Georg Dimcevski1, Spiros Kotopoulis2, Tormod Bjånes3, Dag Hoem4, Jan Schjøtt5, Bjørn Tore Gjertsen6, Martin Biermann7, Anders Molven8, Halfdan Sorbye9, Emmet McCormack10, Michiel Postema11, Odd Helge Gilja2. 1. National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: Georg.dimcevski@helse-bergen.no. 2. National Centre for Ultrasound in Gastroenterology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 3. Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Section of Clinical Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 4. Department of Surgical Sciences, Haukeland University Hospital, Norway. 5. Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry, Section of Clinical Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 6. Centre for Cancer Biomarkers, CCBIO, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology Section, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 7. Department of Radiology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 8. Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Gade Laboratory for Pathology, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 9. Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. 10. Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology Section, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway. 11. Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland; School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Chamber of Mines Building, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and potential toxicity of gemcitabine combined with microbubbles under sonication in inoperable pancreatic cancer patients. The secondary aim was to evaluate a novel image-guided microbubble-based therapy, based on commercially available technology, towards improving chemotherapeutic efficacy, preserving patient performance status, and prolonging survival. METHODS: Ten patients were enrolled and treated in this Phase I clinical trial. Gemcitabine was infused intravenously over 30min. Subsequently, patients were treated using a commercial clinical ultrasound scanner for 31.5min. SonoVue® was injected intravenously (0.5ml followed by 5ml saline every 3.5min) during the ultrasound treatment with the aim of inducing sonoporation, thus enhancing therapeutic efficacy. RESULTS: The combined therapeutic regimen did not induce any additional toxicity or increased frequency of side effects when compared to gemcitabine chemotherapy alone (historical controls). Combination treated patients (n=10) tolerated an increased number of gemcitabine cycles compared with historical controls (n=63 patients; average of 8.3±6.0cycles, versus 13.8±5.6cycles, p=0.008, unpaired t-test). In five patients, the maximum tumour diameter was decreased from the first to last treatment. The median survival in our patients (n=10) was also increased from 8.9months to 17.6months (p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to combine ultrasound, microbubbles, and chemotherapy in a clinical setting using commercially available equipment with no additional toxicities. This combined treatment may improve the clinical efficacy of gemcitabine, prolong the quality of life, and extend survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND: The primary aim of our study was to evaluate the safety and potential toxicity of gemcitabine combined with microbubbles under sonication in inoperable pancreatic cancerpatients. The secondary aim was to evaluate a novel image-guided microbubble-based therapy, based on commercially available technology, towards improving chemotherapeutic efficacy, preserving patient performance status, and prolonging survival. METHODS: Ten patients were enrolled and treated in this Phase I clinical trial. Gemcitabine was infused intravenously over 30min. Subsequently, patients were treated using a commercial clinical ultrasound scanner for 31.5min. SonoVue® was injected intravenously (0.5ml followed by 5ml saline every 3.5min) during the ultrasound treatment with the aim of inducing sonoporation, thus enhancing therapeutic efficacy. RESULTS: The combined therapeutic regimen did not induce any additional toxicity or increased frequency of side effects when compared to gemcitabine chemotherapy alone (historical controls). Combination treated patients (n=10) tolerated an increased number of gemcitabine cycles compared with historical controls (n=63 patients; average of 8.3±6.0cycles, versus 13.8±5.6cycles, p=0.008, unpaired t-test). In five patients, the maximum tumour diameter was decreased from the first to last treatment. The median survival in our patients (n=10) was also increased from 8.9months to 17.6months (p=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to combine ultrasound, microbubbles, and chemotherapy in a clinical setting using commercially available equipment with no additional toxicities. This combined treatment may improve the clinical efficacy of gemcitabine, prolong the quality of life, and extend survival in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Authors: Tommaso Di Ianni; Rajendran J C Bose; Uday K Sukumar; Sunitha Bachawal; Huaijun Wang; Arsenii Telichko; Carl Herickhoff; Elise Robinson; Sam Baker; José G Vilches-Moure; Stephen A Felt; Sanjiv S Gambhir; Ramasamy Paulmurugan; Jeremy D Dahl Journal: J Control Release Date: 2019-07-18 Impact factor: 9.776
Authors: Rakesh Bam; Patrick S Lown; Lawrence A Stern; Karina Sharma; Katheryne E Wilson; Gregory R Bean; Amelie M Lutz; Ramasamy Paulmurugan; Benjamin J Hackel; Jeremy Dahl; Lotfi Abou-Elkacem Journal: Clin Cancer Res Date: 2020-01-10 Impact factor: 12.531
Authors: Roy van der Meel; Einar Sulheim; Yang Shi; Fabian Kiessling; Willem J M Mulder; Twan Lammers Journal: Nat Nanotechnol Date: 2019-11-06 Impact factor: 39.213