Advanced cancer patients with good performance status (PS) sometimes show poor prognosis despite receiving some chemotherapies. We evaluated prognosis of chemo-naïve advanced biliary tract cancer (ABTC) patients with good PS by Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS). Sixty-two patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group PS 0 or 1 were retrospectively analyzed, using multivariate Cox regression. GPS was defined with serum levels of two parameters, albumin >3.5 g/dl and C-reactive protein <1.0 mg/dl (both as 0, either as 1, and neither as 2). PS 0 (n = 32) and 1 (n = 30) patients had similar survival (P = 0.98). The median overall survival (OS) was 17.0 months for GPS 0 (n = 19), 14.2 months for GPS 1 (n = 17), and 6.4 months for GPS 2 (n = 26). GPS 2 had significantly shorter OS than GPS 0 (P = 0.002) or 1 (P = 0.033). Multivariate analysis identified two independent prognostic factors: GPS (hazard ratio 0.60, 95 % confidence interval 0.40-0.90, P = 0.012) and liver metastasis (hazard ratio 0.43, 95 % CI 0.20-0.90, P = 0.026). GPS was useful for chemo-naïve ABTC patients with good PS.

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The efficacy of bevacizumab combined with infusional 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV) plus irinotecan (FOLFIRI) as the second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has not been fully clarified, although bevacizumab combined with infusional 5-FU/LV plus oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) in the second-line setting has demonstrated a survival benefit. We investigated the efficacy of bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI in mCRC patients who failed oxaliplatin-containing regimens without bevacizumab. Patients who received bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI or bevacizumab plus FOLFOX as second-line chemotherapy between July 2007 and March 2008 were registered (trial registration: UMIN000001547). Patient background data and progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), response, and bevacizumab-related adverse events were prospectively collected every 6 months. A total of 195 patients were enrolled from 26 institutions. Among them, 115 patients received bevacizumab plus FOLFIRI after failure of oxaliplatin and fluoropyrimidine (FOLFIRI+BV after OX/FU group), and 45 patients received bevacizumab plus FOLFOX after failure of irinotecan and fluoropyrimidine (FOLFOX+BV after IRI/FU group). Median PFS was 8.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.7-9.9) for the FOLFIRI+BV after OX/FU group and 7.8 months (95% CI, 5.8-9.7) for the FOLFOX+BV after IRI/FU group. Median OS was 21.6 months (95% CI, 17.6-25.6) and 16.5 months (95% CI, 11.8-21.2), respectively. Overall response rates were 25 and 29%, respectively. The most common grade≥3 bevacizumab-related adverse events were hypertension (5.0%) and bleeding (3.8%). FOLFIRI+BV after OX/FU showed comparable efficacy to FOLFOX+BV after IRI/FU.

Background S-1 plus weekly split-dose cisplatin demonstrated promising results in previous phase I and II studies for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients. Methods In this randomized phase II study, the efficacy and safety of S-1 plus weekly split-dose cisplatin (SWP, S-1 daily oral dose of 80-120 mg according to body surface area on days 1-14, and cisplatin 20 mg/m 2 i.v. on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks) were compared with those of S-1 plus standard-dose cisplatin (SP) as first-line chemotherapy for AGC patients. The primary endpoint was 1-year survival rate.Results Patients were randomized into two groups: 18 in the SWP arm and 19 in the SP arm. This trial was terminated early because of low patient enrollment. The 1-year survival rate was 61 % [95 % confidence interval (CI), 36-86 %] and 53 % (95 % CI, 30-75 %) in the SWP and SP arms, respectively. However, the median survival time was 12.3 months (9.9-14.6 months) and 15.7 months (4.0-27.4 months), respectively (P = 0.064). Progressionfree survival was significantly shorter in the SWP arm than in the SP arm (P = 0.047). Toxicity tended to be milder in the SWP arm than in the SP arm. For approximately 40 % of patients in the SWP arm, cisplatin was omitted on day 8 and treatment delayed because of prolonged myelosuppression. Conclusions No clear benefits of adding cisplatin to S-1 in the SWP arm were demonstrated in this study. At this point, split-dose cisplatin combined with S-1 cannot be recommended for use in clinical practice.

588 Background: Now fluoropyrimidine plus Bmab is considered a recommendable option to the majority of elderly mCRC patients who are deemed inappropriate for the standard doublet chemotherapy with biologics. Our previous phase II study of UFT/ LV in elderly mCRC patients (≥75 years old) had demonstrated acceptable safety and efficacy (overall response rate [ORR] 33%, progression-free survival [PFS] 5.3 months, overall survival [OS] 18 months). The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of Bmab in combination with UFT/LV for elderly mCRC patients. Methods: This study was designed as a single-arm, open-label, multicenter, cooperative group (SGOSG-TCTG) clinical trial (trial registration: UMIN000003515). Key eligibility criteria included age ≥75 years, ECOG performance status (PS) 0 or 1, first-line chemotherapy, measurable lesions, and preserved organ functions. Patients received UFT 300mg/m2/day and LV 75mg/body/day on days 1-21 followed by 7 days rest, and intravenous administration of Bmab 5mg/kg on days 1 and 15. Treatment repeated every 28 days. The primary endpoint was PFS, and secondary endpoints were ORR, OS, and safety. Results: A total of 55 patients were enrolled from 15 institutions between Aug 2008 and Mar 2012. Among them, 52 eligible patients were evaluated. Median age was 80 years (range: 75-87). ECOG PS 0 was 73%. Median PFS was 8.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.2-10.3, events in 86.5%). Confirmed ORR was 40.4% (95% CI, 27.0-54.9%). Median OS was 18.7 months (95% CI, 10.3-27.0, events in 48%). The most common grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events were hypertension (11.5%), fatigue (7.7%), nausea (5.8%), and diarrhea (5.8%). The treatment-related death occurred in 2 (3.8%) patients. Main reasons for discontinuation of treatment were disease-progression (62.5%) and toxicity (27.1%). Conclusions: Bmab in combination with UFT/LV is tolerable and effective treatment option for elderly patients (≥75 years old) with mCRC. Further trial with Bmab plus UFT/LV targeting elderly mCRC patients would be warranted. Clinical trial information: 000003515.