Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (eastern + cooperative_oncology_group_performance_status)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Phase 2 trial of docetaxel and gefitinib in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are 70 years of age or older,

CANCER, Issue 9 2008
George R. Simon MD
Abstract BACKGROUND This is a phase 2 study of chemotherapy-naive patients, 70 years of age or older, with nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated with docetaxel and gefitinib. The primary endpoint was response rate (RR). Secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). METHODS Eligible patients were treated with docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks and gefitinib 250 mg orally, daily. Docetaxel and gefitinib were given for 2 cycles beyond maximal response. Gefitinib was continued until disease progression. Comorbidities and activities of daily living were assessed (IADL). RESULTS Forty-four patients initiated therapy between March 2003 and May 2005. Seventeen patients (40%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 26%,57%) had a partial response and 48% had stable disease. The median PFS was 6.9 months (95% CI, 3.95,7.8 months). Median survival time was 9.6 months (95% CI, 4.6,16.3 months). On univariate analyses, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS), and Charlson comorbidities index (CCI) score were predictors of improved survival. On multivariate analyses female sex was a statistically significant predictor of survival. The median survivals were 22.8 months in women and 4.8 months in men. This regimen was well tolerated, with the most common adverse events being hyperglycemia, fatigue, and lymphopenia. CONCLUSIONS Docetaxel combined with gefitinib is active and well tolerated in patients with advanced NSCLC who are 70 years of age and older. This paradigm of treatment merits further investigation as a first-line treatment strategy. Female sex-specific confirmatory clinical trials with this regimen may be warranted. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society. [source]


Retrospective review of mitomycin C use as third-line chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer

ASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY, Issue 3 2008
Wei CHUA
Abstract The aim of this review was to determine the therapeutic value of the combination of mitomycin C with either infusional 5-fluorouracil or oral capecitabine in metastatic colorectal cancer when used as third-line treatment or beyond in the setting of routine clinical practice. We retrospectively reviewed 18 patients with advanced colorectal cancer who received this combination at our institution after the failure of two lines of prior treatment. All the patients were assessable for toxicity and survival and 14 for tumor response. The median age of the patients was 61 (range 39,78). Of these, 72% were male and 78% had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 or 1. Eighty nine percent of the patients had metastatic involvement of the liver and five patients had at least three sites of metastatic involvement. All patients had received at least two lines of chemotherapy and had progressed on an oxaliplatin-containing regimen. Most of the patients had previously received an irinotecan-containing regimen, and a third had received prior biological agents. Overall, none of the patients achieved either complete or partial responses. Two patients (11%) achieved stable disease and 12 patients (67%) had progressive disease. The median progression-free survival was 2.7 months (range 0.5,8.8) and the median overall survival was 5.4 months (range 1.3,31.2). This chemotherapy regimen was well tolerated with an acceptable toxicity profile. The results of our review confirm the low efficacy of combination mitomycin C in heavily pretreated Australian patients with advanced colorectal cancer. This review confirms that it has no role after two lines of modern combination chemotherapy regimens and recommends that focus should be placed on investigating newer agents for good performance status patients progressing after these treatments. [source]


A randomized study of docetaxel and dexamethasone with low- or high-dose estramustine for patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer

BJU INTERNATIONAL, Issue 3 2006
THOMAS NELIUS
OBJECTIVE To test the combination of docetaxel with two different doses of estramustine in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC), to improve response rates and to lower side-effects, as docetaxel-based chemotherapy is an increasing option for men with advanced HRPC, and alone or combined with estramustine, docetaxel improves median survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 72 patients with metastatic HRPC were randomly assigned to receive docetaxel (70 mg/m2 intravenously, on day 2 every 21 days) and estramustine (3 × 280 mg/day oral starting 1 day before docetaxel, for 5 consecutive days) for arm A, or estramustine (3 × 140 mg/day oral starting 1 day before docetaxel, for 3 consecutive days) for arm B. Premedication with oral dexamethasone at a total daily dose of 16 mg, in divided doses twice a day was administered in arm A on day 1,5 and in arm B on day 1,3. Initially, six cycles were administered. Chemotherapy was restarted after a significant increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. Patients were monitored for any measurable PSA response and toxicity. RESULTS Between the arms there was no statistically significant difference in time to progression and overall survival. However, treatment B had less treatment-related toxicity than A. Independent prognostic variables were baseline factors like PSA level, haemoglobin level, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and bone pain at presentation. CONCLUSIONS In this randomized phase II study the combination of docetaxel and estramustine had substantial activity in HRPC, with a significant incidence of severe toxicity, both haematological and not. Nevertheless, treatment-related toxicity was predictable and manageable. There was no better effect with a higher dose of estramustine with docetaxel than for a lower dose. There was a slight tendency to higher toxicity for high-dose estramustine but this was not statistically significant. The present results support the assertion that estramustine is not necessary in docetaxel-based treatment regimens. [source]


Model-based design of chemotherapeutic regimens that account for heterogeneity in leucopoenia

BRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2006
Markus Scholz
Summary Patients treated with multicycle chemotherapy can exhibit large interindividual heterogeneity of haematotoxicity. We describe how a biomathematical model of human granulopoiesis can be used to design risk-adapted dose-dense chemotherapies, leading to more similar leucopoenias in the population. Calculations were performed on a large data set for cyclophosphamide/doxorubicin/vincristine/prednisone (CHOP)-like chemotherapies for aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Age, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, lactate dehydrogenase and the degree of leucopoenia within the first therapy cycle were used to stratify patients into groups with different expected severity of leucopoenia. We estimated risk-specific bone marrow toxicities depending on the drug doses administered. These toxicities were used to derive risk-adapted therapy schedules. We determined different doses of cyclophosphamide and additional etoposide for patients treated with CHOP-14. Alternatively, the model predicted that further reductions of cycle duration were feasible in groups with low toxicity. We also used the model to identify appropriate granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) schedules. In conclusion, we present a method to estimate the potential of risk-specific dose adaptation of different cytotoxic drugs in order to design chemotherapy protocols that result in decreased diversity of leucopoenia between patients, to develop dose-escalation strategies in cases of low leucopoenic reaction and to determine optimal G-CSF support. [source]


Chromosome 9p deletions identify an aggressive phenotype of clear cell renal cell carcinoma

CANCER, Issue 20 2010
Jeffrey La Rochelle MD
Abstract BACKGROUND: The authors investigated whether deletion of chromosome 9p in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) predicted worse disease-specific survival (DSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) and whether it was associated with more aggressive behavior in small renal masses. METHODS: In total, 703 ccRCC tumors were analyzed using fluorescence in situ hybridization (316 tumors) and cytogenetics (388 tumors). Tumor grade, classification, and size; 9p status; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS); lymph node involvement; and the presence of metastasis were recorded. Outcomes were stratified by 9p status, and a Cox proportional hazards models was constructed using TNM staging, ECOG PS, tumor size, tumor grade, and 9p status. RESULTS: Deletions of 9p were detected in 97 tumors (13.8%). At presentation, 9p-deleted tumors were larger and were more likely to be high grade (grade 3 or 4), to have a high tumor (T) classification (T3-T4), and to have lymph node or distant metastases (P < .01). The median DSS for patients with and without 9p deletions was 37 months and 82 months, respectively (P < .01). In patients with localized disease, the median RFS in those who had 9p deletions was 53 months and was not reached in those without 9p deletions (P < .01). In patients who had localized lesions that measured ,4 cm in greatest dimension, 9p-deleted tumors were more likely to recur (19% vs 2%; P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Deletion of chromosome 9p in ccRCC occurred in 14% of patients and was associated with higher grade and T classification, and the presence of lymph node and distant metastases. In addition, 9p deletion independently conferred a worse prognosis for patients with localized ccRCC, and most noteworthy, in patients with localized, small renal masses. Preoperatively identifying patients with 9p deletions will improve risk stratification and will help to select appropriate patients for surveillance protocols or aggressive treatment. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society. [source]


Prognostic value of symptom burden for overall survival in patients receiving chemotherapy for advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer

CANCER, Issue 1 2010
Xin Shelley Wang MD
Abstract BACKGROUND: Patient,reported outcomes have shown independent prognostic value for patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, translating patient-reported outcomes into useful prognostic information for individual patients has been problematic. METHODS: A total of 94 patients with advanced NSCLC and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) of 0 to 2 who qualified for chemotherapy rated symptom severity using the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory before and after their first chemotherapy cycle. Prognostic values of baseline symptoms and changes in symptom severity were examined by Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: In multivariate analysis, controlled for demographic and other factors, baseline coughing rated ,4 independently predicted significantly higher risk for shorter survival (hazards ratio [HR], 8.69; P < .0001). Patients with coughing ,4 and a PS of 2 were more likely to have shorter survival (HR, 20.6; P < .0001) than patients with coughing <4 and a PS of 0 to 1. A 1,point or greater increase in severity of fatigue (P < .05), shortness of breath, or poor appetite (P < .01) from baseline to the end of the first chemotherapy cycle was also found to be independently associated with higher risk for poor survival. CONCLUSIONS: An increased risk for shorter survival was indicated by moderate to severe coughing at baseline or by increased fatigue or shortness of breath during the first chemotherapy cycle in patients with advanced NSCLC. Although cross,validation is needed, these data suggest that an individual patient's symptom severity scores, quickly obtainable in the clinic, might contribute clinically useful information for treatment planning for that patient. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society. [source]


Survival is poorer in patients with secondary core-binding factor acute myelogenous leukemia compared with de novo core-binding factor leukemia

CANCER, Issue 14 2009
Gautam Borthakur MD
Abstract BACKGROUND: Therapy related secondary acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) was commonly associated with prior exposure to alkylating agents or topoisomerase inhibitor. The long-term outcome of such patients with secondary AML was found to be worse than that of patients with de novo AML. Earlier reports suggested similar outcomes for patients with de novo and secondary AML associated with core-binding factor (CBF) abnormalities. METHODS: A total of 188 patients with CBF AML were analyzed. The frequency of secondary CBF AML was 9%. RESULTS: Patients with secondary CBF AML were found to have significantly worse overall (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) compared with patients with de novo CBF AML. Secondary CBF AML status appeared to have only marginal significance in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Matched analysis (by age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and additional cytogenetic abnormality) indicated worse OS and EFS in patients with secondary CBF AML. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society. [source]


Radioembolization of colorectal hepatic metastases using yttrium-90 microspheres

CANCER, Issue 9 2009
Mary F. Mulcahy MD
Abstract BACKGROUND: The objective of the current study was to determine the safety and efficacy of Yttrium-90 (Y90) microsphere treatment in patients with liver-dominant colorectal metastases. METHODS: Seventy-two patients with unresectable hepatic colorectal metastases were treated at a targeted absorbed dose of 120 Gray (Gy). Safety and toxicity were assessed using version 3 of the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria. Response was assessed by anatomic imaging and positron emission tomography (PET). Survival from the diagnosis of hepatic metastases and first treatment were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Substratification analyses were performed. RESULTS: The median dose delivered was 118 Gy. Treatment-related toxicities included fatigue (61%), nausea (21%), and abdominal pain (25%). Grade 3 and 4 bilirubin toxicities were observed in 9 of 72 patients (12.6%). The tumor response rate was 40.3%. The median time to hepatic progression was 15.4 months, and the median response duration was 15 months. The PET response rate was 77%. Overall survival from the first Y90 treatment was 14.5 months. Tumor replacement (,25% vs >25%) was associated with significantly greater median survival (18.7 months vs 5.2 months). The presence of extrahepatic disease was associated negatively with overall survival (7.9 months vs 21 months). Overall survival from the date of initial hepatic metastases was 34.6 months. A subset analysis of patients who had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 demonstrated a median survival of 42.8 months and 23.5 months from the time of hepatic metastases and Y90 treatment, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Y90 liver therapy appears to provide sustained disease stabilization with acceptable toxicity. Asymptomatic patients with preserved liver function at the time of Y90 appeared to benefit most from treatment. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society. [source]


Can older cancer patients tolerate chemotherapy?

CANCER, Issue 4 2003
A prospective pilot study
Abstract BACKGROUND To the authors' knowledge, few data currently are available regarding the tolerance to chemotherapy in older cancer patients. This prospective pilot study evaluated the changes in functional, mental, nutritional, and comorbid status, as well as the quality of life (QOL), in geriatric oncology patients receiving chemotherapy. METHODS Sixty patients age , 70 years who were undergoing cancer chemotherapy were recruited in a university-based comprehensive cancer center. Changes in physical function were measured by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs), mental health changes were measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), comorbidity was measured by Charlson's index and the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatric, nutrition was measured by the Mini-Nutritional Assessment, and QOL was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G). Changes were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment (EOT). Grade 4 hematologic and Grade 3,4 nonhematologic toxicities were recorded. RESULTS Thirty-seven patients (63%) completed both assessments. Older cancer patients demonstrated a significant decline in measurements of physical function after receiving chemotherapy, as indicated by changes in scores on the IADL (P = 0.04) and on the physical (P = 0.01) and functional (P = 0.03) subscales of the FACT-G. They also displayed worse scores on the GDS administered postchemotherapy (P < 0.01). Patients who experienced severe chemotoxicity had more significant declines in ECOG PS (P = 0.03), IADL (P = 0.03), and GDS (P = 0.04), and more gain in the social well-being subscale (P = 0.02) of the FACT-G, than those who did not experience severe chemotoxicity. However, changes in most scores were small in magnitude clinically. No significant change was found between baseline and EOT in nutrition, comorbidity, and other aspects of the FACT-G. CONCLUSIONS Older cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy may experience toxicity but generally can tolerate it with limited impact on independence, comorbidity, and QOL levels. It is important to recognize and monitor these changes during geriatric oncology treatment. Cancer 2003;97:1107,14. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11110 [source]


Phase I trial of weekly docetaxel and gemcitabine in patients with refractory malignancies

CANCER, Issue 1 2003
M.Sc., Tarek Mekhail M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND A Phase I study using weekly docetaxel and gemcitabine was conducted to investigate toxicity; to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of each agent; and, in a preliminary fashion, to determine the antitumor activity of the combination. METHODS Docetaxel and gemcitabine were administered intravenously on Days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days. The dose levels of docetaxel and gemcitabine were as follows: Level I, docetaxel 20 mg/m2and gemcitabine 400 mg/m2; Level II, docetaxel 30 mg/m2and gemcitabine 400 mg/m2; Level III, docetaxel 30 mg/m2and gemcitabine 600 mg/m2; Level IV, docetaxel 36 mg/m2and gemcitabine 600 mg/m2; and Level V, docetaxel 36 mg/m2and gemcitabine 800 mg/m2. RESULTS Thirty-three eligible patients were entered. The diagnoses were as follows: Eleven patients had nonsmall cell lung carcinoma, 3 patients had carcinoma of the bladder, 3 patients had renal carcinoma, 2 patients had adrenal carcinoma, 5 patients had unknown primary tumors, and 9 patients had miscellaneous malignancies. Fifty-nine percent of patients had received prior chemotherapy. The median age was 62 years (range, 27,77 years), and the median Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 1 (range, 0,1). Five patients were treated at Dose Levels I and II, 6 patients were treated at Dose Levels III and V, and 11 patients were treated at Dose Level IV. Grade 3,4 toxicities during Cycle I included neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, mucositis, and diarrhea. Dose-limiting toxicity, consisting of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, occurred in three of six patients at Dose Level V. The combination of docetaxel 36 mg/m2 and gemcitabine 600 mg/m2 (Dose Level IV) was determined as the MTD and was the recommended Phase II dose. Two patients had a partial response: one patient with bladder carcinoma (Dose Level II) and one patient with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (Dose Level III). CONCLUSIONS Overall, weekly docetaxel and gemcitabine were well tolerated. Further studies using this combination are planned, including a Phase II trial in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. Cancer 2003;97:170,8. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10991 [source]


Parathyroid hormone-related protein measured at the time of first visit is an indicator of bone metastases and survival in lung carcinoma patients with hypercalcemia

CANCER, Issue 8 2002
Akio Hiraki M.D., Ph.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rP) is a major cause of tumor-induced hypercalcemia (TIH) and frequently is found to be elevated in serum of patients with TIH. In the current study, the authors examined the usefulness of PTH-rP measurement at the time of first presentation in the follow-up of lung carcinoma patients with TIH. METHODS The authors retrospectively studied 23 of 1149 lung carcinoma patients who were found to have TIH at the time of first presentation for the correlation between serum PTH-rP and the development of bone metastases and survival compared with lung carcinoma patients without TIH who were matched by gender, age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, histological type of tumor, and stage of the disease. RESULTS Twenty-three lung carcinoma patients with TIH demonstrated significantly increased serum levels of PTH-rP (mean ± standard error [SE], 84.1 ± 16.5 pmol/L) compared with control patients without TIH (mean ± SE, 36.2 ± 2.0 pmol/L) at the time of first presentation, (P < 0.001). In these hypercalcemic patients, patients whose serum PTH-rP was > 150 pmol/L (n = 16) were found to have a significantly increased rate of bone metastases (71.4% vs. 12.5%; P = 0.01) and decreased survival (median survival of 1.4 months vs. 5.4 months; P < 0.015) compared with patients whose serum PTH-rP was < 150 pmol/L (n = 7). CONCULUSIONS The data from the current study suggest that serum PTH-rP as determined at the time of first presentation is a useful indicator of not only hypercalcemia but also bone metastasis and eventual survival in patients with lung carcinoma. Cancer 2002;95:1706,13. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10828 [source]


Gemcitabine plus epirubicin in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma who are not eligible for platinum-based regimens

CANCER, Issue 7 2002
Sergio Ricci M.D.
Abstract BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine plus epirubicin in previously untreated patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma who were not eligible for cisplatin-based regimens. METHODS Patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma and at least one of the following characteristics were eligible: impaired renal function (creatinine clearance < 60 mL per minute), an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) , 2, and age , 75 years. The treatment included epirubicin 70 mg/m2 as an intravenous bolus on Day 1 and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 over 30 minutes on Days 1 and 8 of a 21-day cycle. RESULTS Thirty-eight patients entered the study, and a total of 152 cycles were administered, with a median of 4 cycles per patient (range, 1,6 cycles per patient). The following Grade 3,4 hematologic toxicities were reported (percent of cycles): neutropenia, 22.4%; anemia, 11.2%; and thrombocytopenia, 6.5%. No cardiac, renal, or hepatic toxicities were observed. Dose intensities of epirubicin and gemcitabine were 19.6 mg/m2 per week (84%) and 532.2 mg/m2 per week (80%), respectively. There were 2 complete responses (5.3%), 13 partial responses (34.2%), 11 patients with stable disease (28.9%), and 12 patients with progressive disease (31.6%), for an overall response rate of 39.5% (95% confidence interval, 25.1,55.1). The median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 4.8 months and 8.0 months, respectively. The 1-year survival rate was 38%, and the median PFS and OS were 6.4 months and 16.4 months, respectively, in patients with PS 0,1. Thirty patients were symptomatic: Seventeen patients (56.7%) achieved a complete response, and 5 patients (16.7%) achieved a partial symptomatic response. CONCLUSIONS At the doses given in this study, gemcitabine and epirubicin had a good tolerability profile with interesting activity in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma who were not fit for cisplatin-based regimens. Cancer 2002;95:1444,50. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10860 [source]