Noninferiority of cetuximab every-2-weeks versus standard once-weekly administration schedule for the first-line treatment of RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer

Abstract Aim This study assessed whether cetuximab 500 mg/m2 administered every 2 weeks (Q2W), when combined with chemotherapy as a first-line (1L) treatment, was noninferior to the approved dose (400 mg/m2 followed by 250 mg/m2 once weekly [Q1W]) for overall survival (OS) in adults with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Methods This pooled analysis included patients receiving 1L treatment with cetuximab Q1W or Q2W in combination with chemotherapy from post-authorisation studies with patient-level data available to the sponsor. Baseline characteristics were adjusted with a propensity score using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Noninferiority in terms of OS was tested with a noninferiority margin for the hazard ratio (HR) of 1.25 using a Cox proportional hazards regression model. Secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and rates of lung/liver metastases resection and serious adverse events. Results OS time was noninferior in the Q2W cohort (n = 554) compared to the Q1W cohort (n = 763), with a HR after IPTW (95% confidence interval) of 0.827 (0.715–0.956) and median OS times of 24.7 (Q1W) and 27.9 (Q2W) months. There were no major differences in PFS (HR: 0.915 [0.804–1.042]). The odds ratios (ORs) after IPTW for ORR (1.292 [1.031–1.617]) and the rates of lung/liver metastases resection (1.419 [1.043–1.932]) favoured the Q2W regimen. No differences were noted in the occurrence rate of any SAE between groups; the OR after IPTW was 1.089 (0.858–1.382). Conclusions The cetuximab Q2W regimen was noninferior to the Q1W regimen for OS in the 1L treatment of mCRC

Target Oncol

Cardiovascular comorbidities are not contraindications of bevacizumab for metastatic colorectal cancer. We aimed to evaluate the impact of cardiovascular comorbidities before bevacizumab treatment on overall survival and cardiovascular safety in older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. A 2009-2015 cohort of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer aged ≥ 65 years administered first-line bevacizumab was extracted from the French healthcare reimbursement claims database. Baseline heart failure, hypertension, and venous/arterial thromboembolic events were identified. The 36-month overall survival rate was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the impact of cardiovascular comorbidities on the 36-month overall survival using a time-dependent, multivariable, Cox proportional hazards model. The 36-month cumulative incidence of cardiovascular events, and the impact of cardiovascular comorbidities on the likelihood of cardiovascular events were evaluated using the Fine and Gray model, with death as a competing risk. We included 9222 patients (56.4% male; median age 73 years). Two-thirds (66.7%) had baseline cardiovascular comorbidities. The median 36-month overall survival was 20.4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 19.9-21.0] and 21.8 [95% CI 21.1-22.6] months in patients with and without cardiovascular comorbidities, respectively. Age ≥ 75 years, dependency in activities of daily living, radiotherapy, and another targeted therapy were identified as death risk factors, but not cardiovascular comorbidities. At 36 months, cardiovascular events had occurred in 60.2% [95% CI 58.9-61.4] and 44.1% [95% CI 42.3-45.9] of patients with and without cardiovascular comorbidities. Baseline venous thrombosis, female, three or more cardiovascular medications, another targeted therapy, and more than six bevacizumab injections were identified as risk factors for cardiovascular events. In clinical practice, cardiovascular comorbidities before administering bevacizumab to older patients with metastatic colorectal cancer impacted the cardiovascular safety, but not overall survival. Unless they limit functional independency, older patients with cardiovascular comorbidities should be treated with bevacizumab under close monitoring

Strong instrumental variables biased propensity scores in comparative effectiveness research: A case study in oncology

International audienceBackground and Objectives: Some medications require specific medical procedures in the weeks before their start. Such procedures may meet the definition of instrumental variables (IVs). We examined how they may influence treatment effect estimation in propensity score (PS)-adjusted comparative studies, and how to remedy. Study Design and Setting: Different covariate assessment periods (CAPs) did and did not include the month preceding treatment start were used to compute PS in the French claims database (Syt eme National des Donn ees de Sant e-SNDS), and 1:1 match patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer initiating abiraterone acetate or docetaxel. The 36-month survival was assessed. Results: Among 1, 213 docetaxel and 2, 442 abiraterone initiators, the PS distribution resulting from the CAP [-12; 0 months] distinctly separated populations (c 5 0.93; 273 matched pairs). The CAPs [-12;-1 months] identified 765 pairs (c 5 0.81). Strong docetaxel treatment predictors during the month before treatment start were implantable delivery systems (1% vs. 59%), which fulfilled IV conditions. The 36-month survival was not meaningfully different under the [-12; 0 months] CAP but differed by 10% points (38% vs. 28%) after excluding month À1. Conclusion: In the setting of highly predictive pretreatment procedures, excluding the immediate pre-exposure time from the CAP will reduce the risk of including potential IVs in PS models and may reduce bias

Therapie

BACKGROUND: Quadruple therapy using a single capsule formulation of bismuth, metronidazole and tetracycline (BMT; Pylera®), associated with omeprazole for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori, represents the reintroduction of bismuth in France after 40 years. OBJECTIVE: To describe the real-life patterns of use of BMT following a request from the French health authorities. METHODS: Patients with a first BMT dispensing (index date, ID), with one year of data before and after ID, were identified in the French nationwide claims database 1/97 sample. Misuse of BMT was defined as dispensing>1 pack of BMT at ID or absence of a diagnostic test in the preceding year. RESULTS: In total, 540 patients were included. Prescribers were gastroenterologists (n=243; 45%) and general practitioners (n=160; 30%). A proton pump inhibitor was co-dispensed to 504 patients (96%). Ten patients (2%) had contraindications to BMT. Fifty-nine patients (11%) met the misuse criteria: ten (2%) were dispensed>1 pack of BMT and 49 (9%) had not had a diagnostic test for H. pylori in the previous year. During follow-up, 27 patients (5%) required retreatment (treatment failure). CONCLUSION: In this real-life study, most patients were dispensed only one pack of BMT, consistent with recommendations. Misuse related principally to the absence of prior diagnostic test for H. pylori

Nurses' internal contamination by antineoplastic drugs in hospital centers: a cross-sectional descriptive study

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess internal antineoplastic drugs (ADs) contamination in the nursing staff in French hospital centers, using highly sensitive analytical methods. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included nurses practicing in care departments where at least one of the five ADs studied was handled (5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, ifosfamide, methotrexate). The nurses study participation lasted 24 h including collection of three urine samples and one self-questionnaire. All urine samples were assayed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods with very low value of the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ). RESULTS: 74 nurses were included, 222 urine samples and 74 self-questionnaires were collected; 1092 urine assays were performed. The percentage of nurses with internal AD contamination was 60.8% and low levels of urinary concentrations were measured. Regarding nurses with internal contamination (n = 45), 42.2% presented internal contamination by methotrexate, 37.8% by cyclophosphamide, 33.3% by ifosfamide, 17.8% by 5-fluorouracil metabolite and 6.7% by doxorubicine. Among the positive assays, 17.9% (n = 26/145) were not explained by exposure data from the self-questionnaire but this could be due to the skin contact of nurses with contaminated work surfaces. CONCLUSIONS: This study reported high percentage of nurses with internal ADs contamination. The low LLOQ values of the used analytical methods, allowed the detection of ADs that would not have been detected with the current published methods: the percentage of contamination would have been 17.6% instead of the 60.8% reported here. Pending toxicological reference values, urine ADs concentrations should be reduced as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA principle)

Quality of Life and Pain During Treatment of Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer With Cabazitaxel In Routine Clinical Practice

International audienceBackground: This prospective study collected quality of life (QoL) and pain data during cabazitaxel treatment in patients with advanced metastatic or castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).Patients and methods: Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate (QoL) and Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (pain) questionnaires were collected over 6 months.Results: In 61 patients with mCRPC (median age, 72 years) from 22 centers, metastatic sites were bones (97%), lymph nodes (36%), and visceral (20%); 25% received cabazitaxel in the second line, 29% in the third line, and 46% in the fourth line or beyond. All had been previously treated with docetaxel, except one with paclitaxel, and 75% also with abiraterone, enzalutamide, or both. The median cabazitaxel duration was 3.4 months. Forty-nine patients were evaluable for QoL and 44 for pain. QoL was improved in 37%, maintained in 35%, and deteriorated in 37%. In 27%, pain decreased ≥ 1 level and remained stable in 52%. A total of 34% lowered analgesic drug level. Prostate-specific antigen response ≥ 50% was observed in 11 (32.6%) patients, of whom 7 improved QoL and 1 was stable. At 6 months, 83.6% survived (95% confidence interval, 71.7%-90.8%). A total of 46% had ≥ 1 grade ≥ 3 adverse events, mainly anemia and neutropenia.Conclusion: Although cabazitaxel was given as the third line and beyond for three-quarters of patients, over one-third had improved QoL and/or decreased pain during treatment

Epidemiology of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: A first estimate of incidence and prevalence using the French nationwide healthcare database

International audienceBackground: There is a lack of information about the burden of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The present work aims to estimate the incidence and prevalence of mCRPC in 2014 using the French nationwide healthcare database (SNDS).Methods: Prevalence and incidence were estimated based on an SNDS extraction of men covered by the general healthcare insurance (86 % of the French population), and aged ≥40. Patients with mCRPC were identified amongst prostate cancer cases using an algorithm estimating a date of first metastasis management and a date of castration resistance. This algorithm was validated by clinical experts through a blind review of 200 anonymized medical charts from SNDS data. Prevalence and incidence were standardized on the European Standard Population (2013 edition).Results: Prevalence and incidence of mCRPC were estimated as, respectively, 62 and 21 cases per 100 000 men in 2014. Less than one mCRPC case per 100 000 was observed in men aged 40-49. Maximum mCRPC incidence was in men aged 80-89 (175 per 100 000). The algorithm used for mCRPC identification had 97 % positive and 99 % negative predictive values.Conclusion: The good performances of the algorithm for mCRPC identification and the consistency of the generated results with the existing data highlight the robustness of these first estimates of mCRPC prevalence and incidence. Future updates will call for algorithm adjustment as practices evolve over time. These first real-life data will serve for future follow-up of the impact of changes in the management of prostate cancer

Abiraterone acetate versus docetaxel for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a cohort study within the French nationwide claims database

International audienc