Phase II clinical trial evaluating docetaxel, vinorelbine and GM-CSF in stage IV melanoma

PurposeMetastatic melanoma patients have a poor prognosis. No chemotherapy regimen has improved overall survival. More effective treatments are needed. Docetaxel has clinical activity in melanoma and may be more active when combined with vinorelbine. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has shown activity as an adjuvant melanoma therapy. We carried out a phase II study of these agents in patients with stage IV melanoma.MethodsPatients had documented stage IV melanoma and may have had prior immuno or chemotherapy. Previously treated brain metastases were allowed. Docetaxel (40 mg/m(2) IV) and vinorelbine (30 mg/m(2) IV) were administered every 14 days, followed by GM-CSF (250 mg/m2 SC on days 2 to 12). The primary endpoint of the study was 1-year overall survival (OS). Secondary objectives were median overall survival, response rate (per RECIST criteria), and the toxicity profiles.ResultsFifty-two patients were enrolled; 80% had stage M1c disease. Brain metastases were present in 21%. Fifty-two percent of patients had received prior chemotherapy, including 35% who received prior biochemotherapy. Toxicity was manageable. Grade III/IV toxicities included neutropenia (31%), anemia (14%), febrile neutropenia (11.5%), and thrombocytopenia (9%). DVS chemotherapy demonstrated clinical activity, with a partial response in 15%, and disease stabilization in 37%. Six-month PFS was 37%. Median OS was 11.4 months and 1-year OS rate was 48.1%.ConclusionsThe DVS regimen was active in patients with advanced, previously treated melanoma, with manageable toxicity. The favorable 1-year overall survival and median survival rates suggest that further evaluation of the DVS regimen is warranted

Effect of topical ozonetherapy on gingival wound healing in pigs: histological and immunohistochemical analysis

In this study, the effects of ozonetherapy on secondary wound healing were evaluated histologically and immuno-histochemically. Material and Methods: 8 healthy pigs were used in this study. Six wounds with 10 mm in diameter were created through the punch technique on the palatinal gingiva of each pig. Ozone gas was applied on only 3 wounds (test group) and the remaining 3 were left to natural healing (control group). Biopsy samples were taken from one of the wounds in each group on the third day, from another wound of each group on the seventh day, and from another one on the tenth day. Routine histological analysis and immuno-histochemical staining were performed to investigate transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) and (VEGF) expressions. Results: No statistical difference was found between the test and control groups in terms of collagen fibers, epithelial formation and inflammation scores. A VEGF expression found in the test group was statistically higher than control group samples taken on the 3rd and 7th day. There was no statistical difference between the test and control groups in terms of TGF-β expression on any of the sampling days. Conclusion: The topical application of ozone gas could be effective in the early stages of wound healing by increasing the amount of VEGF expression. Clinical Relevance: Topical application of ozone gas may be effective in the early stages of oral wound healing

Adjuvant pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected high-risk stage II melanoma: Health-related quality of life from the randomized phase 3 KEYNOTE-716 study

Background: Adjuvant pembrolizumab significantly improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) versus placebo in resected stage IIB and IIC melanoma in the phase 3 KEYNOTE-716 study. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) results are reported. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to pembrolizumab 200 mg (2 mg/kg, patients ≥ 12 to \u3c 18 years) Q3W or placebo for ≤ 17 cycles or until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal. Change from baseline in EORTC QLQ-C30 global health status (GHS)/quality of life (QoL) was a prespecified exploratory end point. Change in EORTC QLQ-C30 functioning, symptom, and single-item scales, and EQ-5D-5L visual analog scale (VAS) were also summarized. Primary analyses were performed at week 48 to ensure adequate completion/compliance. The HRQoL population comprised patients who received ≥ 1 dose of treatment and completed ≥ 1 assessment. Results: The HRQoL population included 969 patients (pembrolizumab, n = 483; placebo, n = 486). Compliance at week 48 was ≥ 80 % for both instruments. EORTC QLQ-C30 GHS/QoL, physical functioning, role functioning, and EQ-5D-5L VAS scores were stable from baseline to week 48 in both arms, with no clinically meaningful decline observed. Scores did not differ significantly between pembrolizumab and placebo. EORTC QLQ-C30 GHS/QoL, physical functioning, role functioning, and EQ-5D-5L VAS scores remained stable through week 96 in both arms. Conclusions: HRQoL was stable with adjuvant pembrolizumab, with no clinically meaningful decline observed. Change from baseline in HRQoL was similar between arms. These results, in conjunction with the improved RFS and manageable safety previously reported, support the use of adjuvant pembrolizumab for high-risk stage II melanoma

Exposure to Perchlorate in Lactating Women and Its Associations With Newborn Thyroid Stimulating Hormone

Background: Perchlorate, thiocyanate, and nitrate can block iodide transport at the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) and this can subsequently lead to decreased thyroid hormone production and hypothyroidism. NIS inhibitor exposure has been shown to reduce iodide uptake and thyroid hormone levels; therefore we hypothesized that maternal NIS inhibitor exposure will influence both maternal and newborn thyroid function.Methods: Spot urine samples were collected from 185 lactating mothers and evaluated for perchlorate, thiocyanate, and nitrate concentrations. Blood and colostrum samples were collected from the same participants in the first 48 h after delivery. Thyroid hormones and thyroid-related antibodies (TSH, fT3, fT4, anti-TPO, anti-Tg) were analyzed in maternal blood and perchlorate was analyzed in colostrum. Also, spot blood samples were collected from newborns (n = 185) between 48 and 72 postpartum hours for TSH measurement. Correlation analysis was performed to assess the effect of NIS inhibitors on thyroid hormone levels of lactating mothers and their newborns in their first 48 postpartum hours.Results: The medians of maternal urinary perchlorate (4.00 μg/g creatinine), maternal urinary thiocyanate (403 μg/g creatinine), and maternal urinary nitrate (49,117 μg/g creatinine) were determined. Higher concentrations of all three urinary NIS inhibitors (μg/g creatinine) at their 75th percentile levels were significantly correlated with newborn TSH (r = 0.21, p < 0.001). Median colostrum perchlorate level concentration of all 185 participants was 2.30 μg/L. Colostrum perchlorate was not significantly correlated with newborn TSH (p > 0.05); however, there was a significant correlation between colostrum perchlorate level and maternal TSH (r = 0.21, p < 0.01). Similarly, there was a significant positive association between colostrum perchlorate and maternal urinary creatinine adjusted perchlorate (r = 0.32, p < 0.001).Conclusion: NIS inhibitors are ubiquitous in lactating women in Turkey and are associated with increased TSH levels in newborns, thus signifying for the first time that co-exposure to maternal NIS inhibitors can have a negative effect on the newborn thyroid function

Interim Analysis of Phase 2 Results for Cemiplimab in Patients with Metastatic Basal Cell Carcinoma (mBCC) who Progressed on or are Intolerant to Hedgehog Inhibitors (HHIs)

Abstract not available

Primary Analysis of Phase 2 Results for Cemiplimab in Patients (pts) with Locally Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma (laBCC) who Progress on or are Intolerant to Hedgehog Inhibitors (HHIs)

Abstract not available