Development of a clinical nomogram for prediction of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND The efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)in advanced gastric cancer(GC)is still a controversial issue.AIM To find factors associated with chemosensitivity to NAC treatment and to provide the optimal therapeutic strategies for GC patients receiving NAC.METHODS The clinical information was collected from 230 GC patients who received NAC treatment at the Central South University Xiangya School of Medicine Affiliated Haikou Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression analysis was used to find the possible predictors.A nomogram model was employed to predict the response to NAC.RESULTS In total 230 patients were finally included in this study,including 154 males(67.0%)and 76 females(33.0%).The mean age was(59.37±10.60)years,ranging from 24 years to 80 years.According to the tumor regression grade standard,there were 95 cases in the obvious response group(grade 0 or grade 1)and 135 cases in the poor response group(grade 2 or grade 3).The obvious response rate was 41.3%.Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator analysis showed that four risk factors significantly related to the efficacy of NAC were tumor location(P<0.001),histological differentiation(P=0.001),clinical T stage(P=0.008),and carbohydrate antigen 724(P=0.008).The C-index for the prediction nomogram was 0.806.The calibration curve revealed that the predicted value exhibited good agreement with the actual value.Decision curve analysis showed that the nomogram had a good value in clinical application.CONCLUSION A nomogram combining tumor location,histological differentiation,clinical T stage,and carbohydrate antigen 724 showed satisfactory predictive power to the response of NAC and can be used by gastrointestinal surgeons to determine the optimal treatment strategies for advanced GC patients.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with capecitabine combined with oxaliplatin for mid-low locally advanced rectal cancer with negative mesorectal fascia:Long-term outcomes of a prospective trial(PKUCH-R03 trial)

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NCT)in mid-low locally advanced rectal cancer with negative mesorectal fascia(MRF).Methods:This prospective,single-arm phaseⅡtrial was designed and conducted at Peking University Cancer Hospital.The patients who provided consent received 3 months of NCT(capecitabine and oxaliplatin,CapOX)followed by total mesorectal excision(TME).The primary endpoint was the rate of pathological complete response(pCR).Results:From January 2019 through December 2021,a total of 53 patients were enrolled,7.5%of whom experienced grade 3-4 adverse events during NCT.The pCR rate was 17.0%for the entire cohort,and the overall rate of postoperative complications was 37.7%(1.9%of gradeⅢa patients).The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 91.4%,and 23.5%(12/51)of the patients suffered from major low anterior resection syndrome(LARS).Postoperative complications were independently associated with major LARS.Conclusions:For patients with mid-low rectal cancer with negative MRF,3 months of NCT were found to yield a favorable tumor response with acceptable toxicity.With fair long-term survival,the NCT regimen could be associated with low rates of perioperative complications as well as acceptable anal function.

Application of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy in curative surgery for esophageal cancer:A metaanalysis

BACKGROUND The effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal cancer(EC)treatment is still a subject of debate.AIM To compare the clinical efficacy and toxic side effects between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy(nCRT)and neoadjuvant chemotherapy(nCT)for locally advanced EC(LAEC).METHODS A comprehensive search was conducted using multiple databases,including PubMed,EMBASE,MEDLINE,Science Direct,The Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Database,Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database,and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database Article.Studies up to December 2022 comparing nCRT and nCT in patients with EC were selected.RESULTS The analysis revealed significant differences between nCRT and nCT in terms of disease-free survival.The results indicated that nCRT provided better outcomes in terms of the 3-year overall survival rate(OSR)[odds ratio(OR)=0.95],complete response rate(OR=3.15),and R0 clearance rate(CR)(OR=2.25).However,nCT demonstrated a better 5-year OSR(OR=1.02)than nCRT.Moreover,when compared to nCRT,nCT showed reduced risks of cardiac complications(OR=1.15)and pulmonary complications(OR=1.30).CONCLUSION Overall,both nCRT and nCT were effective in terms of survival outcomes for LAEC.However,nCT exhibited better performance in terms of postoperative complications.

Ki-67 Change in Anthracyline-containing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response in Breast Cancer

Objective Anthracycline-containing regimens are irreplaceable in neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)for breast cancer(BC)at present.However,30% of early breast cancer(EBC)patients are resistant to anthracycline-containing chemotherapy,leading to poor prognosis and higher mortality.Ki-67 is associated with the prognosis and response to therapy,and it changes after NAC.Methods A total of 105 BC patients who received anthracycline-containing NAC were enrolled.Then,the optimal model of Ki-67 was selected,and its predictive efficacy was analyzed.Immunohistochemistry(IHC)was used to determine the estrogen receptor(ER),progesterone receptor(PR),and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2)status and Ki-67 level.Fluorescent in situ hybridization(FISH)was used to verify the HER-2 when the IHC score was 2+.Results The post-NAC Ki67 level after treatment with anthracycline drugs was lower than pre-NAC Ki-67(19.6%±23.3%vs.45.6%±23.1%,P<0.001).Furthermore,patients with the Ki-67 decrease had a border line higher pathological complete response(pCR)rate(17.2%vs.0.0%,P=0.068),and a higher overall response rate(ORR)(73.6%vs.27.8%,P<0.001),when compared to patients without the Ki-67 decrease.The ΔKi-67 and ΔKi-67%were valuable markers for the prediction of both the pCR rate and ORR.The area under the curve(AUC)for ΔKi-67 on pCR and ORR was 0.809(0.698-0.921)and 0.755(0.655-0.855),respectively,while the AUC for ΔKi-67% on pCR and ORR was 0.857(0.742-0.972)and 0.720(0.618-0.822),respectively.Multivariate logistic regression model 1 revealed thatΔKi-67 was an independent predictor for both pCR[odds ratio(OR)=61.030,95% confidence interval(CI)=4.709-790.965;P=0.002]and ORR(OR=10.001,95%CI:3.044-32.858;P<0.001).Multivariate logistic regression model 2 revealed thatΔKi-67%was also an independent predictor for both pCR(OR=408.922,95%CI=8.908-18771.224;P=0.002)and ORR(OR=5.419,95%CI=1.842-15.943;P=0.002).Conclusions The present study results suggest thatΔKi67 andΔKi67%are candidate predictors for anthracycline-containing NAC response,and that they may provide various information for further systematic therapy after surgery in clinical practice.

Prognostic value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in gastric cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND In recent studies,accumulating evidence has revealed a strong association between the inflammatory response and the prognosis of many tumors.There is a certain correlation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)with the prognosis in gastric cancer(GC)patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC).However,the existing research results have remained controversial.AIM To explore the relationship between NLR ratio and prognosis of GC patients receiving NAC.METHODS A thorough systematic search was performed in databases such as PubMed,Embase,Web of Science,and Cochrane Library,the search is available until February 29,2024,and studies exploring the interaction of NLR with clinical outcomes were collected.Relevant studies meeting pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria were carefully chosen.The outcomes included progression-free survival(PFS),relapse-free survival,disease-free survival(DFS),and overall survival(OS).The hazard ratio(HR)and its corresponding 95%confidence interval(CI)were utilized for estimation.RESULTS Our analysis encompassed 852 patients and incorporated data from 12 cohort studies.The comprehensive analysis revealed a significant association of high NLR with reduced OS(HR=1.76;95%CI:1.22-2.54,P=0.003),relapsefree survival(HR=3.73;95%CI:1.74-7.96,P=0.0007),and PFS(HR=2.32;95%CI:1.42-3.81,P=0.0008)in patients.However,this correlation in disease-free survival was not significant.NLR demonstrated its crucial role in effectively predicting the OS of GC patients undergoing NAC at different detection times,ages,regions,and NLR thresholds.CONCLUSION In GC patients receiving NAC,an elevated NLR is strongly associated with reduced OS and PFS.NLR has become an effective biomarker for patient prognosis evaluation,providing valuable insights for the treatment strategies of NAC in GC patients.

Surgical resection and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis: A real-world study

BACKGROUND Regarding when to treat gastric cancer and ovarian metastasis(GCOM)and whether to have metastatic resection surgery,there is presently debate on a global scale.The purpose of this research is to examine,in real-world patients with GCOM,the survival rates and efficacy of metastatic vs non-metastasized resection.AIM To investigate the survival time and efficacy of metastatic surgery and neoadjuvant therapy in patients with GCOM.METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 41 GCOM patients admitted to Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital from June 2009 to July 2023.The diagnosis of all patients was confirmed by pathology.The primary study endpoints included overall survival(OS),ovarian survival,OS after surgery(OSAS),disease-free survival(DFS),differences in efficacy.RESULTS This study had 41 patients in total.The surgical group(n=27)exhibited significantly longer median OS(mOS)and median overall months(mOM)compared to the nonoperative group(n=14)(mOS:23.0 vs 6.9 months,P=0.015;mOM:18.3 vs 3.8 months,P=0.001).However,there were no significant differences observed in mOS,mOM,median OSAS(mOSAS),and median DFS(mDFS)between patients in the surgical resection plus neoadjuvant therapy group(n=11)and those who surgical resection without neoadjuvant therapy group(n=16)(mOS:26.1 months vs 21.8 months,P=0.189;mOM:19.8 vs 15.2 months,P=0.424;mOSAS:13.9 vs 8.7 months,P=0.661,mDFS:5.1 vs 8.2 months,P=0.589).CONCLUSION Compared to the non-surgical group,the surgical group’s survival duration and efficacy are noticeably longer.The efficacy and survival time of the direct surgery group and the neoadjuvant therapy group did not differ significantly.

Post-operative morbidity after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and resection for gallbladder cancer: A national surgical quality improvement program analysis

BACKGROUND Gallbladder cancer is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract.Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy(NACT)has improved overall survival by enabling R0 resection.Currently,there is no consensus of guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy in gallbladder cancer.As investigations continue to analyze the regimen and benefit of NACT for ongoing care of gallbladder cancer patients,we examined American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program(NSQIP)database to determine if there was higher morbidity among the neo-adjuvant group within the 30-day post-operative period.We hypothesized patients who underwent NACT were more likely to have higher post-operative morbidity.AIM To investigate the 30-day post-operative morbidity outcomes between patients who received NACT and underwent surgery and patients who only had surgery.METHODS A retrospective analysis of the targeted hepatectomy NSQIP data between 2015 and 2019 was performed to determine if NACT in gallbladder cancer increased the risk for post-operative morbidity(bile leak,infection rate,rate of converting to open surgery,etc.)compared to the group who only had surgery.To calculate the odds ratio for the primary and secondary outcomes,a crude logistic regression was performed.RESULTS Of the 452 patients,52 patients received NACT prior to surgery.There were no statistically significant differences in the odds of morbidity between the two groups,including bile leak[odds ratio(OR),0.69;95%confidence interval(95%CI):0.16-2.10;P=0.55],superficial wound infection(OR,0.58;95%CI:0.03-3.02;P=0.61),and organ space wound infection(OR,0.63;95%CI:0.18-1.63;P=0.61).CONCLUSION There was no significant difference in the risk of 30-day post-operative morbidity between the NACT and surgery group and the surgery only group.

Evaluation of the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for intermediate and advanced breast cancer by 3.0T MR and ultrasound combined with tumour markers

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for intermediate and advanced breast cancer using 3.0T MR and ultrasound in combination with tumour markers(CEA,CA-153,CA125),and to provide therapeutic references for the clinicians,so as to better satisfy the needs of treatment for intermediate and advanced breast cancer patients.Methods:The team collected 30 patients who were diagnosed with intermediate and advanced breast cancer by biopsy and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy,and divided them into sensitive and insensitive groups according to the MP grading of postoperative pathological results.The team retrospectively analysed the changes in the values of serum CEA,CA-153,and CA 125 before and after the neoadjuvant chemotherapy,the changes in the average ADC of the lesions before and after the observation by MRI,and the changes in the volume and size of lesions before and after the observation by ultrasonography to assess the effects of neoadjuvant chemotherapy individually,and the results of neoadjuvant chemotherapy were evaluated individually.The effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy was assessed independently.Each of the above was evaluated independently,and the accuracy of each item was calculated by comparing the evaluation results with the pathological examination results,and the accuracy of the single item was compared with the accuracy of the three combined tests to determine whether the combined evaluation was more consistent.Results:All three examination and testing methods can achieve high accuracy,and the combined evaluation of the three is more accurate than the evaluation of the single way,and the difference is statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:In neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer patients,the combined assessment of MR,CDFI and tumour markers can more comprehensively and accurately assess the effect of ADC,and more accurately guide the clinical treatment and determine the prognosis.

Application Progress of Ultrasound Radiomics in the Evaluation and Prediction of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor with the highest incidence in women. In recent years, the incidence of breast cancer has shown an increasing trend, especially in younger patients, which seriously threatens the life and health of women. In order to improve the treatment effect of breast cancer, neoadjuvant chemotherapy has become a reliable strategy to cooperate with surgical treatment and improve the prognosis of advanced breast cancer, which is conducive to quickly and accurately curbing the growth of cancer cells, controlling the patients’ condition, reducing their pain, and improving the cure rate of breast cancer patients. This paper analyzes the development history of ultrasound radiomics, explores its application in the evaluation and prediction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer, and clarifies the research results of multimodal ultrasound radiomics in the analysis of high-order characteristics of breast cancer tumors and the evaluation of tumor heterogeneity, so as to provide references for the clinical treatment of breast cancer.

Evaluating the effect and mechanism of Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction combined with FLOT regimen neoadjuvant chemotherapy for the patients with locally advanced gastric cancer:protocol for a prospective,double-arm,randomized controlled clinical trial

Background:Neoadjuvant chemotherapy plays a vital role in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer(GC),however,optimizing its effectiveness remains an important research focus.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),a promising adjunctive therapy,has shown enhanced clinical outcomes when combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.Therefore,this study is designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy FLOT in the treatment of advanced GC.Methods:This study is a prospective,double-arm,randomized controlled trial.It involves a total of 260 patients diagnosed with advanced GC,who will be randomly assigned to two groups-a TCM treatment group and a control group,each comprising 130 patients.All patients will receive standard FLOT chemotherapy,and patients in the TCM treatment group will additionally receive TCM treatment with Yiqi Huayu Jiedu decoction.After four cycles of chemotherapy,GC D2 radical surgery will be performed.The primary objective is to evaluate the postoperative pathological response rate of the tumor.The secondary objectives include evaluating the perioperative nutritional status,the efficacy of TCM syndrome,and adverse events associated with both chemotherapy and surgery.Discussion:Currently,no trials have investigated the impact of TCM in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the preoperative treatment in patients with advanced GC.Accordingly,it is imperative to conduct this prospective study to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of this regimen,meanwhile providing high-level clinical evidence for TCM combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and introducing an innovative regimen for preoperative comprehensive treatment of GC.

Research progress of artificial intelligence in evaluating the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer

Breast cancer is a major oncological challenge for females worldwide.The incorporation of neoadjuvant chemotherapy into comprehensive management strategies for breast cancer underscores the importance of the precise prognostication of therapeutic efficacy.In clinical diagnostics,medical imaging has emerged as a critical tool for delineating the structural transformations within breast cancer tumors resulting from pharmacological interventions.The evolution of artificial intelligence(AI)technologies has precipitated the delineation and quantification of imaging-based phenotypic features,thereby translating these structural modifications into quantifiable data alterations.This analytical approach has led to the development of innovative biomarkers for enhancing the predictability of neoadjuvant chemotherapy outcomes.This study aimed to elucidate the instrumental role of AI technology in the prognosis of neoadjuvant chemotherapy efficacy in breast cancer through the analytical exploration of ultrasound,magnetic resonance imaging,and histopathological imagery,while envisaging prospective trajectories within this research domain.

Primary debulking surgery or neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery for patients with advanced ovarian cancer

Objectives： To compare the survival and perioperafive morbidity between primary debulking surgery （PDS） and neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery （NAC/IDS） in treating patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer （EOC）. Methods： We retrospectively reviewed 67 patients with stage IIIC or iV EOC treated at Peking University Cancer Hospital from January 2006 to June 2009. VVherein, 37 and 30 patients underwent PDS and NAC/ IDS, respectively. Results： No difference in overall survival （OS） or progression-free survival （PFS） was observed between NAC/IDS group and PDS group （OS： 41.2 vs. 39.1 months, P=0.23; PFS： 27.1 vs. 24.3 months, P=0.37）. The optimal debulking rate was 60% in the NAC/IDS group, which was significantly higher than that in the PDS group （32.4%） （P=0.024）. The NAC/IDS group had significantly less intraoperative estimated blood loss and transfusion, lower nasogastric intubation rate, and earlier ambulation and recovery of intestinal function than the PDS group （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： NAC/IDS is less invasive than PDS, and offers the advantages regarding optimal cytoreduction rate, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative recovery, without significantly impairing the survival compared with PDS in treating patients with stage IIIC or IV EOC. Therefore, NAC/IDS may be a valuable treatment alternative for EOC patients.

Clinical benefit and tolerability of adjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy in patients who have or have not received neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer

BACKGROUND Adjuvant chemotherapy using intraperitoneal(IP)treatment has demonstrated survival benefit over intravenous(IV)therapy alone in patients treated with upfront debulking surgery for advanced stage ovarian cancer.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interim surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy has similar outcome in survival as compared to upfront surgery followed by adjuvant IV chemotherapy.IP chemotherapy has not been widely adopted in clinical practice for a number of reasons.Whether IP chemotherapy delivered in the patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy can be well tolerated or confers any clinical benefit has not been well studied.AIM To evaluate the experience of adjuvant IP chemotherapy in the community cancer clinic setting,and the clinical benefit and tolerability of incorporating IP chemotherapy in patients who received neoadjuvant treatment.METHODS We retrospectively evaluated toxicities and outcomes of patients with stage III and IV ovarian cancer diagnosed at our institution between 07/2007 and 07/2015 who received intraperitoneal chemotherapy after cytoreductive surgery(group 1)or after neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interim surgery(group 2).RESULTS Thirty eight patients were treated with IP chemotherapy,median age was 54 years old(range 38.6 to 71 years).In group 1(n=25),12(48%)of the patients completed 4 or more cycle of IP treatment after upfront debulking surgery;while in group 2(n=13),8(61.5%)of the patients completed all 3 cycles of the assigned IP chemotherapy after receiving neoadjuvant IV chemotherapy followed by surgery,and 2(15.4%)more patients tolerated more than 3 cycles.In those patients who did not get planned IP chemotherapy,most of them were treated with substitutional IV chemotherapy,and the completion rate for 6 cycles of IV+IP was 92%.Abdominal pain,(64%in group 1 and 38%in group 2),vomiting,(36%in group 1 and 30.8%in group 2),dehydration(16%in group 1 and 15.4%in group 2),and hypomagnesemia(12%in group 1 and 15.4%in group 2)were the most common adverse effects in all patients,while patients who have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy were more likely to get hypokalemia,fatigue and renal insufficiency.Progression free survival(PFS)was 26.5 mo(95%CI 14.9,38.0)in group 1 and 27.6 mo(95%CI 13.1,42.1)in group 2.The overall survival was 100.2 mo(95%CI 67.9,132.5)for group 1 and 68.2 mo(95%CI 32.2,104.0)for group 2.For the entire cohort,PFS was 26.5 mo(95%CI 15.9,37.0)and OS was 78.8 mo(95%CI 52.3,105.4).CONCLUSION The use of IP/IV chemotherapy can be safely administrated in the community cancer clinic setting.The use of IP/IV chemotherapy in patients who have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery is feasible and tolerable.Despite various modification of the IP regimen,incorporation of IP chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting appears to be associated with improved PFS and overall survival.

A retrospective clinical study of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NACT) and the prognostic factors for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC).Methods We enrolled 241 patients with stage III and IV EOC who were diagnosed at the Yunnan Cancer Hospital between October 2006 and December 2015.The observation(NACT-IDS) group(n = 119) received 1–3 courses of platinum-based NACT,followed by interval debulking surgery(IDS) and 6–8 courses of postoperative chemotherapy.The control group underwent primary debulking surgery(PDS)(n = 122) followed by 6–8 courses of postoperative chemotherapy.We analyzed the general conditions of the operations and the survival of both groups.Results Operating time,intraoperative blood loss and postoperative hospitalization were significantly lower in the NACT-IDS group(P < 0.05).The rate of optimal cytoreductive surgery was significantly higher in the NACT-IDS group(P < 0.05).A visible residual lesion was observed in 49(41.18%) and 48(40%) cases in the NACT-IDS and PDS groups,respectively,which were not significantly different(P > 0.05).The percentage of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO) stage IV tumors and the recurrence rates were significantly higher in the NACT-IDS group(P < 0.05).The mortality rates were 45.19%(47/104) and 35.19%(38/108) in the NACT-IDS and PDS groups,respectively(P > 0.05).Progression-free survival was 23.75 ± 9.98 and 23.57 ± 12.25 months in the NACT-IDS and PDS groups,respectively(P > 0.05).Overall survival(OS) was 31.11 ± 15.66 and 29.63 ± 18.00 months in the NACTIDS and PDS groups,respectively(P > 0.05).Optimal cytoreductive surgery with or without residual lesion was an independent influencing factor for advanced EOC in multivariate analysis.OS of patients treated with ≥8 courses of chemotherapy was significantly longer than those treated with < 8 courses.Conclusion NACT could improve the intra-and postoperative conditions in advanced EOC patients.Although the percentage of FIGO stage IV cancer was significantly higher in the NACT-IDS group,the prognosis was similar in both the NACT-IDS and PDS groups,suggesting that NACT improves the clinical outcome of advanced EOC.Optimal cytoreductive surgery with no residual lesion is a long-term protective factor in advanced EOC.At least 8 courses of chemotherapy overall or ≥ 6 courses postoperatively improves the OS.

Prognostic factors for survival after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer: meta-analysis

Background: In advanced disease current practice is staging and primary debulking laparotomy followed by platinum-based chemotherapy. The effort to achieve ‘optimal debulking’ is associated with a complication risk of 8% - 63% and a mortality rate of 1% - 6%. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been proposed as an alternative option. Objectives: This meta-analysis aimed to determine prognostic factors influencing survival in patients with advanced ovarian cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Search Strategy: Clinical trials citing the terms ‘advanced ovarian cancer’, ‘ovarian cancer’, ‘neoadjuvant chemotherapy’ and ‘surgery’ were identified by searching Pubmed and ScienceDirect between January 1st 2000 and September 30th 2010. Data Collection and analysis: The trials included used platinum-based chemotherapy and involved stage III/IV disease that underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery. Prognostic variables were identified for analysis including number/type of chemotherapy, % stage IV disease, % maximal cytoreductive surgery and whether a lymphadenectomy was performed. The % bowel surgery and ultra-radical surgery was also analysed. Main Results: Twenty six trials were identified as suitable for analysis and included 3 non-randomised Phase II studies, 2 retrospective case-control studies, 17 from retrospective analysis and 1 RCT. A significant association between taxane use vs platinum only (p = 0.019), year of publication (p = 0.032), % maximal interval cytoreduction (p = 0.046) and median overall survival was identified. No significant survival benefit was demonstrated with number of chemotherapy cycles (p = 0.065), lymphadenectomy (p = 0.813) and % bowel surgery performed (p = 0.606). Conclusions: The addition of taxane and % maximal cytoreduction achieved is associated with improved overall survival. There is, however no evidence that lymphadenectomy, number of chemotherapy cycles or bowel surgery influences survival.

Feasibility of Upfront Debulking Surgery versus Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Interval Debulking Surgery for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Background: Inappropriately ovarian cancer cannot be detected until an advanced stage. Radical debulking surgery is considered the cornerstone in the management of advanced ovarian cancer pointing to complete tumor resolution. Unless optimal debulking cannot be achieved, these patients gain little benefit from surgery. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) has been recommended as a novel therapeutic modality to a diversity of malignant tumors when the disease is not willing to optimal surgical resection at the time of diagnosis or the patient who unfit for aggressive debulking surgery. The purpose of this study is to compare survival in the patient with advanced ovarian cancer (stage III/IV) underwent primary debulking surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy (PDS-ACTR) to those who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery (NACT-IDS). Results: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT-IDS) showed significant complete cytoreduction and decreased in surgical morbidity in comparison to primary debulking surgery (PDS-ACTR). NACT-IDS showed significant improvement in progression-free survival (P-value 0.002) and overall survival (P-value 0.03) in comparison to PDS-ACTR. Response to NACT and residual volume were the two independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusion: NACT-IDS for advanced ovarian cancer (III/IV) resulted in higher frequency of complete resection with no residual tumor, less post-operative surgical morbidity and significant increase progression-free survival and overall survival. Both responses to NACT and residual tumor volume were the two independent prognostic factors for survival in ovarian cancer.

Primary Debulking Surgery for Stage III Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Has a Better Outcome Than Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Interval Debulking Surgery

Background:?Ovarian cancer (OC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. About 70% of ovarian cancer patients have advanced disease and often not totally resectable. Previous studies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) versus primary debulking surgery (PDS) give inconsistent results. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the outcome of the neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by IDS versus PDS followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III epithelial ovarian cancer.?Methods:?This study was performed on eligible patients with ovarian cancer admitted in Surgical Oncology and Medical Oncology departments at South Egypt Cancer Institute-Assiut University in the period from January 2010 to December 2015. Patients were divided into two groups, the first group included those who have NACT and underwent IDS plus adjuvant chemotherapy, and the second group included those who underwent PDS followed by adjuvant chemotherapy.?Results:?This study included 380 cases. One hundred and fifty-four patients (40.53%) had IDS. The remaining two hundred and twenty-six patients (59.47%) underwent PDS. In this study, treatment modality was significant for both disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). DFS was significantly reduced after IDS when compared to PDS (median DFS: 33.00 months vs. 45.00 months, respectively;p??0.001). Also, OS was significantly reduced after IDS when compared to PDS. (Median OS: 43 months vs. 46 months, respectively;p = 0.047). Moreover, this drop of the survivals mainly occurred in specific subgroups such as the elderly patients, patients with bad performance status, suboptimal cytoreduction, as well as high-grade tumors. Conclusion:?This study showed that PDS resulted in a better disease-free survival and overall survival than IDS. Moreover, OS and DFS have significantly dropped in specific patients’ subgroups. Therefore, patients selection should be considered.

The Administration of Ocoxin Increases the Quality of Life of Patients with Advanced Epithelial or Metastatic Ovarian Cancer Undergoing Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

Background: 70% of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed at an advanced stage (III or IV) of the disease and, in turn, with a high prevalence of peritoneal carcinosis and ascites, which leads to progressive malnutrition in patients, with the consequent deterioration of their general condition. There is a very important relationship between nutritional status, quality of life, survival, and the ability to tolerate multidisciplinary treatment of peritoneal carcinosis. Methods: A phase II, open-label, single-center, non-randomised clinical trial was conducted that included 36 patients with advanced disease who were administered the nutritional supplement Ocoxin, 30 ml twice a day, beginning one week before chemotherapy (CT) based on carboplatin/paclitaxel, of which they receive three cycles with neoadjuvant intent. Ocoxin treatment was continued during chemotherapy and for three weeks after completion of the last cycle, as well as during any periods for which this treatment was discontinued due to toxicity. The effect of Ocoxin on the quality of life was assessed through the QLQ C30 and QLQ OV28 questionnaires from the start of treatment until the end of the follow-up period. In addition, the Karnofsky Index and nutritional parameters were assessed. Results: There were no significant differences between adverse events versus baseline values, except in leukocytes, lymphocytes, neutrophils, ALT, and AST. There was no deterioration of the QoL scales, except for those related to the effects of chemotherapy and alopecia. Conclusions: Ocoxin as an adjuvant to chemotherapy appears to improve better tolerance to chemotherapy, showed a good safety profile, and improved quality of life. For further information on Ocoxin neoadjuvant therapy benefits, a phase III clinical trial will be needed.

Value of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer

Data regarding the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NACT) are not definitive. Several randomized trials and meta-analyses demonstrate that this chemotherapy regimen decreases the morbidity and mortality rates and increases complete cytoreduction rates. If combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy(HIPEC), NACT could potentially further improve upon these already promising results. Moreover the use of NACT could help in evaluating the chemo-sensitivity of the cancer, thus preventing unnecessary HIPEC procedures in chemo-resistant patients. NACT should definitely be considered as a preferred regimen in the management of advanced ovarian cancer, especially in association with cytoreductive surgery + HIPEC procedure in the context of a multidisciplinary team management in an experienced cancer centre.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Followed by Surgery versus Primary Surgery in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Review of Outcomes at National Institute of Cancer Research Hospital in Bangladesh

Introduction: This study evaluated the difference in operative and clinical outcomes for patients with advanced ovarian cancer after primary debulking surgery (PDS) versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS) in Bangladesh. Methods: Sixty patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer presenting to the department of Gynaecological Oncology at the National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital were prospectively enrolled. Thirty patients underwent primary debulking surgery and thirty patients received NACT followed by IDS. Results: In the PDS and IDS groups respectively, 56.7% and 50% of patients presented with stage IIIC and 67.7% and 56.7% respectively had serious papillary type histopathology. Duration of surgery, amount of blood loss and total hospital stay were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in IDS group than in the PDS group. There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative tumor residuals between IDS and PDS patients. Complete tumor resection (R0) was obtained in 24 (80%) of IDS patients versus 13 (43.3%) PDS patients. In fifteen months of follow-up, 21 (70%) in the PDS group and 5 (16.7%) in the IDS group recurred (p = 0.021). Median progression free survival in PDS patients was twelve months while that of the IDS group was seventeen months. There was one death at 45 days in the PDS group. No other deaths were documented at fifteen months of follow-up. Conclusion: Interval debulking surgery has a more favorable outcome than primary debulking surgery on progression free survival in advanced ovarian cancer patients and permits a less aggressive surgery to be performed in Bangladesh.