Abstract
Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages, when poorly responsive to standard treatment. First-line treatment consists in schemes including cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy schemes with platinum and taxane derivatives. Second-line regimens are based on gemcitabine and liposomal doxorubicin. Third line is often not worthwhile because of the high toxicity with poor response to treatment. Previously, we showed that paclitaxel (PTX) carried in non-protein lipid core nanoparticles (LDE) resembling the chemical structure of LDL has remarkably reduced toxicity. Here, the hypothesis was tested whether PTX-LDE could safely benefit patients in third-line treatment setting. Fourteen women unresponsive to second-line chemotherapy for ovarian cancer, aged 61 ± 10 years, clinical stage IV and TqNqM1, were included. PTX-LDE was administered at 175 mg/m2, 3/3 week dose. Patients were submitted to clinical examinations before each chemotherapy cycle. Serum biochemistry and imaging examinations to monitor disease progression were performed. In total, 74 cycles of chemotherapy were done and, in all cycles, clinical or laboratorial toxicities were not observed. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.0 months (95% CI 2.0–3.9). In four patients, PFS was >6 months and in 2 > 1 year. The unpreceded, striking absence of toxicity and consistently long PFS, compared to previous results, indicate that at least 4 among 14 patients had tumor arrest by the treatment and clear benefit of PTX-LDE at third-line setting. The absence of observable toxicity allows dose escalating to improve response to treatment, as perspective to be tested in the ensuing studies.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistis 2017. CA Cancer J Clin. 2017;67:7–30.
Engel J, Eckel R, Schubert-Fritschle G, Kerr J, Kuhn W, Diebold J, et al. Moderate progress for ovarian cancer in the last 20 years: prolongation of survival, but no improvement in the cure rate. Eur J Cancer. 2002;38:2435–45.
Heintz AP, Odicino F, Maisonneuve P, Beller U, Benedet JL, Creasman WT, et al. Carcinoma of the ovary. J Epidemiol Biostat. 2001;6:107–38.
Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Dikshit R, Eser S, Mathers C, Rebelo M, et al. Cancer incidence and mortality worldwide: sources, methods and major patterns in GLOBOCAN 2012. Int J Cancer. 2015;136:E359–86.
Cannistra SA. Cancer of the ovary. N Engl J Med. 2004;351:2519–29.
Covens A, Carey M, Bryson P, Verma S, Fung Kee Fung M, Johnston M. Systematic review of first-line chemotherapy for newly diagnosed postoperative patients with stage II, III, or IV epithelial ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2002;85:71–80.
Parmar MK, Ledermann JA, Colombo N, du Bois A, Delaloye JF, Kristensen GB, et al. Paclitaxel plus platinum-based chemotherapy versus conventional platinum-based chemotherapy in women with relapsed ovarian cancer: the ICON4/AGO-OVAR-2.2 trial. Lancet. 2003;361:2099–106.
Latorre A, De Lena M, Catino A, Crucitta E, Sambiasi D, Guida M, et al. Epithelial ovarian cancer: second and third line chemotherapy. Int J Oncol. 2002;21:179–86.
Gubbi A, Kendrick JE, Finkler NJ. The role of bevacizumab in recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Expert Rev Anticancer Ther. 2014;14:1105–13.
McLachlan J, Banerjee S. Olaparib for the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2016;17:995–1003.
Chiyoda T, Tsuda H, Nomura H, Kataoka F, Tominaga E, Suzuki A, et al. Effects of third-line chemotherapy for women with recurrent ovarian cancer who received platinum/taxane regimens as first-line chemotherapy. Eur J Gynaecol Oncol. 2010;31:364–8.
Nishio S, Katsumata N, Matsumoto K, Tanabe H, Yonemori K, Kouno T, et al. Usefulness of third-line chemotherapy for women with recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer who receive platinum/taxane regimens as first-line therapy. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2009;135:551–7.
Liang XJ, Chen C, Zhao Y, Wang PC. Circumventing tumor resistance to chemotherapy by nanotechnology. Methods Mol Biol. 2010;596:467–88.
Jabir NR, Tabrez S, Ashraf GM, Shakil S, Damanhouri GA, Kamal MA. Nanotechnology-based approaches in anticancer research. Int J Nanomed. 2012;7:4391–408.
Maranhão RC, Garicochea B, Silva EL, Llacer PD, Pileggi FJ, Chamone DA. Increased plasma removal of microemulsions resembling the lipid phase of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a possible new strategy for the treatment of the disease. Braz J Med Biol Res. 1992;25:1003–7.
Ho YK, Smith RG, Brown MS, Goldstein JL. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor activity in human acute myelogenous cells. Blood. 1978;52:1099–114.
Brown MS, Goldstein JL. How LDL receptors influence cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Sci Am. 1984;251:58–66.
Ades A, Carvalho JP, Graziani SR, Amancio RF, Souen JS, Pinotti JA, et al. Uptake of a cholesterol-rich emulsion by neoplastic ovarian tissues. Gynecol Oncol. 2001;82:84–7.
Graziani SR, Igreja FA, Hegg R, Meneghetti C, Brandizzi LI, Barboza R, et al. Uptake of a cholesterol-rich emulsion by breast cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2002;85:493–7.
Dias ML, Carvalho JP, Rodrigues DG, Graziani SR, Maranhão RC. Pharmacokinetics and tumor uptake of a derivatized form of paclitaxel associated to a cholesterol-rich nanoemulsion (LDE) in patients with gynecologic cancers. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2007;59:105–11.
Feio DCA, de Oliveira NCL, Pereira ELR, Morikawa AT, Muniz JAPC, Montenegro RC, et al. Organic effects of associating paclitaxel with a lipid-based nanoparticle system on a nonhuman primate, Cebus apella. Int J Nanomed. 2017;12:3827–37.
Pires LA, Hegg R, Valduga CJ, Graziani SR, Rodrigues DG, Maranhão RC. Use of cholesterol-rich nanoparticles that bind to lipoprotein receptors as a vehicle to paclitaxel in the treatment of breast cancer: pharmacokinetics, tumor uptake and a pilot clinical study. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2009;63:281–7.
Azevedo CH, Carvalho JP, Valduga CJ, Maranhão RC. Plasma kinetics and uptake by the tumor of a cholesterol-rich microemulsion (LDE) associated to etoposide oleate in patients with ovarian carcinoma. Gynecol Oncol. 2005;97:178–82.
Pinheiro KV, Hungria VT, Ficker ES, Valduga CJ, Mesquita CH, Maranhão RC. Plasma kinetics of a cholesterol-rich microemulsion (LDE) in patients with Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a preliminary study on the toxicity of etoposide associated with LDE. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2006;57:624–30.
Maranhão RC, Graziani SR, Yamaguchi N, Melo RF, Latrilha MC, Rodrigues DG, et al. Association of carmustine with a lipid emulsion: in vitro, in vivo and preliminary studies in cancer patients. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2002;49:487–98.
Hungria VT, Latrilha MC, Rodrigues DG, Bydlowski SP, Chiattone CS, Maranhão RC. Metabolism of a cholesterol-rich microemulsion (LDE) in patients with multiple myeloma and a preliminary clinical study of LDE as a drug vehicle for the treatment of the disease. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2004;53:51–60.
Rodrigues DG, Maria DA, Fernandes DC, Valduga CJ, Couto RD, Ibañez OC, et al. Improvement of paclitaxel therapeutic index by derivatization and association to a cholesterol-rich microemulsion: in vitro and in vivo studies. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2005;55:565–76.
Strickland DK, Kounnas MZ, Argraves WS. LDL receptor related protein: a multiligand receptor for lipoprotein and proteinase catabolism. FASEB J. 1995;9:890–8.
Herz J, Strickland DK. LRP: a multifunctional scavenger and signaling receptor. J Clin Investig. 2001;108:779–84.
Maier-Lenz H, Hauns B, Haering B, Koetting J, Mross K, Unger C, et al. Phase I study of paclitaxel administered as a 1-hour infusion: toxicity and pharmacokinetics. Semin Oncol. 1997;24(6 Suppl 19):S19-16–S19-19.
Raber-Durlacher JE, Weijl NI, Abu Saris M, de Koning B, Zwinderman AH, Osanto S. Oral mucositis in patients treated with chemotherapy for solid tumors: a retrospective analysis of 150 cases. Support Care Cancer. 2000;8:366–71.
Arbuck SG, Strauss H, Rowinsky E, Christian M, Suffness M, Adams J, et al. A reassessment of cardiac toxicity associated with Taxol. J Natl CancerInst Monogr. 1993;15:117–30.
Weiss RB, Donehower RC, Wiernik PH, Ohnuma T, Gralla RJ, Trump DL, et al. Hypersensitivity reactions from Taxol. J Clin Oncol. 1990;8:1263–8.
Zylberberg C, Matosevic S. Pharmaceutical liposomal drug delivery: a review of new delivery systems and a look at the regulatory landscape. Drug Deliv. 2016;23:3319–29.
Sleep D. Albumin and its application in drug delivery. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2015;12:793–812.
Krishnamurthy S, Vaiyapuri R, Zhang L, Chan JM. Lipid-coated polymeric nanoparticles for cancer drug delivery. Biomater Sci. 2015;3:923–36.
Maranhão RC, Vital CG, Tavoni TM, Graziani SR. Clinical experience with drug delivery systems as tools to decrease the toxicity of anticancer chemotherapeutic agents. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2017;1:1–10.
Waite CL, Roth CM. Nanoscale drug delivery systems for enhanced drug penetration into solid tumors: current progress and opportunities. Crit Rev Biomed Eng. 2012;40:21–41.
Sabbatini P, Sill MW, O’Malley D, Adler L, Secord AA. Gynecologic Oncology Group Study. A phase II trial of paclitaxel poliglumex in recurrent or persistent ovarian or primary peritoneal cancer (EOC): a Gynecologic Oncology Group Study. Gynecol Oncol. 2008;111:455–60.
Bodnar L, Górnas M, Szczylik C. Sorafenib as a third line therapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer or primary peritoneal cancer: a phase II study. Gynecol Oncol. 2011;123:33–6.
Pignata S, Lorusso D, Scambia G, Sambataro D, Tamberi S, Cinieri S, et al. Pazopanib plus weekly paclitaxel versus weekly paclitaxel alone for platinum-resistant or platinum-refractory advanced ovarian cancer (MITO 11): a randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16:561–8.
Hong SH, Lee S, Kim HG, Lee HJ, Jung KH, Lee SC, et al. Phase II study of gemcitabine and vinorelbine as second- or third-line therapy in patients with primary refractory or platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer by the Korean Cancer Study Group (KCSG)_KCSG GY10-10. Gynecol Oncol. 2015;136:212–7.
Bruchim I, Jarchowsky-Dolberg O, Fishman A. Advanced (> second) line chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2013;166:94–8.
Orr GA, Verdier-Pinard P, McDaid H, Horwitz SB. Mechanisms of Taxol resistance related to microtubules. Oncogene. 2003;22:7280–95.
Acknowledgements
Dr Maranhão has a 1A Research Career Award from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq, Brasília, Brazil). The authors are grateful to Ms. Debora F. Deus and Lucy A. de Almeida for their help with the experiments.
Funding
This study was funded by the State of São Paulo Research Support Foundation (FAPESP, São Paulo, Brazil) [Grant Number 2014/03742-0].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval
All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Graziani, S.R., Vital, C.G., Morikawa, A.T. et al. Phase II study of paclitaxel associated with lipid core nanoparticles (LDE) as third-line treatment of patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Med Oncol 34, 151 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-017-1009-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-017-1009-z