Fumiyoshi Ohyanagi

Detection of epidermal growth factor receptor T790M mutation in plasma DNA from patients refractory to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor

A secondary epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, the substitution of threonine 790 with methionine (T790M), leads to acquired resistance to reversible EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR‐TKIs). A non‐invasive method for detecting T790M mutation would be desirable to direct patient treatment strategy. Plasma DNA samples were obtained after discontinuation of gefitinib or erlotinib in 75 patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). T790M mutation was amplified using the SABER (single allele base extension reaction) technique and analyzed using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform. We examined the T790M mutation status in plasma samples obtained after treatment with an EGFR‐TKI. The SABER assay sensitivity using mixed oligonucleotides was determined to be 0.3%. The T790M mutation was detected in 21 of the 75 plasma samples (28%). The presence of the T790M mutation was confirmed by subcloning into sequencing vectors and sequencing in 14 of the 21 samples (66.6%). In this cohort of 75 patients, the median progression‐free survival (PFS) of the patients with the T790M mutation (n = 21) was not statistically different from that of the patients without the mutation (n = 54, P = 0.94). When patients under 65 years of age who had a partial response were grouped according to their plasma T790M mutation status, the PFS of the T790M‐positive patients (n = 11) was significantly shorter than that of the T790M‐negative patients (n = 29, P = 0.03). The SABER method is a feasible means of determining the plasma T790M mutation status and could potentially be used to monitor EGFR‐TKI therapy.

Phase II trial of S-1 and cisplatin with concurrent radiotherapy for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Background:To assess the efficacy and safety of S-1 and cisplatin with concurrent thoracic radiation for unresectable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:Eligible patients were 20–74 years old and had histologically or cytologically confirmed NSCLC, a performance status of 0–1, and no prior chemotherapy. Patients were treated with cisplatin (60 mg m−2 on day 1) and S-1 (orally at 40 mg m−2 per dose, b.i.d., on days 1–14), with the treatment repeated every 4 weeks for four cycles. Beginning on day 2, a 60-Gy thoracic radiation dose was delivered in 30 fractions.Results:Of 50 patients, 48 were eligible. Partial response was observed in 42 patients (87.5%; 95% CI: 79.1–96.9%). This regimen was well tolerated. Common toxicities included grade 3/4 neutropenia (32%), grade 3/4 leukopenia (32%), grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (4%), grade 3 febrile neutropenia (6%), grade 3 oesophagitis (10%), and grade 3 pneumonitis (5%). Median progression-free survival was 12.0 months and median overall survival was 33.1 months. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 89.5 and 56%, respectively.Conclusion:This chemotherapy regimen with concomitant radiotherapy is a promising treatment for locally advanced NSCLC because of its high response rates, good survival rates, and mild toxicities.

Safety of BLP25 Liposome Vaccine (L-BLP25) in Japanese Patients with Unresectable Stage III NSCLC after Primary Chemoradiotherapy: Preliminary Results from a Phase I/II Study

Preliminary safety findings are presented from the open-label Phase I part of a combined Phase I/II study of BLP25 liposome vaccine (L-BLP25) in Japanese patients with unresectable Stage III non-small-cell lung cancer after primary chemoradiotherapy. Six patients received four or more once-weekly vaccinations with L-BLP25 1000 μg subcutaneously prior to a preliminary safety evaluation. Treatment continued with once-weekly vaccinations with L-BLP25 1000 μg subcutaneously until week 8, then maintenance vaccinations every 6 weeks until progressive disease. Cyclophosphamide (300 mg/m(2) i.v. single dose) was given 3 days before first vaccination. Median age was 63.5 years and performance status was 0-1. No serious adverse events occurred; none necessitated discontinuation. L-BLP25-related adverse events (Grade 1) were myalgia, arthralgia and nausea; cyclophosphamide-related adverse events comprised dysgeusia, anorexia and nausea. The first evaluation of L-BLP25 in Japanese patients shows that it is well tolerated, and the safety profile is consistent with that seen in previous studies of Caucasian patients.

Randomized, double-blind, phase III trial of palonosetron versus granisetron in the triplet regimen for preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting after highly emetogenic chemotherapy: TRIPLE study

BACKGROUND There has been no phase III study of comparing the efficacy of first- and second-generation 5-HT3 receptor antagonists in the triplet regimen with dexamethasone and aprepitant for preventing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting after highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with a malignant solid tumor who would receive HEC containing 50 mg/m(2) or more cisplatin were randomly assigned to either palonosetron (0.75 mg) arm (Arm P) or granisetron (1 mg) arm (Arm G), on day 1, both arms with dexamethasone (12 mg on day 1 and 8 mg on days 2-4) and aprepitant (125 mg on day 1 and 80 mg on days 2-3). The primary end point was complete response (CR; no vomiting/retching and no rescue medication) at the 0-120 h period and secondary end points included complete control (CC; no vomiting/retching, no rescue medication, and no more than mild nausea) and total control (TC; no vomiting/retching, no rescue medication, and no nausea). RESULTS Between July 2011 and June 2012, 842 patients were enrolled. Of 827 evaluable, 272 of 414 patients (65.7%) in Arm P had a CR at the 0-120 h period when compared with 244 of 413 (59.1%) in Arm G (P = 0.0539). Both arms had the same CR rate of 91.8% at the acute (0-24 h) period, while at the delayed (24-120 h) period, Arm P had a significantly higher CR rate than Arm G (67.2% versus 59.1%; P = 0.0142). In secondary end points, Arm P had significantly higher rates than Arm G at the 0-120 h period (CC rate: 63.8% versus 55.9%, P = 0.0234; TC rate: 47.6% versus 40.7%, P = 0.0369) and delayed periods (CC rate: 65.2% versus 55.9%, P = 0.0053; TC rate: 48.6% versus 41.4%, P = 0.0369). CONCLUSION The present study did not show the superiority of palonosetron when compared with granisetron in the triplet regimen regarding the primary end point. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY IDENTIFIER UMIN000004863.

Gefitinib treatment affects androgen levels in non-small-cell lung cancer patients

Gefitinib, an inhibitor of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, HER1/ErbB1) tyrosine kinase, has been shown to have clinical activity against non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), especially in women nonsmokers with adenocarcinomas. The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between androgen levels and gefitinib treatment in patients with advanced NSCLCs. Sera from 67 cases (36 men and 31 women) were obtained pretreatment and during treatment with gefitinib monotherapy (days 14–18) for examination of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA), and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) levels. Testosterone and DHEA during treatment were significantly lower than the pretreatment values in both women and men, and the DHEAS levels during treatment were also significantly lowered in women. Gefitinib treatment significantly suppressed androgen levels, especially in women who had no smoking history. In addition, hormone levels in women responding to gefitinib were significantly lower during the treatment than in women who did not respond. Gefitinib-associated decrease in serum androgen levels may play a role in its clinical efficacy.

Phase I study of irinotecan and gefitinib in patients with gefitinib treatment failure for non-small cell lung cancer.

Background:Currently, no effective treatments exist for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after failure of gefitinib therapy. Pre-clinical studies have demonstrated that gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells are more sensitive to irinotecan than parental cells, and that combined administration of irinotecan and gefitinib has a synergistic additive effect. We conducted a phase I study to evaluate the combination of irinotecan and gefitinib as a therapeutic option for NSCLC patients with progressive disease (PD) after initial gefitinib treatment.Methods:Eligibility criteria included histologically confirmed NSCLC, age range of 20–74 years, refractory to or relapsed after gefitinib treatment, one or more previous chemotherapy regimens, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0–2, adequate organ function, and informed consent. Patients were treated with irinotecan on days 1 and 15, and treated daily with gefitinib from day 2 every 4 weeks. The treatment was continued until disease progression. The gefitinib dose was fixed at 250 mg. Irinotecan dosing started at 50 mg m−2 and was escalated in patients by 25 mg m−2 increments up to a maximum dose of 150 mg m−2.Results:Twenty-seven patients were enrolled: male/female=14/13; median age=60 (45–75); histology, adenocarcinoma/non-adenocarcinoma=25/2; performance status 0–1/2=19/8; previous response to gefitinib, partial response/stable disease/PD=21/2/4. Dose-limiting toxicities were observed in 2 patients at level 3. Maximum tolerated dose was not determined, and the full dose of irinotecan could be combined with the full dose of gefitinib. The disease control rate (DCR) and response rate (RR) were 69.2 and 26.9%, respectively. For 12 patients at level 5 (the recommended phase II dose), the DCR and RR were 75.0% and 41.7%, respectively. The median treatment cycles were 4; median time to treatment failure, 57 days (95% confidence interval (CI), 32–82 days); median overall survival, 244 days (95% CI, 185–303 days); and 1-year survival rate, 32.6%.Conclusion:The combination of irinotecan and gefitinib was well tolerated and potentially beneficial for NSCLC patients failing initial gefitinib monotherapy.

Sorafenib treatment for patients with RET fusion-positive non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND RET fusions were recently identified in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and are considered as a potential therapeutic target of NSCLC. Sorafenib, a multi-kinase inhibitor, has potent anti-RET activity. We conducted a study to evaluate the efficacy of sorafenib in a small number of patients with RET fusion-positive NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eligible patients had advanced or recurrent NSCLC, were more than 20 years old, had undergone treatment with one or more previous chemotherapy regimens, had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2, had adequate organ function, and provided informed consent. The presence of the RET fusion gene was confirmed by a split FISH assay. The patients were treated twice daily with 400mg of sorafenib taken orally. The treatment was continued until either disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS From March 2012 to April 2013, three patients were enrolled. The responses to sorafenib included one patient with stable disease (SD) and two patients with progressive disease (PD). One patient took sorafenib for twelve months. The most common toxicities were palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, hypertension, and diarrhea. CONCLUSION Since sorafenib did not show dramatic responses, we suggest testing other RET inhibitors for the treatment of RET fusion-positive NSCLC. This study was registered at UMIN as trial number 000007515.

Prognostic value of (18) F-fluoroazomycin arabinoside PET/CT in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

This study evaluated the prognostic value of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using 18F‐fluoroazomycin arabinoside (FAZA) in patients with advanced non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Thirty‐eight patients with advanced NSCLC (stage III, 23 patients; stage IV, 15 patients) underwent FAZA and FDG PET/CT before treatment. The PET parameters (tumor‐to‐muscle ratio [T/M] at 1 and 2 h for FAZA, maximum standardized uptake value for FDG) in the primary lesion and lymph node (LN) metastasis and clinical parameters were compared concerning their effects on progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). In our univariate analysis of all patients, clinical stage and FAZA T/M in LNs at 1 and 2 h were predictive of PFS (P = 0.021, 0.028, and 0.002, respectively). Multivariate analysis also indicated that clinical stage and FAZA T/M in LNs at 1 and 2 h were independent predictors of PFS. Subgroup analysis of chemoradiotherapy‐treated stage III patients revealed that only FAZA T/M in LNs at 2 h was predictive of PFS (P = 0.025). The FDG PET/CT parameters were not predictive of PFS. No parameter was a significant predictor of OS. In patients with advanced NSCLC, FAZA uptake in LNs, but not in primary lesions, was predictive of treatment outcome. These results suggest the importance of characterization of LN metastases in advanced NSCLC patients.

Dose-Escalation Study of Three-Dimensional Conformal Thoracic Radiotherapy With Concurrent S-1 and Cisplatin for Inoperable Stage III Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE To determine the recommended dose (RD) in concurrent conformal radiotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin chemotherapy for inoperable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Eligible patients with inoperable stage III non-small-cell lung cancer, age ≥ 20 years, performance status 0-1 received 4 cycles of intravenous cisplatin (60 mg/m(2), day 1) and oral S-1 (80, 100, or 120 mg based on body surface area, days 1-14) repeated every 4 weeks. Radiation doses were 66, 70, and 74 Gy for arms 1, 2, and 3, respectively. RESULTS A total of 24 patients were enrolled in our study, including 6 in arm 1, 6 in arm 2, and 12 in arm 3. The patients consisted of 14 men and 10 women, with a median age of 63 years (range, 44-73 years). The median follow-up was 27.3 months (range, 8.5-42.6 months) for all patients and 33.9 months (range, 15.2-42.6 months) for those still alive. Grade 3 febrile neutropenia, lung toxicities, and heart toxicities occurred in 2, 2, and 2 patients, respectively. Dose-limiting toxicity occurred in 2, none, and 1 patient in arms 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The median survival was not reached, and the 2-year survival rate was 70% (95% CI, 51%-89%). Two-year local relapse-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival were 74% (95% CI, 56%-92%) and 45% (95% CI, 25%-65%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS High-dose radiotherapy with S-1 and cisplatin is feasible, and 74 Gy was determined as the recommended dose.

Prognostic significance of CpG island methylator phenotype in surgically resected small cell lung carcinoma

Methylation is closely involved in the development of various carcinomas. However, few datasets are available for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) due to the scarcity of fresh tumor samples. The aim of the present study is to clarify relationships between clinicopathological features and results of the comprehensive genome‐wide methylation profile of SCLC. We investigated the genome‐wide DNA methylation status of 28 tumor and 13 normal lung tissues, and gene expression profiling of 25 SCLC tissues. Following unsupervised hierarchical clustering and non‐negative matrix factorization, gene ontology analysis was performed. Clustering of SCLC led to the important identification of a CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) of the tumor, with a significantly poorer prognosis (P = 0.002). Multivariate analyses revealed that postoperative chemotherapy and non‐CIMP were significantly good prognostic factors. Ontology analyses suggested that the extrinsic apoptosis pathway was suppressed, including TNFRSF1A, TNFRSF10A and TRADD in CIMP tumors. Here we revealed that CIMP was an important prognostic factor for resected SCLC. Delineation of this phenotype may also be useful for the development of novel apoptosis‐related chemotherapeutic agents for treatment of the aggressive tumor.