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Biomedical subjects

S Faivre

Publications and source records attributed to S Faivre.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of the camptothecin analog DX-8951f administered as a 30-minute infusion every 3 weeks in patients with advanced cancer.

PURPOSE: DX-8951f is a totally synthetic derivative of camptothecin with greater cytotoxicity and more potent topoisomerase I inhibition than SN-38, topotecan, and camptothecin in preclinical studies. This phase I study aimed to describe the toxicity and to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and pharmacokinetics of DX-8951f given as a 30-minute intravenous infusion every 3 weeks. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with refractory solid malignancies were treated with DX-8951f at dose levels ranging from 4 to 7.1 mg/m(2). All but one patient had received previous chemotherapy, and eight patients were considered heavily pretreated. Total DX-8951f plasma concentrations were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: Thirty-six cycles of DX-8951f were administered. Neutropenia was the dose-limiting toxicity, and it was dose-related, reversible, and noncumulative. Other toxicities included nausea and vomiting, alopecia, asthenia, fever, and anemia. Grade 1 or 2 diarrhea was observed in seven patients but was transient and resolved without requiring treatment. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that DX-8951f had a half-life of 7.15 hours and a clearance rate of 1.65 L/h.m(2). The DX-8951f area under the plasma-concentration curve increased linearly with the dose. We defined the MTD of DX-8951f administered as a 30-minute intravenous infusion every 3 weeks as 7.1 mg/m(2). CONCLUSION: The dose-limiting toxicity of DX-8951f is neutropenia. The recommended dose for phase II studies is 5.33 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks in patients previously treated with chemotherapy.

Adult↗

A dose-finding study of gemcitabine and vinorelbine in advanced previously treated malignancies.

PURPOSE: Gemcitabine and vinorelbine are active drugs with broad spectrum of activity and manageable toxicity in clinical trials. The aims of this study were to describe the toxicity, to determine the dose-limiting toxicity, and to define the doses of gemcitabine and vinorelbine to be recommended for phase II studies in patients with advanced cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Drugs were given as 30-min infusions on day 1 and 8 (vinorelbine before gemcitabine) every 3 weeks. Thirty-six patients (male:female ratio 25:11; mean age 54, PS > 60) were treated including 1 retroperitoneal sarcoma, 7 head and neck, 10 lung, 4 thyroid, 6 pancreatic, 1 bladder, 2 ovary, 2 gastric, 1 rectum, 1 unknown primary, and 1 renal cell carcinoma. Doses of gemcitabine/vinorelbine ranged from 800/20 mg/m2 to 1500/30 mg/m2. RESULTS: The dose-limiting toxicity was neutropenia. A transient grade 2-3 elevation of transaminases was frequently observed at several dose-levels, although this toxicity did not appear to be dose dependant and was reversible at day 21 before the next cycle. Other toxicities were mild and easily manageable, consisting of fatigue and flu-like syndromes. Since the MTD was not reach at the higher dose-level, the recommended dose level of the gemcitabine-vinorelbine combination was 1500/30 mg/m2. One toxic death due to hematologic toxicity was reported in a heavily pretreated patient who underwent prior chemotherapy and pelvic radiotherapy. A total of 12 patients were treated at the recommended dose level which was associated with grade 3-4 neutropenia in 3 of 12 patients and in 22.9% of cycles. CONCLUSIONS: This study estimates that the recommended dose for phase II studies of gemcitabine-vinorelbine is 1500/30 mg/m2 at day 1 and 8 every three weeks. A careful monitoring of the hematologic toxicity is recommended in heavily pretreated patients and in patients who received pelvic radiotherapy. Partial responses observed in a patient with an advanced cisplatin-5-fluorouracil-resistant pancreatic adenocarcinoma and in a patient with mesothelioma support further evaluation of this combination in patients with tumors refractory to classical antitumor agents.

Adult↗

Oxaliplatin-induced damage of cellular DNA.

Damage to cellular DNA is believed to determine the antiproliferative properties of platinum (Pt) drugs. This study characterized DNA damage by oxaliplatin, a diaminocyclohexane Pt drug with clinical antitumor activity. Compared with cisplatin, oxaliplatin formed significantly fewer Pt-DNA adducts (e.g., 0.86+/-0.04 versus 1.36+/- 0.01 adducts/10(6) base pairs/10 microM drug/1 h, respectively, in CEM cells, P<.01). Oxaliplatin was found to induce potentially lethal bifunctional lesions, such as interstrand DNA cross-links (ISC) and DNA-protein cross-links (DPC) in CEM cells. As with total adducts, however, oxaliplatin produced fewer (P<.05) bifunctional lesions than did cisplatin: 0.7+/-0.2 and 1.8+/-0.3 ISC and 0.8+/-0.1 and 1.5+/-0.3 DPC/10(6) base pairs/10 microM drug, respectively, after a 4-h treatment. Extended postincubation (up to 12 h) did not compensate the lower DPC and ISC levels by oxaliplatin. ISC and DPC determinations in isolated CEM nuclei unequivocally verified that oxaliplatin is inherently less able than cisplatin to form these lesions. Reactivation of drug-treated plasmids, observed in four cell lines, suggests that oxaliplatin adducts are repaired with similar kinetics as cisplatin adducts. Oxaliplatin, however, was more efficient than cisplatin per equal number of DNA adducts in inhibiting DNA chain elongation ( approximately 7-fold in CEM cells). Despite lower DNA reactivity, oxaliplatin exhibited similar or greater cytotoxicity in several other human tumor cell lines (50% growth inhibition in CEM cells at 1.1/1.2 microM, respectively). The results demonstrate that oxaliplatin-induced DNA lesions, including ISC and DPC, are likely to contribute to the drug's biological properties. However, oxaliplatin requires fewer DNA lesions than does cisplatin to achieve cell growth inhibition.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Factors predicting for efficacy and safety of docetaxel in a compassionate-use cohort of 825 heavily pretreated advanced breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: To identify predictive factors for efficacy and safety in advanced breast cancer (ABC) patients treated in the French compassionate-use docetaxel program. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 825 ABC patients treated with docetaxel (100 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks) were source-reviewed and analyzed for prognostic factors associated with overall response rate (ORR), time to treatment failure (TTF), overall survival (OS), febrile neutropenia, mucositis, and severe fluid retention syndrome by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The ORR was 22.9% (95% confidence interval, 20.2% to 26.2%). The median TTF and OS were 4.0 and 9.8 months, respectively. By multivariate analysis, secondary anthracycline-resistant disease was significantly associated (P <. 05) with lower ORR and shorter TTF and OS, whereas anthracycline-refractory disease was associated with shorter OS. Poor performance status was associated with lower ORR, shorter TTF, and shorter OS. Liver dysfunction (transaminase levels > 1.5 times the upper limit of normal [ULN] and alkaline phosphatase [AP] level > three times ULN) and time since first relapse less than 24 months were associated with shorter TTF and OS. Other significant correlations included the following: elevated CA 15-3 serum level with lower ORR; more than two involved sites, and minor transaminase and AP level abnormalities with shorter OS; and no previous chemotherapy for ABC with shorter TTF. According to multivariate analysis, ORR, TTF, and OS were not decreased in patients with liver metastases but without liver dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Docetaxel activity was maintained in heavily pretreated ABC patients and in those with liver metastasis; docetaxel must be used cautiously, however, in patients with liver dysfunction in whom high morbidity risk necessitates strict adherence to dose-adaptation guidelines.

Anthracyclines↗

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase as a target for anticancer therapy.

Increasing knowledge of the structure and function of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) subfamily of tyrosine kinases and of their role in the initiation and progression of various cancers has, in recent years, provided the impetus for a substantial research effort aimed at developing new anticancer therapies that target specific components of the EGFR signal transduction pathway. Selective compounds have been developed that target either the extracellular ligand-binding region of the EGFR or the intracellular tyrosine kinase region, resulting in interference with the signalling pathways that modulate mitogenic and other cancer-promoting responses (e.g. cell motility, cell adhesion, invasion and angiogenesis). Potential new anticancer agents that target the extracellular ligand-binding region of the receptor include a number of monoclonal antibodies, immunotoxins and ligand-binding cytotoxic agents. Agents that target the intracellular tyrosine kinase region include small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), which act by interfering with ATP binding to the receptor, and various other compounds that act at substrate-binding regions or downstream components of the signalling pathway. Currently, the most advanced of the newer therapies undergoing clinical development are antireceptor monoclonal antibodies (e.g. trastuzumab and cetuximab) and a number of small molecule EGFR-TKIs principally of the quinazoline and pyrazolo-pyrrolo-pyridopyrimidine inhibitor structural classes. The latter group of compounds offers several advantages in cancer chemotherapy, including the possibility of inhibiting specific deregulated pathways in cancer cells while having minimal effects on normal cell function. They also have favourable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and low toxicity, and some TKIs such as the reversible inhibitor ZD1839 ('Iressa') are now undergoing phase II to III clinical trials. In addition, the accumulation of evidence from laboratory studies strongly suggests that EGFR-selective TKIs will have synergistic effects with other antitumour agents or therapy such as cytostatic agents, conventional cytotoxic drugs and radiotherapy. As our knowledge of signal transduction pathways in cancer increases, it is hoped that further advances in this area will allow the therapeutic potential of these compounds as anticancer agents to be realised.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

[Epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck: contribution of chemotherapy in case of recurrence and locally advanced disease. Review of the literature].

Epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck accounts for 10% of all cancers. At diagnosis, 60% of patients have a locally advanced disease, leading to high mortality and major functional handicaps. Chemotherapy has been shown to be active in patients presenting metastatic and/or locoregional recurrence, with 20 to 30% response rates, although no clearly established survival benefit has been demonstrated. Combining chemotherapy with surgery and/or radiotherapy has become possible with the development of new drugs and has recently led to major changes in management protocols for locally advanced epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck. Therapeutic gain has been focalized on improving locoregional control, decreasing metastatic spread, and on the concept of an organ conservation strategy with schedules including chemotherapy as an inducing, concomitant, or alternating treatment with radiotherapy. Although many agents have demonstrated their efficacy, the role of chemotherapy in epidermoid carcinoma of the head and neck is not totally defined. The aim of treatment in metastatic and/or locoregional recurrent disease is palliative care. Regimens associating cisplatinum give a high response rate in patients previously untreated, without any real benefit in terms of survival. An evaluation of the activity of new agents with novel modes of action is currently under way. In locally advanced disease, concomitant chemotherapy with radiotherapy seems to give a minimal but real benefit as evidenced in the different meta-analyses recently published.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

[Zd 1839 "Iressa"].

ZD 1839 is a highly specific EGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Inhibition of EGF receptor transphosphorylation by ZD 1839 blocks the signal transduction at the first step, thus providing antiproliferative effects. Preclinical studies demonstrated efficacy and good bioavailability. The terminal half-life of the compound in patients is ranging from 27 to 41 hours, allowing single oral dosing. Tolerance in healthy volunteers was excellent. In phase I studies, toxicity was manageable. Most common side effects were skin rash, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. During those studies, clinical responses were observed in patients with various malignant tumors, in particular non small cell lung cancer. Phase II and III studies are ongoing.

Administration, Oral↗

Supraadditive effect of 2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine (gemcitabine) in combination with oxaliplatin in human cancer cell lines.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the cytotoxic effects of the nucleoside analog gemcitabine in combination with the diaminocyclohexane platinum compound oxaliplatin. METHODS: Growth inhibition studies were performed using the human CEM leukemia cell line and the colon-cancer cell lines HCT 116 and Colo 320 DM. Gemcitabine-oxaliplatin combinations were compared with gemcitabine-cisplatin combinations in the same cell lines using similar experimental settings. Cells were exposed for 2 h to gemcitabine and then for 24 h to oxaliplatin or cisplatin, and vice versa. RESULTS: The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50 values) in single-drug experiments using 2 h of exposure to gemcitabine and 24 h of exposure to oxaliplatin or cisplatin were, respectively, 89 pM, 11.1 microM, and 10.3 microM for CEM cells; 46 pM, 10.2 microM, and 2.7 microM for HCT 116 cells; and 102 pM, 4.6 microM, and 8.6 microM for Colo 320 DM cells. Gemcitabine-oxaliplatin combinations displayed supraadditive effects in human leukemia and colon-cancer cell lines. The sequence of gemcitabine followed by oxaliplatin was more effective than the opposite sequence in HCT 116 and Colo 320 DM colon-cancer cell lines, whereas the sequence of oxaliplatin followed by gemcitabine yielded to synergistic effects in CEM cells. The cytotoxic effects of gemcitabine-oxaliplatin combinations were better than (HCT 116 cells) or equal to (CEM and Colo 320 DM cells) those of gemcitabine-cisplatin combinations. CONCLUSION: Our data show that the combination of gemcitabine with oxaliplatin exerts potent antiproliferative effects in human leukemia and colon cancer cells, warranting further investigations in the framework of phase I-II trials as an alternative for the treatment of solid malignancies.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Oxaliplatin and paclitaxel combination in patients with platinum-pretreated ovarian carcinoma: an investigator-originated compassionate-use experience.

PURPOSE: Compassionate-use oxaliplatin paclitaxel was assessed for toxicity and efficacy according to clinical platinum resistance status in cisplatin-carboplatin-pretreated advanced ovarian cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-seven patients, retrospectively grouped into four oxaliplatin-paclitaxel dose levels (mg/m2): (DL1: 100/135; DL2: 130-135/135; DL3: 100/160-175; DL4: 130-135/160-175), received oxaliplatin and paclitaxel every three to four weeks. RESULTS: Thirty-one of thirty-seven treated patients were evaluable for activity, with 1 complete and 14 partial responses, (objective response rate: 48%, 95% CI: 31-66). Of 18 platinum-resistant patients 6 responded, and of 13 platinum-sensitive patients, 9 responded. One patient (3%) had two febrile neutropenia episodes, and eight (22%) and eleven patients (30%) had grades 3 and 4 neutropenia, respectively. Six patients (16%) experienced grade 3 peripheral neuropathy. The median response duration was 10.8 months, with a 23-month (range 8-54) median follow-up. Median progression-free and overall survivals were 9 months (95% CI: 7-12), and 25.2 months (95% CI: 12-39), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The antitumour activity of oxaliplatin-paclitaxel in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients accords with experimental data on the agents' lack of cross-resistance. Time-related progression parameters confirm it as a promising salvage treatment option.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

A risk-benefit assessment of amifostine in cytoprotection.

Recent advances in chemotherapy have focused on the benefit of high dose regimens, increasing the dose intensity of conventional chemotherapy and using intensified chemotherapy with or without autologous bone marrow rescue. Dose intensity usually increases objective response rates of antineoplastic drugs and might, in some circumstances, improves survival. However, unacceptable acute and/or cumulative toxicity often impairs the proper management of patients, leading to dose reduction or treatment delay, thus reducing the efficacy and potentially the quality of life of patients. Therefore, considerable efforts have been made to manage, to prevent, and to delay many acute and cumulative treatment-related toxicities. Amifostine (WR-2721 ) is a multiorgan cytoprotector which has demonstrated cytoprotective effects, in vitro and in vivo, against the most common cytotoxic drug-related toxicities and against radiation-induced adverse effects in healthy tissues. In vitro and in vivo, cytoprotection was observed in several organs including kidney, haematopoietic stem cells, myocardial cells, neural cells, and mucosa, without detectable protection of malignant cells. In addition, in preclinical studies, amifostine appeared to be able to reduce the risk of radiation-induced secondary neoplasms. Phase I studies showed that nausea/vomiting and hypotension are the dose-limiting toxicities of amifostine and these may be controlled by reducing the duration of injection of amifostine. Phase II and randomised studies have confirmed the efficacy of amifostine in protecting against radiotherapy-induced mucositis, cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity, cyclophosphamide-induced neutropenia and carboplatin-induced thrombocytopenia. Importantly, the cytoprotection of healthy tissues occurred without any significant deleterious effect on response rate, time to progression, and survival of patients receiving amifostine. However, in addition to the potential quality of life benefit, the most important question of whether the use of a cytoprotective agent might translate into the possibility of maintaining the dose intensity of anticancer therapies has still to be answered. The real benefit of amifostine in the overall management of patients with cancer requires additional studies to determine whether this chemoprotective approach can be of benefit to patients by increasing response rate, time to progression, and long term survival in patients receiving the more recent combination therapies involving new drugs such as the taxanes and oxaliplatin.

Amifostine↗

Activity of oxaliplatin against human tumor colony-forming units.

This study was conducted to identify tumor types warranting Phase II clinical trials of oxaliplatin using the human tumor cloning assay. Oxaliplatin was tested at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 50.0 microg/ml in 1-h and 14-day continuous exposures along with 1.4 microg/ml carboplatin and 0.2 microg/ml cisplatin for comparison. We defined in vitro response as tumor growth inhibition >50% of control. In the 1-h exposure schedule, in vitro responses were observed in 9 of 116 (8%), 18 of 115 (16%), 38 of 103 (37%), and 7 of 13 (54%) tumor specimens at concentrations of 0.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 50.0 microg/ml oxaliplatin, respectively. In the 14-day exposure schedule, in vitro responses were observed in 10 of 121 (8%), 37 of 121 (31%), 57 of 106 (54%), and 15 of 15 (100%) tumor specimens at concentrations of 0.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 50.0 microg/ml oxaliplatin, respectively. Activity was observed against colon cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, and melanoma colony-forming units. In both cisplatin-resistant and cisplatin-sensitive tumors, the activity of oxaliplatin was concentration and time dependent. A 1-h exposure to 5.0 and 10.0 microg/ml oxaliplatin led to 7.4 and 23.4% in vitro responses, respectively, in specimens resistant to 1-h exposure of 0.2 microg/ml cisplatin. Moreover, 1-h exposures to 5.0 microg/ml and 10.0 microg/ml oxaliplatin showed in vitro antitumor responses in 10.2 and 24.3%, 17.2 and 34.5%, 10.0 and 20.0%, 6.7 and 16.7%, and 11.4 and 34.3% of specimens resistant to 1.4 microg/ml carboplatin, 6.0 microg/ml 5-fluorouracil, 3.0 microg/ml irinotecan, 10.0 microg/ml paclitaxel, and 0.04 microg/ml doxorubicin, respectively. The effect in those drug-resistant specimens was improved when oxaliplatin was used on the protracted exposure regimen. Our data indicate that oxaliplatin is an active drug in vitro against a large variety of human tumors. Both concentration and duration of exposure are important factors for oxaliplatin cytotoxicity. The broad spectrum of activity and the in vitro activity against some tumors primarily resistant to conventional anticancer drugs encourage further clinical investigations of oxaliplatin in patients with advanced cancer refractory to conventional chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Oxaliplatin: mechanism of action and antineoplastic activity.

Oxaliplatin, a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent with a 1,2-diaminocyclohexane (DACH) carrier ligand, has shown in vitro and in vivo efficacy against many tumor cell lines, including some that are resistant to cisplatin and carboplatin. The retention of the bulky DACH ring by activated oxaliplatin is thought to result in the formation of platinum-DNA adducts, which appear to be more effective at blocking DNA replication and are more cytotoxic than adducts formed from cisplatin. Studies by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have suggested that oxaliplatin has a spectrum of activity different from that of either cisplatin or carboplatin, suggesting that it has different molecular targets and/or mechanisms of resistance. Oxaliplatin has been demonstrated to differ in some mechanisms associated with the development of cisplatin resistance. Compared with cisplatin-conditioned cells, deficiencies in mismatch repair (MMR) and increases in replicative bypass, which appear to contribute to cisplatin resistance, have not been shown to induce a similar resistance to oxaliplatin. A decreased likelihood of resistance development makes oxaliplatin a good candidate for first-line therapy. Studies also demonstrate additive and/or synergistic activity with a number of other compounds, however, suggesting the possible use of oxaliplatin in combination therapies.

Animals↗

Long-term follow-up after adjuvant chemotherapy in completely resected early stage ovarian carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of standardized staging, surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy on survival of patients with completely resected early ovarian carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a multicentric retrospective analysis of 283 patients with early stage ovarian carcinoma consecutively treated between 1977 and 1993. Borderline tumours were excluded. A comprehensive staging was performed during initial laparotomy. Patients were treated by standardized surgical resection and all excepted stage IA received a 6-course adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: Eighty patients were excluded because of incorrect substaging, inadequate surgery and adjuvant therapy. The analysis was performed on 203 patients with completely resected early stage ovarian cancer (139, stage I; 64, stage II). Relapse-free survival and overall survival rates for stage I were 66 and 69%, respectively. Relapse-free survival and overall survival rates for stage II were 57 and 61% respectively. Median time of relapse was 18 months (range, 1-107 months). Sites of relapse were peritoneum (45%), retroperitoneal lymph nodes (37%) and distant metastases (18%). Relapses occurring within 18 months had a median survival after relapse of 9 months while later relapses had a median survival of 22 months (P = 0.005). There was no significant difference in relapse-free and overall survival according to the age, performance status and pathology. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy improved the 10-year overall survival of patients with stage IIB and IIC as compared to chemotherapy without cisplatin (oral melphalan. CMF regimen); 91 vs. 33% (P = 0.012) and 75 vs. 42% (P = 0.05), respectively. Cisplatin-based regimens did not improve survival in stage IA, IB and IIA. CONCLUSIONS: Early ovarian cancers have a good prognosis after comprehensive staging, complete surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Cisplatin-based regimens compared to melphalan and CMF showed a significant increase of survival in stage IIB and IIC. Prognosis of relapse depends on the relapse-free interval duration.

Adult↗

Effects of prolonged versus short-term exposure paclitaxel (Taxol) on human tumor colony-forming units.

Paclitaxel shows a broad clinical activity in ovarian, breast and non-small cell lung cancers. However, controversy remains about the respective effects of doses and schedules in paclitaxel cytotoxicity. This study was conducted to compare the cytotoxic activity of short-term (1 h) versus prolonged exposure (14 days) to paclitaxel in human cancer cells. A soft-agar cloning system assay was used to determine the in vitro effects of 0.025-25.0 microg/ml paclitaxel against cancer cells taken directly from patients. A decrease in tumor colony formation resulting from drug exposure was considered an in vitro response if survival of colonies was up to 50% of that in positive controls. Among 11 evaluable patients' biopsies, both short- and long-term exposure to paclitaxel had significant concentration-dependent effects on the growth inhibition of human cancer cells. With the 1 h exposure schedule, in vitro responses were observed in 9,18 and 64% of evaluable tumor specimens at final concentrations of 0.25, 2.5 and 25.0 microg/ml, respectively. With the prolonged exposure schedule, concentrations of 0.25, 2.5 and 25.0 microg/ml induced 27, 45 and 91 in vitro response rates, respectively. In those patients' biopsies prolonged exposure to paclitaxel induced significantly more in vitro tumor responses than 1 h administration (p < 0.01). Similar trends were observed in ovarian, breast and non-small cell lung cancers. Our data indicate that the duration of exposure to paclitaxel is an important factor in paclitaxel cytotoxicity in human tumors and suggest that long-term exposure may improve the antitumor activity of paclitaxel.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗