Researchers from the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center presented results from 14 cancer-related studies during the recently concluded American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which took place June 3 - 7, 2011 in Chicago. The studies examined new cancer treatments, ways to predict the best treatment outcomes, and patient quality of life issues.
"ASCO is a great venue for sharing best practices and learning about new treatment approaches - we are proud to help contribute by presenting our recent scientific work," said Andre Goy, M.D., M.S., Chairman and Director and Chief of Lymphoma, John Theurer Cancer Center. "Our researchers will keep working to improve oncology and help develop some of the newest approaches to treating cancer. This will remain a priority for our cancer center."
Among other promising research, John Theurer Cancer Center investigators reported on a phase II study of carfilzomib, a new proteasome inhibitor to treat advanced multiple myeloma; the first phase III trial of anti-metabolite clofarabine against acute myelogenous leukemia; application of a new statistical model to predict mantle cell lymphoma survival and guide treatment choices; and a comparison of disease status and satisfaction with care among chronic myeloid leukemia patients.
"The innovative research we conduct brings tomorrow's treatments to our patients today," said Andrew L. Pecora, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.P.E., Chief Innovations Officer and Professor and Vice President of Cancer Services, John Theurer Cancer Center. "We have recently expanded our capabilities through the opening of an extraordinary new research and patient care facility, and it is our belief that this will enable us to further speed the pace of discovery and be even more prolific in our scientific publications."
Highlights of the Theurer Center presentations include:
PX-171-003-A1, an open-label, single-arm, phase (Ph) II study of carfilzomib (CFZ) in patients (pts) with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM): Long-term follow-up and subgroup analysis.
David S. Siegel, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues presented findings from a phase II, single-arm open-label study of carfilzomib (CFZ), a novel, highly selective proteasome inhibitor in development for treatment of advanced multiple myeloma. Proteasome inhibitors block the actions of certain proteins (proteasomes) that cancer cells need to survive and multiply. All patients in the study were previously unresponsive to treatment with other combination therapies. Of 257 patients completing the study, the overall response rate was 24% with a median response duration of 7.4 months. The median overall survival was 15.5 months. CFZ as a standalone treatment achieved significant responses in 36% of patients who did not previously respond to treatment with bortezomib and immunomodulatory drugs, including patients with chromosomal abnormalities. CFZ was well tolerated and adverse events were manageable with no new, unexpected, or cumulative toxicities.
Survival outcomes in elderly patients with plasma cell myeloma: The three-decade Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) experience.
Recent landmark papers showed significant improvement in survival rates for patients under 65 years of age with plasma cell myeloma, but not for older patients. To shed new light on progress in treating older individuals, David H. Vesole, M.D., PH.D., F.A.C.P. and colleagues examined data over the last 33 years for previously untreated patients who were treated according to standard European Cooperative Oncology Group protocols during three time periods: 1988-1993, 1994-2000 and 2001-2006. Patients receiving autologous stem cell transplantation were excluded. For patients over 65 years, there was a higher overall survival in those treated 2001-2006 (39%), than in those treated 1988-1993 and 1994-2000 (26% for both groups). These gains were far less than for patients 65 and under (63% in the 2001-2006 group, 35% for 1988-1993 and 32% for 1994-2000). The authors suggest an in-depth review of a number of variables that may contribute to worse survival for older patients, in order to improve the design of future clinical trials.
A new predictive model based on age, pretreatment LDH, and post-therapy PET-CT in patients with MCL treated with dose-intensive strategies.
Anthony Mato, M.D. and a research team from John Theurer Cancer Center conducted a retrospective study examining risk factors associated with survival of patients with mantle cell lymphoma who were treated with dose-intensive strategies and/or high dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplant. The researchers developed an algorithm that enabled them to identify distinct prognostic subgroups, based on three variables: age, levels of LDH enzymes in the blood, and presence of disease on PET scans. With a median follow up at 35 months, they found that age
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