI 1.46-9.2, p < 0.001) were associated with the risk to present gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusion: handgrip strength, overhydration, and severe malnutrition are independent risk factors to the presence of gastrointestinal toxicity in CC patients.

Systematic interaction of plasma albumin with the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs

Albumin, as the most abundant plasma protein, plays an integral role in the transport of a variety of exogenous and endogenous ligands in the bloodstream and extravascular spaces. For exogenous drugs, especially chemotherapeutic drugs, binding to and being delivered by albumin can significantly affect their efficacy. Meanwhile, albumin can also bind to many endogenous ligands, such as fatty acids, with important physiological significance that can affect tumor proliferation and metabolism. In this review, we summarize how albumin with unique properties affects chemotherapeutic drugs efficacy from the aspects of drug outcome in blood, toxicity, tumor accumulation and direct or indirect interactions with fatty acids, plus application of albumin-based carriers for anti-tumor drug delivery.

Body Mass Index, Weight Loss, and Mortality Risk in Advanced-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Focus on EGFR Mutation

Body mass index (BMI) influences the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including both early-stage and late-stage NSCLC patients that are undergoing chemotherapies. However, earlier research on the relationship between BMI and survival in patients taking epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) yielded contradictory results. These publications either had a limited number of patients or were getting TKIs in various lines of therapy, which might explain why the outcomes were contradictory. As a result, we undertook retrospective study to examine the effect of BMI on survival outcomes in patients with advanced EGFR mutant NSCLC receiving first-line EGFR-TKIs. We also compared the findings to those with wild-type EGFR. Between November 2010 and March 2014, 513 patients with advanced NSCLC were enrolled in the study. According to the adjusted BMI cut-off point for Asia, 35 out of 513 (6.8%) patients were underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²), whereas 197 (38.4%) were overweight (BMI > 24 kg/m²). Overweight patients with wild-type EGFR exhibited longer progression-free survival (4.6 vs. 2.1 months, p = 0.003) and overall survival (OS) (8.9 vs. 4.3 months, p = 0.003) than underweight patients. Overweight patients with EGFR mutations had a longer OS than normal-weight patients (23.0 vs. 20.2 months, p = 0.025). Bodyweight reduction was related to a shorter OS in both the mutant EGFR patients (17.1 vs. 30.5 months, p < 0.001) and the wild-type EGFR patients (7.8 vs. 18.7 months, p < 0.001). In conclusion, advanced stages NSCLC patients with a lower BMI and early weight loss had a worse outcome that was independent of EGFR mutation status.

Beneficial Effects of Oral Nutritional Supplements on Body Composition and Biochemical Parameters in Women with Breast Cancer Undergoing Postoperative Chemotherapy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Aim: Recently, more attention has been paid to the role of nutritional intervention in preventing the side effects of chemotherapy in oncology patients. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of oral nutritional supplements on the body composition and biochemical parameters in women with breast cancer receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: The study involved women diagnosed with breast cancer who underwent surgical treatment and were qualified for chemotherapy (doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide). Women were divided into two groups, depending on whether oral nutritional supplements were used during chemotherapy. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters were analyzed twice in all patients: before and after six weeks of chemotherapy. Propensity score (PS) matching was performed to select patients balanced in terms of age, BMI, and clinicopathological features of the tumor. Statistical comparisons were conducted in a propensity-matched cohort of patients. Results: The value of BMI was maintained constant in the supplemented women older than 56 years after six weeks of chemotherapy. Regardless of age in the supplemented women, a significant increase in muscle mass, fat free mass (FFM), and fat free mass index (FFMI) was demonstrated. An increase in fat mass (FM) including visceral fat was observed only in the non-supplemented control. Regardless of age or initial FM, supplemented women exhibited a constant level of albumin. Moreover, in the supplemented women with normal initial FM, the stable values of triglycerides and HDL cholesterol were maintained after six weeks of chemotherapy. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that oral nutritional supplements could improve body composition and prevent hypoalbuminemia and lipid abnormalities in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Appetite stimulants for patients with cancer: current evidence for clinical practice

The incidence of neoplastic diseases has increased worldwide, with an estimated global burden of 19.3 million incident cases and 10 million deaths in 2020-a considerable increase compared with 9.6 million deaths in 2018. One of the most prevalent problems faced by patients with cancer and their physicians is malnutrition. It is estimated that patients with cancer have important nutritional alterations in 25% to 70% of cases, which directly affects many spheres of patient care and well-being, including quality of life, treatment toxicity, and survival outcomes. Despite the overwhelming need to address this pressing issue, current evidence in terms of pharmacologic interventions for cancer-related anorexia remains inconclusive, and there is no current standard of care for patients with cancer-related anorexia. Nonetheless, international guidelines recommend promoting anabolism through nutritional, physical, and pharmacologic therapies. In this review, the available information is summarized regarding pharmacologic therapies to treat cancer-related anorexia and findings are highlighted from a clinical stance.

Prognostic value of inflammatory response biomarkers using peripheral blood and [18F]-FDG PET/CT in advanced NSCLC patients treated with first-line chemo- or immunotherapy

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to compare the prognostic value of inflammatory biomarkers extracted from pretreatment peripheral blood and [18F]-FDG PET for estimating outcomes in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with first-line immunotherapy (IT) or chemotherapy (CT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this retrospective multicenter study, we evaluated 111 patients with advanced NSCLC who underwent baseline [18F]-FDG PET/CT before IT or CT between 2016 and 2019. Several blood inflammatory indices were evaluated: derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). FDG-PET inflammatory parameters were extracted from lymphoid tissues (BLR and SLR: bone marrow or spleen-to-Liver SUVmax ratios). Association with survival and relationships between parameters were evaluated using Cox prediction models and Spearman's correlation respectively.

RESULTS

Overall, 90 patients were included (IT:CT) (51:39pts). Median PFS was 8.6:6.6 months and median OS was not reached:21.2 months. In the IT cohort, high dNLR (>3), high SII (≥1,270) and high SLR (0.77) were independent statistically significant prognostic factors for one-year progression-free survival (1y-PFS) and two-year overall survival (2y-OS) on multivariable analysis. In the CT cohort, high BLR (≥0.80) and high dNLR (>3) were associated with shorter 1y-PFS (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0-4.9) and 2y-OS (HR 3.4, 95CI 1.1-10.3) respectively, on multivariable analysis. Finally, BLR significantly but moderately correlated with most blood-based inflammatory indices (CRP, PLR and SII) while SLR was only associated with CRP (p < 0.01 for all).

CONCLUSION

In advanced NSCLC patients undergoing first-line IT or CT, pretreatment blood and inflammatory factors evaluating the spleen or bone marrow on [18F]-FDG PET/CT provided prognostic information for 1y-PFS and 2y-OS. These biomarkers should be further evaluated for potential clinical application.

Association of Fatigue and Outcomes in Advanced Cancer: An Analysis of Four SWOG Treatment Trials

PURPOSE

Patient-reported outcomes may be associated with cancer outcomes. We evaluated clinically significant fatigue (CSF), overall survival, adverse events (AEs), and quality of life (QOL) during cancer treatment.

METHODS

We compared outcomes in four phase II or III chemotherapy trials, two advanced non-small-cell lung cancer and two advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer, with or without baseline CSF. CSF was defined as a rating of two or greater on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy fatigue question or a European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 fatigue symptom score of 50% or greater. Survival was compared according to CSF using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression models. Differences in AE rates by CSF were assessed via chi-squared tests, and QOL changes from baseline to 3 months via linear regression.

RESULTS

Of 1,994 participants, 1,907 (median age 69 years, range: 32-91) had complete baseline QOL survey data, with 52% reporting CSF at baseline. For the two hormone-refractory prostate cancer studies, baseline CSF was associated with higher mortality rates, with adjusted hazard ratios of (95% CI, P value) 1.32 (1.13 to 1.55, P < .001) and 1.31 (1.02 to 1.67, P = .03) and with increased incidence of grade 3-5 constitutional (16.5% v 9.4%, P = .002; 13.9% v 6.3%, P = .002) and neurologic (11.7% v 6.1%, P = .006; 9.0% v 3.9%, P = .01) AEs, respectively. Baseline CSF was associated with a higher mortality rate in one non-small-cell lung cancer study: hazard ratio 1.44 and 1.04 to 2.00, P = .03.

CONCLUSION

Oncology trial participants with baseline CSF had poorer survival and experienced more AEs than participants without CSF. This indicates fatigue as an important baseline prognostic factor in oncology treatment trials.

Beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate/arginine/glutamine (HMB/Arg/Gln) supplementation to improve the management of cachexia in patients with advanced lung cancer: an open-label, multicentre, randomised, controlled phase II trial (NOURISH)

BACKGROUND

Cancer cachexia causes significant morbidity and mortality in advanced lung cancer patients. Clinical benefit of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, arginine, and glutamine (HMB/Arg/Gln) was assessed in newly diagnosed patients.

METHODS

NOURISH, a prospective, two-arm, open-label, multi-centre, randomised controlled phase II trial compared cachexia in patients who received HMB/Arg/Gln with those who did not. All patients received structured nutritional, exercise and symptom control via a Macmillan Durham Cachexia Pack. Conducted in five UK centres, patients aged > 18 years, with newly diagnosed advanced small cell lung cancer (SCLC) or non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who were able to take oral nutrition, with a performance status of 0-to-2 and a life expectancy > 4 months were eligible for trial entry. Patients suitable for treatment with curative intent were ineligible. The trial was designed as a signal-seeking pilot study with target recruitment of 96 patients. One-to-one randomisation was stratified by diagnosis (SCLC or NSCLC), stage of disease (locally advanced or metastatic) and performance status. The primary outcome measure was treatment success defined as a patient being alive without significant loss of lean body mass (not > 5%) by 12 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included quality of life.

RESULTS

Between February-2012 and February-2013, 38 patients were recruited, 19 to each arm. Baseline characteristics were balanced. The trial was halted due to slow accrual and partial adherence. Trial data demonstrated no evidence of treatment benefit. No serious adverse events were reported during the trial.

CONCLUSIONS

Further evaluation of HMB/Arg/Gln in this setting could not be recommended on the basis of this trial.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN registry: 39911673; 14-Apr-2011 https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN39911673 .

Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score is predictive of prognosis for non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy: a retrospective study

We aimed to assess the predictive value of the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). We retrospectively reviewed the records of 207 patients, with a median age of 79 years. The pretreatment mGPS was calculated and categorized as high (mGPS = 1-2) or low (mGPS = 0). The median follow-up duration was 40.7 months. The five-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and time to progression (TTP) rates were 44.3%, 36% and 54.4%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that mGPS was independently predictive of OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.67; 95% confidence interval 1.14-2.44: P = 0.009), PFS (HR 1.58; 1.10-2.28: P = 0.014) and TTP (HR 1.66; 1.03-2.68: P = 0.039). Patients who had high mGPS showed significantly worse OS (33.3 vs 64.5 months, P = 0.003) and worse PFS (23.8 vs 39 months, P = 0.008) than those who had low mGPS. The data showed a trend that patients with high mGPS suffered earlier progression compared to those with low mGPS (54.3 vs 88.1 months, P = 0.149). We confirmed that mGPS is independently predictive of prognosis in NSCLC patients treated with SBRT.

Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score predicts survival among advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma patients treated with anti-PD1 agents

Immune checkpoint inhibitors were approved for advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. Despite improved survival, not all patients benefit from these agents. Here, the prognostic impact of pretreatment modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was assessed. From 77 patients included, 83.2% received at least one prior systemic therapy. Immune-related adverse events (irAE) occurred in 20 patients. A lower mGPS was associated with higher median overall survival (OS), and a lower Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG), irAE and fewer metastatic sites with better survival. A trend towards greater OS and progression-free survival (PFS) was stated among patients with NLR <5. mGPS 0 was associated with better survival; ≥3 metastatic sites with worse PFS and OS; ECOG >2 with worse OS and irAE with better survival. Pretreatment mGPS seems to be useful for predicting survival among advanced NSCLC patients treated with anti-programmed cell death 1 drugs, with ECOG performance status, irAE occurrence, and number of metastatic sites acting as survival predictors.

Herbal medicines for anorexia in lung cancer: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Anorexia is the most common cause of malnutrition in lung cancer patients as well as an independent prognostic factor for cancer survival. This review will deal with the clinical evidence of herbal medicine use for reducing anorexia in lung cancer patients.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Fourteen electronic databases will be searched from inception until October 2020. We will include randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing herbal medicines for anorexia in lung cancer patients. Interventions of any herbal medicines will be included. The methodological qualities of the included RCTs will be assessed via the Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing the risk of bias. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) instrument will be used to evaluate the confidence in the cumulative evidence.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

This systematic literature review does not require an ethics review. This review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated electronically and in print. The review will be updated to inform and guide healthcare practices.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

reviewregistry1038.

Practical implications to contemplate when considering radical therapy for stage III non-small-cell lung cancer

The type of patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) selected for concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) varies between and within countries, with higher-volume centres treating patients with more co-morbidities and higher-stage disease. However, in spite of these disease characteristics, these patients have improved overall survival, suggesting that there are additional approaches that should be optimised and potentially standardised. This paper aims to review the current knowledge and best practices surrounding treatment for patients eligible for cCRT. Initially, this includes timely acquisition of the full diagnostic workup for the multidisciplinary team to comprehensively assess a patient for treatment, as well as imaging scans, patient history, lung function and genetic tests. Such information can provide prognostic information on how a patient will tolerate their cCRT regimen, and to perhaps limit the use of additional supportive care, such as steroids, which could impact on further treatments, such as immunotherapy. Furthermore, knowledge of the safety profile of individual double-platinum chemotherapy regimens and the technological advances in radiotherapy could aid in optimising patients for cCRT treatment, improving its efficacy whilst minimising its toxicities. Finally, providing patients with preparatory and ongoing support with input from dieticians, palliative care professionals, respiratory and care-of-the-elderly physicians during treatment may also help in more effective treatment delivery, allowing patients to achieve the maximum potential from their treatments.

Nutritional Support in Lung Cancer Patients: The State of the Art

Lung cancer (LC) represents the most commonly diagnosed neoplasm worldwide for both sexes and is the leading cause of cancer mortality. Malnutrition is a comorbidity frequently found in neoplastic patients, but it remains often underestimated and thus undertreated. In this review, we aimed to investigate the incidence of malnutrition among LC patients according to different screening and assessment tools, to evaluate the impact of weight loss and body composition on survival, and to analyze the efficacy of different nutritional interventions in this setting. Although malnutrition, weight loss, and body composition changes can affect survival and other clinical outcomes in LC patients, the role of nutritional interventions is not yet strongly proven, and further studies are recommended. Nevertheless, screening, assessing, and eventually treating malnutrition in LC patients are strongly recommended, according to the most recent nutritional intervention guidelines for oncology patients.

Nutrition in Cancer: Evidence and Equality

PURPOSE

Poor nutrition is highly implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer and affects the survival of patients during and after completion of definitive therapies. Mechanistic evidence accumulated over the last century now firmly places dysregulated cellular energetics within the emerging hallmarks of cancer. Nutritional intervention studies often aim to either enhance treatment effect or treat nutritional deficiencies that portend poor prognoses. Patients living within food priority areas have a high risk of nutritional need and are more likely to develop comorbidities, including diabetes, hypertension, renal disease, and cardiovascular risk factors. Unfortunately, there is currently a paucity of data analyzing the impact of food priority areas on cancer outcomes.

METHODS

Therefore, we performed a review of the literature focusing on the molecular and clinical interplay of cancer and nutrition, the importance of clinical trials in elucidating how to intervene in this setting and the significance of including citizens who live in food priority areas in these future prospective studies.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the importance of nutrition as an emerging hallmark of cancer, further research must be aimed at directing the optimal nutrition strategy throughout oncologic treatments, including the supplementation of nutritious foods to those that are otherwise unable to attain them.

Tolerability of Highly Protein Bound Targeted Oral Oncolytic Drugs in Patients With Hypoalbuminemia: A Retrospective Analysis

BACKGROUND

Hypoalbuminemia is commonly observed in cancer patients. Given the pharmacokinetic interactions between serum proteins and protein bound medications, administration of highly protein bound targeted oral oncolytic drugs may result in elevated unbound drug levels and decreased tolerability in those with hypoalbuminemia.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the impact of hypoalbuminemia on oral oncolytic drug tolerability.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted of adult patients receiving treatment with targeted oral oncolytic drugs with ≥95% protein binding. The primary end point of this study was to compare time to discontinuation resulting from documented toxicity in those with and without hypoalbuminemia.

RESULTS

The study included 143 patients receiving 16 targeted oral oncolytic drugs (42% with hypoalbuminemia, 58% without hypoalbuminemia). Adverse events were common, with similar incidence among patients with and without hypoalbuminemia (73% vs 76%, respectively; P = 0.727). Median time to therapy discontinuation resulting from documented toxicity was significantly shorter in those with hypoalbuminemia (22 months vs not reached; P = 0.003). Cox regression demonstrated that hypoalbuminemia was the only significant risk factor for shorter time to discontinuation resulting from documented adverse effects (hazard ratio = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.15-8.0; P = 0.025).

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE

This represents the first report of the impact of hypoalbuminemia on tolerability of highly protein bound oral oncolytic drugs, demonstrating that patients with hypoalbuminemia may be at increased risk for early discontinuation resulting from toxicity. Given the importance of maintaining dose intensity in patients receiving oncolytic therapy, albumin levels should be monitored throughout treatment and supportive care maximized in those developing hypoalbuminemia.

Nutritional status and interventions for patients with cancer - A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Malnourishment is commonly seen in ageing, cancer and many chronic conditions, and is associated with poorer prognosis.

AIM

We set out to collect all currently available evidence on the association between nutritional status assessed with a validated screening tool and prognosis or course of treatment in older patients with cancer, and on the benefit of nutritional interventions in improving these outcomes.

METHODS

A systematic search in MEDLINE and EMBASE.

RESULTS

We included 71 studies on the association between nutritional status and outcome in (older) patients with cancer and 17 studies on the benefit of nutritional interventions in improving outcomes in this patient population. There is a significant association between nutritional status and increased intermediate- and long-term mortality (hazard ratio 1.87 (95% confidence interval 1.62-2.17). Those with poorer nutritional status were less likely to complete oncologic treatment according to plan and had higher health care consumption. Benefit of dietary interventions was limited although dietary counselling may lead to improved quality of life while nutritional support may lead to a decrease in post-operative complication rates.

CONCLUSION

Nutritional status is associated with poorer survival, decreased treatment completion and higher health care consumption and nutritional interventions are only able to negate these negatives outcome to a very limited degree.

GNRI as a Prognostic Factor for Outcomes in Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Oncologic patients often suffer from malnutrition which in turn, might have negative impact on treatment outcomes. The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), as an index of impaired nutritional status, has emerged as a significant prognostic factor for short-and long-term outcomes in cancer patients. The aim of the current systematic review is to determine whether the GNRI is an independent prognostic factor of postoperative complications and survival in cancer patients. A systematic search was conducted to identify studies, published from 2005 to 2019, which assessed associations between GNRI and short- and long-term outcomes in cancer patients. Eighteen studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis. Low scores of GNRI were associated with increased risk for developing postoperative complications and impaired survival of cancer patients in most studies. Our findings support the use of the GNRI in the clinical practice, since it is a simple and reliable tool for assessing nutritional status in oncologic patients. More prospective, multi-centered studies are warranted to confirm the current results, as well as the role of nutritional support in improving the prognosis of cancer patients.

Associations between nutritional factors and chemotherapy toxicity in older adults with solid tumors

BACKGROUND

Nutritional status can directly affect morbidity and mortality in older adults with cancer. This study evaluated the association between pretreatment body mass index (BMI), albumin level, and unintentional weight loss (UWL) in the prior 6 months and chemotherapy toxicity among older adults with solid tumors.

METHODS

This was a secondary analysis of a prospective, multicenter study involving chemotherapy-treated patients 65 years old or older. Geriatric assessment, BMI, albumin level, and UWL data were collected before treatment. Multivariable logistic regression models evaluated the associations between nutritional factors and the risk of grade 3 or higher (grade 3+) chemotherapy toxicity.

RESULTS

Seven hundred fifty patients with a median age of 72 years (range, 65-94 years) and mostly stage IV disease were enrolled. The median pretreatment BMI and albumin values were 26 kg/m2 (range, 15.1-52.1 kg/m2 ) and 3.9 mg/dL (range, 1.0-5.0 mg/dL), respectively. Nearly 50% of the patients reported UWL, with 17.6% reporting >10% UWL. Multivariable analysis revealed no association between >10% UWL and a risk for grade 3+ chemotherapy toxicity (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.87; P = .58). Multivariable analysis showed a trend toward an association between a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and a decreased risk of grade 3+ chemotherapy toxicity (AOR, 0.65; P = .06), whereas a low albumin level (≤3.6 mg/dL) was associated with a higher risk of grade 3+ chemotherapy toxicity (AOR, 1.50; P = .03). An analysis of the joint effect of BMI and albumin demonstrated the lowest risk of grade 3+ chemotherapy toxicity among patients with high BMIs (≥30 kg/m2 ) and normal albumin levels (AOR, 0.41; P = .008).

CONCLUSIONS

Among older adults with solid tumors, higher BMIs and normal albumin levels are associated with a lower risk of grade 3+ chemotherapy toxicity. Additional research is warranted to define the clinical significance of nutritional markers and to inform future interventions.

Low Prognostic Nutritional Index Predicts Poor Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Stage IIIB Non-small-cell Lung Carcinoma Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy

Purpose

To investigate the prognostic utility of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in stage IIIB non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

Methods

A total of 358 stage IIIB NSCLC patients who received a total dose of 60–66 Gy (2 Gy/fraction) radiotherapy and ≥1 cycle(s) of platinum-based chemotherapy were analyzed. The receiver operating curve analysis was utilized to identify the optimal PNI cut-off value demonstrating a significant connection with the overall survival (OS), locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

At a median follow-up time of 22.5 months (range: 2.4–123.5), 30.2% and 14% of the patients were still alive and free of disease progression, respectively.The median OS, LRPFS, and PFS were 25.2 [95% confidence interval (CI): 36.3–46.6 months], 15.4 (95% CI: 26.6–35.3 months), and 10.7 (95% CI: 36.8–69.9 months), individually, for the whole study accomplice. The ROC analysis revealed an optimum rounded cut-off that associated meaningfully with each of the OS [area under the curve (AUC): 84.1%; sensitivity: 75.9%;72.4% specificity], LRPFS (AUC: 92.4%; sensitivity: 87.9%; 85.1% specificity), and PFS (AUC: 80.1%; sensitivity: 73.7%; 71.6% specificity) at a value of 40.5. Comparative analyses revealed that the patients presenting with PNI≤40.5 had significantly inferior OS (16.8 vs 36.7; P<0.001), LRPFS (11.5 vs 19.5; P<0.001), and PFS (8.6 vs 13.6; P<0.001) outcomes compared to patients with PNI>40.5. In univariate analyses, lower T-stage (1–2 vs 3–4; P< 0.001), lower N-stage (N2 vs N3; P< 0.001), anemia status (absent vs present; P< 0.001), weight loss status (<5% vs ≥5%; P< 0.001), and PNI group (≤40.5 vs >40.5; P<0.001) were the factors found to be associated with OS, LRPFS and PFS results. The results of multivariate analysis exhibited that the PNI was independently associated with each of the OS (P<0.001), LRPFS (P<0.001), and PFS (P<0.001) outcomes.

Conclusion

The pretreatment PNI appears to be a robust novel prognostic factor that stratifies patients with stage IIIB NSCLC into two significantly distinct survival groups after CRT.

GFR Measurement and Chemotherapy Dosing in Patients with Kidney Disease and Cancer

Chemotherapeutic agents require precise dosing to ensure optimal efficacy and minimize complications. For those agents that are removed from the body by the kidney, accurate knowledge of GFR is critical. In addition, GFR needs to be determined rapidly, easily, and, if possible, with little additional cost. The ability to easily measure GFR also allows for rapid detection of nephrotoxicity. Current methodologies include direct clearance measurement of an indicator substance or estimation of creatinine clearance or GFR through regression equations that use a serum marker, such as creatinine or cystatin C. These methodologies all have shortfalls and limitations, some of which are specific to the patient with cancer. Newer methodologies that directly measure GFR are in clinical trials and offer the ability to rapidly and noninvasively provide accurate estimates of drug clearance as well as detection of nephrotoxicity. These methods offer the opportunity to refine drug dosing and improve outcomes.

Refeeding syndrome in hematological cancer patients - current approach

Introduction: According to estimates based on the GLOBOCAN database of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, in 2018 alone, 18 100 000 cancers were globally diagnosed. Importantly, the majority of cancer patients experience unintended weight loss that leads to many adverse clinical consequences, including malnutrition and cancer cachexia. At the same time, each nutritional intervention must be carried out individually, as it can lead to critical complications, resulting in a threat to the health and life of the cachectic patient. An example of this type of risk is refeeding syndrome.Areas covered: Three factors seem to be crucial in this case: early identification of patients at risk of malnutrition, the introduction of an individualized diet regimen and constant monitoring of nutritional intervention. It seems equally important to spread awareness about the possibility of refeeding syndrome and knowledge about its patomechanisms and consequences among medical staff. This should lead to minimizing the risk of refeeding syndrome.Expert opinion: It should be noted that current guidelines on the pathogenesis, risk factors and methods of prevention and treatment of refeeding syndrome require further modifications, that would harmonize the management regimen in both prevention and therapy of refeeding syndrome.

Impact of Baseline Nutrition and Exercise Status on Toxicity and Outcomes in Phase I and II Oncology Clinical Trial Participants

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition and physical inactivity are common in patients with advanced cancer and are associated with poor outcomes. There are increasing data that altered body composition is related to the pharmacokinetic properties of cancer therapies. These adverse conditions may impact outcomes in early-phase oncology clinical trials.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We aimed to understand the relationships between baseline nutrition and exercise status with important trial endpoints including treatment-related toxicity and survival. Baseline assessments of nutrition and exercise status were conducted in patients prior to initiation of phase I and II oncology clinical trials. Patients were followed prospectively for the onset of adverse events. Tumor response and survival data were also obtained. Fisher's exact test and chi-square analysis were used to determine statistical significance. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to compare patient duration on study and survival.

RESULTS

One hundred patients were recruited, of whom 87 were initiating a phase I trial. Sixty percent were initiating trials studying immunotherapeutic agents. Critical malnutrition was found in 39% of patients, and 52% were sedentary. Patients who were malnourished had significantly increased rates of grade ≥ 3 toxicity (p = .001), hospitalizations (p = .001), and inferior disease control rate (p = .019). Six-month overall survival was significantly reduced in malnourished patients versus nonmalnourished patients (47% vs. 84%; p = .0003), as was median duration on study (48 days vs. 105 days; p = .047). Being sedentary at baseline was associated with decreased duration on study (57 days vs. 105 days; p = .019).

CONCLUSION

Malnutrition and sedentary lifestyle are highly prevalent in patients enrolling on early-phase oncology clinical trials and are associated with poor outcomes. The quality of data from these studies may be compromised as a result of these pre-existing conditions.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Phase I and II trials are critical steps in the development of effective cancer therapeutics, yet only a small percentage of agents are ultimately approved for human cancer care. Despite increasing awareness of the interactions between malnutrition, sarcopenia, and treatment-related outcomes such as toxicity and response, these factors are not commonly incorporated into therapeutic decision making at the time of clinical trial consideration. Nutritional status and physical performance may be key biomarkers of mechanisms mediating treatment-related toxicity, dose modifications, risk of hospitalizations, and success of novel agents. This study advocates that a baseline nutritional assessment and early nutritional support may improve tolerability and response to experimental therapies.