Systematic EPC in advanced pancreatic cancer patients significantly improved QoL with respect to on-demand EPC.

No abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the imposition of personalized, non-invasively measured blood flow rates as boundary conditions (BCs) influences image-based computational hemodynamic studies in the human aorta. We extracted from 4D phase-contrast MRI acquisitions of a healthy human (1) the geometry of the thoracic aorta with supra-aortic arteries and (2) flow rate waveforms at all boundaries. Flow simulations were carried out, and the implications that the imposition of different BC schemes based on the measured flow rates have on wall shear stress (WSS)-based indicators of abnormal flow were analyzed. Our results show that both the flow rate repartition among the multiple outlets of the aorta and the distribution and magnitude of the WSS-based indicators are strongly influenced by the adopted BC strategy. Keeping as reference hemodynamic model the one where the applied BC scheme allowed to obtain a satisfactory agreement between the computed and the measured flow rate waveforms, differences in WSS-based indicators up to 49% were observed when the other BC strategies were applied. In conclusion, we demonstrate that in subject-specific computational hemodynamics models of the human aorta the imposition of BC settings based on non-invasively measured flow rate waveforms influences indicators of abnormal flow to a large extent. Hence, a BCs set-up assuring realistic, subject-specific instantaneous flow rate distribution must be applied when BCs such as flow rates are prescribed.

Purpose Early palliative care (EPC) has shown a positive impact on quality of life (QoL), quality of care, and healthcare costs. We evaluated such effects in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Methods In this prospective, multicenter study, 186 advanced gastric cancer patients were randomized 1:1 to receive standard cancer care (SCC) plus on-demand EPC (standard arm) or SCC plus systematic EPC (interventional arm). Primary outcome was a change in QoL between randomization (T0) and T1 (12 weeks after T0) in the Trial Outcome Index (TOI) scores evaluated through the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Gastric questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were patient mood, overall survival, and family satisfaction with healthcare and care aggressiveness. Results The mean change in TOI scores from T0 to T1 was − 1.30 (standard deviation (SD) 20.01) for standard arm patients and 1.65 (SD 22.38) for the interventional group, with a difference of 2.95 (95% CI − 4.43 to 10.32) (p = 0.430). The change in mean Gastric Cancer Subscale values for the standard arm was 0.91 (SD 14.14) and 3.19 (SD 15.25) for the interventional group, with a difference of 2.29 (95% CI − 2.80 to 7.38) (p = 0.375). Forty-three percent of patients in the standard arm received EPC. Conclusions Our results indicated a slight, albeit not significant, benefit from EPC. Findings on EPC studies may be underestimated in the event of suboptimally managed issues: type of intervention, shared decision-making process between

A dose-dense TCF regimen in metastatic gastric cancer is feasible, with activity comparable to previous results achieved with epirubicin-based chemotherapy and TCF q3wk in terms of overall survival and time to progression, and deserves to be further tested in randomized phase III studies.

The COFFI regimen is active and well tolerated, therefore phase III studies are warranted.

Background We previously studied a dose-dense TCF (TCF-dd) regimen demonstrating its feasibility and an activity comparable to epirubicin-based chemotherapy and TCF q3w in terms of overall survival and time to progression (TTP). We report here the final results of a phase II study of chemotherapy with a modified TCF-dd regimen in locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (MGC). Methods and study design Patients with histologically confirmed measurable MGC, not previously treated for advanced disease, received docetaxel 70 mg/m 2 day 1, cisplatin 60 mg/m 2 day 1, l-folinic acid 100 mg/m 2 days 1 and 2, followed by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 400 mg/m 2 bolus days 1 and 2, and then 600 mg/m 2 as a 22-h continuous infusion days 1 and 2, every 14 days, plus pegfilgrastim 6 mg on day 3. Patients aged C65 years received the same schedule with a dose reduction of 30 %. Results Study duration: December 2007-November 2010. Forty-six consecutive patients were enrolled (78 % male, 22 % female; median age, 66 years, range, 38-76 years; ECOG PS: 0, 48 %, 1, 46 %). Primary endpoint was overall response rate (ORR). A median of four cycles (range, one to six) was administered. Forty-three patients were evaluated for response (93.5 %) and all for toxicity: 3 complete response (CR), 25 partial response (PR), 10 stable disease (SD), and 5 progressive disease (PD) were observed, for an ORR by intention to treat (ITT) of 61 % (95 % CI 47-75). Median overall survival (OS) was 17.63 months (95 % CI, 13.67-20.67); median progression-free survival was 8.9 months (95 % CI, 6.5-13.4). Twenty-one patients (46.0 %) were treated at full doses without any delay, thus respecting the dose-dense criterion. Most frequent grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia (20 %), leukopenia (4 %), thrombocytopenia (2 %), anemia (2 %), febrile neutropenia (6 %), asthenia (22 %), diarrhea (4 %), nausea/vomiting (11 %), and hypokalemia (6 %). Overall, TCF-dd was shown to be safe. Conclusions The TCF-dd regimen in locally advanced or MGC is confirmed to be feasible and very active and needs to be further tested in randomized studies.

4112 Background: TCF is a standard first line option for GEC. The Norton-Simon hypothesis suggests that chemotherapy efficacy can be enhanced by decreasing intervals between cycles. We previously reported on the high activity of TCF-dd in GEC (Tomasello 2010). The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy and safety of this intensified dose-dense regimen in a single-center large cohort of patients (pts). Methods: 150 pts with measurable or evaluable GEC, PS 0-2, with adequate organ function, treated in our center from 2004 to 2012 received TCF-dd: Docetaxel (60-85 mg/m2 d 1), Cisplatin (50-75 mg/m2 d 1), l-Folinic Acid (100 mg/m2 d 1-2), 5-FU (400 mg/m2 bolus d 1-2, and 600 mg/m2 as a 22 h continuous infusion d 1-2), plus Pegfilgrastim 6 mg d 3, every 14 days. Pts aged ≥ 65 years received the same schedule with a dose reduction by 30%. Analysis was based on the intention to treat population. Results: At a median follow-up of 44 months, 128 pts were evaluable for response, all for survival. Median age 65 (range 31-81), M:F 112:38. 17 pts (11%) with locally advanced inoperable GEC, 133 pts (89%) with metastatic GEC. Metastatic sites: liver 40%, peritoneum 31%, bone 14%, lung 12%. A median of 4 cycles (range 1-7) per patient was administered. 33% required a dose reduction. 33% were treated without any delay. 10 CR, 74 PR, 24 SD and 20 PD were observed, for an ORR of 66% (95% CI 57-74). Median OS was 13 months (95% CI 9.7-14.2). Most frequent grade 3/4 toxicities: neutropenia (34%), asthenia (28%), thrombocytopenia (17%), hypokalemia (16%), diarrhea (11%), febrile neutropenia (10%), anemia (9%), and stomatitis (4%). 11 pts (7%) [7 metastatic, 4 locally advanced] became operable after TCF-dd and underwent surgery. We identified 12 metastatic pts (8%) with overall survival > 3 years and 7 (5%) still maintaining a long lasting CR at the time of the current analysis. Conclusions: TCF-dd in GEC is very active and may be an option for conversion therapy. Toxicity can be relevant and requires a careful monitoring.