Palliative Treatment of Esophageal Cancer Using Calcium Electroporation

Calcium electroporation (CaEP) is a novel cancer therapy wherein high intracellular calcium levels, facilitated by reversible electroporation, trigger tumor necrosis. This study aimed to establish safety with CaEP within esophageal cancer. Patients with non-curable esophageal cancer were included at Copenhagen University Hospital Rigshospitalet in 2021 and 2022. In an outpatient setting, calcium gluconate was injected intratumorally followed by reversible electroporation applied with an endoscopic electrode. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of adverse events, followed by palliation of dysphagia. All patients were evaluated with CT and upper endoscopies up to two months after treatment. The trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04958044). Eight patients were treated. One serious adverse event (anemia, requiring a single blood transfusion) and three adverse events (mild retrosternal pain (two) and oral thrush (one)) were registered. Initially, six patients suffered from dysphagia: two reported dysphagia relief and four reported no change. From the imaging evaluation, one patient had a partial response, three patients had no response, and four patients had progression. Six months after treatment, the patient who responded well was still in good condition and without the need for further oncological treatment. CaEP was conducted in eight patients with only a few side effects. This study opens the way for larger studies evaluating tumor regression and symptom palliation

TRIFLURIDINE/TIPIRACIL (FTD/TPI) with or without bevacizumab in previously treated patients with esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma, a randomised phase III trial

BACKGROUND: Trifluridine-tipiracil has shown a survival benefit compared with placebo in patients with chemorefractory metastatic esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma. We aimed to compare the efficacy of trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab vs trifluridine-tipiracil monotherapy in pre-treated patients with metastatic esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma.METHODS: This investigator-initiated, open-label, randomized trial enrolled patients with metastatic esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma. The main inclusion criteria were patients with pre-treated metastatic esophago-gastric adenocarcinoma, and WHO performance status 0 or 1. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive oral trifluridine-tipiracil (35 mg/m2 twice daily on days 1-5 and 8-12 every 28 days) alone or combined with bevacizumab (5 mg/kg on days 1 and 15) until progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient decision to withdraw. Randomisation was stratified by sex and treatment line. The primary endpoint was investigator-evaluated progression-free survival. All analyses were based on intention to treat. This trial is registered with EudraCT, 2018-004845-18.FINDINGS: From Oct 1, 2019, to Sept 30, 2021, 103 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to trifluridine-tipiracil (n = 53) or trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab (n = 50). The clinical cut-off date was March 1st, 2023, after a median follow-up of 36.6 months. Median progression-free survival was 3.1 months (95% CI 2.0-4.3) in the trifluridine-tipiracil group vs 3.9 months (3.0-6.3) in the trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab group (hazard ratio 0.68, 95% CI 0.46-1.02; p = 0.058). The most frequent grade 3 or worse adverse event was neutropenia, observed in 26 (49%) patients in the trifluridine-tipiracil group vs 23 patients (46%) in the trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab group. At least one hospitalization was observed in 21 patients (40%) in the trifluridine-tipiracil group and 22 patients (44%) in the trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab group. No deaths were deemed treatment related.INTERPRETATION: In patients with pre-treated metastatic esophago-gastric cancer, trifluridine-tipiracil plus bevacizumab, compared to trifluridine-tipiracil monotherapy, did not significantly prolong progression-free survival. The combination of trifluridine-tipiracil with bevacizumab was well tolerated without increase in severe neutropenia and no new safety signals.FUNDING: Servier, Roche.</p

Trastuzumab with triple chemotherapy (DOC) in patients with advanced gastroesophageal cancer:A phase I dose-finding trial

108 Background: Trastuzumab (T) improves efficacy of doublet chemotherapy (TOGA trial) in HER2 positive patients with advanced gastro-esophageal (GE) cancer but safety and efficacy with triple chemotherapy is presently unknown. We initiated a dose-finding trial to establish a safe 4 drug combination of docetaxel (D), short-time infusion of oxaliplatin (O), continuously capecitabine (C) and trastuzumab (T). Methods: This phase I, dose-finding trial was approved by the local etic committee. All pts had histologically confirmed GE adenocarcinoma. Therapy was given day 1 with escalating doses of D (42mg/m2 to 51 mg/m2 as a 60 minutes infusion), O (100 mg/m2 as a 30 minutes infusion) and C (1,250 mg/m2/day continuously). DOC was repeated every 3 weeks for a maximum of 6 courses. T was given as a loading dose (8 mg/kg) followed by 6 mg/kg every 3 weeks until PD or unacceptable toxicity. Toxicity was evaluated according to NCIC-CTC 3.0. DLT was evaluated after the first course and defined as non-haematological toxicity grade ≥ 3, neutropenia grade 4 more than 7 days or febrile neutropenia. Response was evaluated by the investigator according to RECIST 1.0 every 9th weeks. Data was updated September 1, 2013. Results: From May 2010 to October 2012 we included 11 pts. Median age was 62years (range 32-73), 5/11 pts had PS 0, all pts had metastatic disease. Neutropenia grade 3-4 was observed in two pts, one had febrile neutropenia grade 3 after four courses. Two pts had grade 3 vomiting, fatigue, or nausea, respectively and one patient had diarrhoea grade 3. Only one pt developed a DLT (grade 3 vomiting, nausea and fatigue). Dose-intensity, after six courses, in all 11 pts was: D = 89%, O= 88% C = 81% and T = 100%. Median number of DOC was 6; all pts continued T to a median of 12 courses and one pt is presently receiving T. Partial response was obtained in 9 pts (81%). Progression free survival was 8.8 months and overall survival was 16.5 months. Five pts are presently alive. Conclusions: DOC-T in HER2 positive GE pts is safe and easily administered in an out-patient setting. The recommended doses for further evaluation are: D 51 mg/m2, O 100 mg/m2, C 1,250 mg/m2. Efficacy is very promising and deserves evaluation in larger trials. Clinical trial information: NCT01295086. </jats:p