Quality of life in patients at risk of medullary thyroid carcinoma and followed by a comprehensive medical network: trends for future evaluations

BACKGROUND

As shown in a previous study, the knowledge of the genetic risk in individuals belonging to families at risk of medullary-thyroid carcinoma (MTC) could be associated with impaired quality of life (QoL).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In the present study, we compared the QoL scores obtained in the same period with the subjective quality of life profile (SQLP): in 82 individuals at risk of MTC who had been tested for Ret-mutations; in 200 women at risk of familial breast/ovarian cancer syndrome (BOC); and in a control population of 3,501 healthy volunteers.

RESULTS

Significant differences were observed in favour of healthy volunteers as well as individuals at risk of MTC, over women at risk of BOC (mean scores: 0.89, 0.85, and 0.64, respectively, P < or = 0.001), but QoL scores were not statistically different between individuals at risk of MTC and the control population (P = 0.2). However, they were significantly inferior in the subgroup of germline Ret-mutation carriers, as compared to the control population (mean scores: 0.73 and 0.89, P = 0.04). In the latter, the relationships with the children and the family were the most important facets of their QoL.

CONCLUSION

Our results confirm the potentially negative impact of the knowledge of the genetic risk of cancer and its consequences in terms of morbidity and follow-up, on the QoL in people followed at oncogenetic visits.

[Dose intensity of chemotherapy in small-cell lung carcinoma]

Small cell lung cancer accounts for 20% of the primitive lung carcinomas. The pronostic is unfavourable, since two thirds of the patients present with extensive stage at diagnosis. The median survival without treatment is less than 3 months. Chemotherapy is the standard front line therapy. In selected patients, chest irradiation and so-called prophylactic cerebral irradiation are current options. Small cell lung cancer is a chemosensitive disease. Indeed, the response rate is around 80-95% of in limited disease patients of which 50-60% are complete responses. Despite these results, the median survival does not exceed 16 months. Early recurrences after initial response probably reflect various resistances mechanisms. Furthermore, small cell lung cancer is associated with a high fraction of dividing cells. It is a clinical model where the dose-response relationship concept is worth testing, and dose-intensity may be integrated into the therapeutic strategies. Therefore, many clinical trials have assessed these principles during the past 20 years. We present here the different methods of therapeutic intensification in small cell lung cancer: with or without hematopoïetic supports, using initial high dose of cytotoxic drugs, either at the beginning or at the end of induction treatment, or by increasing the dose-density.

Therapeutic advances in the management of metastatic colorectal cancer

Metastatic colorectal cancer has long been considered as a short-term, poor prognosis, chemoresistant disease. Until the early 1990s, the impact of systemic chemotherapy on patient outcome was debated. Recently, the emergence of new therapeutic modalities (5-FU modulations and associations with oxaliplatin and irinotecan) has led to a significant improvement in tumor response rates and patient survival. Thus, the indications of curative surgery of visceral metastases, frequently preceded and followed by chemotherapy, systemic or intra-arterial or both, have become more frequent. In this paper we will review and comment on the results of the major clinical trials published in the past 5 years and propose some decision strategies regarding the main clinical situations met in daily practice.

Cystic endocrine tumors of the pancreas: clinical, radiologic, and histopathologic features in 13 cases

Cystic endocrine tumors of the pancreas are rare and raise difficult clinical problems. Our aims were to reevaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic strategy and to assess their histopathologic characteristics. Thirteen cystic endocrine tumors diagnosed in 10 patients were included. Clinical, radiologic, and pathologic data were reviewed. There were 6 male and 4 female patients (median age, 46 yrs). Six patients had evidence of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) disease. Four had a functional endocrine syndrome. Ten tumors were visible on imaging studies. The most suggestive radiologic features were the existence of a peripheral hypervascular rim (10 cases) and images of cyst into cyst (two cases). On gross and histologic examinations, two distinct types were present. Macrocystic tumors (six cases) were unilocular and limited by a thick wall containing nests of tumor cells. Microcystic tumors (seven cases) were characterized by the presence of multiple cystic spaces directly lined by tumor cells. Surgical resection was performed in all cases. Three patients had lymph node metastases at the time of diagnosis. One patient is dead with metastatic dissemination. The others are alive without recurrence or metastasis. The diagnosis of endocrine tumor must be considered for any pancreatic cyst discovered in a patient with a history of MEN1 syndrome or with clinical features suggestive of this syndrome. Cystic pancreatic endocrine tumors must be treated by surgical resection because of their possible malignant evolution.

The prognostic value of etoposide area under the curve (AUC) at first chemotherapy cycle in small cell lung cancer patients: a multicenter study of the groupe Lyon-Saint-Etienne d'Oncologie Thoracique (GLOT)

PURPOSE

To assess the potential relationships between systemic exposure to doxorubicin, etoposide and ifosfamide at first chemotherapy cycle and therapeutic effect, tumor response, toxicity, and survival, in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty-four patients referred to five different centers with either thorax-limited or metastatic SCLC entered the study. All but one received two induction courses of the 3 day-AVI (doxorubicin 50 mg/m(2) day 1, etoposide 120 mg/m(2) day 1, 2, 3, ifosfamide 2000 mg/m(2) day 1, 2) regimen. Individual plasma samples were collected at the first course and complete concentration data on 24 courses were available. Drugs exposures were estimated using a population pharmacokinetic method and expressed as clearance (Cl), area under the curve (AUC), and AUC-intensity (AUC/cycle duration). Responding patients received thoracic irradiation+concomitant cisplatinum-etoposide (limited disease) or four more courses of AVI (extensive disease). The impact of exposure parameters on haematological toxicity, tumor response and overall survival was assessed using linear regression, the Mann-Whitney U-test and the log-rank test/Kaplan-Meier estimation, respectively.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients could be evaluated for response and survival. We found no relationship between drug exposure and haematological toxicity but all patients had received Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor support. Tumor response was marginally influenced by ifosfamide AUC. In patients with etoposide AUC>254.8 mg h/l, 1-year survival was 50.0 vs. 9.1% in the other group (median 11.4 vs. 7.1 months, P=0.02), with respect to established prognostic factors. In patients with extensive disease only (n=15), 1-year survival was 42.9 vs. 0% (median 11.3 vs. 5.3 months, P=0.01).

CONCLUSION

This study strongly suggests that SCLC patients should benefit from sufficient etoposide exposure at first cycle to improve survival. Adaptative control based on plasma concentration measurements should be tested in further studies assessing various polychemotherapy regimens.

Population pharmacokinetics of doxorubicin, etoposide and ifosfamide in small cell lung cancer patients: results of a multicentre study

AIMS

To determine the population pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of doxorubicin (Dox), etoposide (Eto) and ifosfamide (Ifo) in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients, to assess the potential relationship between those parameters and to estimate the impact of individual morphological and biological covariates on patients' PK parameters.

METHODS

Twenty-four patients with either SCLC limited to the thorax or extensive SCLC entered the study. All but one received at least two 3 day courses of the standard AVI (Dox 50 mg m-2 day 1, Eto 120 mg m-2 day 1,2,3, Ifo 2000 mg m-2 day 1,2) regimen. Individual blood samples were collected during each course and data on 47 courses were available. Data were analysed with the NONMEM program. Dox, Eto and Ifo plasma concentrations were studied with multicompartment (3, 2 and 2, respectively) models. Inter-individual and interoccasion (course-to-course) variabilities were estimated. The influence of individual covariates (age, sex, stage of the disease, weight, height, body-surface area, serum creatinine, total protein, LDH, ASAT, ALAT, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-GT, bilirubin) on PK parameters was also assessed. Correlations between individual PK parameters of Dox, Eto and Ifo were explored by using Pearson's correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

Multiple data were available for each patient. Dox clearance (CL) and volume of distribution (Vd) were 32.0 l h-1 and 9.3 l (Inter-individual variability: 17.2% and 19.2%). Eto CL (l h-1) and Vd were, respectively, 3.34-0.0083* serum creatinine (micromol l-1) and 6.38 l (interindividual variability: 15.6% and 18.7%). Ifo CL and Vd at day 1 were 5.6 l h-1 and 26.0 l (interindividual variability: 10.1% and 17.2%, respectively). Estimation of course-to-course variability improved the precision of PK models in some cases. No correlation was observed between the respective PK parameters of each drug. Of individual covariates tested, only serum creatinine correlated with Eto CL (r = -0.37, P < 0.001). Self-induction of the metabolism of Ifo was apparent (mean CL increase from day 1 to day 2 : 42%) and individually correlated with the CL value at day 1 (r = -0.61, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Assessment of potential relationships between individual systemic exposure of chemotherapy and therapeutic endpoints (tumour response, toxicity and survival) will be required to adjust drugs dosages based on individual PK parameters rather than questionable body-surface area. However, all three drugs in the AVI regimen should be monitored simultaneously.

A limited-sampling strategy for estimation of etoposide pharmacokinetics in cancer patients

Etoposide (VP16), a widely used anticancer drug, is a topoisomerase II inhibitor. A number of studies have highlighted a correlation between hematologic toxicity and pharmacokinetic or physiological parameters. Other studies have also suggested that the anti-tumor response could be related to the plasma etoposide concentration. Therefore, it would seem of interest to individualize VP16 dose regimens on the basis of pharmacokinetic parameters. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a limited-sampling strategy allowing VP16 pharmacokinetic evaluation with minimal disturbance to the patient. A total of 34 patients (54 kinetics) received VP16 at various dose regimens, with doses ranging between 30 and 200 mg and infusion times varying between 0.5 and 2 h. The statistical characteristics of the pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed from the first courses of treatment performed in 23/34 patients; then the following three-sample protocol was designed: the end of the infusion and 5 and 24 h after the start of the infusion. For validation of the model the main pharmacokinetic parameters (clearance, half-lives, volume of distribution) were estimated in the 11 remaining patients by maximum-likelihood estimation (ML) and by Bayesian estimation (BE) using the three sampling times designed. Statistical comparison showed a good concordance between ML and BE estimates (the bias for clearance was -1.72%). The limited-sampling strategy presented herein can thus be used for accurate estimation of VP16 pharmacokinetic parameters.

Psychosocial impact of genetic testing in familial medullary-thyroid carcinoma: a multicentric pilot-evaluation

BACKGROUND

Many crucial problems are associated with the diagnosis of inherited cancer susceptibility. One of the most important is related to the psychosocial consequences of the knowledge by the patients and their relatives of their own genetical status. Little data are available in the literature, mainly from studies including small numbers of selected and motivated patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From January till December 1997, we studied the psychometric and quality of life parameters of 77 subjects followed in two French specialized centers. These subjects had been treated for either sporadic or familial or were at risk for medullary thyroid carcinoma. All patients had previously attended genetic counselling with detection of germline Ret-mutations, were informed on their own genetic risk, had good short-term prognosis and performance status and did not receive recent cancer treatment. Each patient was invited to answer two questionnaires, the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and the subjective quality of life profile (SQLP).

RESULTS

We report herein the descriptive results of this study (HADS and SQLP scores and distributions) and describe the individual clinical covariates that might explain the observed differences between subgroups of individuals. Although psychometric scores appeared similar in these subgroups, quality of life scores were lower in Ret-mutation carriers. Genetically-predisposed patients were less satisfied and expressed more expectations for favourable change in their quality of life.

CONCLUSION

This finding suggests a high level of frustration and latent unsatisfaction related either to the management of the genetic information given by the clinicians and its psychosocial consequences or simply to the knowledge of the genetic risk of cancer. Further studies on the individual consequences of genetic testing, information delivery and when necessary psychotherapeutic interventions, are needed to insure the quality of presymptomatic genetic testing in this field of oncology.

Colony-stimulating factors in the prevention of solid tumors induced by chemotherapy in patients with febrile neutropenia

Haematologic toxicity and its most frequent complication, febrile neutropenia represents the main limiting factor to the use of anti-cancer chemotherapy. The recent availability of recombinant human colony stimulating factors offers a new opportunity to improve the tolerance of these treatments. Most randomized trials in various solid tumors have demonstrated the ability of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to significantly reduce the incidence of febrile neutropenia and related complications. Interestingly enough, these compounds are well tolerated and easy to administrate. However, since the increase in dose-intensity does not translate into any improved efficacy in terms of response rates or survival, the use of colony-stimulating factors has to be decided on the basis of cost-benefit considerations. Therefore, some scientific societies such as the American Association of Clinical Oncology in the US and the Anti-Cancer Centers Group in France have published recommendations for their use in routine oncology practice. We here discuss these guidelines on the basis of an overview of the literature.

[Neurosarcoma associated with neurofibromatosis 1. Apropos of a case and review of the literature]

BACKGROUND

Type 1 neurofibromatosis considerably increases the risk of cancer development, particularly neurosarcoma. We report a case in a patient with chemosensitive metastatic neurosarcoma.

CASE REPORT

A young female patient with familial type 1 neurofibromatosis developed pleural metastasis of a neurosarcoma located on the arm. This tumor was initially highly sensitive to chemotherapy, but relapse occurred.

DISCUSSION

Follow-up in the order members of the family was particularly difficult to organize. One sister developed cerebral astrocytoma. Neurosarcomas develop earlier in patients with type 1 neurofibromatosis, worsening prognosis. We suggest a prospective and structured registration of such cases using a network of clinicians and pathologists in order to improve management schemes.