4574 Background: Antifolate agents have demonstrated activity in transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), a disease with very poor outcomes in advanced stages. Pralatrexate (FOLOTYN, Allos Therapeutics, Inc., Westminster, CO), a folate analogue targeting dihydrofolate reductase, is designed for enhanced uptake and accumulation in tumor cells. The objective of this study was to examine the activity and safety of pralatrexate in patients (pts) with advanced/metastatic TCC of the urinary bladder after failure of prior chemotherapy. Methods: Pts with histologically confirmed TCC (>50% TCC in tumor) received pralatrexate 190 mg/m² intravenously on days 1 and 15 of a 28‑day cycle supplemented with vitamin B12 and folic acid. Included pts had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–1, measurable disease, and prior treatment with ≤1 platinum- and/or methotrexate-based regimen in the recurrent/metastatic setting. Results: Thirty pts were enrolled and treated. All pts received prior platinum-based therapy, and 7 pts (23%) received methotrexate in a multidrug regimen. One pt had a confirmed partial response (PR); 4 additional pts had unconfirmed PRs. Twelve pts had stable disease. The median number of cycles received was 2 (range, 1–24), and median time on treatment was 56 days (range, 1–714). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival for all pts was 4.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1–4.5) and 9.3 months (95% CI, 5.6–13.2), respectively. Eight pts (27%) had PFS >6 months and 3 pts (10%) had PFS >12 months. Eight pts (27%) underwent dose reductions, all due to mucositis. Six pts (20%) discontinued the study due to treatment-related adverse events (AEs)—mainly mucositis. The most frequent treatment-related AEs were stomatitis (77%), asthenia (30%), vomiting (27%), and anemia, nausea, and neutropenia (23% each). Conclusions: Pralatrexate showed evidence of activity and durable disease control when used as a single agent in pts with advanced bladder cancer, although the overall response rate was modest. Further study of pralatrexate in this setting should focus on improving drug delivery and evaluation of novel combination approaches.
Gemcitabine Single Agent for Recurrent Post Bladder Preservation Therapy and in Metastatic Transitional Cell Carcinoma of Urinary Bladder in Elderly Patients with Renal Impairment
