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Biomedical subjects

Jaap Verweij

Publications and source records attributed to Jaap Verweij.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Phase I pharmacokinetic, food effect, and pharmacogenetic study of oral irinotecan given as semisolid matrix capsules in patients with solid tumors.

PURPOSE: To characterize the maximum-tolerated dose, recommended dose, dose-limiting toxicities (DLT), pharmacokinetic profile, and food effect of orally administered irinotecan formulated as new semisolid matrix capsules. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Irinotecan was given orally in fasted patients once daily for 5 consecutive days and repeated every 3 weeks. Patients were randomly assigned to take the drug along with a high-fat, high-calorie breakfast for the administration at day 1 of the first or second cycle. Dosages tested were 70 and 80 mg/m(2)/day. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients received 101 cycles of therapy (median two cycles, range 1-15). During the first cycle, grade 3 delayed diarrhea and grade 3 fever were the DLTs at the dosage of 80 mg/m(2)/day in three out of five patients. Hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities were mild to moderate. Exposure to the active metabolite SN-38 was relatively high compared with i.v. infusion, but no relevant accumulation was observed. Food had no significant effect on irinotecan pharmacokinetics. One confirmed partial remission and 10 disease stabilizations were observed in previously treated patients. No association was found between the UGT1A1*28 genotype and the risk of severe irinotecan-induced toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: For oral irinotecan, a dose of 70 mg/m(2)/day for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks is recommended for further studies. Delayed diarrhea was the main DLT, similar to that observed with intravenously administered irinotecan. This study confirms that oral administration of irinotecan is feasible and may have favorable pharmacokinetic characteristics.

Administration, Oral↗

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of oral irinotecan given once daily for 5 days every 3 weeks in combination with capecitabine in patients with solid tumors.

PURPOSE: To assess the maximum tolerated dose, dose-limiting toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary antitumor activity of oral irinotecan given in combination with capecitabine to patients with advanced, refractory solid tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were treated from day 1 with irinotecan capsules given once daily for 5 consecutive days (50 to 60 mg/m2/d) concomitantly with capecitabine given twice daily for 14 consecutive days (800 to 1,000 mg/m2); cycles were repeated every 21 days. RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients were enrolled and received 155 cycles of therapy (median, five cycles; range, one to 18 cycles). With irinotecan 60 mg/m2/d and capecitabine 2 x 800 mg/m2/d, grade 3 delayed diarrhea in combination with grade 2 nausea (despite maximal antiemetic support) and grade 3 anorexia and colitis, were the first-cycle dose-limiting toxicities in two of six patients, respectively. At the recommended doses (irinotecan 50 mg/m2/d; capecitabine 2 x 1,000 mg/m2/d), side effects were mostly mild to moderate and uniformly reversible. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that there was no interaction between oral irinotecan and capecitabine, and that body-surface area was not significantly contributing to the observed pharmacokinetic variability. Confirmed partial responses were observed in two patients with gallbladder carcinoma and in one patient with melanoma. Disease stabilization was noted in 16 patients. CONCLUSION: The recommended phase II doses for oral irinotecan and capecitabine are 50 mg/m2/d for 5 consecutive days, and 2 x 1,000 mg/m2/d for 14 consecutive days repeated every 3 weeks, respectively.

Administration, Oral↗

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of DE-310 in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PURPOSE: To assess the maximum-tolerated dose, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics of DE-310, a macromolecular prodrug of the topoisomerase I inhibitor exatecan (DX-8951f). in patients with advanced solid tumors. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Patients received DE-310 as a 3-hour infusion once every 2 weeks (dose, 1.0-2.0 mg/m(2)) or once every 6 weeks (dose, 6.0-9.0 mg/m(2)). Because pharmacokinetics revealed a drug terminal half-life exceeding the 2 weeks administration interval, the protocol was amended to a 6-week interval between administrations also based on available information from a parallel trial using an every 4 weeks schedule. Conjugated DX-8951 (the carrier-linked molecule), and the metabolites DX-8951 and glycyl-DX-8951 were assayed in various matrices up to 35 days post first and second dose. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were enrolled into the study and received a total of 86 administrations. Neutropenia and grade 3 thrombocytopenia, and grade 3 hepatotoxicity with veno-occlusive disease, were dose-limiting toxicities. Other hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities were mild to moderate and reversible. The apparent half-life of conjugated DX-8951, glycyl-DX-8951, and DX-8951 was 13 days. The area under the curve ratio for conjugated DX-8951 to DX-8951 was 600. No drug concentration was detectable in erythrocytes, skin, and saliva, although low levels of glycyl-DX-8951 and DX-8951 were detectable in tumor biopsies. One patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown primary achieved a histologically proven complete remission. One confirmed partial remission was observed in a patient with metastatic pancreatic cancer and disease stabilization was noted in 14 additional patients. CONCLUSIONS: The recommended phase II dose of DE-310 is 7.5 mg/m(2) given once every 6 weeks. The active moiety DX-8951 is released slowly from DE-310 and over an extended period, achieving the desired prolonged exposure to this topoisomerase I inhibitor.

Adult↗

The potential of statins as part of anti-cancer treatment.

Statins are known to reduce mortality related to cardiovascular diseases. In recent years, evidence has accumulated that statins also exert anti-tumour activity for which numerous potential underlying mechanisms of action have been suggested. Accordingly, several case-control studies showed a reduction in cancer incidence in patients treated with statins. Furthermore, statins interact synergistically with several anti-tumour treatments in preclinical studies. Until now, only a few clinical studies are available that explore the optimal dose, feasibility, and efficacy of statins applied as single agents to control the growth of existing tumours. Studies investigating statins as part of a multi-drug regimen are completely lacking. Nevertheless, the interesting pre-clinical anti-tumour activity of statins combined with a favourable toxicity profile warrant their further development as anti-tumour agents, in particular as part of multi-drug regimens.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Relationship of systemic exposure to unbound docetaxel and neutropenia.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate the association between exposure to unbound docetaxel and neutropenia in patients with cancer and to identify factors influencing unbound docetaxel clearance. METHODS: Docetaxel was administered once every 3 weeks at a dose of 75 mg/m 2 to 49 patients with normal liver function (n = 40, group 1) or mild elevations in liver function test results (n = 9, group 2) or at a dose of 50 mg/m2 to patients with moderate elevations in liver function test results (n = 6, group 3). Pharmacokinetic studies and toxicity assessments were performed during the first cycle of therapy. Total docetaxel concentrations were determined by HPLC and tandem mass spectrometry, and unbound docetaxel fraction was determined by equilibrium dialysis. RESULTS: In patients with normal liver function, unbound docetaxel disposition was characterized by mean (+/-SD) maximum plasma concentration (C max), area under the curve (AUC), and clearance values of 233 +/- 101 ng/mL, 32 +/- 143 ng/mL . h, and 565 +/- 329 L/h, respectively. Unbound clearance varied 8.5-fold; polysorbate 80 exhibited mean (+/-SD) C max , AUC, and clearance values of 451 +/- 221 microg/mL, 528 +/- 217 microg/mL . h, and 8.18 +/- 3.66 L/h, respectively; and clearance varied 6.7-fold. Unbound docetaxel clearance was reduced in patients with moderate liver impairment (groups 1 and 2 versus group 3, P = .020). From multiple linear regression analysis, only polysorbate 80 AUC and liver impairment were significantly associated with unbound docetaxel clearance. Both unbound docetaxel AUC and total AUC were correlated with the percentage decrements in absolute neutrophil count (P = .002 and P = .029, respectively), as well as the worst grade of neutropenia (P = .013 and P = .220, respectively), where higher exposure was associated with worse hematologic toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to unbound docetaxel is closely related to drug-induced hematologic toxicity and should be considered in future pharmacologic investigations.

Adult↗

Docetaxel administration schedule: from fever to tears? A review of randomised studies.

The anti-cancer agent docetaxel is approved for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and for the treatment of androgen-independent prostate cancer. At the recommended dose of 60-100 mg/m2 given every 3 weeks, severe neutropenia is the dose-limiting toxicity and a major concern especially when treating patients at high-risk from myelotoxic complications. A less toxic schedule, involving weekly docetaxel administration was developed for patients with poor performance status, multiple comorbidities, poor haematological reserves or those who were heavily pre-treated, elderly or patients for whom palliation is the focus of treatment. Recent randomised trials allow a comparison of efficacy and toxicity between weekly and 3-weekly treatments. Efficacy appears to be similar for the two schedules regardless of the disease while weekly docetaxel is significantly less myelotoxic. However, this benefit comes at the cost of cumulative increases in hyperlacrimation, skin- and nail-toxicity and negatively affects quality of life. Currently, 3-weekly docetaxel remains the standard schedule for treatment, whereas the weekly schedule offers a possibility of treatment individualisation for those patients where the risk of myelosuppression is considered unacceptable.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

Outcome of patients with advanced gastro-intestinal stromal tumours crossing over to a daily imatinib dose of 800 mg after progression on 400 mg.

In the EORTC-ISG-AGITG trial 946 patients with advanced gastro-intestinal stromal tumours (GIST) were randomised to receive 400 or 800 mg of imatinib daily. An increase in progression free survival (PFS) was demonstrated for patients randomised to the high-dose arm. Patients randomised to low-dose could cross-over to high-dose upon progression. We evaluated the feasibility, safety and efficacy of this policy. Of the 241 patients available for follow-up, 133 patients (55%) crossed over to high-dose imatinib according to the protocol. Of these patients, 92% had not had a prior dose reduction. The cumulative incidence of subsequent dose reductions after cross-over was 17% after six months with 51% discontinuing therapy without requiring a dose reduction. The extent of anaemia and fatigue increased significantly after cross-over, whilst neutropenia was less severe than during low-dose treatment. Objective responses after cross-over included three patients (2%) with a partial response and 36 (27%) with stable disease. The median PFS after cross-over was 81 days, although 18.1% of patients were still alive and progression free one year after cross-over. We conclude that a cross-over to high-dose imatinib is feasible and safe in GIST patients who progress on low-dose therapy.

Adult↗

Imatinib and gastrointestinal stromal tumors: Where do we go from here?

Imatinib has tremendously changed the treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Research is currently focusing on its optimal use and the mechanisms of resistance that may emerge. A multidisciplinary approach including medical oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists is crucial for the optimal management of these patients. Moreover, imatinib treatment in GIST represents an extraordinary model to expand our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms that are basic to the effects of molecularly targeted therapies. This review summarizes the existing knowledge of the imatinib treatment in GIST and describes directions for further development.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Mechanisms of resistance to anticancer drugs: the role of the polymorphic ABC transporters ABCB1 and ABCG2.

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) genes play a role in the resistance of malignant cells to anticancer agents. The ABC gene products, including ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein) and ABCG2 (breast cancer-resistance protein [BCRP], mitoxantrone-resistance protein [MXR], or ABC transporter in placenta [ABCP]), are also known to influence oral absorption and disposition of a wide variety of drugs. As a result, the expression levels of these proteins in humans have important consequences for an individual's susceptibility to certain drug-induced side effects, interactions, and treatment efficacy. Naturally occurring variants in ABC transporter genes have been identified that might affect the function and expression of the protein. This review focuses on recent advances in the pharmacogenetics of the ABC transporters ABCB1 and ABCG2, and discusses potential implications of genetic variants for the chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B↗

Factors affecting cytochrome P-450 3A activity in cancer patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose is to identify the demographic, physiologic, and inheritable factors that influence CYP3A activity in cancer patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: A total of 134 patients (62 females; age range, 26 to 83 years) underwent the erythromycin breath test as a phenotyping probe of CYP3A. Genomic DNA was screened for six variants of suspected functional relevance in CYP3A4 (CYP3A4*1B, CYP3A4*6, CYP3A4*17, and CYP3A4*18) and CYP3A5 (CYP3A5*3C and CYP3A5*6). RESULTS: CYP3A activity (AUC(0-40 min)) varied up to 14-fold in this population. No variants in the CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 genes were a significant predictor of CYP3A activity (P > 0.2954). CYP3A activity was reduced by approximately 50% in patients with concurrent elevations in liver transaminases and alkaline phosphatase or elevated total bilirubin (P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, CYP3A activity was not significantly influenced by age, sex, and body size measures (P > 0.05), but liver function combined with the concentration of the acute-phase reactant, alpha-1 acid glycoprotein, explained approximately 18% of overall variation in CYP3A activity (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that baseline demographic, physiologic, and chosen genetic polymorphisms have a minor impact on phenotypic CYP3A activity in patients with cancer. Consideration of additional factors, including the inflammation marker C-reactive protein, as well as concomitant use of other drugs, food constituents, and complementary and alternative medicine with inhibitory and inducible effects on CYP3A, is needed to reduce variation in CYP3A and treatment outcome to anticancer therapy.

Adult↗

Imatinib pharmacokinetics in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumour: a retrospective population pharmacokinetic study over time. EORTC Soft Tissue and Bone Sarcoma Group.

Imatinib pharmacokinetics (PK) may be affected by a number of factors that are related to the disease being treated and to the response of that disease to imatinib. Patients in the phase I and phase II trials conducted by the EORTC in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) and other sarcomas had detailed blood sampling for imatinib PK on day 1 and on day 29. Patients with GISTs also had repeat sampling, using a limited sampling strategy, after approximately 12 months on therapy. This population PK study was carried out to examine what covariates affected imatinib PK in GIST patients and what PK changes occurred over time. In the model producing the best fit, low clearance (CL) correlated with low body weight and high granulocyte count, whereas low haemoglobin correlated with low volume of distribution. For a patient with 77% of the median body weight or with 1.87 times the median granulocyte count, the apparent CL is 6.53 l/h, about 70% of the typical apparent CL of 9.33 l/h; for a patient of 84% of the typical haemoglobin level, the volume of distribution is about 70%. Total white blood cell count correlated closely with granulocyte count and there was a moderate correlation between haemoglobin and albumin (r = 0.454). There was a trend towards increased imatinib clearance after chronic exposure over 12 months. The typical apparent CL increased 33% from day 1. Nevertheless, the approximate 95% confidence interval of the increase of the typical apparent CL was 33 +/- 34.6%, which contains zero. It is not yet clear whether this is a significant factor in the amelioration of imatinib toxicity that occurs with time or is related to disease control, and further work is required to confirm this observation.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Prediction of irinotecan pharmacokinetics by use of cytochrome P450 3A4 phenotyping probes.

BACKGROUND: Irinotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that has been approved for use as a first- and second-line treatment for colorectal cancer. The response to irinotecan is variable, possibly because of interindividual variation in the expression of the enzymes that metabolize irinotecan, including cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1). We prospectively explored the relationships between CYP3A phenotype, as assessed by erythromycin metabolism and midazolam clearance, and the metabolism of irinotecan and its active metabolite SN-38. METHODS: Of the 30 white cancer patients, 27 received at least two treatments with irinotecan administered as one 90-minute infusion (dose, 600 mg) with 3 weeks between treatments, and three received only one treatment. Before the first and second treatments, patients underwent an erythromycin breath test and a midazolam clearance test as phenotyping probes for CYP3A4. Erythromycin metabolism was assessed as the area under the curve for the flux of radioactivity in exhaled CO2 within 40 minutes after administration of [N-methyl-14C]erythromycin. Midazolam and irinotecan were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Genomic DNA was isolated from blood and screened for genetic variants in CYP3A4 and UGT1A1. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: CYP3A4 activity varied sevenfold (range = 0.223%-1.53% of dose) among patients, whereas midazolam clearance varied fourfold (range = 262-1012 mL/min), although intraindividual variation was small. Erythromycin metabolism was not statistically significantly associated with irinotecan clearance (P = .090), whereas midazolam clearance was highly correlated with irinotecan clearance (r = .745, P<.001). In addition, the presence of a UGT1A1 variant with a (TA)7 repeat in the promoter (UGT1A1*28) was associated with increased exposure to SN-38 (435 ng x h/mL, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 339 to 531 ng x h/mL in patients who are homozygous for wild-type UGT1A1; 631 ng x h/mL, 95% CI = 499 to 762 ng . h/mL in heterozygous patients; and 1343 ng x h/mL, 95% CI = 0 to 4181 ng x h/mL in patients who are homozygous for UGT1A1*28) (P = .006). CONCLUSION: CYP3A4 phenotype, as assessed by midazolam clearance, is statistically significantly associated with irinotecan pharmacokinetics. Evaluation of midazolam clearance combined with UGT1A1*28 genotyping may assist with optimization of irinotecan chemotherapy.

Adult↗

A phase I and pharmacologic study of the matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor CP-471,358 in patients with advanced solid tumors.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases play a role in the process of tissue invasion and metastasis by degrading the extracellular matrix. Inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases are therefore of interest as anticancer drugs. CP-471,358 is a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor that in vitro demonstrates strong inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9. The drug can be administered orally without food restriction. STUDY DESIGN: An open-label phase I study was performed in patients with advanced solid tumors to assess the safety, tolerability, maximal tolerated dose (MTD) and pharmacokinetics of CP-471,358. The CP-471,358 doses studied were 50, 100 and 200 mg three times daily (TID) continuously, 50, 100 and 200 mg TID for 21 days followed by a 1-week treatment-free interval and 75 mg and 150 mg twice daily (BID) continuously. RESULTS: A total of 38 patients were treated in the study. The median number of cycles administered was two (range one to five). Myalgia and arthralgia were the most frequently observed adverse events (in 27 of 38 patients) and were observed at all dose levels and with all schedules except for the 150 mg BID continuous dosing level. In six patients National Cancer Institute (NCI) Common Toxicity Criteria (CTC) grade 3 myalgia/arthralgia was observed and this adverse event was considered to be the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Introduction of a 1-week treatment-free interval between cycles had no effect on the occurrence of myalgia/arthralgia. After cessation of treatment, arthralgia/myalgia was reversible in all patients. Other adverse events observed were fatigue and an increase of liver enzymes but these rarely exceeded CTC grade 2. Pharmacokinetic analysis showed that target efficacious concentrations were achieved throughout the morning dosing interval with 150 mg BID and 200 mg TID. CONCLUSION: The DLT of CP-471,358 was myalgia and arthralgia, an adverse event observed during treatment with most matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. A drug-free interval of 1 week was unable to prevent the occurrence of these adverse effects. Clearly this represents a limitation for potential long-term use of this compound.

Adult↗

ABCG2 pharmacogenetics: ethnic differences in allele frequency and assessment of influence on irinotecan disposition.

PURPOSE: The ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG2 (breast cancer resistance protein) is an efflux protein that plays a role in host detoxification of various xenobiotic substrates, including the irinotecan metabolite 7- ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38). The ABCG2 421C>A polymorphism has been associated with reduced protein expression and altered function in vitro. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ethnic distribution and potential functional consequence of the ABCG2 421C>A genotype in cancer patients treated with irinotecan. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: ABCG2 genotyping was performed using Pyrosequencing on DNA from 88 American Caucasians, 94 African Americans, 938 Africans, and 95 Han Chinese, as well as in 84 European Caucasian patients treated with irinotecan undergoing additional blood sampling for pharmacokinetic studies. RESULTS: Significant differences in allele frequencies were observed between the given world populations (P < 0.001), the variant allele being most common in the Han Chinese population with a frequency as high as 34%. The mean area under the curve of irinotecan and SN-38 were 19,851 and 639 ng x hour/mL, respectively. The frequency of the variant allele (10.7%) was in line with results in American Caucasians. No significant changes in irinotecan pharmacokinetics were observed in relation to the ABCG2 421C>A genotype, although one of two homozygous variant allele carriers showed extensive accumulation of SN-38 and SN-38 glucuronide. CONCLUSIONS: The ABCG2 421C>A polymorphism appears to play a limited role in the disposition of irinotecan in European Caucasians. It is likely that the contribution of this genetic variant is obscured by a functional role of other polymorphic proteins.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Mem↗

Determination of midazolam in human plasma by liquid chromatography with mass-spectrometric detection.

A liquid chromatographic assay with mass-spectrometric detection was developed for the quantitative determination of the cytochrome p450 3A phenotyping probe midazolam in human plasma. Sample pretreatment involved a one-step extraction of 600 microl aliquots with ethyl acetate. Midazolam and the internal standard, lorazepam, were separated on a column (150 mm x 4.6mm, i.d.) packed with 5 microm Zorbax Eclipse XDB-C8 material, using a mobile phase composed of methanol and 10mM aqueous ammonium acetate (60:40, v/v). Column effluents were analyzed using mass-spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization source. Calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 1.00-200 ng/ml. The accuracy and precision ranged from 92.8 to 112% and 0.056 to 13.4%, respectively, for four different concentrations of quality control samples analyzed in triplicate on eight separate occasions. The developed method was subsequently applied to study the pharmacokinetics of midazolam in a group of 35 human subjects at a single dose of 25 microg/kg.

Humans↗