The Prospective Dutch Colorectal Cancer (PLCRC) cohort: real-world data facilitating research and clinical care

Real-world data (RWD) sources are important to advance clinical oncology research and evaluate treatments in daily practice. Since 2013, the Prospective Dutch Colorectal Cancer (PLCRC) cohort, linked to the Netherlands Cancer Registry, serves as an infrastructure for scientific research collecting additional patient-reported outcomes (PRO) and biospecimens. Here we report on cohort developments and investigate to what extent PLCRC reflects the “real-world”. Clinical and demographic characteristics of PLCRC participants were compared with the general Dutch CRC population (n = 74,692, Dutch-ref). To study representativeness, standardized differences between PLCRC and Dutch-ref were calculated, and logistic regression models were evaluated on their ability to distinguish cohort participants from the Dutch-ref (AU-ROC 0.5 = preferred, implying participation independent of patient characteristics). Stratified analyses by stage and time-period (2013–2016 and 2017–Aug 2019) were performed to study the evolution towards RWD. In August 2019, 5744 patients were enrolled. Enrollment increased steeply, from 129 participants (1 hospital) in 2013 to 2136 (50 of 75 Dutch hospitals) in 2018. Low AU-ROC (0.65, 95% CI: 0.64–0.65) indicates limited ability to distinguish cohort participants from the Dutch-ref. Characteristics that remained imbalanced in the period 2017–Aug’19 compared with the Dutch-ref were age (65.0 years in PLCRC, 69.3 in the Dutch-ref) and tumor stage (40% stage-III in PLCRC, 30% in the Dutch-ref). PLCRC approaches to represent the Dutch CRC population and will ultimately meet the current demand for high-quality RWD. Efforts are ongoing to improve multidisciplinary recruitment which will further enhance PLCRC’s representativeness and its contribution to a learning healthcare system

Evaluation of the safety and immunological effects of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin in combination with checkpoint inhibitor therapy in a patient with neuroendocrine carcinoma: a case report

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized therapy of advanced and metastatic cancers. However, a significant proportion of patients do not respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors or develop resistance. Therefore, novel therapies or combinations of therapies that may act synergistically are needed. It has been suggested that induction of trained immunity may increase the response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, through reprogramming myeloid cells toward an antitumor phenotype. On the other hand, activation of the immune system also carries the risk of potentially sustaining tumorgenicity and increasing immune- related toxicity. Case presentation We report the case of a 37-year-old Dutch male suffering from gastric neuroendocrine carcinoma with liver metastases and high risk for an unfavorable outcome, who was treated with a combination of programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor nivolumab and the trained immunity-inducer Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine as a salvage therapy. Three doses of BCG vaccine were administered at 3-month intervals, in conjunction with the immune checkpoint inhibitor regimen. At a certain point, radiation therapy was added to the treatment regimen. During the combination of these therapies, the patient developed immune-mediated colitis, which necessitated discontinuation of all treatments. Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccination induced a trained immune response with elevated monocyte-derived interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β production capacity. From the first vaccination with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin until 3 months after the last vaccination with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin, the patient displayed only mild progression of the primary tumor and no progression of the metastases. Conclusion In this study, we show the feasibility to combine checkpoint inhibitor therapy with inducers of trained immunity in a patient with an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor. Autoimmune side effects are common under programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor therapy, which was considered the most likely cause of colitis, although an additive effect of Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccination or radiotherapy cannot be excluded. The patient displayed only mild progression during the combination therapy, but larger studies are warranted to fully explore the potential benefit of trained immunity inducers as an adjuvant to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy

A Phase 1 Trial of Cabazitaxel Combined With 188 Re–Hydroxyethylidene Diphosphonate in Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Who Progressed on or After a Docetaxel-Containing Treatment : The ReCab Trial

PURPOSE: In patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals, such as Re–hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate (HEDP), are effective for pain palliation and have a marked antitumor effect. Cabazitaxel is the standard second-line chemotherapy for mCRPC patients. We performed a phase 1 study investigating the safety and feasibility of the combined treatment with Re-HEDP and cabazitaxel in mCRPC patients. METHODS: Patients with mCRPC and documented disease progression on or after docetaxel were eligible for inclusion. In both dose levels, cabazitaxel (4 cycles of cabazitaxel 25 mg/m + 2 cycles of cabazitaxel 20 mg/m in level 1, and 6 cycles of cabazitaxel 25 mg/m in level 2) were combined with 2 cycles of Re-HEDP 40 MBq/kg (1.1 mCi/kg) (after the second and fourth cabazitaxel cycles). Three patients were planned for each dose level, expanding to 6 patients in case of a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). A DLT is defined as any grade 4 toxicity, or grade 3 toxicity delaying the next treatment cycle. RESULTS: Twelve patients were included, of whom 3 had progressive disease before the third cycle of cabazitaxel. In total, 1 DLT occurred (dose level 1) after treatment cycle 6 (Re-HEDP) (thrombopenia grade 3 delaying the next treatment cycle). The cohort was expanded to 6 patients, with no further DLTs. No DLT occurred in dose level 2. The most important adverse events were of hematologic origin, followed by mild fatigue and diarrhea. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with cabazitaxel and Re-HEDP is feasible and generally well tolerated with similar hematologic toxicity compared with cabazitaxel monotherapy

Radiopharmaceuticals for Palliation of Bone Pain in Patients with Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Metastatic to Bone: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT: The majority of patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer develop bone metastatic disease. It is often challenging to optimally palliate malignant bone pain. In case of multifocal pain due to diffuse osteoblastic metastases, treatment with bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals can be considered. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review evaluates the efficacy of different bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals for palliation of malignant bone pain from prostate cancer. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: The PubMed (Medline) and Embase databases were searched for publications on 89-strontium-chloride ((89)Sr), 153-samarium-EDTMP ((153)Sm), 186-rhenium-HEDP ((186)Re), 188-rhenium-HEDP ((188)Re), and 223-radium-chloride ((223)Ra). Randomised controlled trials and prospective cohort studies were included. Metastatic bone pain had to be registered as outcome measure for prostate cancer patients separately. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: This review included 36 articles of which 13 randomised trials and 23 prospective studies. Of all trials, 10 studies used (89)Sr, 7 (153)Sm, 12 (186)Re, 2 (188)Re, and 2 (223)Ra; three reported on a combination of different radionuclides. Only a few trials contained a blinding procedure and several studies contained incomplete follow-up or lack of intention-to-treat analysis. It was not possible to calculate a pooled estimate of pain response to treatment with any of the radionuclides because different definitions of pain response were used. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, pain response percentages greater than 50-60% were seen with each radionuclide. Haematological toxicity was reported in 26 of the 36 studies and more than half of these trials stated no grade 3/4 leukopenia or thrombocytopenia occurred. PATIENT SUMMARY: In this report we reviewed the efficacy of bone-seeking radionuclides for treating bone pain from metastatic prostate cancer. Overall, treatment with bone-seeking radionuclides resulted in pain responses greater than 50-60%

Clinical judgment of the need for professional mental health care in patients with cancer: a qualitative study among oncologists and nurses

Purpose: In daily practice, oncologists and nurses frequently need to decide whether or not to refer a patient for professional mental health care. We explored the indicators oncologists and nurses use to judge the need for professional mental health care in patients with cancer. Methods: In a qualitative study, oncologists (n = 8) and nurses (n = 6) were each asked to select patients who were or were not referred for professional mental health care (total n = 75). During a semi-structured interview, they reflected on their decision concerning the possible referral of the patient. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Respondents reported using a strategy when judging whether professional mental health care was needed. They allowed patients time to adjust, while monitoring patients’ psychological well-being, especially if patients exhibited specific risk factors. Risk and protective factors for emotional problems included personal, social, and disease- and treatment-related factors. Respondents considered referral for professional mental health care when they noted specific indicators of emotional problems. These indicators included lingering or increasing emotions, a disproportionate intensity of emotions, and emotions with a negative impact on a patient’s daily life or treatment. Conclusions: This study identified the strategy, risk and protective factors, and the indicators of emotional problems used by oncologists and nurses when judging the need for professional mental health care in patients with cancer. Implications for Cancer Survivors: Oncologists and nurses can play an important role in the identification of patients in need of professional mental health care

A randomised, phase II study of repeated rhenium-188-HEDP combined with docetaxel and prednisone versus docetaxel and prednisone alone in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) metastatic to bone; the Taxium II trial

Background: Rhenium-188-HEDP is a beta-emitting radiopharmaceutical used for palliation of metastatic bone pain. We investigated whether the addition of rhenium-188-HEDP to docetaxel/prednisone improved efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with CRPC. Methods: Patients with progressive CRPC and osteoblastic bone metastases were randomised for first-line docetaxel 75 mg/m2 3-weekly plus prednisone with or without 2 injections of rhenium-188-HEDP after the third (40 MBq/kg) and after the sixth (20 MBq/kg) cycle of docetaxel. Primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), defined as either PSA, radiographic or clinical progression. Patients were stratified by extent of bone metastases and hospital. Results: Forty-two patients were randomised for standard treatment and 46 patients for combination therapy. Median number of cycles of docetaxel was 9 in the control group and 8 in the experimental group. Median follow-up was 18.4 months. Two patients from the experimental group did not start treatment after randomisation. In the intention to treat analysis no differences in PFS, survival and PSA became apparent between the two groups. In an exploratory per-protocol analysis median overall survival was significantly longer in the experimental group (33.8 months (95%CI 31.75–35.85)) than in the control group (21.0 months (95%CI 13.61–28.39); p 0.012). Also median PFS in patients with a baseline phosphatase >220U/L was significantly better with combination treatment (9.0 months (95%CI 3.92–14.08) versus 6.2 months (95%CI 3.08–9.32); log rank p 0.005). As expected, thrombocytopenia (grade I/II) was reported more frequently in the experimental group (25% versus 0%). Conclusion: Combined treatment with rhenium-188-HEDP and docetaxel did not prolong PFS in patients with CRPC. The observed survival benefit in the per-protocol analysis warrants further studies in the combined treatment of chemotherapy and radiopharmaceuticals