Olivier Bailon

Upfront association of carboplatin plus pemetrexed in patients with brain metastases of lung adenocarcinoma

Approximately 10% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have brain metastases at the time of diagnosis. When surgical resection is not possible, whole brain radiotherapy is the standard of care, with a cerebral response rate of approximately 30%. We report our experience with an upfront association of carboplatin and pemetrexed (areas under the curve, 5 and 500 mg/m(2), respectively), every 3 weeks, in 30 patients presenting with newly diagnosed brain metastases and NSCLC. Cerebral MRIs were performed every 6-9 weeks. The radiologic response rates were assessed according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. Overall survival was also determined. Twenty-six patients were evaluable for response, and the objective cerebral response rate (complete and partial response) in the intent-to-treat population was 40% (12 of 30 patients). Event-free survival was 31 weeks, and median overall survival was 39 weeks. The upfront association of carboplatin plus pemetrexed allows simultaneous treatment of cerebral and systemic disease in patients with NSCLC with newly diagnosed brain metastases and appears to be particularly interesting in terms of radiologic response and overall survival. Further clinical studies are warranted.

Steroid-sparing effects of angiotensin-II inhibitors in glioblastoma patients

The standard of care in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) relies on surgical resection, radiation therapy (RT), and temozolomide. Steroids are required in almost all patients to reduce peritumoral edema, but are associated with numerous side effects. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key driver of peritumoral edema and angiogenesis in human GBM. Recently, angiotensin‐II inhibitors were reported to reduce VEGF secretion and tumor growth in some animal models.

Immunotherapy with CpG-ODN in neoplastic meningitis: A phase I trial.

TLR‐9 agonists are immunostimulating agents that have antitumor effects in animal models. A phase I trial was conducted to define the safety profile of subcutaneous injections, combined with intrathecally administration of CpG‐28, a TRL 9 agonist, in patients with neoplastic meningitis (NM). Cohorts of 3–6 patients with NM were treated for 5 weeks with escalating doses of CpG‐28. The primary endpoint was tolerance. Secondary endpoints were progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Twenty‐nine patients were treated with CpG‐28. The primary cancers were malignant glioma, lung carcinoma, breast cancer, melanoma or melanocytoma, ependymoma, and colorectal cancer. The median age was 56 years and median Karnovsky Performance status (KPS) was 70%. The treatment was well tolerated. Adverse effects that were possibly or probably related to the studied drug were grade 2 lymphopenia, anemia and neutropenia, local erythema at injection sites, fever and seizure. There were five serious adverse events: two confusions, two infections of ventricular devices and one grade 4 thrombopenia and neutropenia. The median PFS was 7 weeks and median OS was 15 weeks. Interestingly, the median survival was slightly (but not significantly) higher in the eight patients who were concomitantly treated with bevacizumab (19 weeks vs 15 weeks; P = 0.11). CpG‐28 was well tolerated at doses up to 0.3 mg/kg subcutaneously and 18 mg intrathecally. Additional trials are warranted.

Opalski syndrome detected on DWI MRI: A rare lateral medullary infarction. Case report and review

INTRODUCTION Wallenbergs syndrome and ipsilateral paresis due to combined infarction of the lateral medullary and cervical spinal infarction is known as Opalski syndrome. This rarely described syndrome was reported, to our knowledge, with DWI MRI, only once. CASE REPORT We report the case of a 43-year-old man with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease who, after a brief episode of coma, developed Wallenberg syndrome and ipsilateral hemiparesis. Initial diffusion weighted-imaging MRI showed a high-intensity signal involving the lateral medulla oblongata and the spinal cord; but FLAIR MRI sequences showed bilateral high-intensity signals in the lateral medulla oblongata and spinal cord and high-intensity signals in the right and left cerebellar hemisphere in the PICA territories. MRI performed one year later showed an infarction involving the left medullary area and adjacent spinal segments alone. CONCLUSION This observation illustrates a rare syndrome of lateral medullary infarction, associated with spinal cord infarction related to a possible transient basilar occlusion.

Revue généraleLes métastases cérébrales des cancers bronchiques non à petites cellules : vers une prise en charge homogèneManagement of brain metastases from non-small cell lung carcinoma

INTRODUCTION In France, approximately 30,000 new patients per year develop brain metastases (BM), most of them resulting from a lung cancer. STATE OF THE ART Surgery and radiosurgery of all the BM must be considered when possible. In other cases, whole brain radiotherapy remains the standard of care. PERSPECTIVES The role of chemotherapy, poorly investigated so far, should be revisited. CONCLUSION This review focused on BM secondary to a non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Les métastases cérébrales des cancers bronchiques non à petites cellules : vers une prise en charge homogène

INTRODUCTION In France, approximately 30,000 new patients per year develop brain metastases (BM), most of them resulting from a lung cancer. STATE OF THE ART Surgery and radiosurgery of all the BM must be considered when possible. In other cases, whole brain radiotherapy remains the standard of care. PERSPECTIVES The role of chemotherapy, poorly investigated so far, should be revisited. CONCLUSION This review focused on BM secondary to a non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Prise en charge symptomatique des métastases cérébrales

Indications and choice of antiepileptic drugs (AED), treatments for cerebral edema and prophylactic and curative treatments of thromboembolic complications of brain metastasis are discussed.

Prise en charge symptomatique des métastases cérébralesSymptomatic management of brain metastasis

Indications and choice of antiepileptic drugs (AED), treatments for cerebral edema and prophylactic and curative treatments of thromboembolic complications of brain metastasis are discussed.

Métastases cérébrales : manifestations cliniques et traitements symptomatiques

Cancer patients frequently develop brain metastases. Symptomatic treatments are important to stabilize these patients before an oncological procedure (usually radiotherapy, sometimes surgery or chemotherapy) can be started. These symptomatic treatments mainly rely on steroids to reduce the peritumoral edema; anti-epileptic drugs for patients who previously had seizures, and low-molecular-weight heparin for patients at risk of thrombo-embolic events.