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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Ivonescimab plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated non-small-cell lung cancer after disease progression on EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy (HARMONi): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Ivonescimab has shown clinical efficacy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of ivonescimab plus chemotherapy versus placebo plus chemotherapy in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC whose disease progressed after third-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. METHODS: HARMONi is a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, phase 3 trial done at 114 cancer centres and hospitals across Asia, Europe, and North America. Eligible patients were aged at least 18 years (upper limit: 75 years in Asia) with stage IIIB/IIIC or IV non-squamous EGFR-mutated NSCLC, disease progression after treatment with a third-generation EGFR-TKI, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0 or 1. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) via a centralised interactive voice response system or interactive web response system to receive ivonescimab (20 mg/kg) or placebo plus pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) and carboplatin (target area under the curve 5 mg/mL per min) intravenously every 3 weeks. Randomisation was stratified by brain metastases status at enrolment and geographical region. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival by blinded independent radiology review committee and overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in patients who received at least one dose of trial treatment. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06396065), has completed enrolment, and is ongoing for treatment and follow-up. FINDINGS: From Jan 25, 2022, to Oct 1, 2024, 660 individuals were screened for eligibility; of these, 438 were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive ivonescimab plus chemotherapy or placebo plus chemotherapy (219 per group). Of enrolled patients, 257 (59%) were female and 181 (41%) were male; 306 (70%) reported race as Asian, and 105 (24%) as White. At a median follow-up of 22·3 months (95% CI 21·5-23·0), 275 progression or death events had occurred in 345 patients (129 events among 172 patients in the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy group and 146 events among 173 patients in the placebo plus chemotherapy group). Median progression-free survival was 6·8 months (95% CI 5·7-7·1) in the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy group versus 4·4 months (4·1-5·5) in the placebo plus chemotherapy group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·52; 95% CI 0·41-0·66; p<0·0001). At a median follow-up of 29·7 months (95% CI 27·7-31·0), 262 deaths occurred in 438 patients (122 in the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy group and 140 in the placebo plus chemotherapy group). Median overall survival was 16·8 months (14·3-19·0) in the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy group versus 14·0 months (12·8-15·7) in the placebo plus chemotherapy group (HR 0·79; 0·62-1·01). The most common grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events in the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy versus the placebo plus chemotherapy group were decreased neutrophil count (42 [19%] of 218 vs 36 [17%] of 218), decreased white blood cell count (28 [13%] vs 24 [11%]), decreased platelet count (27 [12%] vs 14 [6%]), and anaemia (22 [10%] vs 27 [12%]). Serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in 61 (28%) patients in the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy group and 33 (15%) patients in the placebo plus chemotherapy group. Treatment-related adverse events led to death in four patients (disease progression, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and hepatic failure, each in one patient; gastrointestinal haemorrhage and pulmonary embolism in one patient) in the ivonescimab plus chemotherapy group and five patients (pneumonitis, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, cognitive disorder, and embolic stroke, each in one patient) in the placebo plus chemotherapy group. INTERPRETATION: Ivonescimab plus chemotherapy showed a clinically meaningful and statistically significant progression-free survival benefit in patients with EGFR-mutated NSCLC after progression on EGFR-TKI therapy. The clinical benefit and lack of new safety signals of ivonescimab with chemotherapy support the potential for the combination as a new treatment option in this patient population. FUNDING: Summit Therapeutics.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Older adults with resectable gastric cancer undergoing perioperative chemotherapy or preoperative chemoradiotherapy plus perioperative chemotherapy: A secondary analysis of the AGITG TOPGEAR phase III trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate treatment adherence, adverse events, and survival in older (≥70 years) adults undergoing perioperative treatment for gastric cancer. METHODS: Patients with resectable gastric/gastro-esophageal junction adenocarcinoma (ECOG 0-1) enrolled in the phase III TOPGEAR trial were randomized to perioperative chemotherapy (ECF/ECX or FLOT) alone or perioperative chemotherapy plus preoperative chemoradiotherapy (45 Gy in 25 fractions with concurrent fluoropyrimidine). In this exploratory analysis, treatment completion, grade ≥ 3 adverse events (CTCAE v3.0), surgical outcomes, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were compared between older and younger adults. RESULTS: Of the 574 patients enrolled, 135 (24%) were ≥ 70 years. Older adults more frequently required preoperative chemotherapy dose reductions, omissions, or delays (chemoradiotherapy: 55% vs 35%, p = 0.004; chemotherapy: 60% vs 48%, p = 0.087). Rates of grade ≥ 3 adverse events were comparable between older and younger patients (chemoradiotherapy: 66% vs 67%, p = 0.874; chemotherapy: 68% vs 59%, p = 0.220), but older adults more often had hematologic toxicity and grade ≥ 3 diarrhea in the chemotherapy group (56% vs 37%, p = 0.006; 21% vs 6%, p < 0.001). Resection rates, grade 3/4 surgical complications, number of removed lymph nodes, and 30-/90-day mortality were similar by age. OS and PFS were comparable across age groups, with numerically favorable outcomes for older adults (OS: HR 0.86, 95% CI 0.58-1.26 [chemoradiotherapy]; HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.51-1.11 [chemotherapy]; PFS: HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.53-1.15 [chemoradiotherapy]; HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.47-1.03 [chemotherapy]). CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with gastric cancer achieved comparable oncologic outcomes to younger patients, despite more frequent treatment modifications and higher hematologic toxicity.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Early Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy With Fluorouracil, Epirubicin, Cyclophosphamide Followed by Docetaxel Versus an Anthracycline-Free Regimen With Docetaxel, Cyclophosphamide-Results From a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remains an important side effect despite new antiemetic drugs. This study tried to understand the occurrence of CINV in patients receiving two different chemotherapy regimens. As part of the randomized controlled clinical trial SUCCESS C (NCT00847444), 1582 of the 3463 patients completed CINV diaries. Patients were randomized to receive either chemotherapy with FEC (5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel) or TC (docetaxel, cyclophosphamide). CINV was evaluated hourly using a specially designed questionnaire. Endpoints of the study were complete response (no emesis) and total control (no nausea and no emesis) and were assessed with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analyses over three chemotherapy cycles. Eight hundred fourteen patients received FEC and 768 received TC; patients and tumor characteristics were similar in both groups. Patients receiving FEC had significantly more nausea and vomiting, with the main difference in the first 12 h. In the first cycle, the 0-12-h nausea/emesis-free rates were 70%/41% for FEC and 91/76% for TC. By 24 h after chemotherapy, the rates were 65%/33% (FEC) and 85%/60% (TC). The differences were similar in cycles 2 and 3. The detailed analysis of CINV in the study is unique and paves the way for modern CINV analysis of new therapeutics such as antibody-drug conjugates.

Adult↗

PubMed1978

Adjuvant chemotherapy in large-bowel cancer: demonstration of effectiveness of single agent chemotherapy in a prospectively controlled,, randomized trial.

In a prospectively randomized study, the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy with 5-FU on survival and recurrence rates was analyzed in 299 evaluable patients with colorectal carcinoma who either underwent a curative or a palliative resection. In the treatment group, chemotherapy consisted of the intravenous administration of 12 mg/kg daily of 5-FU for 4 consecutive days, then 6 mg/kg on alternate days, to the point of toxicity, or to a maximum of five doses, followed by 12mg/kg weekly for 1 year. Some degree of drug toxicity was seen in the majority of patients, was rarely severe, and there have been no drug-related deaths. Analysis of the survival curves and disease-free interval curves reveal definite evidence of drug benefit in two unfavorable subgroups, namely patients with Dukes C tumors and in patients whose tumor was located in the rectum. In the chemotherapy groups, patients who were treated to toxicity (WBC less than 4000 mm3), the disease-free interval was significantly longer than the nonleukopenic patients. We conclude that the addition of 5-FU to the surgical treatment of colorectal carcinoma provides a small, but significant benefit in patients with colorectal cancer in certain unfavorable subgroups, namely patients with Dukes C lesions and patients with rectal carcinoma.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Treatment of metastatic nonseminomatous testicular cancer: a preliminary report of induction chemotherapy followed by maintenance chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Patients with metastatic nonseminomatous testicular cancer received an induction regimen consisting of bleomycin in 24-hour infusions and bolus iv doses of vinblastine followed by an Adriamycin and cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) combination. Patients achieving complete remission after one or two cycles of this induction chemotherapy were then randomized to receive either radiotherapy (RT) to the previously involved tumor areas or maintenance chemotherapy (MCT) with CCNU, methotrexate, and vinblastine for 2 years. Among 62 evaluable patients, induction chemotherapy achieved 15 (24%) partial remissions and 35 (56%) complete remissions. Two patients with partial remission and single pulmonary metastases were rendered disease-free by surgical resection of residual tumor. Twenty patients received MCT and 15 received RT. To date, median survival is 10,8+ months in the MCT group with five relapses and 12.5 months in the RT group with two relapses. Toxicity in the induction phase was moderately severe with two drug-related deaths.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed1979

[Short course chemotherapy for pulmonary tuberculosis with duration for 6 months after sputum negative conversion. (Report 1)--Report of the 19--20th A series of controlled trial of chemotherapy--(author's transl)].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2025

MammaPrint predicts chemotherapy benefit in HR+HER2- early breast cancer: FLEX Registry real-world data.

BACKGROUND: Gene expression assays help personalize adjuvant chemotherapy decisions for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative (HR+HER2-) early breast cancer (EBC). The 70-gene risk of distant-recurrence signature, MammaPrint, demonstrated clinical utility in guiding chemotherapy de-escalation in genomically low risk patients in the MINDACT trial. This study evaluates MammaPrint as a continuous predictor of chemotherapy benefit in HR+HER2- EBC using real-world data (RWD) from the FLEX Registry. METHODS: The study evaluated 1002 patients treated with endocrine therapy (ET) only or ET with chemotherapy (ET+CT) enrolled in FLEX (NCT03053193) with 5-year median follow-up. Propensity-score matching balanced treatment groups by menopausal status, T-stage, and nodal status. The primary endpoint was distant recurrence-free interval (DRFI). Regression and Cox proportional hazards models assessed chemotherapy benefit across MammaPrint Index (MPI) risk. RESULTS: Most patients were postmenopausal (70.1%), node-negative (70.0%), and had grade 2 tumors (51.2%). The regression models showed that MPI strongly predicted 5-year DRFI in ET only (R2 = 0.99, P < .001) and ET + CT (R2 = 0.90, P < .001) groups, corresponding to an average absolute chemotherapy benefit of 5.6% in High 1 and 10.9% in High 2. Minimal improvement in DRFI with chemotherapy was observed for Low (1.7%) and UltraLow (<1.0%) risk groups. A multivariate Cox model with an MPI-by-treatment interaction term demonstrated that increasing MPI risk was associated with greater chemotherapy benefit on DRFI (HR = 0.15, P = .047). Chemotherapy benefit was significantly associated with premenopausal status, but not age, T-stage, nodal status, or grade. CONCLUSIONS: These RWD from the FLEX Registry demonstrate that MPI is predictive of both DRFI prognosis and chemotherapy benefit in HR+HER2- EBC. (NCT03053193).

Adult↗

PubMed2026

Adjuvant alectinib versus chemotherapy in resected ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (ALINA): health-related quality-of-life and safety outcomes from a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: For patients with resected, ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), adjuvant alectinib significantly improved disease-free survival versus platinum-based chemotherapy in the global, phase 3, open-label, randomised ALINA trial. We report safety and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) outcomes from the ALINA trial. METHODS: Eligible patients aged 18 years or older with resected, ALK-positive, stage IB (≥4 cm)-IIIA NSCLC (per the American Joint Committee on Cancer and the Union for International Cancer Control Cancer Staging Manual 7th edition) and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-1 were randomly assigned (1:1) via a block-stratified randomisation method to receive oral alectinib (600 mg twice daily) for 24 months or intravenous platinum-based chemotherapy for four 3-week cycles. Randomisation was stratified according to disease stage and race. The primary endpoint, previously reported, was disease-free survival. Safety was a secondary endpoint and HRQoL was an exploratory endpoint. Safety was assessed by the investigator as per the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5·0 until 28 days after the last alectinib dose or chemotherapy cycle. HRQoL was assessed via the Short-Form 36-item health survey version 2 (SF-36v2) questionnaire at baseline, every 3 weeks to week 12, then every 12 weeks until disease recurrence, consent withdrawal, death, or week 96. Norm-based scoring was applied; clinically meaningful changes were defined using the SF-36v2 manual. Safety was assessed in the safety-evaluable population and HRQoL in the intention-to-treat population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03456076) and is ongoing. FINDINGS: Between Aug 16, 2018, and Dec 8, 2021, 257 patients were assigned to receive alectinib (n=130) or chemotherapy (n=127). 123 (48%) patients were male and 134 (52%) were female; 143 (56%) were Asian. The safety-evaluable population comprised 128 patients who received alectinib and 120 patients who received chemotherapy; median duration of safety follow-up was 24·8 months (IQR 22·0-24·9) in the alectinib group and 3·7 months (IQR 3·7-3·8) in the chemotherapy group. The safety of adjuvant alectinib was generally consistent with its known profile. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were blood creatine phosphokinase increased (eight [6%] of 128), alanine aminotransferase increased (two [2%] of 128), and blood bilirubin increased (two [2%] of 128) in the alectinib group, and neutrophil count decreased (12 [10%] of 120), neutropenia (ten [8%] of 120), and nausea (five [4%] of 120) in the chemotherapy group. Serious treatment-related adverse events occurred in two (2%; one each with appendicitis and pneumonitis) of 128 patients in the alectinib group and eight (7%) of 120 patients in the chemotherapy group ( most common were gastrointestinal disorders in three [3%] patients). No deaths due to adverse events were reported in either group. There were fewer discontinuations due to adverse events with alectinib (seven [5%]) versus chemotherapy (15 [13%]). A clinically meaningful difference in improvement from baseline was seen at week 12 for bodily pain, role physical, mental health, social functioning, and vitality SF-36v2 domains with alectinib; improvements in physical and mental HRQoL were maintained over 2 years of active treatment (at week 96, mean Mental Component Summary score: 49·9 [SD 10·4]; mean Physical Component Summary score: 48·8 [SD 7·2]) and reached levels similar to the general population (population norm: 50). INTERPRETATION: For patients with resected ALK-positive NSCLC, adjuvant alectinib had a manageable safety profile; HRQoL improved and was maintained over 2 years of active treatment. Together with the disease-free survival benefit seen in ALINA, these data support adjuvant alectinib as an important new standard-of-care for patients with resected ALK-positive NSCLC. FUNDING: F Hoffmann-La Roche.

Adult↗

PubMed2026

Gut microbiome in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: effect of chemotherapy and impact on efficacy.

BACKGROUND: While evidence linking the gut microbiome (GM) to cancer immunotherapy is growing, data regarding its role in chemotherapy remains limited. This study aims to investigate the effect of chemotherapy on GM composition and its potential as a predictive biomarker for treatment outcomes in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemotherapy at Ramathibodi Hospital were prospectively enrolled. Clinical data and stool samples were collected at three time points: baseline, post-evaluation, and at progression of disease (PD). Fecal bacterial DNA was extracted, followed by PacBio Sequel II sequencing and comprehensive bioinformatic analysis. Clinical data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and predictive factors were identified using Cox-regression analysis. RESULTS: This study analyzed 54 stool samples from 27 NSCLC patients treated with platinum-doublet chemotherapy. The median PFS and OS were 5.3 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.4-8.4] and 13.8 months (95% CI: 5.2-not reached), respectively. Post-chemotherapy changes (n=20 paired samples) showed a significant decrease in microbial richness, as evidenced by reduced abundance-based coverage estimator (ACE) (P=0.02) and Chao1 (P=0.03) alpha diversity indices. Taxonomically, the relative abundance of Enterobacter was significantly decreased post-chemotherapy (P=0.03). Regarding treatment response (n=26 evaluable patients; 13 PD, 13 clinical benefit), baseline alpha diversity was not predictive of outcome. However, the relative abundance of Akkermansia was notably higher in the clinical benefit group, approaching statistical significance (P=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Chemotherapy significantly reduced GM by decreasing species richness (as measured by the ACE and Chao1 index), while species diversity (as measured by the Shannon and Simpson index) remained unchanged. Therefore, confirming the definitive role of the GM as a predictive biomarker in chemotherapy-treated NSCLC patients necessitates further investigation in a larger, more robustly powered cohort.

Gut microbiome (GM)↗

PubMed1979

Primary osteogenic sarcoma: the rationale for preoperative chemotherapy and delayed surgery.

From 1973--1975, 31 patients with biopsied primary osteogenic sarcoma were treated with preoperative chemotherapy followed by surgical ablation of the primary tumor. Surgery was delayed in order to obtain a custom-fitted prosthetic bone implant in an attempt to avoid amputation. Preoperative chemotherapy included high dose methotrexate (HDMTX) with citrovorum factor rescue (CFR) and adriamycin (T-5 protocol) and was administered for 3 months preoperatively and continued with the inclusion of cyclophosphamide for approximately 5 months postoperatively. At a follow-up period of 30--52 months, 23 of 31 patients (75%) are surviving (21 of 23 with no evidence of disease). Histologic examination of primary tumor removed at surgery revealed varying degrees of tumor destruction (from very little effect to no evidence of viable tumor) attributable to the effect of chemotherapy. The 21 patients that are disease-free survivors had a more complete effect of preoperative chemotherapy on the primary tumor. Some patients achieving favorable effects upon the primary tumor did so only after the dose of HDMTX was escalated to greater than the starting dose of 8 g/m2. Preoperative chemotherapy for all patients with osteogenic sarcoma would seem to offer the following advantages: 1) Evaluation of the effect of HDMTX with CFR on the primary tumor with escalation of the dose of HDMTX until a clinical response is observed, thus defining the dose of HDMTX effective in that patient, to be continued postoperatively as adjuvant therapy; 2) The early use of systemic therapy to eradicate distant microfoci of disease that will eventually kill the patient if not adequately treated by effective chemotherapy; 3) Allow more time for postoperative healing without the need to start adjuvant chemotherapy immediately; and 4) Provide the surgeon time to plan resection surgery. To date, 20 additional patients with biopsy proven osteogenic sarcoma have been treated with more aggressive preoperative chemotherapy (T-7) for approximately 2 1/2 months prior to definitive surgery (resection or amputation). Doses of HDMTX were escalated where necessary and good clinical responses were obtained in 19 of 20 patients. In the majority of patients, no evidence of viable tumor was found on histologic examination of the surgically removed primary tumor. All 20 patients are surviving free of active disease at this brief follow-up period of 4--20 months.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2026

Azacitidine-Venetoclax or Induction Chemotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Induction chemotherapy has long been a key component of curative therapy for fit patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), despite its frequently severe side effects and substantial health care utilization. For patients who are ineligible for induction chemotherapy, hypomethylating therapy plus venetoclax is the standard treatment owing to its efficacy and side-effect profile. METHODS: In this multicenter, phase 2 trial, we randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, previously untreated adults with AML who were eligible for induction chemotherapy to receive either azacitidine plus venetoclax or induction chemotherapy. Patients with core binding factor fusions, mutations in the gene encoding FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3), or mutations in the gene encoding nucleophosmin-1 (NPM1; unless the patient was ≥60 years of age) were excluded. The primary end point was event-free survival. RESULTS: A total of 172 patients underwent randomization, with 86 patients assigned to each group. The median age of the patients was 64 years. A total of 72% of the patients had adverse-risk disease according to the European LeukemiaNet 2022 classification. At a median follow-up of 21.9 months, the median event-free survival was 14.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.4 to 24.4) in the azacitidine-venetoclax group, as compared with 6.2 months (95% CI, 4.1 to 10.1) in the induction chemotherapy group, corresponding to a hazard ratio for event or death of 0.57 (95% CI, 0.39 to 0.84; P = 0.002 by the stratified log-rank test). Infection of grade 3 or higher occurred in 28% of the patients (95% CI, 19 to 39) receiving azacitidine-venetoclax and in 41% of those (95% CI, 30 to 52) receiving induction chemotherapy; hemorrhage of grade 3 or higher occurred in 2% (95% CI, 0.3 to 8) and 12% (95% CI, 6 to 20), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this phase 2, randomized trial, azacitidine-venetoclax therapy led to significantly longer event-free survival than induction chemotherapy among induction-eligible patients with AML. (Funded by AbbVie and others; PARADIGM ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04801797.).

Adult↗

PubMed2026

Effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation versus acupressure on the trajectories of multidimensional adverse reactions to chemotherapy in breast cancer patients: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy for breast cancer often induces multidimensional adverse reactions such as nausea and vomiting, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances. These symptoms are interrelated and may evolve dynamically, impacting patients' treatment outcomes and quality of life. As non-pharmacological interventions, transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) and self-acupressure (SA) have shown potential in alleviating symptoms. However, their long-term effects on the joint developmental trajectories of these multidimensional symptoms (nausea and vomiting, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances) remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify potential trajectory class of multidimensional adverse reactions in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and to explore the differential effects of TEAS and SA on different trajectory subgroups. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. A total of 189 breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were included. The Group-Based Multi-Trajectory Model (GBMTM) was employed to identify joint developmental trajectories of acute/delayed chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), anxiety, depression, and sleep quality during chemotherapy. Subsequently, causal forest was used to analyze the average treatment effects (ATE) of TEAS (vs. control group) and SA (vs. control group) on patients' symptom trajectory. RESULTS: Multidimensional adverse reactions were classified into two heterogeneous trajectories: a "High Symptom Burden-Persistent (HSBP)" type (n = 101) and a "Low Symptom Burden-Relieving (LSBR)" type (n = 88). The persistent high incidence of acute CINV contrasted sharply with the comprehensive relief of other symptoms in the latter group. Causal forest suggested that both TEAS and SA significantly increased the probability of patients being classified into the "LSBR" trajectory. The ATE was 0.147 (95% CI: 0.143, 0.151) for TEAS, slightly lower (P < 0.05) than 0.176 (95% CI: 0.162, 0.190) for SA.  CONCLUSION: Multidimensional adverse reactions in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy exhibit heterogeneity in their trajectories. Both TEAS and SA were associated with a higher probability of patients being classified into a more favorable symptom trajectory-LSBR. The multidimensional trajectory identification with treatment effect estimation may serve as a useful analytical strategy for future longitudinal research in cancer chemotherapy-induced adverse reactions symptom management. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2300077667 (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, https://www.chictr.org.cn/ ), Registered 15 November 2023.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab in participants in Asia with early triple-negative breast cancer: An updated subgroup analysis of the KEYNOTE-522 randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: In KEYNOTE-522 (NCT03036488), addition of perioperative pembrolizumab to neoadjuvant chemotherapy significantly improved pathological complete response (pCR), event-free survival (EFS), and overall survival (OS) in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). pCR and EFS results in participants enrolled in Asia were consistent with those in the overall population. We report OS, updated EFS, and safety outcomes in participants enrolled in Asia. METHODS: Participants with newly diagnosed, high-risk, early-stage TNBC (T1c [N1‒N2] or T2‒T4 [N0‒N2] per AJCC 7th edition) were randomized 2:1 to 8 cycles of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W or placebo plus chemotherapy. After definitive surgery, participants received adjuvant pembrolizumab 200 mg Q3W or placebo for ≤9 cycles. Primary endpoints were pCR (ypT0/Tis ypN0) and EFS. OS was a secondary endpoint. RESULTS: Of 1174 randomized participants, 216 were enrolled in Asia. At data cutoff (March 22, 2024), EFS events occurred in 18/136 participants (13.2%) in the pembrolizumab + chemotherapy group versus 22/80 (27.5%) in the placebo + chemotherapy group (HR, 0.43 [95% CI, 0.23‒0.81]); 60-month EFS rates (95% CIs) were 87.4% (80.6%‒92.0%) and 72.1% (60.7%‒80.6%), respectively. In the respective groups, 12/136 (8.8%) and 16/80 participants (20.0%) died (HR, 0.41 [95% CI, 0.19‒0.86]); 60-month OS rates (95% CIs) were 91.9% (85.8%‒95.4%) and 81.1% (70.5%‒88.1%). Treatment-related AEs led to treatment discontinuation in 19/136 participants (14.0%) with pembrolizumab + chemotherapy and 7/79 (8.9%) with placebo + chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: OS and updated EFS outcomes in KEYNOTE-522 participants enrolled in Asia were consistent with those in the overall population and support use of perioperative pembrolizumab + neoadjuvant chemotherapy as a standard-of-care treatment in this setting.

Adjuvant↗

PubMed2026

Cognitive Behavior vs Bright Light Therapy for Insomnia in Women Undergoing Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

IMPORTANCE: Women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer experience insomnia and fatigue, which impair quality of life. To date, no randomized clinical trial (RCT) has evaluated the use of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and bright light therapy (BLT) both alone and in combination, and few have evaluated the use of either during chemotherapy. OBJECTIVE: To determine the main effects of CBT-I and BLT on insomnia and fatigue symptoms in women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Sleep, Cancer, Rest (SleepCARE) was a 6-week, 2 × 2 factorial, superiority, parallel RCT conducted at 5 metropolitan and regional hospitals in Australia from January 22, 2021, to August 21, 2024. Participants were women (aged ≥18 years) receiving chemotherapy for early or metastatic breast cancer. INTERVENTIONS: Two brief interventions were administered: CBT-I and BLT alone (using light glasses at 1500 lux) and in combination, creating 4 groups (CBT-I alone, BLT alone, CBT-I plus BLT, and sleep hygiene education [SHE]). All interventions included SHE. The interventions lasted 6 weeks and included a 1:1 consultation session, emails sent once or twice per week, and a midpoint call for all groups, as well as light glasses for the BLT groups. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Dual primary outcomes were Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-Fatigue T scores. Both are patient-reported outcome measures and measure insomnia and fatigue symptoms, respectively. Assessments occurred via surveys administered at baseline and at the midpoint (3 weeks), postintervention (6 weeks), and follow-up (3 months and 6 months) periods. Modified intention-to-treat analyses used latent growth models. RESULTS: Of the 219 women enrolled (mean [SD] age, 50.7 [10.8] years; 54 [26.9%] with metastatic cancer), 55 were randomized to CBT-I, 55 to BLT, 52 to CBT-I plus BLT, and 57 to SHE. A total of 208 women (95.0%) with any data at any time point were analyzed. Insomnia symptoms (ISI score mean difference [MD], -2.19 [95% CI, -3.33 to -1.05] points; P = .002) but not fatigue symptoms (PROMIS-Fatigue score MD, -0.90 [95% CI, -3.08 to 1.28] points; P = .52) improved more in the CBT-I groups compared with the non-CBT-I groups. The BLT groups (compared with the non-BLT groups) did not differ in insomnia symptoms (ISI score MD, -0.88 [95% CI, -2.02 to 0.26] points; P = .26) or fatigue symptoms (PROMIS-Fatigue score MD, -0.71 [95% CI, -2.89 to 1.47] points; P = .52). Comparable results emerged in the high-adherence subgroup and in the subgroups with high initial insomnia and fatigue symptoms. However, exploratory subgroup analyses in women with metastatic breast cancer showed that BLT (vs non-BLT) improved insomnia symptoms (ISI score MD, -2.87 [95% CI, -5.06 to -0.67] points; P = .01) and fatigue symptoms (PROMIS-Fatigue score MD, -5.16 [95% CI, -9.57 to -0.76] points; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In the SleepCARE RCT of CBT-I and BLT administered for 6 weeks to women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer, CBT-I improved insomnia but not fatigue compared with SHE or BLT. BLT did not produce greater improvements in fatigue or insomnia symptoms compared with non-BLT treatment. The study findings indicate that brief CBT-I, but not BLT, may reduce insomnia symptoms among women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTR Identifier: ACTRN12620001133921.

Humans↗

PubMed1979

Chemotherapy of localised histiocytic lymphoma.

22 patients with localised (stage I or II) diffuse lymphoma were treated with chemotherapy at the time of diagnosis. 14 patients received chemotherapy as the only treatment, and 8 received chemotherapy plus local irradiation. Doxorubicin-containing drug regimens were used in 20 patients. All 22 patients achieved a complete remission and remain alive with a median survival from the time of diagnosis of 27+ months. 21 patients (95%) have remained continuously free of disease with a median disease-free survival from the completion of chemotherapy of 23+ months. These findings provide a strong rationale for further clinical trials of chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy followed by regional radiotherapy for localised stages of diffuse lymphoma.

Adult↗

PubMed1975

Short-course chemotherapy in pulmonary tuberculosis. A controlled trial by the British Thoracic and Tuberculosis Association.

The results of short courses of chemotherapy using rifampicin plus isoniazid, supplemented for the first two months by streptomycin or ethambutol, in patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis, have been studied. 174 patients with little or no cavitation received six months chemotherapy. 1 (0.6%) failed to convert to culture negative during treatment and 5 (3%) relapsed in the twelve months after the end of treatment. In 177 patients with similar disease, twelve months chemotherapy was 100% effective in rendering the sputum culture negative and in preventing relapse in the six months after the end of treatment. 151 patients with more extensive cavitation received chemotherapy for nine months; this was 100% effective in sputum conversion and in preventing relapse in the nine months after the end of treatment. In 155 patients with similar disease, the eighteen-month regimen was uniformly successful in sputum conversion. The rifampicin plus isoniazed regimen was well tolerated, producing adverse effects which warranted withdrawal from the study in only 3.6% of patients. Comparison of ethambutol with streptomycin as a third drug given for the first eight weeks showed no significant difference in the rate of sputum conbersion nor in the incidence of relapse. Streptomycin produced significant adverse effects in 8% of patients whilst ethambutol caused none. Chemotherapy with rifampicin plus isoniazed for nine months, supplemented initially by ethambutol, is more acceptable than standard chemotherapy for eighteen months, is highly effective in sputum conversion, and has resulted in no relapses over a nine-month follow-up period. Further follow-up is being continued to confirm that relapse does not occur.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1975

Current concepts of chemotherapy combined with other modalities for head and neck cancer.

This paper presents an overview of studies of therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in which chemotherapy was combined with other modalities. The rationale for using chemotherapy with surgery is discussed, but ststematic studies of this combination of modalities have not been reported. Systemic chemotherapy plus radiation therapy has been studied using hydrozyurea, t-fluorouracil (5-FU), and methotrexate (MTX). Uncontrolled studies with hydroxyurea report favorable results, but a well-controlled study gave negative results. Controlled studies with 5-FU have given favorable results in certain tumor stages and sites of origin. MTX plus radiation in a small series produced slightly better survival than radiation alone. Intra-arterial chemotherapy plus radiation therapy has been the subject of exploratory studies but no firm conclusions can be drawn from these studies. Chemotherapy plus immunotherapy has been explored and merits further study. Based on the studies reported to date one can suggest the need for large-scale randomized control studies of long-term chemotherapy combined with other modalities.

Bleomycin↗

PubMed2026

Oncotype DX-guided vs physician-directed chemotherapy and survival in HR+/HER2- breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Oncotype DX testing guides adjuvant chemotherapy decisions in early-stage hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer, but testing is not universally performed, and outcomes associated with genomic-informed versus clinicopathologic-based chemotherapy decision pathways remain unclear. METHODS: Using the 2022 National Cancer Database Breast Participant User File, we identified women diagnosed from 2010 to 2022 with pathologic T1b-T2, node-negative, hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative invasive breast cancer who received adjuvant chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. Patients were classified into an Oncotype-guided group, defined by Oncotype DX testing with a recurrence score of 26 or higher, and a physician-directed group, defined by receipt of chemotherapy without genomic testing. The primary outcome was overall survival. Analyses used multivariable Cox models, logistic-IPTW and MLP-IPTW, restricted mean survival time analysis, and a Bayesian latent confounding survival model. RESULTS: Among 56,625 women, 27,278 were in the Oncotype-guided group and 29,347 in the physician-directed group. Median ages were 59 and 56 years, respectively. The Oncotype-guided group had more favorable overall survival than the physician-directed group in multivariable Cox analysis (HR, 0.906; 95% CI, 0.856-0.959; P < 0.001), with similar findings in IPTW analyses. The association was concentrated among patients aged 56 years or older (HR, 0.866; 95% CI, 0.809-0.927; P < 0.001). The Bayesian model showed no strong residual confounding signal. CONCLUSIONS: Among chemotherapy-treated women, an Oncotype-guided pathway was associated with more favorable overall survival than a physician-directed pathway, particularly among older patients, which indicating prognostic heterogeneity selected using genomic versus conventional clinicopathologic information.

Humans↗