Systematic versus on-demand early palliative care: results from a multicentre, randomised clinical trial

Background Early palliative care (EPC) in oncology has been shown to have a positive impact on clinical outcome, quality-of-care outcomes, and costs. However, the optimal way for activating EPC has yet to be defined. Methods This prospective, multicentre, randomised study was conducted on 207 outpatients with metastatic or locally advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer. Patients were randomised to receive ‘standard cancer care plus on-demand EPC’ (n = 100) or ‘standard cancer care plus systematic EPC’ (n = 107). Primary outcome was change in quality of life (QoL) evaluated through the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Hepatobiliary questionnaire between baseline (T0) and after 12 weeks (T1), in particular the integration of physical, functional, and Hepatic Cancer Subscale (HCS) combined in the Trial Outcome Index (TOI). Patient mood, survival, relatives' satisfaction with care, and indicators of aggressiveness of care were also evaluated. Findings The mean changes in TOI score and HCS score between T0 and T1 were −4.47 and −0.63, with a difference between groups of 3.83 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10–7.57) (p = 0.041), and −2.23 and 0.28 (difference between groups of 2.51, 95% CI 0.40–4.61, p = 0.013), in favour of interventional group. QoL scores at T1 of TOI scale and HCS were 84.4 versus 78.1 (p = 0.022) and 52.0 versus 48.2 (p = 0.008), respectively, for interventional and standard arm. Until February 2016, 143 (76.9%) of the 186 evaluable patients had died. There was no difference in overall survival between treatment arms. Interpretations Systematic EPC in advanced pancreatic cancer patients significantly improved QoL with respect to on-demand EPC

Pattern of care and effectiveness of treatment for glioblastoma patients in the real world: Results from a prospective population-based registry. Could survival differ in a high-volume center?

BACKGROUND: As yet, no population-based prospective studies have been conducted to investigate the incidence and clinical outcome of glioblastoma (GBM) or the diffusion and impact of the current standard therapeutic approach in newly diagnosed patients younger than aged 70 years. METHODS: Data on all new cases of primary brain tumors observed from January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2010, in adults residing within the Emilia-Romagna region were recorded in a prospective registry in the Project of Emilia Romagna on Neuro-Oncology (PERNO). Based on the data from this registry, a prospective evaluation was made of the treatment efficacy and outcome in GBM patients. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-seven GBM patients (median age, 64 y; range, 29-84 y) were enrolled. The median overall survival (OS) was 10.7 months (95% CI, 9.2-12.4). The 139 patients 64aged 70 years who were given standard temozolomide treatment concomitant with and adjuvant to radiotherapy had a median OS of 16.4 months (95% CI, 14.0-18.5). With multivariate analysis, OS correlated significantly with KPS (HR = 0.458; 95% CI, 0.248-0.847; P = .0127), MGMT methylation status (HR = 0.612; 95% CI, 0.388-0.966; P = .0350), and treatment received in a high versus low-volume center (HR = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.328-0.986; P = .0446). CONCLUSIONS: The median OS following standard temozolomide treatment concurrent with and adjuvant to radiotherapy given to (72.8% of) patients aged 6470 years is consistent with findings reported from randomized phase III trials. The volume and expertise of the treatment center should be further investigated as a prognostic factor

Kinetics of tumor size and peritumoral brain edema before, during, and after systemic therapy in recurrent WHO grade II or III meningioma

The efficacy of systemic antineoplastic therapy on recurrent World Health Organization (WHO) grades II and III meningiomas is unclear.status: publishe

Randomized phase III trial of adjuvant epirubicin followed by cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) versus CMF followed by epirubicin in patients with node-negative or 1-3 node-positive rapidly proliferating breast cancer

20Adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) have proven highly effective in rapidly proliferating breast cancer (RPBC). It has also been seen that sequential administration of doxorubicin and CMF is superior to their alternation, especially in indolent tumors. In a phase III study, we evaluated whether adjuvant epirubicin (E) followed by CMF is superior to the inverse sequence in RPBC. Patients with node-negative or 1-3 node-positive RPBC (Thymidine Labeling Index > 3% or histological grade 3 or S-phase > 10% or Ki67 > 20%) were randomized to receive E (100 mg/m(2) i.v. d1, q21 days for 4 cycles) followed by CMF (600, 40, 600 mg/m(2) i.v. d1 and 8, q28 days for 4 cycles) (E → CMF) or CMF followed by E (CMF → E) or CMF for 6 cycles. From November 1997 to December 2004, 1066 patients were enrolled: E → CMF 440, CMF → E 438, and CMF 188. At a median follow-up of 69 months, 5-year OS was 91% (95% CI 88-94) for E → CMF and 93% (95% CI 90-95) for CMF → E, with adjusted hazard ratio of 0.88 (95% CI 0.58-1.35), and DFS was 80% in both arms, with adjusted hazard ratio of 0.99 (95% CI 0.73-1.33, Cox model). Adverse events were similar, apart from a higher rate of neutropenia in the CMF → E arm. No important differences in clinical outcome were observed between the two different sequences, making both a valid option in early breast cancer. Further molecular characterization of the tumors might help to identify subgroups achieving higher benefit from either sequence.nonemixedAmadori D; Silvestrini R; De Lena M; Boccardo F; Rocca A; Scarpi E; Schittulli F; Brandi M; Maltoni R; Serra P; Ponzone R; Biglia N; Gianni L; Tienghi A; Valerio MR; Bonginelli P; Amaducci L; Faedi M; Baldini E; Paradiso A.Amadori, D; Silvestrini, R; De Lena, M; Boccardo, F; Rocca, A; Scarpi, E; Schittulli, F; Brandi, M; Maltoni, R; Serra, P; Ponzone, R; Biglia, N; Gianni, L; Tienghi, A; Valerio, Mr; Bonginelli, P; Amaducci, L; Faedi, M; Baldini, E; Paradiso, A

Predictors of survival and effect of short (40 Gy) or standard-course (60 Gy) irradiation plus concomitant temozolomide in elderly patients with glioblastoma: a multicenter retrospective study of AINO (Italian Association of Neuro-Oncology)

The efficacy of temozolomide (TMZ) plus radiation therapy (RT) in elderly patients with glioblastoma is unclear. We performed a large multicenter retrospective study to analyze prognostic factors and clinical outcome in these patients. Inclusion criteria were age\ua0 6565\ua0years, newly histologically confirmed glioblastoma, ECOG PS 0-2, adjuvant treatment with RT plus TMZ. We enrolled 237 patients; the average age was 71 and ECOG PS was 0-1 in 196 patients; gross total resection was performed in 174 cases. MGMT was analyzed in 151 persons and was methylated in 56\ua0%. IDH1 was assessed in 100 patients and was mutated in 6\ua0%. Seventy-one patients were treated with RT 40\ua0Gy and 166 with RT 60\ua0Gy. Progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) were 11.3 and 17.3\ua0months, respectively. Overall survival was 19.4 vs 13.8\ua0months for patients treated with RT 60\ua0Gy and 40\ua0Gy (p\ua0=\ua00.02); OS was 17.7 versus 16.1\ua0months for patients treated with gross total resection vs partial surgery (p\ua0=\ua00.02); OS was 21.2 versus 13.6\ua0months for methylated and unmethylated MGMT (p\ua0<\ua00.001). On multivariate analysis, gross total resection, RT 60\ua0Gy, methylated MGMT and ECOG PS 0-1 were independent predictors of longer survival. Twenty-five patients (10\ua0%) had grade 3-4 haematological toxicity during the concomitant treatment. We showed that, in elderly patients in good clinical condition treated with concomitant treatment, standard-course irradiation might be more effective than short-course irradiation. Methylated MGMT remains the most important prognostic factor