NCCN Guidelines Insights: Hematopoietic Growth Factors, Version 1.2020

Prognostic impact of erythropoietin-stimulating agent use during front-line chemotherapy in patients with ovarian cancer: A Korean multicenter cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate whether treatment with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) for chemotherapy-induced anemia affects progression-free survival (PFS) in patients receiving front-line chemotherapy following surgery for ovarian cancer (OC).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive patients who received front-line chemotherapy after surgery between 2013 and 2019 at six institutions. The patients were divided according to the use of ESAs during front-line chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was PFS. The secondary endpoint was the occurrence of thromboembolism. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to compare survival between matched cohorts.

RESULTS

Overall, 2147 patients (433 receiving ESA and 1714 for no-ESA) were identified, with a median follow-up of 44.0 months. The ESA group showed a significantly higher proportion of stage III/IV disease (81.8% vs 61.1%; P < 0.001) and postoperative gross residual disease (32.3% vs 21.2%; P < 0.001) than the no-ESA group. In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, the use of ESAs did not affect PFS (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.89-1.20; P = 0.661). The incidence of thromboembolism was 10.2% in the ESA group and 4.6% in the no-ESA group (adjusted odds ratio, 6.58; 95% CI: 3.26-13.28; P < 0.001). When comparing the well-matched cohorts after PSM, PFS did not differ between the ESA (median PFS 23.5 months) and no-ESA groups (median PFS 22.2 months) (P = 0.540, log-rank test).

CONCLUSIONS

The use of ESAs during front-line chemotherapy did not negatively affect PFS in patients with OC after surgery but increased the risk of thromboembolism.

Alternative therapy for lymphoma with febrile neutropenia using traditional Chinese medicine: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Febrile neutropenia is a common complication in patients undergoing chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Primary granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) prophylaxis is consistently associated with a notable reduction in the risk of febrile neutropenia. However, the use of G-CSF in patients who are already neutropenic from chemotherapy remains controversial. Studies have shown that 12.9 % of cancer patients incorporate traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to alleviate chemotherapy side effects in Taiwan; thereby providing an alternative management strategy for febrile neutropenia in cancer patients.

CASE PRESENTATION

This is an 18-year-old female with newly diagnosed precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma. After chemotherapy, the patient developed febrile neutropenia. Despite the use of antibiotics and G-CSF, the febrile neutropenia persisted for two months. Approximately ten days after the initiation of traditional Chinese medicine decoction with the strategy of tonifying the spleen and stomach, clearing yin fire, and uplifting yang, her absolute neutrophil count (ANC) had gradually increased. Additionally, after two weeks of treatment, her fever subsided. The patient continued with chemotherapy and was discharged in stable condition.

DISCUSSION

Antibiotic use aligns with the TCM perspective of an "attack" approach. Conversely, our TCM decoction was designed to raise the ANC by tonifying the spleen and stomach, clearing Yin Fire, and uplifting Yang. Li Dongyuan, one of the four great masters of the Jin Yuan Dynasty, created the formula: Bupiwei Shengyang Sanhuo Decoction that is notable in this regard. The herbs in our decoction have shown hematopoietic and myelosuppression-alleviating effect. For many patients who do not respond adequately to G-CSF alone, integrative treatments involving both TCM and Western medicine can offer additional therapeutic benefits by increasing blood cell counts.

Septic shock in the immunocompromised cancer patient: a narrative review

Immunosuppressed patients, particularly those with cancer, represent a momentous and increasing portion of the population, especially as cancer incidence rises with population growth and aging. These patients are at a heightened risk of developing severe infections, including sepsis and septic shock, due to multiple immunologic defects such as neutropenia, lymphopenia, and T and B-cell impairment. The diverse and complex nature of these immunologic profiles, compounded by the concomitant use of immunosuppressive therapies (e.g., corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs, and immunotherapy), superimposed by the breakage of natural protective barriers (e.g., mucosal damage, chronic indwelling catheters, and alterations of anatomical structures), increases the risk of various infections. These and other conditions that mimic sepsis pose substantial diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Factors that elevate the risk of progression to septic shock in these patients include advanced age, pre-existing comorbidities, frailty, type of cancer, the severity of immunosuppression, hypoalbuminemia, hypophosphatemia, Gram-negative bacteremia, and type and timing of responses to initial treatment. The management of vulnerable cancer patients with sepsis or septic shock varies due to biased clinical practices that may result in delayed access to intensive care and worse outcomes. While septic shock is typically associated with poor outcomes in patients with malignancies, survival has significantly improved over time. Therefore, understanding and addressing the unique needs of cancer patients through a new paradigm, which includes the integration of innovative technologies into our healthcare system (e.g., wireless technologies, medical informatics, precision medicine), targeted management strategies, and robust clinical practices, including early identification and diagnosis, coupled with prompt admission to high-level care facilities that promote a multidisciplinary approach, is crucial for improving their prognosis and overall survival rates.

The clinical impact of primary granulocyte-colony stimulating factor prophylaxis in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who underwent induction chemotherapy

BACKGROUND

Data describing the risk factors for the occurrence of severe infections in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients following induction chemotherapy and the role of prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the era of antimicrobials prophylaxis are limited.

METHODS

This study enrolled 188 children aged ≤18 years with newly diagnosed ALL who received Taiwan Pediatric Oncology Group ALL-2002 and 2013 treatments between January 1, 2010 and June 30, 2021. Prophylactic G-CSF was administered when a patient continues neutropenia after achieving the first bone marrow remission since June 1, 2015. Clinical factors were assessed for their association with severe infections.

RESULTS

From January 2010 to May 2015, 80 children experienced a total of 11 (13.5%) episodes of severe infections; while 10 (9.2%) episodes were reported to occur in 108 patients who received prophylactic G-CSF. Reduction of severe infections occurrence did not achieve statistical significance during prophylactic G-CSF administration in ALL patients. Compared with ALL-high risk (HR) and very high risk patients with no G-CSF prophylaxis, the use of G-CSF prophylaxis significantly reduced episodes of febrile neutropenia. Occurrence of grade III-IV intestinal ileus, grade II-III oral mucositis, prolonged neutropenia, central venous catheter (CVC) placement, or the requirement insulin therapy for hyperglycemia were associated with higher risk of bloodstream infections.

CONCLUSIONS

ALL-HR patients with G-CSF prophylaxis were associated with reduction of febrile neutropenia episodes. Occurrence of severe ileus, oral mucositis, hyperglycemia, CVC placement, or prolonged neutropenia were associated with severe infections in ALL patients receiving induction chemotherapy.

Role of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in development of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism in lung cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy

Background

The role of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF), especially the long-acting factor in the development of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) in lung cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy has been understudied, although the use of rhG-CSF has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of VTE.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 1,673 lung cancer patients who underwent hospitalized chemotherapy. We performed propensity score matching to offset confounding factors related to cancer-associated VTE development and classified the patients into short-acting (N = 273), long-acting (N = 273), and no rhG-CSF (N = 273) groups. The primary outcome was cumulative cancer-associated VTE development three months after all cycles of chemotherapy.

Results

The overall VTE incidence in the short-acting, long-acting, and no rhG-CSF groups was 5.5%, 10.3%, and 2.2%, respectively (P <0.001). The VTE incidence in the long-acting rhG-CSF group was higher than that in the short-acting (P = 0.039) and no rhG-CSF groups (P <0.001). The VTE incidence in the short-acting rhG-CSF group was higher than that in the no rhG-CSF group (P = 0.045). The use of rhG-CSF (hazard ratio [HR] 2.337; 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.236-5.251], P = 0.006) was positively correlated with VTE development among all patients, whereas the use of long-acting rhG-CSF (HR 1.917, 95% CI [1.138-4.359]; P = 0.016), was positively correlated with VTE development in patients receiving rhG-CSF.

Conclusion

The use of rhG-CSF, especially long-acting rhG-CSF, increases the risk of cancer-associated VTE development compared to no rhG-CSF use in lung cancer patients who undergo hospitalized chemotherapy.

G-CSF improving combined whole brain radiotherapy and immunotherapy prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer brain metastases

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the therapeutic advantage of G-CSF to whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in combination with immunotherapy as a first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) brain metastases (BMs).

METHODS

In this retrospective study, 117 patients (37 in G-CSF group and 80 in no G-CSF group) who underwent first-line WBRT combined with immunotherapy were enrolled. Their survival, intracranial response, BM-related symptoms and toxicity were evaluated.

RESULTS

The overall survival (OS) of patients in G-CSF group was significantly improved compared to patients no G-CSF group (median time: 14.8 vs 10.2 months; HR: 0.61, 95 % CI: 0.38-0.97, p = 0.035). However, there were no significant differences in intracranial responses between the two groups (p > 0.05). The G-CSF group exhibited a significantly higher rate of relief from BM-related symptoms compared to the no G-CSF group (91.7 % vs 59.5 %, p = 0.037). Cox proportional hazards regression analyses indicated that after-treatment ALC > 0.9 × 10^9/L (HR 0.57, 95 % CI 0.32-0.99, p = 0.046) and Hb > 110 g/dL (HR 0.41, 95 % CI 0.24-0.71, p = 0.001) were significant potential factors associated with extended OS. The addition of G-CSF was well tolerated and effectively reduced the incidence of neutropenia (0 % vs 5.0 %, p = 0.17).

CONCLUSION

Integrating G-CSF with WBRT and immunotherapy as a first-line treatment for NSCLC-BMs has exhibited significant efficacy and favorable tolerability.

Severe Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pneumonia in a Breast Cancer Patient Despite Pegfilgrastim Administration

Pegfilgrastim dramatically reduces febrile neutropenia (FN) caused by high-risk chemotherapy. This report details the presentation of a 72-year-old female who developed a fatal infection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia that occurred during preoperative chemotherapy despite pegfilgrastim administration. She was brought to the hospital with symptoms of high fever and general fatigue during chemotherapy, but her respiratory symptoms were minimal, and a chest computed tomography (CT) showed no obvious signs of pneumonia. She had FN. After she was hospitalized, her breathing and consciousness worsened rapidly, and the chest CT showed prominent lobar pneumonia. Her blood cultures suggested P. aeruginosa, so she was quickly switched to meropenem. She was diagnosed with septic shock and acute respiratory distress syndrome due to severe P. aeruginosa pneumonia, and she was started on noninvasive positive pressure ventilation with immunoglobulin preparations. P. aeruginosa developed drug resistance, so it was necessary to change antibiotics. She was discharged without complications of pulmonary fibrosis on chest CT. It is crucial to always be aware that severe infections can occur even with pegfilgrastim administration, promptly identify the causative pathogen, and intervene with early treatment.

Predictive Role of Pre-Operative Anemia in Early Recurrence of Endometrial Cancer: A Single-Center Study in Romania

This study aims to investigate the association between anemia and early recurrence in endometrial cancer patients. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 473 endometrial cancer patients treated at our hospital from January 2015 to December 2020. Patients were divided into two groups based on their hemoglobin (Hb) level: anemia group (Hb < 12 g/dL) and non-anemia group (Hb ≥12 g/dL). Early recurrence was defined as recurrence within 2 years of diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the predictors of early recurrence. The prevalence of anemia was 38.26% (181/473). The incidence of early recurrence was 12.89% (61/473) in the anemia group and 9.24% (38/412) in the non-anemia group (p = 0.004). Univariate analysis showed that anemia was a significant predictor of early recurrence (odds ratio (OR) = 2.27, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.35-3.80, p = 0.003). Multivariate analysis confirmed that anemia was an independent predictor of early recurrence (OR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.21-3.84, p = 0.01). Anemia is an independent predictor of early recurrence in endometrial cancer patients. Patients with endometrial cancer should be screened for anemia and treated if present. Additionally, patients with anemia should be closely monitored for early signs of recurrence and treated aggressively.

The Double Antibody Drug Conjugate (DAD) phase I trial: sacituzumab govitecan plus enfortumab vedotin for metastatic urothelial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The antibody-drug conjugates sacituzumab govitecan (SG) and enfortumab vedotin (EV) are standard monotherapies for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). Given the different targets and payloads, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of SG + EV in a phase I trial in mUC (NCT04724018).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with mUC and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status ≤1 who had progressed on platinum and/or immunotherapy were enrolled. SG + EV were administered on days 1 + 8 of a 21-day cycle until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was the incidence of dose-limiting toxicities during cycle 1. The number of patients treated at each of four pre-specified dose levels (DLs) and the maximum tolerated doses in combination (MTD) were determined using a Bayesian Optimal Interval design. Objective response, progression-free survival, and overall survival were secondary endpoints.

RESULTS

Between May 2021 and April 2023, 24 patients were enrolled; 1 patient never started therapy and was excluded from the analysis. Median age was 70 years (range 41-88 years); 11 patients received ≥3 lines of therapy. Seventy-eight percent (18/23) of patients experienced grade ≥3 adverse event (AE) regardless of attribution at any DL, with one grade 5 AE (pneumonitis possibly related to EV). The recommended phase II doses are SG 8 mg/kg with EV 1.25 mg/kg with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support; MTDs are SG 10 mg/kg with EV 1.25 mg/kg. The objective response rate was 70% (16/23, 95% confidence interval 47% to 87%) with three complete responses; three patients had progressive disease as best response. With a median follow-up of 14 months, 9/23 patients have ongoing response including 6 responses lasting over 12 months.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of SG + EV was assessed at different DLs and a safe dose for phase II was identified. The combination had encouraging activity in patients with mUC with high response rates, including clinically significant complete responses. Additional study of this combination is warranted.

Early granulocyte colony stimulating factor administration increases the risk of cytokine release syndrome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients receiving anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) and neutropenia are common toxicities associated with chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy. The role of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in CAR-T-cell-treated patients remains unclear. To explore the efficacy and safety of early G-CSF administration in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL) who were receiving autologous anti-CD19 CAR-T cells, we retrospectively collected and summarized clinical data to compare patients receiving G-CSF within 14 days (early G-CSF group) to patients receiving later or no G-CSF (control group) after their CART infusion. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the incidence and duration of neutropenia between the early G-CSF group and the control group (77% vs. 63%, p = 0.65; 8 vs. 4 days, p = 0.37, respectively). However, the incidence and duration of CRS were significantly higher in the early G-CSF group than in the control group (81% vs. 38%, p = 0.03; 3 vs. 0 days, p = 0.004, respectively). Moreover, early G-CSF application had no significant effect on the expansion and efficacy of CAR-T cells. In conclusion, our study suggested that early G-CSF administration did not reduce the incidence and duration of neutropenia but rather increased the incidence and duration of CRS.

A rare presentation of vanishing bile duct syndrome in Hodgkin lymphoma: Case report

In this report, we present the case of vanishing bile duct syndrome in the setting of classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Vanishing bile duct syndrome was diagnosed retrospectively in this patient with Hodgkin lymphoma, who initially presented with a hepatic abnormality presumed to be drug induced. Vanishing bile duct syndrome is characterized by the disappearance of bile ducts, with the progressive damage resulting in cholestasis. Thus, nivolumab therapy was initiated for Hodgkin lymphoma, in place of the standard ABVD (Doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) regimen, which resulted in autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Alternatively, GDP (gemcitabine, dexamethasone, and carboplatin) chemotherapy with protocol modification resulted in better tolerance and remission of Hodgkin lymphoma. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support and romiplostim supplement were provided to prevent chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, respectively. Due to the deranged liver function in our case, we initially suspected the etiology as drug-induced cholestatic injury. While hepatic failure is the leading cause of mortality among patients with Hodgkin lymphoma-related vanishing bile duct syndrome, our case report suggests a complete remission of vanishing bile duct syndrome following an adequate treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma and an improvement in the hepatic function. To conclude, our report describes the rare case of vanishing bile duct syndrome which heralded the diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma, and the effective management of Hodgkin lymphoma which precedes the improvement of hepatic abnormality.

Peripheral Blasts in a Patient Receiving Chemotherapy

An older patient with stage II bladder carcinoma presented with 1 week of fatigue and 2 days of dyspnea on exertion. He was receiving carboplatin/gemcitabine with 6 mg of pegylated G-CSF chemotherapy; his white blood cell count was elevated, hemoglobin low, and ferritin notably increased. What is the diagnosis and what would you do next?

Cost-effectiveness of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs) for the prevention of febrile neutropenia (FN) in patients with cancer

PURPOSE

Clinical practice guidelines recommend the use of all approved granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs), including filgrastim and pegfilgrastim, as primary febrile neutropenia (FN) prophylaxis in patients receiving high- or intermediate-risk regimens (in those with additional patient risk factors). Previous studies have examined G-CSF cost-effectiveness by cancer type in patients with a high baseline risk of FN. This study evaluated patients with breast cancer (BC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) receiving therapy who were at intermediate risk for FN and compared primary prophylaxis (PP) and secondary prophylaxis (SP) using biosimilar filgrastim or biosimilar pegfilgrastim in Austria, France, and Germany.

METHODS

A Markov cycle tree-based model was constructed to evaluate PP versus SP in patients with BC, NSCLC, or NHL receiving therapy over a lifetime horizon. Cost-effectiveness was evaluated over a range of willingness-to-pay (WTP) thresholds for incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity analyses evaluated uncertainty.

RESULTS

Results demonstrated that using biosimilar filgrastim as PP compared to SP resulted in incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) well below the most commonly accepted WTP threshold of €30,000. Across all three countries, PP in NSCLC had the lowest cost per QALY, and in France, PP was both cheaper and more effective than SP. Similar results were found using biosimilar pegfilgrastim, with ICERs generally higher than those for filgrastim.

CONCLUSIONS

Biosimilar filgrastim and pegfilgrastim as primary prophylaxis are cost-effective approaches to avoid FN events in patients with BC, NSCLC, or NHL at intermediate risk for FN in Austria, France, and Germany.

Comparison of prophylactic effects for chemotherapy induced neutropenia between same-day versus next-day administration of pegteograstim (Neurapeg®) in patients treated with chemotherapy regimen composed of day 1 intensive myleosuppressive agent: A randomized phase III clinical trial

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Administration of pegylated granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (peg-GCSF) 24 to 72 hours after chemotherapy is usually recommended. Next-day administration (after 24 hours) resulted in fewer duration of grade (Gr) 4 chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and decreased severity of CIN than same-day (within 4 hours). However, patients sometimes receive same-day Peg-GCSF for the sake of convenience. In addition, a few prior studies showed that the same-day method is comparable or superior to the next-day method in preventing CIN, especially in chemotherapy regimens that include day 1 myelosuppressive agents. Thus, we aim to verify the hypothesis that same-day administration of pegteograstim, a new formulation of peg-GCSF, is non-inferior to next-day administration in terms of Gr4 CIN duration.

METHODS

This study is a randomized, multicenter, open-label, investigator-initiated phase 3 study. Patients with adjuvant/neoadjuvant or first-line palliative chemotherapy comprising intensively myelosuppressive agents on day 1 (mFOLFIRINOX, ECb, EP, FOLFIRI, and FOLFOX) are enrolled. The patients are assigned to the same-day arm or the next-day arm in a 1:1 ratio. The randomizations are stratified according to number of patient CIN risk factors (1 vs ≥2), chemotherapy setting (perioperative vs palliative), and interval (2-week vs 3-week). In the same-day arm, pegteograstim 6 mg is subcutaneously injected within 4 hours after completion of chemotherapy. In the next-day arm, pegetograstim is injected at 24 to 36 hours post-chemotherapy. A complete blood count test is performed daily from day 5 to 9 during the cycle 1. The primary endpoint is duration of Gr4 CIN (cycle 1), and secondary endpoints include incidence of Gr 3 to 4 CIN (cycle 1), severity of CIN (cycle 1), time to recovery absolute neutrophil count 1000/μL (cycle 1), incidence of febrile neutropenia, incidence of CIN-related dose delay, and dose intensity. In order to verify non-inferiority of 0.6 days, we estimated a significance level of 5%, power of 80%, and drop-out rate of 15%. This results in the need for a total of 160 patients, 80 in each group.

Two decades of pegfilgrastim: what have we learned? Where do we go from here?

Chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (FN) is a medical emergency that may occur in patients with malignancies receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy. FN requires early therapeutic intervention since it is associated with increased hospitalizations and high mortality risk of 5%-20%. FN-related hospitalizations are higher in patients with myeloid malignancies than in those with solid tumors due to the myelotoxicity of chemotherapy regimens and the compromised bone marrow function. FN increases the burden of cancer by causing chemotherapy dose reductions and delays. The administration of the first granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), filgrastim, reduced the incidence and duration of FN in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Filgrastim later evolved into pegfilgrastim, which has a longer half-life than filgrastim and was associated with a lower rate of severe neutropenia, chemotherapy dose reduction, and treatment delay. Nine million patients have received pegfilgrastim since its approval in early 2002. The pegfilgrastim on-body injector (OBI) is an innovative device facilitating the time-released auto-injection of pegfilgrastim approximately 27 hours after chemotherapy, as clinically recommended for the prevention of FN, thus eliminating the need for a next-day hospital visit. Since its introduction in 2015, one million patients with cancer have received pegfilgrastim using the OBI. Subsequently, the device has been approved in the United States (US), European Union, Latin America, and Japan, with studies and a postmarketing commitment demonstrating device reliability. A recent prospective observational study conducted in the US demonstrated that the OBI substantially improved the adherence to and compliance with clinically recommended pegfilgrastim therapy; patients receiving pegfilgrastim via the OBI experienced a lower incidence of FN than those receiving alternatives for FN prophylaxis. This review discusses the evolution of G-CSFs leading to the development of the OBI, current recommendations for G-CSF prophylaxis in the clinic, continued evidence supporting next-day pegfilgrastim administration, and improvements in patient care made possible with the OBI.

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy and Hematopoiesis

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a promising treatment option for patients suffering from B-cell- and plasma cell-derived hematologic malignancies and is being adapted for the treatment of solid cancers. However, CAR T is associated with frequently severe toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), and prolonged cytopenias-a reduction in the number of mature blood cells of one or more lineage. Although we understand some drivers of these toxicities, their mechanisms remain under investigation. Since the CAR T regimen is a complex, multi-step process with frequent adverse events, ways to improve the benefit-to-risk ratio are needed. In this review, we discuss a variety of potential solutions being investigated to address the limitations of CAR T. First, we discuss the incidence and characteristics of CAR T-related cytopenias and their association with reduced CAR T-cell efficacy. We review approaches to managing or mitigating cytopenias during the CAR T regimen-including the use of growth factors, allogeneic rescue, autologous hematopoietic stem cell infusion, and alternative conditioning regimens. Finally, we introduce novel methods to improve CAR T-cell-infusion products and the implications of CAR T and clonal hematopoiesis.

Risk of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in intermediate-risk regimens: Clinical and economic outcomes of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor prophylaxis

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia increases the risk of febrile neutropenia (FN) and infection with resultant hospitalizations, with substantial health care resource utilization (HCRU) and costs. Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GCSF) is recommended as primary prophylaxis for chemotherapy regimens having more than a 20% risk of FN. Yet, for intermediate-risk (10%-20%) regimens, it should be considered only for patients with 1 or more clinical risk factors (RFs) for FN. It is unclear whether FN prophylaxis for intermediate-risk patients is being optimally implemented. OBJECTIVE: To examine RFs, prophylaxis use, HCRU, and costs associated with incident FN during chemotherapy. METHODS: This retrospective study used administrative claims data for commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees with nonmyeloid cancer treated with intermediate-risk chemotherapy regimens during January 1, 2009, to March 31, 2020. Clinical RFs, GCSF prophylaxis, incident FN, HCRU, and costs were analyzed descriptively by receipt of primary GCSF, secondary GCSF, or no GCSF prophylaxis. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was used to examine the association between number of RFs and cumulative FN risk. RESULTS: The sample comprised 13,937 patients (mean age 67 years, 55% female). Patients had a mean of 2.3 RFs, the most common being recent surgery, were aged 65 years or greater, and had baseline liver or renal dysfunction; 98% had 1 or more RFs. However, only 35% of patients received primary prophylaxis; 12% received secondary prophylaxis. The hazard ratio of incident FN was higher with increasing number of RFs during the first line of therapy, yet more than 54% of patients received no prophylaxis, regardless of RFs. Use of GCSF prophylaxis varied more by chemotherapeutic regimen than by number of RFs. Among patients treated with rituximab, cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin hydrochloride (doxorubicin hydrochloride), vincristine, and prednisone, 76% received primary prophylaxis, whereas only 22% of patients treated with carboplatin/paclitaxel received primary prophylaxis. Among patients with a first line of therapy FN event, 78% had an inpatient stay and 42% had an emergency visit. During cycle 1, mean FN-related coordination of benefits-adjusted medical costs per patient per month ($13,886 for patients with primary prophylaxis and $18,233 for those with none) were driven by inpatient hospitalizations, at 91% and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Incident FN occurred more often with increasing numbers of RFs, but GCSF prophylaxis use did not rise correspondingly. Variation in prophylaxis use was greater based on regimen than RF number. Lower health care costs were observed among patients with primary prophylaxis use. Improved individual risk identification for intermediate-risk regimens and appropriate prophylaxis may decrease FN events toward the goal of better clinical and health care cost outcomes. DISCLOSURES: This work was funded by Sandoz Inc., which participated in the design of the study, interpretation of the data, writing and revision of the manuscript, and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The study was performed by Optum under contract with Sandoz Inc. The author(s) meet criteria for authorship as recommended by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. The authors received no direct compensation related to the development of the manuscript. Dr Li is an employee of Sandoz Inc. Drs Bell and Lal and Mr Peterson-Brandt were employees of Optum at the time of the study. Ms Anderson and Dr Aslam are employees of Optum. Dr Lyman has been primary investigator on a research grant from Amgen to their institution and has consulted for Sandoz, G1 Therapeutics, Partners Healthcare, BeyondSpring, ER Squibb, Merck, Jazz Pharm, Kallyope, Teva; Fresenius Kabi, Seattle Genetics, and Samsung.

Effects of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on lymphocytes and white blood cells of patients with malignant tumor

We investigated the effect of pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (PEG-rhG-CSF) on lymphocytes and white blood cells of patients with malignant tumors. After PEG-rhG-CSF treatment, the count of lymphocytes increased in 66 cases, remained unchanged in 2 cases, and decreased in 20 cases. The difference in lymphocyte count before and after treatment was statistically significant (P < 0.001). White blood cell changes were positively correlated with lymphocyte changes (r = 0.36, P = 0.001). In the subgroup with increased white blood cells (n = 80), there were 62 cases with increased lymphocytes, 1 case with unchanged lymphocytes, and 17 cases with decreased lymphocytes after PEG-rhG-CSF treatment. There was significant difference in the count of lymphocytes and white blood cells (P < 0.001). In the subgroup with 6 mg of PEG-rhG-CSF (n = 66) and the subgroup with 3 mg of PEG-rhG-CSF (n = 22), the changes of white blood cell and lymphocyte counts before and after treatment were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The two were positively correlated in the 6 mg PEG-rhG-CSF subgroup, with correlation coefficient r = 0.34 (P = 0.002). PEG-rhG-CSF can increase the count of lymphocytes and white blood cells in patients with malignant tumors, and the increase of lymphocytes is positively correlated with the increase of white blood cells.

Prophylaxis of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia with lipegfilgrastim in patients with lung cancer: final results from the non-interventional study NADIR

OBJECTIVE

Real-world evidence on the application of the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor lipegfilgrastim for the reduction of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN) is limited. The NADIR study aimed to evaluate effectiveness and safety of lipegfilgrastim as primary or secondary prophylaxis in patients with lung cancer undergoing chemotherapy in routine clinical practice.

METHODS

The non-interventional study NADIR (German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) Number DRKS00005711) enrolled 156 patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 145 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who received lipegfilgrastim during chemotherapy. Primary endpoint was the incidence of severe neutropenia (CTCAE grade 3/4) and FN. The analysis was stratified for age groups (≤65 years vs. >65 years).

RESULTS

Approximately half of the patients were aged >65 years (SCLC 54.5%; NSCLC 46.9%). Intention of antineoplastic treatment was mostly palliative (SCLC 89.1%; NSCLC 73.1%). Patients with high FN risk (SCLC 44.9%; NSCLC 28.3%) mostly received lipegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis (SCLC 81.4%; NSCLC 70.7%). FN was reported in 1.9% SCLC and 1.4% NSCLC patients. At least one severe neutropenia was documented in 30.1% SCLC and 17.9% NSCLC patients. For NSCLC patients aged >65 years, less severe neutropenia was reported as compared to younger patients (14.7% vs. 20.8%). Lipegfilgrastim-related adverse events were reported in 10.3% SCLC and 7.7% NSCLC patients.

CONCLUSION

Lipegfilgrastim in routine clinical practice of patients with lung cancer showed similar effectiveness and safety as compared to the pivotal trial. Interestingly, in older patients severe neutropenia was reported less frequently. While most patients with high FN risk received lipegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis as recommended, there are still 20-30% of patients at high FN risk without primary prophylaxis who could benefit from better adherence to guidelines.

Advanced Stage Is a Risk for Severe Neutropenia in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Adriamycin/Cyclophosphamide/Docetaxel Chemotherapy

Background

Severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia, is a major toxicity of systemic chemotherapy that leads to delays in treatment, higher costs, and mortality. Severe neutropenia may occur during neoadjuvant chemotherapy even when the patients are free from known risk factors. Pegfilgrastim, a covalent conjugant of filgrastim that stimulate the production of neutrophils, is used for prevention. The current study aimed to reveal the characteristics of patients who need pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis to prevent severe neutropenia, including febrile neutropenia and grade 3 neutropenia, during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 83 patients treated with neoadjuvant adriamycin/cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel chemotherapy was performed. The factors which associated with severe neutropenia were examined by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

Severe neutropenia developed in one of 22 patients (5%) with pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis and in 17 of 61 patients (28%) without it. In 83 patients, the incidence of severe neutropenia was significantly decreased in the patients with pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis shown by the univariate analysis (P = 0.023) and multivariate analysis (P = 0.030). In 61 patients without pegfilgrastim for primary prophylaxis, the univariate analysis showed that severe neutropenia was associated with tumor size (P = 0.004), clinical stage (P = 0.009), and cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) (P = 0.026). The multivariate analysis showed that clinical stage was associated with severe neutropenia (P = 0.021).

Conclusions

The current study demonstrated that advanced stage is a risk for severe neutropenia in patients treated with neoadjuvant adriamycin/cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel chemotherapy. Given that prophylaxis with pegfilgrastim was associated with significantly lower incidence of severe neutropenia, patient with advance stage breast cancer may benefit from pegfilgrastim during neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

A multinational, drug utilization study of lipegfilgrastim use in real-world setting in Europe

PURPOSE

Lipegfilgrastim (Lonquex, Teva Pharma B.V.) is approved for reduction in neutropenia duration and febrile neutropenia incidence. In the framework of lipegfilgrastim regulatory approval in the EU, the Health Authorities requested a drug utilization study. This study was conducted to characterize prescribing patterns of lipegfilgrastim and quantify the extent of on- and off-label use of lipegfilgrastim in real-world setting in Europe.

METHODS

Information on lipegfilgrastim use between January 2014 and March 2020 was abstracted from medical records in hospital and outpatient clinical settings. Indication for lipegfilgrastim was classified either as on-label or off-label use according to pre-determined criteria. The primary endpoint was the extent of lipegfilgrastim off-label use based on the most recent lipegfilgrastim cycle.

RESULTS

Records of 481 patients were obtained from five European countries. Lipegfilgrastim was most commonly prescribed for prevention of neutropenia by oncologists and hematologists. Patients who were administered lipegfilgrastim were primarily ≥ 55 years old (65.1%) and female (65.7%). The most frequent underlying diagnosis was breast cancer (38.3%). For the most recent lipegfilgrastim cycle, on-label use was recorded in 452/459 patients with no missing data (98.5%), while off-label use was recorded in 7/459 patients (1.5%). The majority of off-label use was attributed to use with non-cytotoxic chemotherapy (57.1%). Off-label use of lipegfilgrastim across all treatment cycles with no missing data was 11/1547 cycles (0.7%).

CONCLUSION

Using real-world data, these findings confirm the low rate of lipegfilgrastim off-label use as reported in a preceding feasibility study, indicating very high adherence to the approved indication.

Effectiveness of Etoposide and Cisplatin vs Irinotecan and Cisplatin Therapy for Patients With Advanced Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Digestive System: The TOPIC-NEC Phase 3 Randomized Clinical Trial

Question

For patients with advanced neuroendocrine carcinoma of the digestive system, which of the 2 community standard regimens is more effective: etoposide plus cisplatin (EP) or irinotecan plus cisplatin (IP)?

Findings

In this randomized clinical trial of 170 patients who were chemotherapy naive and had recurrent or unresectable neuroendocrine carcinoma of the digestive system, median overall survival was 12.5 months in the EP arm and 10.9 months in the IP arm.

Meaning

Both EP and IP therapy remain standard first-line chemotherapy options.

Importance

Etoposide plus cisplatin (EP) and irinotecan plus cisplatin (IP) are commonly used as community standard regimens for advanced neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC).

Objective

To identify whether EP or IP is a more effective regimen in terms of overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced NEC of the digestive system.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This open-label phase 3 randomized clinical trial enrolled chemotherapy-naive patients aged 20 to 75 years who had recurrent or unresectable NEC (according to the 2010 World Health Organization classification system) arising from the gastrointestinal tract, hepatobiliary system, or pancreas. Participants were enrolled across 50 institutions in Japan between August 8, 2014, and March 6, 2020.

Interventions

In the EP arm, etoposide (100 mg/m²/d on days 1, 2, and 3) and cisplatin (80 mg/m²/d on day 1) were administered every 3 weeks. In the IP arm, irinotecan (60 mg/m²/d on days 1, 8, and 15) and cisplatin (60 mg/m²/d on day 1) were administered every 4 weeks.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary end point was OS. In total, data from 170 patients were analyzed to detect a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.67 (median OS of 8 and 12 months in inferior and superior arms, respectively) with a 2-sided α of 10% and power of 80%. The pathologic findings were centrally reviewed following treatment initiation.

Results

Among the 170 patients included (median [range] age, 64 [29-75] years; 117 [68.8%] male), median OS was 12.5 months in the EP arm and 10.9 months in the IP arm (HR, 1.04; 90% CI, 0.79-1.37; P = .80). The median progression-free survival was 5.6 (95% CI, 4.1-6.9) months in the EP arm and 5.1 (95% CI, 3.3-5.7) months in the IP arm (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.78-1.45). A subgroup analysis of OS demonstrated that EP produced more favorable OS in patients with poorly differentiated NEC of pancreatic origin (HR, 4.10; 95% CI, 1.26-13.31). The common grade 3 and 4 adverse events in the EP vs IP arms were neutropenia (75 of 82 [91.5%] patients vs 44 of 82 [53.7%] patients), leukocytopenia (50 of 82 [61.0%] patients vs 25 of 82 [30.5%] patients), and febrile neutropenia (FN) (22 of 82 [26.8%] patients vs 10 of 82 [12.2%] patients). While incidence of FN was initially high in the EP arm, primary prophylactic use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor effectively reduced the incidence of FN.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this randomized clinical trial demonstrate that both EP and IP remain the standard first-line chemotherapy options. Although AEs were generally manageable, grade 3 and 4 AEs were more common in the EP arm.

Trial Registration

Japan Registry of Clinical Trials: jRCTs031180005; UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000014795

Comparison between filgrastim biosimilar and filgrastim original for the management of neutropenia after salvage chemotherapy for malignant lymphoma

In this study, the efficacy and safety of filgrastim biosimilar (F-BS) were retrospectively compared to those of filgrastim original in the treatment of malignant lymphoma with CHASE (± R) or DeVIC(± R) in 78 patients. The median number of filgrastim doses was 11 in the F-BS group and 8 in the filgrastim group after CHASE (± R) (p = 0.8), and 10 in the F-BS group and 10 in the filgrastim group after DeVIC (± R) (p = 0.45). The median days until neutrophil recovery to ≥ 1000/μL was 10 days with F-BS versus 10 days with filgrastim after CHASE ± R (p = 0.59), and 9 days with F-BS versus 10 days with filgrastim after DeVIC ± R (p = 0.828). Febrile neutropenia (FN) was observed in 5 patients (41.7%) in the F-BS group and 9 (52.9%) in the filgrastim group after CHASE ± R therapy (p = 0.616), and in 11 patients (36.7%) in the F-BS group and 9 (47.4%) in the filgrastim group after DeVIC ± R (p = 0.462). The present results suggest that the efficacy and safety of F-BS are comparable to those of filgrastim original, with no significant differences in clinical factors. Use of F-BS also reduced medical costs per course of CHASE ± R therapy by 170.22 US dollars.

Burden, risk factors, and management of neutropenic fever among solid cancer patients in Ethiopia

Objectives

Although neutropenic fever is one of the most well-known oncologic emergencies and the common causes of death, a few studies have been conducted in resource-limited countries, particularly in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the burden, risk factors, and management of neutropenic fever among solid cancer patients in Ethiopia.

Methods

A hospital-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted from January 2017 to February 2021. Data were collected from patient's medical charts using a structured data abstraction format and analyzed using STATA version 14.2. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of neutropenic fever, and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 416 patients were included, with a mean age of 51 ± 14 years. The cumulative incidence of neutropenic fever was 13%. Advanced age, low baseline white blood cell, prolonged duration of neutropenia, and presence of two or more comorbidities were factors significantly associated with neutropenic fever (p < 0.05). Among patients who need primary prophylaxis, 68% of patients did not get appropriate primary prophylaxis, and 30%, 71%, and 93% of prescribed anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral agents were inappropriate according to Infectious Disease Society of America Guideline, respectively.

Conclusion

Neutropenic fever was common among solid cancer patients and it is multifactorial. The rate of guideline adherence during prophylaxis and treatment of neutropenic fever was poor. Health care professionals should be aware of these risk factors, and greater effort is needed to reduce the risk of neutropenic fever.

Efficacy and Safety for the Use of Half-Dosed Pegylated Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factors in Preventing Febrile Neutropenia During Chemotherapy in Patients With Malignant Tumors: A Multicenter, Open-Labeled, Single-Arm Phase 2 Trial

Background

Prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been shown to effectively prevent febrile neutropenia (FN) and grade 3/4 neutropenia during myelosuppressive treatment. The present study reports the clinical efficacy and safety of the prophylactic use of G-CSF with a half dose for cancer patients with an intermediate risk of FN combined with ≥1 patient-specific risk during multiple chemotherapy.

Methods

This multicenter, one-arm, and open-label clinical study involved 151 patients [median age, 54 years old (range, 46.0–62.5); 38.4% female] with malignant tumors, including >20 different cancers. These patients underwent a total of 604 cycles of chemotherapy and received a half dose of PEG-rhG-CSF administration prior to each cycle.

Results

The incidence rate of FN was 3.3% for this cohort during chemotherapy. Chemotherapy delay occurred in 6 (4.0%) patients for 12 (2.0%) cycles. Early termination of cancer treatment occurred in 14 (9.3%) patients. In this cohort, 23 (15.2%) patients required antibiotic use during courses of chemotherapy. A total of 28 (18.5%) patients experienced clear adverse effects during cancer treatment.

Conclusion

The prophylactic PEG-rhG-CSF with a half dose can both efficaciously and safely prevent neutropenia for patients of diverse cancers with an intermediate risk of FN combined with ≥1 patient-specific risk during chemotherapy.

Romiplostim for chemotherapy‐induced thrombocytopenia: Efficacy and safety of extended use

Background

Chemotherapy‐induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) is common during treatment with antineoplastic therapies and may adversely impact chemotherapy dose intensity. There is no approved therapy for CIT. In our recent phase II randomized study, romiplostim led to correction of platelet counts in 85% of treated patients and allowed resumption of chemotherapy, with low rates of recurrent CIT in the first two cycles or 8 weeks of chemotherapy. However, there is a lack of long‐term data on the efficacy and safety of romiplostim in CIT.

Objectives

To analyze efficacy and safety of romiplostim in the patients in the phase 2 study, who received romiplostim for ≥1 year.

Patients/Methods

Twenty‐one patients remained on romiplostim for ≥1 year. We analyzed the effect of romiplostim on platelet counts, absolute neutrophil counts, and hemoglobin, as well as impact on ongoing chemotherapy. We also tracked venous or arterial thrombotic events.

Results

During the study period, romiplostim was effective in preventing reduction of chemotherapy dose intensity due to CIT. Fourteen of the 20 (70%) analyzable patients experienced no episode of CIT, 4 subjects experienced a single chemotherapy dose delay due CIT, and 2 patients required a chemotherapy dose reduction. Platelet counts were preserved throughout the duration of the extension analysis. One patient experienced a proximal deep vein thrombosis, and one patient experienced multiple tumor‐related ischemic events.

Conclusions

Long‐term use of romiplostim for treatment of CIT was effective and safe, with no evidence of resistance or increased risk of thrombosis.

A prospective cohort study to evaluate the incidence of febrile neutropenia in patients receiving pegfilgrastim on-body injector versus other options for prophylaxis of febrile neutropenia: breast cancer subgroup analysis

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer chemotherapy often carries a high risk of febrile neutropenia (FN); guidelines recommend prophylaxis with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), such as pegfilgrastim. Neulasta^® Onpro^® on-body injector (OBI) is a delivery device administering pegfilgrastim approximately 27 h after application.

METHODS

This prospective study examined patients with breast cancer who received chemotherapy with a high risk of FN, receiving OBI ("OBI") or other options (other G-CSF or none; "other"). The primary endpoint was FN incidence; secondary endpoints included chemotherapy delivery, adherence (G-CSF in all cycles), compliance (G-CSF day after chemotherapy), and FN incidence in patients receiving curative or palliative treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 1776 patients with breast cancer were enrolled (OBI, n = 1196; other, n = 580). Across all cycles, FN incidence was lower for OBI (4.4% [95% CI, 3.3-5.6%]) than other (7.4% [5.3-9.6%]). For curative treatment, the FN incidence across all cycles was lower for OBI (4.6% [3.4-5.8%]) than for other (7.1% [5.0-9.3%]). For palliative treatment (OBI, n = 33; other, n = 20), 3 patients (15%) in the other and none in the OBI group had FN. After adjusting for baseline covariates, FN incidence remained lower for OBI (4.6% [3.5-6.1%]) versus other (7.8% [5.7-10.5%]). Adherence was higher for OBI (93.8%) than for other G-CSF (69.8%), as was compliance (90.5 and 53.2%, respectively). Chemotherapy dose delays/reductions were similar for OBI (4.7%/32.3%, respectively) and other (4.7%/30.0%) groups.

CONCLUSION

Pegfilgrastim OBI was associated with a lower FN incidence in patients with breast cancer compared to other options for FN prophylaxis.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

www.

CLINICALTRIALS

gov , NCT02178475, registered 30 June, 2014.

Treatment patterns and burden of myelosuppression for patients with small cell lung cancer: A SEER-medicare study

PURPOSE

To depict the treatment journey for patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and evaluate health care resource utilization (HCRU) associated with myelosuppression, a complication induced by chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus radiation therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a descriptive, retrospective study of patients with SCLC aged ≥65 years, identified from linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare data curated between January 2012 and December 2015. Treatment types (chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery) were classified as first, second, or third line, depending on the temporal sequence in which regimens were prescribed. For each year, the proportions of patients completing 4- or 6-cycle chemotherapy regimens, with hospital admissions associated with myelosuppression, or who used granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs), blood/platelet transfusions, or erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs), were calculated.

RESULTS

Chemotherapy was administered as initial treatment in 7,807/11,907 (65.6%) patients whose treatment journey was recorded. Approximately one-third (n = 3,985) subsequently received radiation therapy. In total, 5,791 (57.8%) patients completed the guideline-recommended 4-6 cycles of chemotherapy. Among all chemotherapy-treated patients, 10,370 (74.3%) experienced ≥1 inpatient admission associated with myelosuppression (anemia, 7,366 [52.8%]; neutropenia, 4,642 [33.3%]; thrombocytopenia, 2,375 [17.0%]; pancytopenia, 1,983 [14.2%]). Supportive care interventions included G-CSF (6,756 [48.4%] patients), ESAs (1,534 [11.0%]), and transfusions (3,674 [26.3%]).

CONCLUSION

Chemotherapy remains a cornerstone of care for patients with SCLC. Slightly over half of patients completed the recommended number of cycles, underscoring the frailty of patients and aggressiveness of SCLC. HCRU associated with myelosuppression was prominent, suggesting a substantial burden on older patients with SCLC.

Review of Hematological and Oncological Emergencies

Patients with hematological malignancies, both treated and untreated, or solid tumors undergoing treatment are at risk of life-threatening complications, which may present in the emergency department (ED). Such emergencies are diverse in etiology and often require prompt treatment. Traditional complications, such as febrile neutropenia, have had recent guideline updates, which incorporate new evidence and a new validated risk stratification tool. In addition, newer approaches to treatment, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, are becoming more widely available and have unique associated toxicities. This review discusses the management of the following hematological and oncological emergencies likely to be encountered in the ED: febrile neutropenia, CAR T-cell toxicities, differentiation syndrome, tumor lysis syndrome, hypercalcemia of malignancy, and hyponatremia.

Impact of pegfilgrastim approval on relative dose intensity and outcomes of R-CHOP for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Maintaining relative dose intensity (RDI) of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) improves the prognosis of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Pegfilgrastim was approved in Japan in November 2014 to prevent febrile neutropenia (FN) and maintain RDI.In this retrospective study, we reviewed 334 patients with DLBCL who received 6 or more courses of R-CHOP and analyzed the differences in the RDI, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival between patients whose treatment started after November 2014 (postapproval group) and those whose treatment started before October 2014 (pre-approval group).The incidence of FN was lower (20% vs 38.3%, P < .001) and the RDI of R-CHOP was higher (86.8% vs 67.8%, P < .001) in the postapproval group. Pegfilgrastim was administered to many of these patients (76.8%) and was thought to have contributed to the high RDI maintenance in the postapproval group. Interrupted time-series analysis showed a significant rise of the RDI at the timing of pegfilgrastim approval in patients aged <70 years (estimated change: 18.1%, P < .001). The 5-year OS (85.7% vs 69.9%, P = .009) and progression-free survival (81.4% vs 64.4%, P = .011) were superior in the postapproval group. However, the differences were not significant in matched-pair analysis matching National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index scores. Improved survival outcomes in this group were observed only among patients with Ann Arbor stage 3/4 (5-year OS: 83.7% vs 61.3%, P = .019) and high-risk on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network-International Prognostic Index (5-year OS: 80.7% vs 32.4%, P = .014). Multivariate analysis showed that a high RDI and low lactate dehydrogenase were associated with superior OS (RDI ≥ 85%, hazard ratio: 0.48, P = .016; lactate dehydrogenase > institutional upper limit of normal, hazard ratio: 2.38, P = .005).The RDI of R-CHOP was able to be maintained at higher levels, the incidence of FN was lower, and significantly better clinical outcomes were achieved in clinically high-risk groups after pegfilgrastim approval. Maintaining a high RDI in R-CHOP by administering pegfilgrastim to those who are likely to have low RDI without it is important for achieving favorable outcomes in patients with DLBCL.

Clinical Characteristics and Risk Factors of COVID-19 in 60 Adult Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND

During the pandemic of COVID-19, cancer patients have been considered as one high-risk group in the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19. This study aimed to describe the clinical symptoms and risk factors of COVID-19 in cancer patients.

METHOD

In a prospective cross-sectional study, during a year, all cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy and/or targeted therapy in our clinic (Kermanshah, Iran) were followed up in terms of getting COVID-19. We analyzed the effect of tumor features and demographic information on clinical manifestations, survival status, therapeutic outcomes, and severity of the disease COVID-19 in 2 categories of cancer (hematologic and solid cancers).

RESULTS

Most of the patients (68%) were in the solid tumor category, including breast cancer (24.4%), colon cancer (22%), and gastric cancer (9.8%). There was a statistically significant difference between 2 categories of cancer in the clinical manifestations: the stage of cancer and survival status (P < .05). Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of death in cancer patients with COVID-19 along with symptoms of diarrhea (odds ratio [OR] = 12.8, P = .004), the difficulty of breath (OR = 10.73, P = .034), drop of SO2 (OR = 1.334, P = .003), thrombocytopenia (OR = 1.022, P = .02), anemia (OR = 2.72, P = .011), requiring mechanical ventilation (OR = 9.24, P = .004), pleural infusion (OR = 10.28, P = .02), and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (OR = 7.389, P = .009) increases independent of other variables. The COVID-19 mortality rate in our cancer patients was 23%.

CONCLUSIONS

Thrombocytopenia, anemia, and diarrhea are symptoms that, along with common symptoms such as lung involvement, difficulty breathing, and the need for a ventilator, increase the risk of death in cancer patients with COVID-19.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo- and Active-Controlled, Escalating Single-Dose Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetic, and Pharmacodynamic Profiles of Subcutaneous Eflapegrastim in Healthy Japanese and Caucasian Subjects

Background

Eflapegrastim (Rolontis^®) is a novel long‐acting pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Eflapegrastim has been developed to reduce the duration and incidence of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in cancer patients using patient-friendly, less-frequent administration.

Objective

This phase I study aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetic (PK), pharmacodynamic (PD), and immunogenicity of eflapegrastim following a single subcutaneous administration to healthy Japanese and Caucasian subjects.

Methods

A randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled, dose-escalation study was conducted in healthy Japanese and Caucasian subjects. Eligible subjects randomly received a single subcutaneous administration of eflapegrastim (1.1, 3.3, 10, 45, 135, and 270 μg/kg), pegfilgrastim 6 mg, or placebo in a ratio of 6:2:2 (Cohorts 1–2, Caucasian subjects only) or 12:2:2 (Cohorts 3–6, Japanese and Caucasian subjects). Safety and tolerability were assessed throughout the study. Serial blood samples were collected predose and up to day 22 postdose for PK and PD analyses. PK assessments were performed in the 45, 135, and 270 µg/kg dose groups. Antidrug antibodies to eflapegrastim were determined at baseline up to day 42 after the first dose for immunogenicity.

Results

A total of 84 subjects (42 males and 42 females) were enrolled, and 78 (31 Japanese and 47 Caucasian subjects) completed the study as planned. Japanese and Caucasian subjects showed similar PK and PD profiles. In the 45, 135, and 270 µg/kg dose groups, the maximum serum concentration (C_max) of eflapegrastim exhibited a dose-proportional increase, whereas its exposure increased greater than dose proportional in both ethnic groups. The mean area under the effect-time curve (AUEC_last) and maximum serum concentration of both absolute neutrophil count (ANC_max) and CD34⁺ cell count (CD34⁺_max) increased in a dose-dependent manner. There were no significant adverse events attributable to eflapegrastim or pegfilgrastim in both Japanese and Caucasian subjects. No neutralizing antibodies against G‐CSF were detected.

Conclusions

Eflapegrastim was safe and well tolerated at doses up to 270 μg/kg in healthy Japanese and Caucasian subjects. In both ethnic groups, eflapegrastim showed dose-dependent PK and the exposure to eflapegrastim was positively correlated with ANC and CD34⁺ cell count. The comparable PK and PD profiles of eflapegrastim in Japanese and Caucasian subjects may indicate the same dosage regimen is acceptable.

Clinical Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01037543 (23 December 2009).

Real-world evaluation of supportive care using an electronic health record text-mining tool: G-CSF use in breast cancer patients

PURPOSE

Chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (FN) is a life-threatening and chemotherapy dose-limiting adverse event. FN can be prevented with granulocyte-colony stimulating factors (G-CSFs). Guidelines recommend primary G-CSF use for patients receiving either high (> 20%) FN risk (HR) chemotherapy, or intermediate (10-20%) FN risk (IR) chemotherapy if the overall risk with additional patient-related risk factors exceeds 20%. In this study, we applied an EHR text-mining tool for real-world G-CSF treatment evaluation in breast cancer patients.

METHODS

Breast cancer patients receiving IR or HR chemotherapy treatments between January 2015 and February 2021 at LUMC, the Netherlands, were included. We retrospectively collected data from EHR with a text-mining tool and assessed G-CSF use, risk factors, and the FN and neutropenia (grades 3-4) and incidence.

RESULTS

A total of 190 female patients were included, who received 77 HR and 113 IR treatments. In 88.3% of the HR regimens, G-CSF was administered; 7.3% of these patients developed FN vs. 33.3% without G-CSF. Although most IR regimen patients had ≥ 2 risk factors, only 4% received G-CSF, of which none developed neutropenia. However, without G-CSF, 11.9% developed FN and 31.2% severe neutropenia.

CONCLUSIONS

Our text-mining study shows high G-CSF use among HR regimen patients, and low use among IR regimen patients, although most had ≥ 2 risk factors. Therefore, current practice is not completely in accordance with the guidelines. This shows the need for increased awareness and clarity regarding risk factors. Also, text-mining can effectively be implemented for the evaluation of patient care.

OUP accepted manuscript

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, has currently affected >220 million individuals worldwide. The complex interplay of immune dysfunction, active malignancy, the effect of cancer treatment on the immune system and additional comorbidities associated with cancer and COVID-19 all affect the outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with cancer. We have discussed the published findings (through the end of September 2021) on the effects of cancer on the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19, common factors between cancer and COVID-19, the interaction of cancer and COVID-19 treatments, the impact of COVID-19 on cancer clinical services, immune test findings in cancer patients with COVID-19 and the long-term effects of COVID-19 on cancer survivors.

Supportive therapies in the prevention of chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia and appropriate use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors: a Delphi consensus statement

PURPOSE

Data indicate that the use of prophylactic granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSFs) for chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (FN) in routine practice is not consistent with guideline recommendations. The initiative "supportive care for febrile neutropenia prevention and appropriateness of G-CFS use" was undertaken to address the issue of inappropriate prescription of G-CSFs and to improve guideline adherence in the treatment of FN.

METHODS

In a two-round Delphi procedure, 36 medical oncologists reviewed clinically relevant recommendations on risk assessment, the appropriate use of G-CSFs, and the prevention of FN based on available literature and individual clinical expertise.

RESULTS

The consensus was reached on 16 out of 38 recommendations, which are backed by evidence from randomised clinical trials and routine clinical practice. The medical oncologists agreed that the severity of neutropenia depends on patients' characteristics and chemotherapy intensity, and therefore, the risk of severe neutropenia or FN should be assessed at each chemotherapy cycle so as to initiate prophylaxis with G-CSFs if required. The use of biosimilar G-CSFs, with similar efficacy and safety profiles to the originator biologic, has improved the availability and sustainability of cancer care. The timing of supportive therapy is crucial; for example, long-acting G-CSF should be administered 24-72 h after chemotherapy administration. Each biological agent has a recommended administration dose and duration, and it is important to follow these recommendations to avoid complications associated with under-prophylaxis.

CONCLUSION

It is hoped that these statements will help to increase adherence to guideline recommendations for appropriate G-CSF use and improve patient care.

Thrombopoietin level predicts response to treatment with romiplostim in chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia

Chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (CIT) is a common complication of cancer treatment. Evidence has emerged supporting use of romiplostim to treat CIT but predicting clinical response to romiplostim is not possible. To determine utility of endogenous thrombopoietin (TPO) as a biomarker of romiplostim response, we performed an observational cohort study of patients with CIT and known baseline TPO levels receiving romiplostim. For weekly on-romiplostim platelet (Plt) count assessment, clinical response was defined as Plt ≥ 75 × 10⁹ /L and ≥ 30 × 10⁹ /L above pretreatment baseline. Overall, moderate, and superior classes of treatment response were defined based on fraction of Plt assessments meeting clinical response criteria (> 0, ≥ 0.6, and ≥ 0.8, respectively). Sixty-three patients with CIT were included; median age was 62 years, 41.3% were female, and median (IQR) romiplostim treatment duration was 14 (4-38) weeks. Median (IQR) TPO was lower in patients achieving moderate response to romiplostim vs those who did not, 234 (135-1085) pg/mL vs 665 (244-1970) pg/mL (p = .034) and lower still in patients achieving superior response vs those who did not, 212 (91-690) pg/mL versus 559 (173-1851) pg/mL (p = .023). Negative correlations were found between TPO level and baseline Plt and TPO level and response fraction. A positive correlation was found between TPO level and lowest effective romiplostim dose. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, optimally discriminant TPO level thresholds (as defined by Youden's Index) were ≤ 457 pg/mL for moderate response and ≤ 260 pg/mL for superior response. In conclusion, TPO levels predict response to romiplostim in CIT, with lower levels predicting improved probability and depth of response.

Phase I/II study to assess the clinical pharmacology and safety of single ascending and multiple subcutaneous doses of PF-06881894 in women with non-distantly metastatic breast cancer

PURPOSE

To evaluate the pharmacodynamics (PD), pharmacokinetics (PK), and safety of single and multiple doses of PF-06881894 (pegfilgrastim-apgf; Nyvepria™), a biosimilar to reference pegfilgrastim (Neulasta®), in women with non-distantly metastatic breast cancer.

METHODS

In Phase I (Cycle 0) of this Phase I/II study, the PD response (absolute neutrophil count [ANC]; CD34 + count), PK profile, and safety of a single 3- or 6-mg subcutaneous dose of PF-06881894 were assessed in chemotherapy-naïve patients before definitive breast surgery. In Phase II (Cycles 1-4), the PD response (duration of severe neutropenia [DSN, Cycle 1], ANC [Cycles 1 and 4]) and PK profile (Cycles 1 and 4) of single and multiple 6-mg doses of PF-06881894 concomitant with chemotherapy and after definitive breast surgery were assessed.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patients (mean age 59 years) were enrolled (Cycle 0, n = 12; Cycles 1-4, n = 13). In Cycle 0, PD responses and PK values were lower with 3-mg versus 6-mg PF-06881894. In Cycles 1 and 4, mean DSN was 0.667 days after single or multiple 6-mg doses of PF-06881894, respectively. In Cycle 4 versus Cycle 1, PD responses were more robust; PK values (mean area under the curve, maximum concentration) were lower; and clearance values were higher. The safety profile of PF-06881894 was similar to that for reference pegfilgrastim.

CONCLUSION

PF-06881894 as a single 3- or 6-mg dose prior to definitive surgery, or multiple 6-mg/cycle doses postoperatively, with/without myelosuppressive chemotherapy, was consistent with the clinical pharmacology and safety profile of reference pegfilgrastim.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

October 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02650193. EudraCT Number: 2015-002057-35.

Prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in patients with lung neuroendocrine carcinoma receiving platinum agents plus etoposide

BACKGROUND

The clinical utility of prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in patients receiving platinum agents plus etoposide for neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) is unknown.

METHODS

Chemotherapy-naïve patients with NEC who received platinum agents plus etoposide were retrospectively evaluated. The occurrence of severe neutropenia and febrile neutropenia (FN) and efficacy of chemotherapy were compared between patients who did (G-CSF group) and did not receive prophylactic G-CSF (non-G-CSF group).

RESULTS

Among 58 patients, 51 (87.9%) and 7 (12.1%) had small-cell lung cancer and large-cell NEC, respectively, and 24 (41.4%) and 34 (58.6%) received cisplatin and carboplatin, respectively. The G-CSF and non-G-CSF groups included 32 and 26 patients, respectively. The non-G-CSF group displayed significantly higher rates of grade 3-4 neutropenia {88.5% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 69.8% - 97.6%] vs. 56.2% [95% CI = 37.7% - 73.6%], P = 0.009} and FN [50.9% (95% CI = 30% - 70%) vs. 18.8% (95% CI = 7.2% - 36.4%), P = 0.023] than the G-CSF group. In multivariate analysis, non-G-CSF was an independent risk factor for grade 3-4 neutropenia and FN. The rate of treatment delay was significantly higher in the non-G-CSF group (69.2% vs. 31.2%, P = 0.001). The relative dose intensity was significantly higher in the G-CSF group (86.7% vs. 74.1%, P < 0.001). The overall response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival were comparable between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with NEC receiving platinum agents plus etoposide, prophylactic G-CSF significantly reduced the risks of severe neutropenia and FN.

Efficacy and safety of 3 mg pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor as support to chemotherapy for lung cancer

Background

NCCN guidelines recommend a dose of 100 μg/kg or a fixed dose of 6 mg pegylated recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (PEG rhG‐CSF) for chemotherapy‐induced neutropenia. However, a single dose of 60 μg/kg or 100 μg/kg produced a similar neutrophil response among patients with chemotherapy‐induced neutropenia (CIN). Thus, this prospective randomized study was designed to investigate the efficacy of 3 mg PEG rhG‐CSF in preventing acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) after chemotherapy.

Methods

Patients with stage IIIB/IVA lung cancer who underwent chemotherapy were randomly divided into a (i) control group, and (ii) treatment group subject to 3 mg PEG rhG‐CSF after chemotherapy. Patients in the control group were administered rhG‐CSF (5 μg/kg) when decreased absolute neutrophil count (ANC) reached grade 3 of adverse events. The primary outcome was incidence of ALRTI, and the secondary outcomes included ANC, febrile neutropenia (FN), incidence of delayed chemotherapy, infection‐related medical expenses and adverse reactions.

Results

Compared with the control group, there was a significant decrease in the incidence of ALRTI (9.6% vs. 24.6%, p < 0.01), FN (1.7% vs. 7.3%, p < 0.001) and neutropenia (8.3% vs. 23.3%, p < 0.01) in the PEG‐rhG‐CSF group. The incidence of ALRTI was significantly correlated with the grade of CTCAE on ANC. The main adverse reactions of PEG‐rhG‐CSF were pain and fatigue, among which three cases showed pain of ≥ grade 3. The cost of infection‐associated medical expenditure in the treatment group was greatly reduced compared with the control group (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

ALRTI could well be prevented after prophylactic application of PEG‐rhG‐CSF (3 mg), and was related to the reduced neutropenia.

Characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in 45 patients with breast cancer: A multi-center retrospective study in Hubei, China

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic is a significant worldwide health crisis. Breast cancer patients with COVID-19 are fragile and require particular clinical care. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics of breast cancer patients with COVID-19 and the risks associated with anti-cancer treatment.

METHODS

The medical records of breast cancer patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 were collected among 9559 COVID-19 patients from seven designated hospitals from 13th January to 18th March 2020 in Hubei, China. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess risk factors for COVID-19 severity.

RESULTS

Of the 45 breast cancer patients with COVID-19, 33 (73.3%) developed non-severe COVID-19, while 12 (26.7%) developed severe COVID-19, of which 3 (6.7%) patients died. The median age was 62 years, and 3 (6.7%) patients had stage IV breast cancer. Univariate analysis showed that age over 75 and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score were associated with COVID-19 disease severity (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that patients who received chemotherapy within 7 days had a significantly higher risk for severe COVID-19 (logistic regression model: RR = 13.886, 95% CI 1.014-190.243, P = 0.049; Cox proportional hazards model: HR = 13.909, 95% CI 1.086-178.150, P = 0.043), with more pronounced neutropenia and higher LDH, CRP and procalcitonin levels than other patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In our breast cancer cohort, the severity of COVID-19 could be associated with baseline factors such as age over 75 and ECOG scores. Chemotherapy within 7 days before symptom onset could be a risk factor for severe COVID-19, reflected by neutropenia and elevated LDH, CRP and procalcitonin levels.

Prediction of Neutropenic Events in Chemotherapy Patients: A Machine Learning Approach

PURPOSE

Severe and febrile neutropenia present serious hazards to patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. We seek to develop a machine learning-based neutropenia prediction model that can be used to assess risk at the initiation of a chemotherapy cycle.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We leverage rich electronic medical records (EMRs) data from a large health care system and apply machine learning methods to predict severe and febrile neutropenic events. We outline the data curation process and challenges posed by EMRs data. We explore a range of algorithms with an emphasis on model interpretability and ease of use in a clinical setting.

RESULTS

Our final proposed model demonstrates an out-of-sample area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.865 (95% CI, 0.830 to 0.891) in the prediction of neutropenic events on the basis of only 20 clinical features. The model validates known risk factors and offers insight into potential novel clinical indicators and treatment characteristics that elevate risk. It relies on factors that are directly extractable from EMRs, provided a tool can be easily integrated into existing workflows. A cost-based analysis provides insight into optimal risk thresholds and offers a framework for tailoring algorithms to individual hospital needs.

CONCLUSION

A better understanding of neutropenic risk on an individual level enables a more informed approach to patient monitoring and treatment decisions.

Relative Dose Intensity of Chemotherapy and Survival in Patients with Advanced Stage Solid Tumor Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Chemotherapy-induced toxicities lead to therapy dose reduction or delay, affecting patient outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the impact of relative dose intensity (RDI) on survival in adult patients with solid tumor cancer on nonadjuvant-based chemotherapy regimens.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases were searched for peer-reviewed English journal articles or congress abstracts evaluating association between RDI and survival; observational studies, case series of ≥20 patients, and clinical trials published between 2013 and 2020 were eligible. Meta-analyses were conducted to quantify the association between RDI levels and overall survival (OS) among studies reporting a hazard ratio (HR) for OS by similar tumor types, regimens, and RDI. Forest plots represented summary HR and 95% confidence interval (CI); Cochran's Q and I2 tests evaluated study heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Overall, 919 articles were reviewed and 22 included; seven were eligible for meta-analysis. Significantly shorter OS at RDI <80% versus ≥80% and <85% versus ≥85% was observed upon meta-analysis of four carboplatin-based studies for breast, non-small cell lung, or ovarian cancer (HR 1.17; 95% CI: 1.07-1.27) and three FOLFOX-, FOLFIRI-, or FOLFIRINOX-based studies for colorectal or pancreatic cancer (HR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.03-1.89). Grade 3 or higher hematologic toxicities were higher for carboplatin-based regimens (thrombocytopenia: 14%-22%; anemia: 15%-19%; neutropenia: 24%-58%) than FOLFOX-, FOLFIRI-, or FOLFIRINOX-based regimens (thrombocytopenia: 1%-4%; anemia: 5%-19%; neutropenia: 19%-47%).

CONCLUSION

The results suggested longer OS with RDI ≥80% or ≥85% for both regimens, indicating that management of toxicities across treatment modalities may contribute to maintenance of higher RDI and benefit survival for patients with advanced solid tumors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Chemotherapy-induced toxicities lead to dose reduction and/or treatment delay, thus affecting patient outcomes. Results of this systematic review and meta-analysis, evaluating the impact of relative dose intensity (RDI) on survival of patients with solid tumors on nonadjuvant-based chemotherapy regimens, demonstrate a longer overall survival with RDI levels of at least 80% for patients with solid tumors on carboplatin-based and FOLFOX-, FOLFIRI-, or FOLFIRINOX-based chemotherapy regimens, suggesting a protective effect of maintaining RDI ≥80% or ≥ -85%. Although grade 3 or higher hematologic toxicities occurred more in carboplatin-based studies, managing toxicities across treatment regimens may contribute to maintenance of higher RDI and ultimately benefit overall survival.

Trilaciclib prior to chemotherapy reduces the usage of supportive care interventions for chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in patients with small cell lung cancer: Pooled analysis of three randomized phase 2 trials

Background

Supportive care interventions used to manage chemotherapy‐induced myelosuppression (CIM), including granulocyte colony‐stimulating factors (G‐CSFs), erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents (ESAs), and red blood cell (RBC) transfusions, are burdensome to patients and associated with greater costs to health care systems. We evaluated the utilization of supportive care interventions and their relationship with the myeloprotective agent, trilaciclib.

Methods

Data were pooled from three independent randomized phase 2 clinical trials of trilaciclib or placebo administered prior to chemotherapy in patients with extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer (ES‐SCLC). The impact of supportive care on the duration of severe neutropenia (DSN), occurrence of severe neutropenia (SN), and occurrence of RBC transfusions on/after week 5 was analyzed across cycles 1–4. Concordance and association between grade 3/4 anemia, RBC transfusions on/after week 5, and ESA administration was also evaluated.

Results

The use of G‐CSFs, ESAs, or RBC transfusions on/after week 5 was significantly lower among patients receiving trilaciclib versus placebo (28.5% vs. 56.3%, p < 0.0001; 3.3% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.0254; and 14.6% vs. 26.1%, p = 0.0252, respectively). Compared with placebo, trilaciclib significantly reduced DSN and SN, irrespective of G‐CSF administration. RBC transfusions and ESAs were most often administered in patients with grade 3/4 anemia; however, patients typically received RBC transfusions over ESA administration.

Conclusions

By improving CIM and reducing the need for associated supportive care, trilaciclib has the potential to reduce the burden of myelosuppression on patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy for the treatment of ES‐SCLC.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02499770; NCT03041311; NCT02514447).

Primary Prophylaxis With Biosimilar Filgrastim for Patients at Intermediate Risk for Febrile Neutropenia: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

PURPOSE

Temporary COVID-19 guideline recommendations have recently been issued to expand the use of colony-stimulating factors in patients with cancer with intermediate to high risk for febrile neutropenia (FN). We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of primary prophylaxis (PP) with biosimilar filgrastim-sndz in patients with intermediate risk of FN compared with secondary prophylaxis (SP) over three different cancer types.

METHODS

A Markov decision analytic model was constructed from the US payer perspective over a lifetime horizon to evaluate PP versus SP in patients with breast cancer, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Cost-effectiveness was evaluated over a range of willingness-to-pay thresholds for incremental cost per FN avoided, life year gained, and quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity analyses evaluated uncertainty.

RESULTS

Compared with SP, PP provided an additional 0.102-0.144 LYs and 0.065-0.130 QALYs. The incremental cost-effectiveness ranged from $5,660 in US dollars (USD) to $20,806 USD per FN event avoided, $5,123 to $31,077 USD per life year gained, and $7,213 to $35,563 USD per QALY gained. Over 1,000 iterations, there were 73.6%, 99.4%, and 91.8% probabilities that PP was cost-effective at a willingness to pay of $50,000 USD per QALY gained for breast cancer, NSCLC, and NHL, respectively.

CONCLUSION

PP with a biosimilar filgrastim (specifically filgrastim-sndz) is cost-effective in patients with intermediate risk for FN receiving curative chemotherapy regimens for breast cancer, NSCLC, and NHL. Expanding the use of colony-stimulating factors for patients may be valuable in reducing unnecessary health care visits for patients with cancer at risk of complications because of COVID-19 and should be considered for the indefinite future.

Continuous Intravenous Administration of Granulocyte-Colony-Stimulating Factors-A Breakthrough in the Treatment of Cancer Patients with Febrile Neutropenia

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) remains one of the most challenging problems in medical oncology and is a very severe side effect of chemotherapy. Its late consequences, when it is recurrent or of a severe grade, are dose reduction and therapy delays. Current guidelines allow the administration of granulocyte-colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) for profound FN (except for the case when a pegylated form of G-CSF is administrated with prophylactic intention) in addition to antibiotics and supportive care. Methods: This is a prospective study that included 96 patients with confirmed malignancy, treated with chemotherapy, who developed FN during their oncological therapy, and were hospitalized. They received standard treatment plus a dose of G-CSF of 16 µg/Kg/day IV continuous infusion. Results: The gender distribution was almost symmetrical: Male patients made up 48.96% and 51.04% were female patients, with no significance on recovery from FN (p = 1.00). The patients who received prophylactic G-CSF made up 20.21%, but this was not a predictive or prognostic factor for the recovery time from aplasia (p = 0.34). The median chemotherapy line where patients with FN were included was two and the number of previous chemotherapy cycles before FN was three. The median serological number of neutrophils (PMN) was 450/mm³ and leucocytes (WBC) 1875/mm³ at the time of FN. Ten patients possess PMN less than 100/mm³. The median time to recovery was 25.5 h for 96 included patients, with one failure in which the patient possessed grade 5 FN. Predictive factors for shorter recovery time were lower levels of C reactive protein (p < 0.001) and procalcitonin (p = 0.002) upon hospital admission and higher WBC (p = 0.006) and PMN (p < 0.001) at the time of the provoking cycle of chemotherapy for FN. The best chance for a shorter duration of FN was a short history of chemotherapy regarding the number of cycles) (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Continuous IV administration of G-CSF could be an alternative salvage treatment for patients with profound febrile neutropenia, with a very fast recovery time for neutrophiles.

First-line combination chemotherapy with etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin for the treatment of disseminated germ cell cancer: Efficacy and feasibility in current clinical practice

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the efficacy and safety profiles of first-line etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin and primary prophylaxis with pegfilgrastim as first-line chemotherapy for disseminated germ cell cancer.

METHODS

This study reviewed 154 consecutive patients with previously untreated disseminated germ cell cancer who received first-line etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin between 1995 and 2020. Of these, 54 patients were managed with primary prophylaxis using pegfilgrastim (primary prophylaxis group), and 100 were managed with the therapeutic use of short-acting granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (non-primary prophylaxis group).

RESULTS

The International Germ Cell Cancer Collaborative Group classification identified 90 (58%)/40 (26%)/24 (16%) patients with good/intermediate/poor prognosis, respectively. Overall, 139 patients (90%) were disease free after etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin with/without post-chemotherapy surgery. The median relative dose intensity of etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin was 96%, and there was a significant difference between the primary prophylaxis and non-primary prophylaxis groups (100% vs 90%, P < 0.01). The 5-year salvage treatment-free and overall survival rates were 83% and 94%, respectively. In total, 138 patients (90%) developed grade 4 hematological toxicities, and there were no treatment-related deaths due to myelosuppression. Grade 4 neutropenia was less commonly observed in the primary prophylaxis group compared with the non-primary prophylaxis group (80% vs 95%, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

This is the largest study of first-line etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin, and its sufficient efficacy and safety profiles are confirmed in current clinical practice. Primary prophylaxis using pegfilgrastim might further improve the feasibility of etoposide, ifosfamide and cisplatin.