Research in Context Panel:Evidence before this study: Preclinical data, epidemiological studies, and meta-analyses of randomised data from cardiovascular trials support the hypothesis that aspirin could be an effective adjuvant cancer therapy (Langley R, et al. Br J Cancer 2011;105(8):1107-13; Algra AM et al. Lancet Oncol 2012;13(5):518-27 ). Globally, several phase III studies are ongoing to assess this, though debate continues about the safety profile of aspirin particularly after radical therapy for gastrointestinal malignancies.Added value of this study: The Add-Aspirin trial (encompassing 4 individually powered phase III studies in gastro-oesophageal, colorectal, prostate and breast cancer) is the largest of the ongoing trials and includes a pre-defined feasibility analysis to assess the acceptability of randomisation, tolerability and toxicity based on an open label run-in phase prior to double-blind randomisation. The data show that aspirin is well tolerated after radical cancer therapy, acceptable to patients, and there is no evidence to suggest there is increased toxicity in the gastro-oesophageal cohort over other tumour-specific cohorts.Implications of all the available evidence: Aspirin is a low cost generic drug with the potential to have a large impact on cancer outcomes globally. Outcomes from gastro-oesophageal cancer remain poor and there is an imperative to complete recruitment to the ongoing trials as quickly as possible. The rationale and supporting evidence for evaluating aspirin as a potential anti-cancer therapy remains strong. More generally, a run-in approach may be useful in adjuvant (or prevention) studies for reducing the risk of non-adherence and participant attrition at a later date. ABSTRACT Background: Pre-clinical, epidemiological and randomised data indicate aspirin prevents tumour development and metastases leading to reduced cancer mortality, particularly for gastro-oesophageal and colorectal cancer. Randomised trials evaluating aspirin use after primary radical therapy are ongoing. To address concerns about toxicity particularly bleeding after radical treatment for gastro-oesophageal cancer, a pre-planned feasibility analysis was incorporated into the ongoing Add-Aspirin trial. Method: The Add-Aspirin protocol includes 4 phase III randomised-controlled trials evaluating the effect of aspirin on recurrence/survival after radical therapy in 4 tumour cohorts: gastro-oesophageal (GO), colorectal (CRC), breast and prostate. An open-label run-in phase (aspirin 100mg daily for 8 weeks) precedes double-blind randomisation (1:1:1 aspirin 300mg: aspirin 100mg: matched placebo). A preplanned analysis of feasibility, including recruitment, adherence, and toxicity was performed. The trial is registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number registry (ISRCTN74358648), and remains open to recruitment. Findings: After two years of recruitment (October 2015-October 2017), 3494 participants were registered on the trial (gastro-oesophageal 115, colorectal 950, breast...

Bevacizumab is considered an established part of the treatment strategies available for schwannomas in patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 2(NF2). In the UK, it is available through NHS National Specialized Commissioning to NF2 patients with a rapidly growing target schwannoma. Regrowth of the tumour on suspension of treatment is often observed resulting in prolonged periods of exposure to bevacizumab to control the disease. Hypertension and proteinuria are common events with bevacizumab use and there are concerns with regards to the long-term risks of prolonged treatment.Dosing, demographic and adverse event(CTCAE 4.03) data from the UK NF2 bevacizumab cohort are reviewed with particular consideration of renal and cardiovascular complications.Eighty patients (48 male:32female), median age 24.5 years (range 11-66years), were followed for a median of 32.7 months (range 12.0-60.2months). The most common adverse events were fatigue, hypertension and infection. A total of 19/80 patients (24%) had either a grade 2 or grade 3 hypertension event and 14/80 patients (17.5%) had proteinuria. Of 36 patients followed for 36 months, 78% were free from hypertension and 86% were free of proteinuria. Logistic regression modeling identified age and induction dosing regime to be predictors of development of hypertension with dose of 7.5mg/kg three weekly and age >30years having higher rates of hypertension. Proteinuria persisted in one of three patients after cessation of bevacizumab. One patient developed congestive heart failure and the details of this case are described.Further work is needed to determine optimal dosing regimes to limit toxicity without impacting on efficacy.Introduction:

A phase II study was undertaken to determine the safety of combining flutamide with gemcitabine, with response rate being the primary end point. Twenty-seven patients with histologically proven, previously untreated, unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma received gemcitabine, 1 g m 72 intravenously on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28 day cycle, and flutamide 250 mg given orally three times daily. Treatment was halted if there was unacceptable toxicity, or evidence of disease progression. Toxicity was documented every cycle. Tumour assessment was undertaken after cycles 2 and 4, and thereafter at least every additional four cycles. One hundred and seventeen cycles of treatment were administered, median four cycles per patient (range 1 -18). Gemcitabine combined with flutamide was well tolerated, with most toxicities being recorded as grade 1 or 2 and only nine treatment cycles associated with grade 3 toxicity. The most frequent toxicity was myelosuppression. One case of transient jaundice was recorded. The commonest symptomatic toxicity was nausea and vomiting. The response rate was 15% (four partial responses), median survival 6 months and 22% of patients were alive at 1 year. These results suggest antitumour activity of the combination therapy to be equivalent to single agent gemcitabine.