Background: Although surgical resection is the only potentially curative treatment for pancreatic cancer (PC), long-term outcomes of this treatment remain poor. The aim of this study is to describe the feasibility of a neoadjuvant treatment with induction polychemotherapy (IPCT) followed by chemoradiation (CRT) in resectable PC, and to develop a machine-learning algorithm to predict risk of relapse. Methods: Forty patients with resectable PC treated in our institution with IPCT (based on mFOLFOXIRI, GEMOX or GEMOXEL) followed by CRT (50 Gy and concurrent Capecitabine) were retrospectively analyzed. Additionally, clinical, pathological and analytical data were collected in order to perform a 2-year relapse-risk predictive population model using machine-learning techniques. Results: A RO resection was achieved in 90% of the patients. After a median follow-up of 33.5 months, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 18 months and median overall survival (OS) was 39 months. The 3 and 5-year actuarial PFS were 43.8% and 32.3%, respectively. The 3 and 5-year actuarial OS were 51.5% and 34.8%, respectively. Forty-percent of grade 3-4 IPCT toxicity, and 29.7% of grade 3 CRT toxicity were reported. Considering the use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors, the number of resected lymph nodes, the presence of perineural invasion and the surgical margin status, a logistic regression algorithm predicted the individual 2-year relapse-risk with an accuracy of 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56-0.84, p = 0.005). The model-predicted outcome matched 64% of the observed outcomes in an external dataset. Conclusion: An intensified multimodal neoadjuvant approach (IPCT + CRT) in resectable PC is feasible, with an encouraging long-term outcome. Machine-learning algorithms might be a useful tool to predict individual risk of relapse. A small sample size and therapy heterogeneity remain as potential limitations.

BRAF V600 mutation has been reported in more than 50% of melanoma cases and its presence predicts clinical activity of BRAF inhibitors (iBRAF). We evaluated the rote of MIA, S100 and LDH to monitor iBRAF efficiency in advanced melanoma patients presenting BRAF V600 mutations. This was a prospective study of melanoma patients harboring the BRAF V600 mutation and treated with iBRAF within a clinical trial (dabrafenib) or as part of an expanded access program (vemurafenib). MIA, S100 and LDH were analyzed in serum at baseline, and every 4-6 weeks during treatment. Eighteen patients with melanoma stages IIIc-IV were enrolled with 88.8% of response rate to iBRAF. Baseline concentrations of all the tumor markers correlated with tumor burden. MIA and S100 concentrations decreased significantly one month after the beginning of treatment and, upon progression, their concentrations increased significantly above the minimum levels previously achieved. MIA levels lower than 9 mu g/L one month after the beginning of treatment and S100 concentrations lower than 0.1 mu g/L at the moment of best response were associated With improved progression-free survival. In conclusion, MIA and S100 are useful to monitor response in melanoma patients treated with iBRAF.

IL8 levels correlate with tumor burden in preclinical models and in patients with cancer. IL8 is a potentially useful biomarker to monitor changes in tumor burden following anticancer therapy, and has prognostic significance.

CONTEXT: Malignant melanoma is an aggressive tumor that produces exosomes, which contain microRNAs (miRNAs) that could be of utility in following tumoral cell dysregulation. MicroR-125b is a miRNA whose down-regulation seems to be implicated in melanoma progression. OBJECTIVE: To analyze miR-125b levels in serum, and in exosomes obtained from serum, from patients with advanced melanoma. DESIGN: Serum samples were obtained from 21 patients with advanced melanoma, from 16 disease-free patients with melanoma, and from 19 healthy volunteers. Exosomes were isolated from serum by precipitation, and miR-16 and miR-125b levels were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: MicroR-16, but not miR-125b, was detected in all samples, and miR-16 levels were significantly higher in serum than they were in exosomes. MicroR-16 expression levels did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (patients with melanoma and healthy donors). There was a significant relationship between miR-125b and miR-16 levels in exosomes. Additionally, miR-125b levels in exosomes were significantly lower in patients with melanoma compared with disease-free patients with melanoma and healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Exosomes can provide a suitable material to measure circulating miRNA in melanoma, and miR-16 can be used as an endogenous normalizer. Lower levels of miR-125b in exosomes obtained from serum are associated with advanced melanoma disease, probably reflecting the tumoral cell dysregulation.

Interesting neurological and cytological response rates after intrathecal (i.t) liposomal cytarabine have been observed in patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LMC) from solid tumors. However, the potential use of those responses as early predictors of time-to-progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) is unexplored. 27 consecutive patients with LMC treated with 50 mg i.t liposomal cytarabine under compassionate drug use were retrospectively studied. All patients received i.t treatment every 2 weeks during induction and every 4 weeks during maintenance periods. Neurological and cytological responses were assessed before every liposomal cytarabine cycle. Most of the patients were female (17/27) diagnosed with breast cancer (15/27). A complete neurological response was seen among 11 % of the patients; partial response in 22 % of the patients; stable disease in 30 % of the patients and progressive disease in 37 % of them. Cytological assessment was available in 11/27 patients showing a 26 % complete response rate. The median time to neurological and cytological response was 15 days and 14 days, respectively. Patients showing a combined neurological and cytological response showed a significantly longer median TTP (122 vs. 3 days; p = 0.001) and OS (141 vs. 3 days; p = 0.002) compared to those showing both neurological and cytological progression. No grade 4 toxicities were recorded. According to these preliminary results, early neurological and cytological responses may be further studied as early predictors of TTP and OS in patients receiving i.t liposomal cytarabine for LMC.

Background: Frontline treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) consists of docetaxel-based chemotherapy. The median time to progression (TTP) from chemotherapy initiation is 6 to 8 months. Ketoconazole, a nonspecific cytochrome P17 inhibitor (CYP17i), blocks adrenal androgen synthesis. Low-dose ketoconazole (LDK), (200 mg three times daily [t.d.s]) has shown activity in mCRPC after progression to androgen deprivation. The role of a CYP17i after docetaxel treatment in the maintenance setting has been unexplored. Methods: We identified 38 patients with mCRPC who showed progression to luteinizing hormone releasing-hormone agonists (LHRHa) and who were treated with a median of 7 cycles of frontline three-weekly docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)) plus prednisone (10 mg/d) and LHRHa. Medical charts of 20 patients who showed no progression to docetaxel were reviewed. After the last docetaxel cycle, 10 patients received LDK maintenance treatment plus prednisone (10 mg/d) and LHRHa, whereas 10 patients received LHRHa alone. TTP was the primary endpoint. Results: After a follow-up of 27 months, disease in all patients receiving LHRHa alone progressed, whereas 8/10 patients progressed to maintenance therapy. Median TTP from docetaxel initiation was 11.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.3-16.6) for maintenance therapy and 9.2 months (95% CI, 8.5-9.9) for LHRHa alone (P = .047). The maintenance treatment was well tolerated. Only 1 patient experienced a grade 4 adverse event due to a nonsymptomatic pulmonary embolism. Conclusion: This is the first study evaluating a CYP17i for maintenance therapy after docetaxel therapy. We showed a 2-month significant benefit in TTP for patients with mCRPC treated with LDK maintenance therapy after docetaxel, with a favorable toxicity profile. A large prospective randomized study using a CYP17i is warranted.