In Brief

Gastrointestinal (Noncolorectal) Cancer

Oral Abstract Session
Presenter: Leonard L. Gunderson, MD
Discussant: Theodore S. Hong, MD
(Abstract 4005)

Updated results of the U.S. Gastrointestinal Intergroup RTOG 98-11 phase III trial for anal carcinoma showed that concurrent chemoradiation with 5-fluorouracil (5FU)/mitomycin improves disease-free survival (67.7% vs. 57.6%, p = 0.0044) and overall survival (78.2% vs. 70.5%, p = 0.021) when compared with induction and concurrent 5FU/cisplatin; it remains the preferred standard of care.

Oral Abstract Session
Presenter: John N. Waldron, MD, FRCPC
(Abstract 5504)
Discussant: Randal S. Weber, MD

A prospective clinical trial found that positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan, performed 8 to 10 weeks after radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy, was not a reliable indicator of residual nodal disease in patients with head and neck cancers (HNC). According to the study presenter, this imaging modality should not be used to determine the need for neck dissection in patients with HNC who have undergone radiation therapy.

Lung Cancer — Local-regional and Adjuvant Therapy/Small Cell

Oral Abstract Session
Presenter: Paul Baas, MD, PhD
(Abstract 7006)
Discussant: Rolf A. Stahel, MD

Data from a large, multicenter, randomized, phase III study indicate that although maintenance thalidomide in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma had only minimal toxicity, it also did not significantly prolong progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS). From 2004 to 2009, 222 patients previously treated with pemetrexed and carboplatin or cisplatin were randomly assigned to maintenance with 200 mg/day of oral thalidomide or observation. At follow-up, median PFS was 16 weeks for thalidomide compared with 15 weeks for observation. Median OS was 11 months for thalidomide compared with 13 months for observation. Overall, patients had few grade 3/4 toxicities.

Patient and Survivor Care

Oral Abstract Session
Presenter: Sandhya Pruthi, MD
(Abstract CRA9015)
Discussant: Vered Stearns, MD

The consumption of flaxseed, a source of dietary lignans, did not reduce hot flashes compared with placebo in 188 postmenopausal women with or without breast cancer enrolled in the phase III, randomized North Central Cancer Treatment Group study N08C7. Patients consumed either a flaxseed bar or a placebo bar once a day for 6 weeks and recorded daily hot flashes. Mean hot flash scores decreased 4.9 units for the flaxseed bars compared with 3.5 units for placebo (p = 0.29). In both arms of the study, women complained of abdominal distension, flatulence, diarrhea, and nausea, potentially due to increased fiber content in flaxseed and placebo bars.

Oral Abstract Session
Presenter: Kathryn Greven, MD
(Abstract 9016)
Discussant: Vered Stearns, MD

An L-arginine/Korean ginseng/Gingko biloba/damiana-based oral supplement did not improve sexual function for female cancer survivors, but supplementation did significantly improve quality of life as measured by the FACT-G quality of life instrument. Results of the multicenter, 12-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial that included 186 women showed that toxicities were similar for both the placebo and the supplement, although more hot flashes were reported for the supplement (73% vs. 59%, p = .065).

Tumor Biology

Oral Abstract Session
Presenter: Edith A. Perez, MD
(Abstract 10504)
Discussant: Ana M. Gonzalez-Angulo, MD, MSc

Data from a three-arm, prospective phase III trial involving 1,801 patients suggest that the addition of trastuzumab to chemotherapy appears to provide therapeutic benefit in both PTEN-positive and PTEN-negative early-stage breast tumors. The results showed statistically significant improvements in disease-free survival in the chemotherapy plus sequential trastuzumab (p = 0.001) and chemotherapy plus concurrent trastuzumab (p = 0.004) trial arms in PTEN-positive tumors, as well as in the chemotherapy plus concurrent trastuzumab arm in PTEN-negative tumors (p = 0.005). Findings in PTEN-negative disease depart from preclinical and limited prior clinical data, which had suggested a correlation between PTEN loss and decreased sensitivity to trastuzumab.