James M. Reuben

Alpha Interferon for Induction of Remission in Hairy-Cell Leukemia

We treated seven patients who had progressive hairy-cell leukemia with daily doses of 3 million units of partially pure alpha (leukocyte) interferon by the intramuscular route. Three patients had a complete remission, and four had a partial remission, according to strict criteria for a response. After treatment, bone-marrow aspirates showed an absence of leukemia cells in three patients and 5 per cent or fewer in three others. Normalization of subnormal peripheral-blood values occurred in six of six patients with anemia, in seven of seven with granulocytopenia, and in four of four with thrombocytopenia. Remissions have been maintained for over 6 to over 10 months. Alpha interferon appears to be highly effective in patients with hairy-cell leukemia.

Antitumor Activity in Melanoma and Anti-Self Responses in a Phase I Trial With the Anti-Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte–Associated Antigen 4 Monoclonal Antibody CP-675,206

PURPOSE Cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) blockade with CP-675,206, a fully human anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody, may break peripheral immunologic tolerance leading to effective immune responses to cancer in humans. A phase I trial was conducted to test the safety of CP-675,206. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-nine patients with solid malignancies (melanoma, n = 34; renal cell, n = 4; colon, n = 1) received an intravenous (IV) infusion of CP-675,206 at seven dose levels. The primary objective was to determine the maximum-tolerated dose and the recommended phase II dose. RESULTS Dose-limiting toxicities and autoimmune phenomena included diarrhea, dermatitis, vitiligo, panhypopituitarism and hyperthyroidism. Two patients experienced complete responses (maintained for 34+ and 25+ months), and there were two partial responses (26+ and 25+ months) among 29 patients with measurable melanoma. There have been no relapses thus far after objective response to therapy. Four other patients had stable disease at end of study evaluation (16, 7, 7, and 4 months). Additionally, five patients had extended periods without disease progression (36+, 35+, 26+, 24+, and 23+ months) after local treatment of progressive metastases. Longer systemic exposure to CP-675,206 achieved in higher dose cohorts predicted for a higher probability of response. CONCLUSION CP-675,206 can be administered safely to humans as a single IV dose up to 15 mg/kg, resulting in breaking of peripheral immune tolerance to self-tissues and antitumor activity in melanoma.

Are the symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment due to a shared biologic mechanism? A cytokine-immunologic model of cancer symptoms

Cancers and cancer treatments produce multiple symptoms that collectively cause a symptom burden for patients. These symptoms include pain, wasting, fatigue, cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depression, many of which co‐occur. There is growing recognition that at least some of these symptoms may share common biologic mechanisms.

Lenalidomide induces complete and partial remissions in patients with relapsed and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

This study investigated the activity of lenalidomide in patients with relapsed/refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Lenalidomide was given at 10 mg daily with dose escalation up to 25 mg daily. Three patients (7%) achieved a complete response (CR), one a nodular partial remission, and 10 patients a partial remission (PR), for an overall response (OR) rate of 32%. Treatment with lenalidomide was associated with an OR rate of 31% in patients with 11q or 17p deletion, of 24% in patients with unmutated V(H), and of 25% in patients with fludarabine-refractory disease. The most common toxicity was myelosuppression, and the median daily dose of lenalidomide tolerated was 10 mg. Plasma levels of angiogenic factors, inflammatory cytokines, and cytokine receptors were measured at baseline, day 7, and day 28. There was a dramatic increase in median interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-2, and tumor necrosis factor receptor-1 levels on day 7, whereas no changes were observed in median vascular endothelial growth factor levels (20 patients studied). According to our experience, lenalidomide given as a continuous treatment has antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with CLL.

A cytokine-based neuroimmunologic mechanism of cancer-related symptoms.

While many of the multiple symptoms that cancer patients have are due to the disease, it is increasingly recognized that pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, cognitive dysfunction and affective symptoms are treatment related, and may lead to treatment delays or premature treatment termination. This symptom burden, a subjective counterpart of tumor burden, causes significant distress. Progress in understanding the mechanisms that underlie these symptoms may lead to new therapies for symptom control. Recently, some of these symptoms have been related to the actions of certain cytokines that produce a constellation of symptoms and behavioral signs when given exogenously to both humans and animals. The cytokine-induced sickness behavior that occurs in animals after the administration of infectious or inflammatory agents or certain proinflammatory cytokines has much in common with the symptoms experienced by cancer patients. Accordingly, we propose that cancer-related symptom clusters share common cytokine-based neuroimmunologic mechanisms. In this review, we provide evidence from clinical and animal studies that correlate the altered cytokine profile with cancer-related symptoms. We also propose that the expression of coexisting symptoms is linked to the deregulated activity of nuclear factor-kappa B, the transcription factor responsible for the production of cytokines and mediators of the inflammatory responses due to cancer and/or cancer treatment. These concepts open exciting new avenues for translational research in the pathophysiology and treatment of cancer-related symptoms.

Inflammatory response, immunosuppression, and cancer recurrence after perioperative blood transfusions

Debate on appropriate triggers for transfusion of allogeneic blood products and their effects on short- and long-term survival in surgical and critically ill patients continue with no definitive evidence or decisive resolution. Although transfusion-related immune modulation (TRIM) is well established, its influence on immune competence in the recipient and its effects on cancer recurrence after a curative resection remains controversial. An association between perioperative transfusion of allogeneic blood products and risk for recurrence has been shown in colorectal cancer in randomized trials; whether the same is true for other types of cancer remains to be determined. This article focuses on the laboratory, animal, and clinical evidence to date on the mechanistic understanding of inflammatory and immune-modulatory effects of blood products and their significance for recurrence in the cancer surgical patient.

Lenalidomide as initial therapy of elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The best initial therapy for elderly patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has not yet been defined. We investigated the activity of lenalidomide as initial therapy for elderly patients with CLL. Sixty patients with CLL 65 years of age and older received treatment with lenalidomide orally 5 mg daily for 56 days, then titrated up to 25 mg/d as tolerated. Treatment was continued until disease progression. At a median follow-up of 29 months, 53 patients (88%) are alive and 32 patients (53%) remain on therapy. Estimated 2-year progression-free survival is 60%. The overall response rate to lenalidomide therapy is 65%, including 10% complete response, 5% complete response with residual cytopenia, 7% nodular partial response, and 43% partial response. Neutropenia is the most common grade 3 or 4 treatment-related toxicity observed in 34% of treatment cycles. Major infections or neutropenic fever occurred in 13% of patients. Compared with baseline levels, we noted an increase in serum immunoglobulin levels across all classes, and a reduction in CCL3 and CCL4 plasma levels was noted in responding patients. Lenalidomide therapy was well tolerated and induced durable remissions in this population of elderly, symptomatic patients with CLL. This study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00535873.

Circulating Tumor Cells and [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography for Outcome Prediction in Metastatic Breast Cancer

PURPOSE Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) are two new promising tools for therapeutic monitoring. In this study, we compared the prognostic value of CTC and FDG-PET/CT monitoring during systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS A retrospective analyses of 115 MBC patients who started a new line of therapy and who had CTC counts and FDG-PET/CT scans performed at baseline and at 9 to 12 weeks during therapy (midtherapy) was performed. Patients were categorized according to midtherapy CTC counts as favorable (ie, < five CTCs/7.5 mL blood) or unfavorable (> or = five CTCs/7.5 mL blood) outcomes. CTC counts and FDG-PET/CT response at midtherapy were compared, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors associated with survival. RESULTS In 102 evaluable patients, the median overall survival time was 14 months (range, 1 to > 41 months). Midtherapy CTC levels correlated with FDG-PET/CT response in 68 (67%) of 102 evaluable patients. In univariate analysis, midtherapy CTC counts and FDG-PET/CT response predicted overall survival (P < .001 and P = .001, respectively). FDG-PET/CT predicted overall survival (P = .0086) in 31 (91%) of 34 discordant patients who had fewer than five CTCs at midtherapy. Only midtherapy CTC levels remained significant in a multivariate analysis (P = .004). CONCLUSION Detection of five or more CTCs during therapeutic monitoring can accurately predict prognosis in MBC beyond metabolic response. FDG-PET/CT deserves a role in patients who have fewer than five CTCs at midtherapy. Prospective trials should evaluate the most sensitive and cost-effective modality for therapeutic monitoring in MBC.

Circulating tumor cells in metastatic breast cancer: From prognostic stratification to modification of the staging system?

The aim of the current study was to assess the prognostic value of baseline circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in a large cohort of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Biologic and immunomodulatory events after CTLA-4 blockade with ticilimumab in patients with advanced malignant melanoma

T‐regulatory (TR) cells expressing cytotoxic T lymphocyte‐associated antigen‐4 (CTLA‐4) maintain peripheral immune tolerance and negatively affect host immune responses against cancer. The immunobiologic effects of ticilimumab, a human monoclonal antibody against CTLA‐4, was administered to patients with metastatic melanoma who participated in a Phase I/II clinical trial.