Judith O. Hopkins

A Phase III Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial of the Effect of Modafinil on Cancer-Related Fatigue among 631 Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A URCC CCOP Research Base Study

Cancer‐related fatigue is a debilitating symptom affecting psychosocial functioning and quality of life in 70% to 100% of cancer patients during and after treatment. The authors examined the effect of 200 mg of modafinil daily on the severity of cancer‐related fatigue.

A Phase 3 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind, Clinical Trial of the Effect of Modafinil on Cancer-Related Fatigue Among 631 Patients Receiving Chemotherapy: A University of Rochester Cancer Center Community Clinical Oncology Program Research Base Study

Cancer‐related fatigue is a debilitating symptom affecting psychosocial functioning and quality of life in 70% to 100% of cancer patients during and after treatment. The authors examined the effect of 200 mg of modafinil daily on the severity of cancer‐related fatigue.

Anastrozole versus tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with ductal carcinoma in situ undergoing lumpectomy plus radiotherapy (NSABP B-35): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 clinical trial

BACKGROUNDnDuctal carcinoma in situ is currently managed with excision, radiotherapy, and adjuvant hormone therapy, usually tamoxifen. We postulated that an aromatase inhibitor would be safer and more effective. We therefore undertook this trial to compare anastrozole versus tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with ductal carcinoma in situ undergoing lumpectomy plus radiotherapy.nnnMETHODSnThe double-blind, randomised, phase 3 National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) B-35 trial was done in 333 participating NSABP centres in the USA and Canada. Postmenopausal women with hormone-positive ductal carcinoma in situ treated by lumpectomy with clear resection margins and whole-breast irradiation were enrolled and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either oral tamoxifen 20 mg per day (with matching placebo in place of anastrozole) or oral anastrozole 1 mg per day (with matching placebo in place of tamoxifen) for 5 years. Randomisation was stratified by age (<60 vs ≥60 years) and patients and investigators were masked to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was breast cancer-free interval, defined as time from randomisation to any breast cancer event (local, regional, or distant recurrence, or contralateral breast cancer, invasive disease, or ductal carcinoma in situ), analysed by intention to treat. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00053898, and is complete.nnnFINDINGSnBetween Jan 1, 2003, and June 15, 2006, 3104 eligible patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the two treatment groups (1552 to tamoxifen and 1552 to anastrozole). As of Feb 28, 2015, follow-up information was available for 3083 patients for overall survival and 3077 for all other disease-free endpoints, with median follow-up of 9·0 years (IQR 8·2-10·0). In total, 212 breast cancer-free interval events occurred: 122 in the tamoxifen group and 90 in the anastrozole group (HR 0·73 [95% CI 0·56-0·96], p=0·0234). A significant time-by-treatment interaction (p=0·0410) became evident later in the study. There was also a significant interaction between treatment and age group (p=0·0379), showing that anastrozole is superior only in women younger than 60 years of age. Adverse events did not differ between the groups, except for thrombosis or embolism--a known side-effect of tamoxifen-for which there were 17 grade 4 or worse events in the tamoxifen group versus four in the anastrozole group.nnnINTERPRETATIONnCompared with tamoxifen, anastrozole treatment provided a significant improvement in breast cancer-free interval, mainly in women younger than 60 years of age. This finding means that women will benefit from having a choice of effective agents for ductal carcinoma in situ.nnnFUNDINGnUS National Cancer Institute and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP.

Falls and functional impairments in cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN): a University of Rochester CCOP study

PurposeThis study was conducted in order to characterize the prevalence of falls and functional impairments (FIs) and their association with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in cancer survivors.MethodsWe analyzed baseline assessments from a phase III RCT in cancer survivors with self-reported CIPN scores of >4 out of 10. Patients completed the EORTC QLQ-CIPN-20 for neuropathy and reported falls in the previous 3xa0months. FIs were defined using the Activities of Daily Living subsection of the Vulnerable Elder’s Scale. Associations of baseline characteristics and CIPN with falls and FIs were examined using logistic regression.ResultsOf 421 patients, 11.9xa0% experienced recent falls and 26.6xa0% reported FIs. Motor neuropathy was the only factor associated with falls (ORu2009=u20091.127, pu2009=u20090.01). Factors associated with FIs included non-white race (ORu2009=u20090.335 white relative to non-white, 0.781, pu2009=u20090.01) and greater motor neuropathy scores (ORu2009=u20091.262, pu2009<u20090.0001).ConclusionCIPN, primarily motor, is associated with falls and FIs. Future prospective research should investigate the ability of motor neuropathy severity to predict falls.

Treatment of advanced non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with vincristine infusion

Twenty‐five patients with a variety of histologic types of advanced non‐Hodgkins lymphoma refractory to previous chemotherapy were entered into a trial of vincristine infusion. Patients received 5‐day courses of vincristine 0.25 mg/m2/day by continuous intravenous infusion after an initial 0.5 mg intravenous bolus injection. Courses were repeated every 3 weeks. Objective responses were observed in nine patients (36%), all of whom had previously received vincristine given by conventional bolus injection. A complete response occurred in a patient with diffuse mixed histiocytic lymphocytic lymphoma, and partial responses were observed in eight patients with the following histologic types: diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic (4); nodular poorly differentiated lymphocytic (2); diffuse mixed histiocytic lymphocytic (1); and diffuse histiocytic (1). Duration of response lasted from 1.2 to 16.2 months (mean, 4.4 months). The principal complication of therapy was mild‐to‐moderate neurotoxicity; this occurred in 12 patients (48%) who received a total of 54 courses of vincristine infusion. Hematologic toxicity was minimal and nausea/vomiting did not occur. Vincristine infusion may afford palliation for patients with advanced non‐Hodgkins lymphomas who have become refractory to standard chemotherapeutic regimens even if they have received prior vincristine by conventional bolus injection. These data suggest the possibility of enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of vincristine in the treatment of non‐Hodgkins lymphoma by use of an infusion technique.

A phase III randomized, placebo-controlled study of topical amitriptyline and ketamine for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN): a University of Rochester CCOP study of 462 cancer survivors

PurposeChemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) occurs in as high as 70xa0% of patients receiving certain types of chemotherapy agents. The FDA has yet to approve a therapy for CIPN. The aim of this multicenter, phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was to investigate the efficacy of 2xa0% ketamine plus 4xa0% amitriptyline (KA) cream for reducing CIPN.MethodsCancer survivors who completed chemotherapy at least 1xa0month prior and had CIPN (>4 out of 10) were enrolled (Nu2009=u2009462). CIPN was assessed using average scores from a 7-day daily diary that asks patients to rate the average “pain, numbness, or tingling in [their] hands and feet over the past 24xa0h” on an 11-point numeric rating scale at baseline and 6xa0weeks post intervention. ANCOVA was used to measure differences in 6-week CIPN with effects including baseline CIPN, KA treatment arm, and previous taxane therapy (Y/N).ResultsThe KA treatment showed no effect on 6-week CIPN scores (adjusted mean differenceu2009=u2009−0.17, pu2009=u20090.363).ConclusionsThis study suggests that KA cream does not decrease CIPN symptoms in cancer survivors.

A randomized trial of exercise on well-being and function following breast cancer surgery: the RESTORE trial.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to determine the effect of a moderate, tailored exercise program on health-related quality of life, physical function, and arm volume in women receiving treatment for nonmetastatic breast cancer.MethodsWomen who were within 4–12xa0weeks of surgery for stage I–III breast cancer were randomized to center-based exercise and lymphedema education intervention or patient education. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Breast Cancer (FACT-B), 6-min walk, and arm volume were performed at 3-month intervals through 18xa0months. Repeated measures analysis of covariance was used to model the total meters walked over time, FACT-B scores, and arm volume. Models were adjusted for baseline measurement, baseline affected arm volume, number of nodes removed, age, self-reported symptoms, baseline SF-12 mental and physical component scores, visit, and treatment group.ResultsOf the recruited 104 women, 82 completed all 18xa0months. Mean age (range) was 53.6 (32–82) years; 88% were Caucasian; 45% were employed full time; 44% were overweight; and 28% obese. Approximately, 46% had breast-conserving surgery; 79% had axillary node dissection; 59% received chemotherapy; and 64% received radiation. The intervention resulted in an average increase of 34.3xa0ml (SDu2009=u200912.8) versus patient education (pu2009=u20090.01). Changes in FACT-B scores and arm volumes were not significantly different.ConclusionsWith this early exercise intervention after breast cancer diagnosis, a significant improvement was achieved in physical function, with no decline in health-related quality of life or detrimental effect on arm volume.Implications for cancer survivorsStarting a supervised exercise regimen that is tailored to an individuals strength and stamina within 3 months following breast cancer surgery appears safe and may hasten improvements in physical functioning.

VP-16-213 in combination chemotherapy with chest irradiation for small-cell lung cancer: a randomized trial of the Piedmont Oncology Association.

The role of etoposide epipodophyllotoxin (VP-16-213) in a combined modality treatment program incorporating local chest irradiation and combination chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin (Adria Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio), and vincristine has been evaluated in a randomized trial of 165 patients with small-cell lung cancer. The overall response rate (complete response [CR] plus partial response [PR]) was significantly greater in the VP-16-213 arm (85% v 64%, P = .005) primarily as a consequence of improved response in patients with extensive disease (85% v 38%, P = .002 and 30% v 8% for CR only, P = .045). No differences in the response rates were observed in limited disease. The duration of response (months) was greater in the VP-16-213 arm (8.6 v 7.0 overall and 14.4 v 11.5 for CR) but not significantly so. Median survival times (months) were consistently greater in the group receiving VP-16-213 when analyzed according to extent of disease and response (10.6 v 9.5 overall; 15.0 v 13.6 for limited disease; 9.0 v 6.7 for extensive disease; 18.5 v 16.2 for CR overall; and 18.6 v 16.1 for CR in limited disease); the results were not statistically significant. The median survival of extensive disease patients attaining a CR was 15.3 months (range 3.2 to 34.3 + months) in the VP-16-213 arm and 7.4+ and 8.1+ months for the two patients with CR in the other group. Anemia and leukopenia occurred to a greater degree in the four-drug regimen, but no unusual or significant compounding toxicity (ie, neurotoxicity) was observed otherwise. Further investigation of this agent in combination chemotherapy programs for small-cell lung cancer appears to be warranted.

Phase II Trial of Dasatinib in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Using Real-Time Pharmacodynamic Tissue Biomarkers of Src Inhibition to Escalate Dosing

Purpose: A phase II study of dasatinib, an inhibitor of multiple oncogenic tyrosine kinases including Src, was conducted to evaluate 16-week progression-free rate and tolerability in patients with previously treated metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Real-time assessment of potential tissue biomarkers of Src inhibition was used to optimize dosing. Experimental Design: Eligibility criteria required that patients have measurable MBC, biopsiable tumor, and unlimited prior therapies. For the analysis of change in protein biomarkers of Src inhibition, focal adhesion kinase, paxillin, and p-Src, patients underwent metastatic biopsies at baseline and 4 weeks. Patients who tolerated the starting dose of dasatinib (50 or 70 mg orally twice daily) for the first 28-day cycle, and displayed suboptimal Src inhibition, were escalated to a higher dose (70 or 100 mg). Results: The trial was closed early with 31 patients because of a statistical boundary that required at least 4 (13%) patients without disease progression to continue accrual. These 31 patients had a median of 2 prior lines of chemotherapy for MBC. The most notable toxicity was pleural effusions in 16 patients (52%). Twenty patients had evaluable metastatic biopsies. None of the tumors showed the predefined optimal level of Src inhibition at week 4. Conclusions: Single-agent dasatinib did not exhibit significant antitumor activity in patients with heavily pretreated MBC. There were no clinically meaningful decreases before and after dasatinib exposure between exploratory tissue biomarkers of Src inhibition which may be attributable to challenges in defining biomarker endpoints for multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 17(18); 6061–70. ©2011 AACR.

Clinical trial of pyridoxine to reduce vincristine neurotoxicity.

In a murine model system, pyridoxine has demonstrated protective properties during administration of lethal doses of vincristine (VCR). Subsequently, pyridoxine has been evaluated in patients receiving VCR during an adjuvant chemotherapy program for stage II carcinoma of the breast. The toxicities, cumulative VCR dosage, and percentage of ideal dosage observed in 24 patients receiving pyridoxine have been compared to those observed in 88 patients who previously received VCR without pyridoxine in the same chemotherapy program. All patients ideally were to receive VCR 1.0 mg/m2 weekly for 6-weeks with dose modification for neurotoxicity. Treatment patients received pyridoxine 1.5 grams p.o. daily in three divided doses during the 6-week course. The degree of neurotoxic manifestations of VCR was similar in the treatment and comparison patients. Absent to mild neurotoxicity was observed in approximately 70% of patients in both groups; moderate or greater neurotoxicity occurred in about 30% of patients in both groups. Full dosage (6.0 mg/m2) was attained in 8 (33%) treatment patients and 18 (24%) comparison patients (p=0.28). The mean percentage of ideal dosage of VCR was 84.6±10.8 in patients receiving pyridoxine and 81.9±21.6 in those given only VCR (p=0.59). Gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicities were similar in both groups. Pyridoxine in this dose and schedule afforded no protection from the neurotoxic side effects of VCR.