Treatment Free Intervals after Subsequent Chemotherapy Lines in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Aim: Despite recent advances in the treatment of ovarian cancer, recurrence of the disease is still frequent. This study evaluated whether multiple lines of chemotherapy have impact on overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS) or on treatment free intervals (TFIs) after serial chemotherapy lines in recurrent settings. Methods: A total of 189 patients with ovarian cancer (including fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer), who were treated in Kuopio University Hospital in Finland during 2009-2014, were enrolled. The medical files of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Median OS and PFS were significantly higher at the time of the first relapse compared to subsequent relapses (p < 0.001). TFIs shortened significantly after the first relapse (p < 0.001). The differences in TFIs were also seen when comparing platinum sensitive, semi-sensitive and platinum resistant patients. The total amount of TFI times during the whole follow-up time was significantly reduced in those patients that received at least one form of aggressive care at the end of life (p = 0.004). Conclusions: Ovarian cancer patients received often multiple lines of chemotherapy. TFIs after subsequent chemotherapy lines decreased during the disease course. More efforts should be taken to avoid unnecessary and ineffective treatments especially in recurrent phase of the disease.

Gemcitabine plus concurrent irreversible electroporation vs gemcitabine alone for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND Locally advanced pancreatic cancer(LAPC)is a common malignant digestive system tumor that ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the world.The prognosis of LAPC is poor even after standard treatment.Irreversible electroporation(IRE)is a novel ablative strategy for LAPC.Several studies have confirmed the safety of IRE.To date,no prospective studies have been performed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of conventional gemcitabine(GEM)plus concurrent IRE.AIM To compare the therapeutic efficacy between conventional GEM plus concurrent IRE and GEM alone for LAPC.METHODS From February 2016 to September 2017,a total of 68 LAPC patients were treated with GEM plus concurrent IRE(n=33)or GEM alone(n=35).Overall survival(OS),progression free survival(PFS),and procedure-related complications were compared between the two groups.Multivariate analyses were performed to identify any prognostic factors.RESULTS There were no treatment-related deaths.The technical success rate of IRE ablation was 100%.The GEM+IRE group had a significantly longer OS from the time of diagnosis of LAPC(19.8 mo vs 9.3 mo,P<0.0001)than the GEM alone group.The GEM+IRE group had a significantly longer PFS(8.3 mo vs 4.7 mo,P<0.0001)than the GEM alone group.Tumor volume less than 37 cm3 and GEM plus concurrent IRE were identified as significant favorable factors for both the OS and PFS.CONCLUSION Gemcitabine plus concurrent IRE is an effective treatment for patients with LAPC.

Clinical benefit of COX-2 inhibitors in the adjuvant chemotherapy of advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Lung cancer is a major cause of death among patients,and non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)accounts for more than 80%of all lung cancers in many countries.AIM To evaluate the clinical benefit(CB)of COX-2 inhibitors in patients with advanced NSCLC using systematic review.METHODS We searched the six electronic databases up until December 9,2019 for studies that examined the efficacy and safety of the addition of COX-2 inhibitors to chemotherapy for NSCLC.Overall survival(OS),progression free survival(PFS),1-year survival rate(SR),overall response rate(ORR),CB,complete response(CR),partial response(PR),stable disease(SD),and toxicities were measured with more than one outcome as their endpoints.Fixed and random effects models were used to calculate risk estimates in a meta-analysis.Potential publication bias was calculated using Egger’s linear regression test.Data analysis was performed using R software.RESULTS The COX-2 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy were not found to be more effective than chemotherapy alone in OS,progression free survival,1-year SR,CB,CR,and SD.However,there was a difference in overall response rate for patients with advanced NSCLC.In a subgroup analysis,significantly increased ORR results were found for celecoxib,rofecoxib,first-line treatment,and PR.For adverse events,the increase in COX-2 inhibitor was positively correlated with the increase in grade 3 and 4 toxicity of leukopenia,thrombocytopenia,and cardiovascular events.CONCLUSION COX-2 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy increased the total effective rate of advanced NSCLC with the possible increased risk of blood toxicity and cardiovascular events and had no effect on survival index.

Clinical significance of chromosomal abnormalities detected by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients

Background Chromosome 13q14 deletion （del13q14）, chromosome 1q21 gain （amp1q21） and chromosome 17p13 deletion （del17p13） are the most frequent chromosomal aberrations in multiple myeloma （MM）. They play an important role in prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of the chromosomal changes in Chinese MM patients.Methods Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） on bone marrow （BM） cells was performed in 72 enrolled MM patients. Relationships between chromosomal abnormalities and clinical features, response to therapies and prognosis were analyzed.Results As a result of interphase FISH, 77.8% （56/72） patients had chromosome changes. The incidences of each probe were RB1 51.4% （37/72）, D13S319 47.2% （34/72）, 1q21 45.8% （33/72） and p53 22.2% （12/72）. Osteolytic lesion,BM plasma cells index, serum calcium and serum M component were significantly correlated to del13q14. BM plasma cells and hemoglobin were correlated to amp1q21. Serum lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） was correlated with del17p13.Patients with del13q14 treated with bortezomib had a notably higher overall response rate than the patients treated with traditional chemotherapies （93% vs. 65%, P=0.048）. Patients carrying amp1q21 or/and del17p13 did not achieve satisfactory response to bortezomib. The median progression-free survival （PFS） for patients with amp1q21 was 5 months and patients without amp1q21 got 9-month PFS （P=0.001）. The median PFS for patients with del13q14 was 5 months （vs. 8 months, P=0.026）. The median PFS for patients with del17p13 was 3 months （vs. 8 months, P=0.002）.Patients with β2-microglobulin 〉5.5 mg/L also had a worse outcome, whose median PFS was 5 months （vs. 8 months,P=0.016）.Conclusions The prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities of MM patients was similar in Chinese and Caucasian people. Genetic changes were associated with patients＇ responses to therapies and prognosis.

Clinical outcomes of people living with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL)in Shanghai,China

Background:Numerous studies have focused on lymphoma among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV).However,little is known about the treatment options and survival rate of lymphoma in the Chinese people living with HIV(PLHIV).Our study aimed to investigate the prognosis and compare outcome of dose-adjusted etoposide,prednisone,vincristine,cyclophosphamide,doxorubicin,and rituximab(DA-EPOCH-R)with standard cyclophosphamide,doxorubicin,vincristine,prednisone and rituximab(R-CHOP)as front line therapy for PLHIV with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL)receiving modern combined antiretroviral therapy(cART).Methods:A retrospective analysis evaluating PLHIV with DLBCL was performed in Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center from July 2012 to September 2019.The demographic and clinical data were collected,and overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)analyses of patients receiving R-CHOP or DA-EPOCH-R therapy were performed by Kaplan-Meier analysis.Additionally,a Cox multiple regression model was constructed to identify related factors for OS.Results:A total of 54 eligible patients were included in the final analysis with a median follow-up of 14 months(interquartile range[IQR]:8-29 months).The proportion of high international prognostic index(IPI)patients was much larger in the DA-EPOCH-R group(n=29)than that in the R-CHOP group(n=25).The CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA levels were not significantly different between the two groups.The 2-year OS for all patients was 73%.However,OS was not significantly different between the two groups,with a 2-year OS rate of 78%for the DA-EPOCH-R group and 66%for the R-CHOP group.Only an IPI greater than 3 was associated with a decrease in OS,with a hazard ratio of 5.0.The occurrence of grade 3 and 4 adverse events of chemotherapy was not significantly different between the two groups.Conclusions:Outcomes of R-CHOP therapy do not differ from those of DA-EPOCH-R therapy.No HIV-related factors were found to be associated with the OS of PLHIV in the modern cART era.