Concurrent capecitabine and upper abdominal radiation therapy is well tolerated

Neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy for biliary tract cancer: Advances and limitations

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are a rare and aggressive consortium of malignancies, consisting of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and gallbladder carcinoma. While most patients present with metastatic disease, a minority of patients with BTC are eligible for curative surgical resection at the time of presentation. However, these patients have poor 5-year overall survival rates and high rates of recurrence, necessitating the improvement of the neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment of BTC. In this review, we assess the neoadjuvant and adjuvant clinical trials for the treatment of BTC and discuss the challenges and limitations of clinical trials, as well as future directions for the treatment of BTC.

Emerging treatment strategies in hepatobiliary cancer

INTRODUCTION

There have been significant advances in the treatment of hepatobiliary cancers, especially for advanced-stage disease. However, data is limited for optimal therapy selection in the first line and sequencing of available options.

AREAS COVERED

This review covers the systemic treatment of hepatobiliary cancers with an emphasis on the advanced stage. The previously published and ongoing trials will be discussed to create an algorithm for the current practice and to give future perspectives on how the field could go forward.

EXPERT OPINION

While there is no standard-of-care option in the adjuvant treatment of hepatocellular cancer, capecitabine is the standard of care for biliary tract cancer. The efficacy of adjuvant gemcitabine and cisplatin and the added benefit of radiotherapy to chemotherapy are yet to be defined. For the advanced stage, immunotherapy-based combinations became the standard of care for both hepatocellular and biliary tract cancers. The molecularly targeted therapy has profoundly changed the second-line and later treatment for biliary tract cancers, while the optimal second-line treatment for advanced hepatocellular cancer is yet to be defined due to rapid advances in the first-line setting.

Postoperative recurrent patterns of gallbladder cancer: possible implications for adjuvant therapy

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is an uncommon malignancy with high recurrent rate and poor prognosis. This study investigates the recurrent patterns of postoperative GBC, with the aim to guide the adjuvant treatments, including the radiotherapy.

METHODS

Retrospectively analyzed the 109 GBC patients who underwent surgery in our institution from January 2013 to 2018. Clinical follow-up revealed 54 recurrent cases, of which 40 had detailed locations of recurrence. The sites of recurrence were recorded and divided into the tumor bed, corresponding lymphatic drainage area, intrahepatic recurrence, and the other distant metastasis.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time is 34 months (IQR: 11-64). The median disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 48.8 months and 53.7 months, respectively. Through univariate analysis, risk factors for DFS and OS include tumor markers (CA199 and CEA), hepatic invasion, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, TNM staging and tumor differentiation. Through multivariate analysis, risk factors for DFS include hepatic invasion and TNM staging, and for OS is TNM staging only. Of the 40 cases with specific recurrent sites, 29 patients (29/40, 72.5%) had recurrence in the potential target volume of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT), which include tumor bed and corresponding lymphatic drainage area. The common recurrent lymph node groups included abdominal para-aortic lymph node (No.16, 15/29), hepatoduodenal ligament lymph node (No.12, 8/29), retro-pancreatic head lymph node (No.13, 7/29) and celiac axis lymph node (No.9, 4/29). Twenty cases with recurrences inside the potential PORT target volume were accompanied by distant metastasis. Another 11 cases had distant metastasis alone, so totally 31 cases developed distant metastasis (31/40, 77.5%), including 18 cases with hepatic metastasis.

CONCLUSION

The recurrence and metastasis rates are high in GBC and adjuvant therapy is needed. Up to 75% of the recurrent cases occurred in the potential target volume of postoperative radiotherapy, suggesting that postoperative radiotherapy has the possible value of improving local-regional control. The potential target volume of radiotherapy should include the tumor bed, No.8, No.9, No.11, No.12, No.13, No.14, No. 16a2, No. 16b1 lymph node groups.

Cyanoacetylenic Alcohols: Molecules of Interstellar Relevance in the Synthesis of Essential Heterocycles, Amino Acids, Nucleobases and Nucleosides

Cyanoacetylenic alcohols, R1R2C(OH)C≡C–CN, the closest derivatives of cyanoacetylene, an abundant interstellar molecule, are now becoming important compounds in the area of modern organic synthesis that tends to mimic Nature. The presence of highly reactive C≡C and C≡N bonds in close proximity to a hydroxy group endows cyanoacetylenic alcohols with a chemical trinity of mutually influencing functions, leading to a myriad number of chemical transformations. All reactions of cyanoacetylenic alcohols parallel modern organic synthesis, whilst being biomimetic. To react, they do not need transition metals (and in most cases, no metals at all, except for physiologically indispensable Na+ and K+), proceed at ambient temperature and often in aqueous media. Fundamentally, their reactions are 100% atom-economic because they are almost exclusively addition processes. Typically, the cyano, acetylene and hydroxy functions of cyanoacetylenic alcohols behave as an inseparable entity, leading to reaction products with multiple functional groups. This allows hydroxy, carbonyl, carboxylic, imino, amino, amido, cyanoamido, cyano, various P-containing, ether and ester functions, along with double bonds, different fundamental heterocycles (furans, furanones, pyrazoles, oxazoles, pyridines, pyrimidines, purines, etc.) and diverse polycyclic systems to be integrated in a single molecular architecture. This review focuses on an analysis and generalization of the knowledge that has accumulated on the chemistry of cyanoacetylenic alcohols, mostly over the past 15 years.

1 Introduction

2 Nucleophilic Addition to Cyanoacetylenic Alcohols and Subsequent Transformations of the Adducts

3 Annulation with Nonaromatic Nitrogen Heterocycles

4 Annulation with Aromatic Nitrogen Heterocycles

5 Modification of Amino Acids

6 Modifications of Nucleobases

7 Modification of Nucleosides

8 Conclusion

Dose escalation of radiotherapy in unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of escalated dose radiation therapy (EDR, defined as doses >50.4 Gy in 28 fractions [59.5 Gy BED]) on overall survival (OS), freedom from local progression (FFLP), and freedom from distant progression (FFDP) of patients with unresectable extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC).

Methods

A consecutive cohort of 80 patients who underwent radiotherapy for unresectable EHCC from 2001 to 2015 was identified. Demographic, tumor, treatment, toxicity, and laboratory variables were collected. The maximal RT doses ranged from 30 to 75 Gy (median 50.4 Gy, at 1.8‐4.5 Gy/fraction). Gross tumor volume (GTV) coverage by maximal dose in EDR group ranged from 38% to 100%. Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate OS, FFLP, and FFDP. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression models were analyzed.

Results

After radiotherapy, median OS, FFLP, and FFDP were 18.7, 22.6, and 24.3 months, respectively. There was no significant difference in OS or FFLP between patients who received EDR to portions of the GTV and patients who did not. On multivariate analysis, bigger GTV, age, and ECOG performance status were independently associated with shorter OS. Local progression on chemotherapy prior to RT was independently associated with shorter FFLP. High baseline neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (>5.3) was independently associated with shorter FFDP. Toxicity grades were similar in EDR and lower doses except lymphopenia which was higher in EDR (P = 0.053).

Conclusions

EDR to selective portions of the GTV may not benefit patients with unresectable EHCC despite having acceptable toxicity. New methods to improve local control and survival for unresectable EHCC are needed.

Exploring the role of oncolytic viruses in hepatobiliary cancers

The standard of care for early hepatobiliary cancers (HBC) includes surgical resection. Liver transplantations or locoregional therapies are beneficial in early hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) under certain circumstances. Systemic treatments have some benefit in advanced HBC, though long-term prognosis remains poor. We evaluated the role of oncolytic viruses in the treatment of HBCs through a systematic literature review. The recombinant vaccinia virus JX-594 improved median survival in patients with local/metastatic HCC more strongly at high dose than at low dose (14.1 vs 6.7 months; p = 0.08) in a Phase II study. A Phase III study with JX-594 and sorafenib in advanced HCC is ongoing. No survival benefit in HCC was seen with two other recombinant adenoviruses (Ad-TK and DL1520). Several preclinical trials using oncolytic viruses in HBC showed promising results, warranting clinical studies.

An Intergroup Randomized Phase II Study of Bevacizumab or Cetuximab in Combination with Gemcitabine and in Combination with Chemoradiation in Patients with Resected Pancreatic Carcinoma: A Trial of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group (E2204)

OBJECTIVES

Evaluate toxicity of two treatment arms, A (cetuximab) and B (bevacizumab), when combined with gemcitabine, and chemoradiation in patients with completely resected pancreatic carcinoma. Secondary objectives included overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

METHODS

Patients with R0/R1 resection were randomized 1:1 to cetuximab or bevacizumab administered in combination with gemcitabine for two treatment cycles. Next three cycles included concurrent cetuximab/bevacizumab plus chemoradiation, followed by one cycle of cetuximab/bevacizumab. Cycles 7-12 included cetuximab/bevacizumab with gemcitabine. Cycles were 2 weeks. Frequency of specific toxicities was summarized for each treatment arm at two times during the study, after chemotherapy but prior to chemoradiation and after all therapy.

RESULTS

A total of 127 patients were randomized (A, n = 65; B, n = 62). Prior to chemoradiation, the overall rate for toxicities of interest was 10% for arm A and 2% for arm B. After all therapy, the overall rates for toxicities of interest were 30 and 25% for arms A and B, respectively. Overall median OS and DFS were 17 and 11 months, respectively, which is not a significant improvement over expected survival rates for historical controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Both treatments were tolerable with manageable toxicities, and were safe enough for a phase III trial had this been indicated.

Preoperative Chemoradiation for Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Does Not Increase 90-Day Postoperative Morbidity or Mortality

BACKGROUND

The impact of preoperative chemoradiation on postoperative morbidity and mortality of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains controversial.

METHODS

Consecutive pancreatectomies for adenocarcinoma performed between 2011 and 2015 were prospectively monitored for 90 days by using a previously reported surveillance system to determine the association between preoperative chemoradiation and adverse events, pancreatic fistulae, readmissions, and mortality.

RESULTS

Among 209 consecutive patients who underwent pancreatectomy, 159 (76 %) experienced at least one adverse event within 90 postoperative days. Patients who received preoperative chemoradiation (n = 137, 66 %) were more likely to have borderline resectable/locally advanced tumors, to have received induction chemotherapy, and to require vascular resection at pancreatectomy than those who did not receive chemoradiation (all P < 0.05). Nonetheless, there were no significant differences in the rates of severe complications, readmission, or mortality between these groups (all P > 0.05). Among patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy, the rate of pancreatic fistula was similar between those who received chemoradiation and those who did not (P = 0.96). In contrast, those who received chemoradiation prior to distal pancreatectomy had a lower rate of pancreatic fistula (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative chemoradiation is not associated with an increase in 90-day morbidity or mortality, and it may reduce the rate of pancreatic fistula following distal pancreatectomy.

A pilot study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with locally advanced biliary tract cancer

PURPOSE

Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin is a standard treatment for patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine- and cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer.

METHODS

Patients with pathologically proven, unresectable, non-metastatic biliary tract cancer were enrolled. Gemcitabine was administered intravenously at a dose of 1000 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15. Cisplatin was administered intravenously at a dose of 70 mg/m(2) on day 1. All the patients underwent concurrent radiotherapy with 45 Gy in 1.8-Gy daily fractions. After treatment completion, tumor response was evaluated by using computed tomography.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients were enrolled between June 2007 and October 2011. Their median age was 61 years (range, 38-72 years). Eight patients (44.5 %) were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, six (33.3 %) with Klatskin's tumor, and four (22.2 %) with distal common bile duct cancer. After treatment completion, partial response was achieved in five patients (27.8 %) and stable disease in 13 patients (72.2 %). The overall response rate was 27.8 %, and the disease stabilization rate was 100 %. No grade 4 adverse events or treatment-related deaths occurred. The most common grade 3 adverse events were thrombocytopenia (33.3 %) and anemia (11.1 %). The median progression-free and overall survival times were 6.8 months (range, 4.5-19.8 months) and 9.6 months (5.4-30.4 months), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that gemcitabine- and cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy is feasible and tolerable in patients with unresectable and non-metastatic biliary tract cancer.

Adjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy in Gastric Cancer: Critically Reviewing the Past and Visualizing the Next Step Forward

Gastric cancer remains one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Despite the significant advances in surgical treatment and multimodality strategies, prognosis has modestly improved over the last two decades. Locoregional relapse remains one of the main issues and the combined chemoradiation treatment seems to be one of the preferred approaches. However, more than ten years after the hallmark INT-0116 trial, minimal progress has been made both in terms of effectiveness and toxicity. Moreover, new regimens added to combined therapy failed to prove favourable results. Herein, we attempt a thorough literature review comparing pros and cons of all relative studies and potential bias, targeting well-designed future approaches.

Two cases of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy in metastatic cholangiocarcinoma

Humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM) is rarely associated with cholangiocarcinoma (CC), and represents dismal prognosis. A 63-year-old male was admitted for evaluation of an intrahepatic mass. He was diagnosed with HHM associated with locally advanced CC. As the tumor responded to the concurrent chemoradiotherapy with capecitabine and cisplatin, serum calcium level was normalized. However, according to the disease progression, he suffered recurrence of HHM and he expired approximately one year after initial diagnosis. A 68-year-old male who presented with abdominal pain was diagnosed with metastatic CC. After the eighth cycle of gemcitabine and cisplatin, progression of the disease was found with HHM. He was treated with the best supportive care, until his demise approximately one month after the diagnosis of HHM. We report on two cases of HHM associated with CC that demonstrate strong correlation between hypercalcemia and disease burden.

Early experience of helical tomotherapy for hepatobiliary radiotherapy

Helical tomotherapy (HT), an image-guided, intensity-modulated, radiation therapy technique, allows for precise targeting while sparing normal tissues. We retrospectively assessed the feasibility and tolerance of the hepatobiliary HT in 9 patients. A total dose of 54 to 60 Gy was prescribed (1.8 or 2 Gy per fraction) with concurrent capecitabine for 7 patients. There were 1 hepatocarcinoma, 3 cholangiocarcinoma, 4 liver metastatic patients, and 1 pancreatic adenocarcinoma. All but one patient received previous therapies (chemotherapy, liver radiofrequency, and/or surgery). The median doses delivered to the normal liver and to the right kidney were 15.7 Gy and 4.4 Gy, respectively, below the recommended limits for all patients. Most of the treatment-related adverse events were transient and mild in severity. With a median followup of 12 months, no significant late toxicity was noted. Our results suggested that HT could be safely incorporated into the multidisciplinary treatment of hepatobiliary or pancreatic malignant disease.

Efficacy and tolerability of limited field radiotherapy with concurrent capecitabine in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

AIMS

Patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) are most commonly managed with chemotherapy or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT), which may or may not include non-involved regional lymph nodes in the clinical target volume. We present our results of CRT for LAPC using capecitabine and delivering radiotherapy to a limited radiation field that excluded non-involved regional lymph nodes from the clinical target volume.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty patients were studied. Patients received 50.4 Gy external beam radiotherapy in 28 fractions, delivered to a planning target volume expanded from the primary tumour and involved nodes only. Capecitabine (500-600 mg/m2) was given twice daily continuously during radiotherapy. Toxicity and efficacy data were prospectively collected.

RESULTS

Nausea, vomiting and tumour pain were the most common grade 2 toxicities. One patient developed grade 3 nausea. The median time to progression was 8.8 months, with 20% remaining progression free at 1 year. The median overall survival was 9.7 months with a 1 year survival of 30%. Of 21 patients with imaged progression, 13 (62%) progressed systemically, three (14%) had local progression, two (10%) had locoregional progression and three (14%) progressed with both local/locoregional and systemic disease.

CONCLUSION

CRT using capecitabine and limited field radiotherapy is a well-tolerated, relatively efficacious treatment for LAPC. The low toxicity and low regional progression rates support the use of limited field radiotherapy, allowing evaluation of this regimen with other anti-cancer agents.

Radiotherapy in the treatment of resectable rectal adenocarcinoma

The goal of treatment is to cure whereas maintaining sphincter function and minimizing toxicity. Although the mainstay of the treatment is surgery, radiotherapy (RT) is used in a substantial proportion of patients depending on the location and extent of the tumor. The aim of this article is to discuss the role of RT in patients with resectable rectal adenocarcinoma. This article is a review of the pertinent literature. Results show that patients with T1N0 exophytic, well to moderately differentiated, mobile tumors < or = 3 cm in diameter may be treated with either transanal excision or endocavitary RT. The probability of cure with either approach is approximately 80% to 90% and depends on selection criteria. The advantages of endocavitary RT are that it is an outpatient procedure requiring, at most, local anesthesia and is suitable for elderly, infirm patients. The disadvantage is that few of these treatment units are available. Patients who experience a local-regional recurrence may be surgically salvaged. Patients who undergo transanal excision and have unfavorable pathologic findings including equivocal or close margins, poor differentiation, invasion of the muscularis propria, and/or endothelial-lined space invasion have a high risk of local-regional recurrence after surgery alone. The addition of postoperative RT improves the likelihood of cure from 85% to 90%. Patients presenting with unfavorable tumors that are borderline resectable with a transanal excision may be downstaged with preoperative RT and rendered suitable for a wide local excision. The addition of concomitant chemotherapy probably enhances downstaging and may improve the likelihood of sphincter preservation. Patients with T3 and/or N1 rectal cancers have a relatively high probability of local-regional recurrence after surgery alone. Preoperative RT and postoperative RT combined with adjuvant chemotherapy have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of local-regional recurrence and improve survival. Whether preoperative RT alone or combined with chemotherapy is more efficacious than postoperative chemoradiation remains unclear. Endocavitary RT or transanal excision is suitable for patients with T1N0 cancers. Depending on tumor location and extent, adjuvant RT may improve the probability of local-regional control and survival for patients with locally advanced rectal adenocarcinomas.

Multimodality Treatment With Helical Tomotherapy Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy, Capecitabine, and Photodynamic Therapy is Feasible and Well Tolerated in Patients With Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Unresectable cholangiocarcinoma is an intractable disease marked by recurrent bouts of biliary obstruction and infection. Traditional treatment methods provide only symptomatic relief and no proven survival advantage. We assessed the tolerability of helical tomotherapy intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with concurrent capecitabine and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

METHODS

Ten patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma were treated with helical tomotherapy IMRT. An accelerated dose of 50 Gy in 20 fractions (2.5 Gy/fraction) was used. Planning target volume (PTV) consisted of a 1.5 cm radial expansion and a 2 cm craniocaudal expansion of the magnetic resonance imaging and/or contrast enhanced computed tomography-defined gross target volume. PTV ranged from 123 cc to 693 cc (mean 349 cc). Concurrent chronomodulated capecitabine was administered on days of irradiation. Six patients received PDT.

RESULTS

All patients developed side effects, including grade 2 nausea, and 9 of 10 experienced mild fatigue. Patients lost 3% of their body weight on average. Three patients required brief hospital admission and stent revision for cholangitis during chemoradiotherapy. Capecitabine was discontinued in one patient and decreased in dose for another due to increasing liver enzymes. Median overall survival was 13 months, and median disease-free survival was 10 to 11 months. One patient underwent successful cadaveric liver transplant after chemoradiotherapy and remains disease free 2 years later.

CONCLUSIONS

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with helical tomotherapy IMRT and capecitabine in conjunction with PDT is well tolerated in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.