Prognostic factors for lymph node negative stage I and IIA non-small cell lung cancer: Multicenter experiences

Surgery is the only curative treatment for operable non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) and the importance of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IB patients is unclear. Herein, we evaluated prognostic factors for survival and factors related with adjuvant treatment decisions for stage I and IIA NSCLC patients without lymph node metastasis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 302 patients who had undergone curative surgery for prognostic factors regarding survival and clinicopathological factors related to adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Nearly 90% of the patients underwent lobectomy or pneumonectomy with mediastinal lymph node resection. For the others, wedge resection were performed. The patients were diagnosed as stage IA in 35%, IB in 49% and IIA in 17%. Histopathological type (p=0.02), tumor diameter (p=0.01) and stage (p<0.001) were found to be related to adjuvant chemotherapy decisions, while operation type, lypmhovascular invasion (LVI), grade and the presence of recurrence were important factors in predicting overall survival (OS), and operation type, tumor size greater than 4 cm, T stage, LVI, and visceral pleural invasion were related with disease free survival (DFS). Multivariate analysis showed operation type (p<0.001, hazard ratio (HR):1.91) and the presence of recurrence (p<0.001, HR:0.007) were independent prognostic factors for OS, as well visceral pleural invasion (p=0.01, HR:0.57) and LVI (p=0.004, HR:0.57) for DFS. Conclusions: Although adjuvant chemotherapy is standard for early stage lymph node positive NSCLC, it has less clear importance in stage I and IIA patients without lymph node metastasis

Prognostic markers for metastatic colon cancer patients undergoing multiple metastasectomies

WOS: 000361693500005PubMed ID: 26215062Background/Aims: Following metastasis resection, 5-year survival rate has been reported as approximately 40%. There is no consensus regarding prognostic factors related to progression-free survival after repeated metastasectomies. Materials and Methods: A total of 21 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who underwent repeated metastasectomies were retrospectively analyzed. The periods between the first and second metastasectomies and that between the second metastasectomy and progression were defined as metastasis-free survival 1 (MFS1) and metastasis-free survival 2 (MFS2), respectively. Univariate analysis was used to analyze factors related to MFS1 and MFS2. Results: Approximately two-thirds of the patients had synchronous metastasis, which were localized mostly in the liver (90%). During a 49-months follow-up, MFS1 was 15.7 (8.4- 23) months and MFS2 was 26.3 (12.3-40.4) months. Systemic chemotherapy followed the first metastasectomy (p=0.01), and the recurrence site (p=0.03) was found to be related to MFS1. Furthermore, the number of metastases during the first metastasectomy (p=0.02), the type of the chemotherapy regimen administered following the first metastasectomy (p=0.04), and the number of metastases before the second metastasectomy ( p=0.03) were significantly related to MFS2. Conclusion: Surgical resection is currently the most effective and curative form of therapy for colorectal metastasis, whenever possible. Repeated metastasectomies can be achieved safely in experienced centers; thus, the operability of the patients should be evaluated by a multidisciplinary approach during treatment

Capecitabine-cisplatin versus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin in combination with radiotherapy for adjuvant therapy of lymph node positive locally advanced gastric cancer

WOS: 000445690700030PubMed ID: 30249896Aim of the Study: Although surgery is considered to be curative treatment, recurrence rates are high in gastric cancer. Adjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) based chemoradiotherapy has been shown to improve the prognosis. We compared tolerability and efficacy of the two different chemotherapy regimens; 5-FU/leucovorin (LV) versus cisplatin with capecitabine (XP) combined with radiotherapy (RT) in the adjuvant therapy of the lymph node positive locally advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Totally, 104 patients who underwent curative surgery with lymph node resection were evaluated, respectively. Patients were stratified two group based on the adjuvant chemoradiotherapy regimen. Group 1 (n = 46) received XP followed capecitabine with RT (XRT) then XP. Group 2 (n = 58) received 5-FU/LV combined with RT postoperatively. Two groups were compared based on clinicopathological parameters. Factors related with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Results: Totally, 32 patients had recurrent disease, and there was no difference between two groups. While peritoneal metastasis was more common in XP arm, distant metastasis was commonly seen in 5-FU/LV arm. There was no significant difference between two groups in regard of Grade 3/4 toxicitis; hematologic toxicities were more in 5-FU/LV group than XP arm. In addition, dose modification because of toxicities were more frequent in 5-FU/LV arm (P = 0.003). For all groups, lymph node dissection type was related with DFS, surgical margin and recurrence were important for OS. Conclusion: XP-XRT regimen is well tolerated with lower toxicity compared the standard 5-FU/LV-RT. Although there is no difference with respect to outcome, patients with XP arm without the necessity of intravenous catheter admitted hospital less frequent than bolus5-FU/LV arm

Clinical importance of discordance of hormone receptors and Her2/neu status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

WOS: 000347742000004PubMed ID: 25536590Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the hormone receptors' (HR) and HER2/neu status between core needle biopsy (CNB) and residual tumor after surgery of breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and also to evaluate the impact of discordance and other clinicopathological factors on survival. Methods: Oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2/neu status were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on 90 CNBs of primary tumors and surgical specimens after NAC (study group); 53 patients without NAC served as control group, and discordance was compared between the two groups. The association between discordance of HR status after NAC and various other clinicopathological factors was tested with Spearman's test. Results: Pathological complete response (PCR) was achieved in 10 (11.1%) patients after NAC. ER and PR changed significantly more in the study than in the control group. ER and PR discordance was detected in 10 (12.5%) and 17 (21.2%) patients in the NAC group and in 1 (1.8%) and 2 (3.7%) patients in the control group (p=0.04 and p=0.005, respectively). ER discordance was related with HER2/neu change. Furthermore, PR discordance correlated with CNB, ER and treatment response, while HER2/neu discordance was associated with treatment response (p=0.05). ER discordance was found to be an independent prognostic factor for progression-free survival (PFS) (p=0.02). Conclusion: NAC might cause alterations in ER, PR or HER2/neu status in breast cancer, and they should be re-tested in the residual tumor after NAC to optimize adjuvant therapy

The prognostic factors for operated gallbladder cancer

...Japanese Society of Medical OncologyEuropean Society for Medical Oncolog

Clinical importance of discordance in hormone receptor and HER2/NEU status after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer

Aim: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is used longer for both locally advanced breast cancer and early stage to increase breast conservation. Discordance of the hormone receptor (HR) status was reported to be 8-33% of the breast cancer after NAC. The aim of this study was to compare the HR and HER2/neu status between core needle biopsy (CNB) and residual tumour after surgery of breast cancer treated with NAC and also to evaluate effect of discordance and other clinicopathological factors on survival

Modified docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with capecitabine (DCX) as a first-line treatment in HER2- negative advanced gastric cancer

Background: Docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with fluorouracil (DCF) regimen is accepted to be one of the standard regimens in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. However, substantial toxicity has limited its use in daily clinical practice. Therefore, modification of DCF regimens, including introduction of capecitabine has been investigated to improve the safety profiles. In the present study, the efficacy and toxicity of a regimen with a modified dose of docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with oral capecitabine (DCX) was evaluated in untreated patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients with HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer were included in this cohort. Patients received docetaxel 60mg/m2 plus cisplatin 60mg/m2 (day 1) combined with capecitabine 1650mg/m2 (days 1-14) every 3 weeks. Treatment response, survival, and toxicity were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The median age was 54 years (range: 24-76). The majority of patients (70%) had metastatic disease, while 11 patients (21%) had recurrent disease and underwent curative gastrectomy, and 5 patients (9%) had locally advanced disease (LAD). The median number of DCX cycles was 4. There were 28 partial responses and 11 complete responses, with an overall response rate of 72%. Curative surgery could be performed in four patients among five with LAD. At the median follow-up of 10 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort of patients were 7.4 and 12.1 months, respectively. Dose modification was done in 12 patients due to toxicity in 8 and noncompliance in 4 patients. The most common hematological toxicity was neutropenia, which occurred at grade 3-4 intensity in 10 of 54 patients (27.7%). Febrile neutropenia was diagnosed only in two cases. Conclusions: DCX regimen offers prominent anti-tumor activity and considered to be effective firstline treatment with manageable toxicity for patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer

Modified docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with capecitabine (DCX) as first-tine treatment in HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer

50th Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Clinical-Oncology -- MAY 30-JUN 03, 2014 -- Chicago, ILWOS: 000358613200461…American Society of Clinical Oncolog

The changing of serum vitamin B-12 and homocysteine levels after gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer: do they associate with clinicopathological factors?

WOS: 000350478200042PubMed ID: 25296737After total (TG) or distal subtotal gastrectomy (DG), patients are at high risk of vitamin B-12 (vit-B-12) deficiency, which results in elevation of homocysteine levels. The changing of serum vit-B-12 and homocysteine levels in patients with gastric cancer is not well known. Seventy-two patients with gastric cancer who had undergone currative gastrectomy and 50 healthy controls were included. Serum vit-B-12 and homocysteine levels were analyzed in gastric cancer patients. In addition, these parameters were compared with those of healthy control subjects. While serum vit-B-12 levels in gastrectomized patients were significantly lower than that of healthy controls (221.8 +/- 125.6 pg/mL vs. 309.9 +/- 174.3 pg/mL, p = 0.002), homocysteine levels were significantly higher in patients with gastric cancer (14.2 +/- 6.7 mu mol/L vs. 12.5 +/- 6.1 mu mol/L, p = 0.016). Mean serum folate level was found to be high in healthy controls (7.3 ng/mL) compared to patients (9.2 ng/mL, p = 0.027). Out of 72 patients, 40 patients (55.6 %) with gastric cancer developed vit-B-12 deficiency after gastrectomy. Vit-B-12 deficiency was found to be related with gastrectomy type (p = 0.02) and homocysteine levels (p = 0.014). In patients who underwent TG, the incidence of vit-B-12 deficiency was significantly higher compared with those with DG (67.5 vs. 32.5 %). In addition, serum vit-B-12 level in patients with DG was significantly higher than that of patients with TG (248.3 +/- 122.0 pg/mL vs. 200.8 +/- 126.7 pg/mL, p = 0.041), whereas homocysteine levels were significantly lower in DG group compared with TG group (12.1 +/- 6.1 mu mol/L vs. 15.8 +/- 6.9 mu mol/L, p = 0.014). A logistic regression analysis showed that the extent of gastrectomy was found to be an independent factor for predicting the occurrence of vit-B-12 deficiency (p < 0.001, odds ratio 1.38). Our results showed that cumulative vit-B-12 deficiency rate was significantly higher after TG compared with that after DG, while homocysteine levels were significantly higher in TG group compared with DG group. The extent of gastrectomy was found to be an independent factor for predicting the occurrence of vit-B-12 deficiency. Vit-B-12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia are imperious clinical situation for patients with gastric cancer after surgery. Hence, both preoperative and regular postoperative monitoring of vit-B-12 and homocysteine levels for all gastrectomized patients with gastric cancer are important and necessary for early detection and prevention of vit-B-12 deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases

Clinical value of FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of suspected recurrent ovarian cancer: is there an impact of FDG PET/CT on patient management?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of FDG PET/CT in patients with suspected ovarian cancer recurrence as compared with diagnostic CT, and to assess the impact of the results of FDG PET/CT on treatment planning.Included in this retrospective study were 60 patients with suspected recurrent ovarian cancer who had previously undergone primary debulking surgery and had been treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Diagnostic CT and FDG PET/CT imaging were performed for all patients as clinically indicated. The changes in the clinical management of patients according to the results of FDG PET/CT were also analysed.FDG PET/CT was performed in 21 patients with a previously negative or indeterminate diagnostic CT scan, but an elevated CA-125 level, and provided a sensitivity of 95% in the detection of recurrent disease. FDG PET/CT revealed recurrent disease in 19 patients. In 17 of 60 patients, the indication for FDG PET/CT was an elevated CA-125 level and an abnormal diagnostic CT scan to localize accurately the extent of disease. FDG PET/CT scans correctly identified recurrent disease in 16 of the 17 patients, a sensitivity of 94.1%. Moreover, FDG PET/CT was performed in 18 patients with clinical symptoms of ovarian cancer recurrence, an abnormal diagnostic CT scan, but a normal CA-125 level. In this setting, FDG PET/CT correctly confirmed recurrent disease in seven patients providing a sensitivity of 100% in determining recurrence. In four patients, FDG PET/CT was carried out for the assessment of treatment response. Three of four scans were classified as true-negative indicating a complete response. In the other patient, FDG PET/CT identified progression of disease. In total, 45 (75%) of the 60 patients had recurrent disease, in 14 (31.1%) documented by histopathology and in 31 (68.9%) on clinical follow-up, while 15 (25%) had no evidence of recurrent disease. The overall sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive value of FDG PET/CT were significantly superior to those of diagnostic CT (95.5% vs. 55.5%, 93.3% vs. 66.6%, 95% vs. 58.3%, 97.7% vs. 83.3%, 87.7% vs. 33.3%, respectively; p = 0.02) in the detection of recurrent ovarian cancer. FDG PET/CT changed the management in 31 patients (51.6%). It led to the use of previously unplanned treatment procedures in 19 patients (61.2%) and the avoidance of previously planned therapeutic procedures in 12 patients (38.8%).Our results confirm that FDG PET/CT is a superior posttherapy surveillance modality for the detection of recurrent ovarian cancer than diagnostic CT imaging. Furthermore, integrated FDG PET/CT was useful specifically in optimizing the treatment plan and it might play an important role in treatment stratification in the future