Doacs Cancer
Doacs Cancer
Doacs Cancer
emerged for the prevention and treatment of acute VTE. The direct stratification by stage of disease (early or locally advanced disease v
oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are dabigatran, inhibiting activated metastatic disease for solid tumors v hematologic malignancy), baseline
factor II (thrombin), and rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban, platelet count (# 350,000 v . 350,000/mL), type of VTE (symptomatic
VTE v incidental PE), and risk of clotting by tumor type (high v low risk).
inhibiting activated factor X. These agents are noninferior to VKAs
Trial staff, participants, and investigators were not blinded to treatment
in patients with acute VTE.6-10 allocation.
LMWH requires daily subcutaneous injection; DOACs are For patients assigned to dalteparin, 200 IU/kg was administered
taken orally and do not require laboratory monitoring. In patients with subcutaneously once daily for the first 30 days of treatment, and then
anorexia and vomiting, oral administration can be problematic.11 150 IU/kg was administered subcutaneously once daily for an additional
In the EINSTEIN trials (ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: 5 months. The LMWH was supplied by the National Health Service. The
NCT00440193 and NCT00439725) , which compared rivaroxaban total daily dose was not to exceed 18,000 IU. The dose was also adjusted or
discontinued for low platelet count and significant renal failure until
with LMWH followed by a VKA in patients with acute symp- recovery.
tomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or acute PE,9,10 only 5.5% of For patients assigned to rivaroxaban, 15-mg tablets were administered
patients had active cancer at baseline.12 The comparator to the orally with food twice daily for the first 3 weeks, followed by 20-mg tablets
DOAC was a VKA, whereas the standard treatment in cancer is once daily for a total of 6 months. If platelet counts were , 50,000/mm3,
long-term LMWH.3 Because the generalizability to patients with rivaroxaban was to be discontinued until the platelet count recovered
active cancer was unclear, we conducted a trial to assess VTE to . 50,000/mm3. A dose reduction or discontinuation was specified for
different levels of renal impairment.
recurrence rates in patients with active cancer, treated with either
After approximately 5 months of receiving study medication, patients
rivaroxaban or dalteparin. The trial provided an opportunity to with an index DVT underwent CUS of the lower limbs. If the CUS showed
address the question of the duration of anticoagulant therapy residual DVT or patients had presented with a PE, they were eligible to be
beyond 6 months, based on the premise that the presence of re- randomly assigned to 6 months of rivaroxaban or placebo. Patients had to
sidual DVT on compression ultrasound (CUS) after 5 months of still be receiving trial treatment, be without a VTE recurrence, and satisfy
anticoagulant therapy is a marker for increased risk of recurrent the baseline inclusion criteria to be approached for the second random
VTE.13 The comparison of dalteparin and rivaroxaban over assignment.
6 months is reported.
Follow-Up
All patients were assessed at 3-month intervals until month 12 and
PATIENTS AND METHODS then at 6-month intervals until month 24. Physical examination (as
clinically indicated) and routine hematology and biochemistry were
Design performed at each visit. Computed tomography scans and venous ul-
Anticoagulation Therapy in Selected Cancer Patients at Risk of trasonography of upper and lower limbs were performed if clinically
Recurrence of Venous Thromboembolism (SELECT-D) was a randomized, indicated.
open-label, multicenter pilot trial.
Outcomes
Patient Population The primary outcome of the trial was VTE recurrence. Recurrent
The inclusion criteria were patients with active cancer (solid and proximal DVT (definition listed in Appendix Table A1, online only) was
hematologic malignancies) presenting with a primary objectively con- confirmed using CUS. Recurrent PE, either symptomatic or incidental PE,
firmed VTE, either symptomatic lower-extremity proximal DVT, symp- and fatal PE were defined as listed in Appendix Table A1. In addition, other
tomatic PE, or incidental PE. Active cancer was defined as a diagnosis of sites of venous thrombosis (eg, subclavian vein, hepatic vein, and inferior
cancer (other than basal-cell or squamous-cell skin carcinoma) in the vena cava) were counted as primary outcome events. Although the study
previous 6 months, any treatment for cancer within the previous 6 months, protocol did not specify central adjudication of suspected VTE events,
recurrent or metastatic cancer, or cancer not in complete remission reported VTE events were subsequently adjudicated by a central committee
(hematologic malignancy). In addition, patients had to be age $ 18 years of unaware of treatment allocation after the study was completed.
age; weigh $ 40 kg; have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group per- Secondary outcomes were major bleeding and clinically relevant
formance status of # 2; and have adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal nonmajor bleeding (CRNMB9; Appendix Table A2, online only).14
function. Bleeding events were adjudicated by an independent committee of ex-
The exclusion criteria included taking any previous treatment dose of perienced clinicians unaware of treatment allocation. Adverse events ex-
anticoagulant or . 75 mg aspirin per day (planned start time of study perienced from trial entry until 30 days after the end of trial treatment were
therapy was . 96 hours after starting anticoagulant for this VTE), having recorded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Termi-
a history of VTE, clinically significant liver disease, bacterial endocarditis, nology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0).15
active bleeding or high risk of bleeding, or uncontrolled hypertension, and
inadequate contraceptive measures if of childbearing potential. Con-
comitant use of strong cytochrome P- 450 3A4 inhibitors or inducers or
P-glycoprotein inhibitors or inducers was not permitted. After approval by Statistics
ethics committees in the United Kingdom and by the Medicines and We conducted a pilot trial to obtain estimates of recurrent VTE rates
Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, each center approved the study to gauge the feasibility of recruiting to a phase III trial and assess the
protocol. All patients provided written informed consent. assumptions for the second random assignment. A target sample size of
530 patients would provide estimates of VTE recurrence rates at 6 months
to within an 8% width of the 95% CI, assuming a VTE recurrence rate at
Random Assignment and Study Interventions 6 months of 10%.3 In addition, it would ensure that the sample size would
Patients were randomly assigned centrally by telephoning Warwick be large enough to allow sufficient numbers for the second random
Clinical Trials Unit. Consenting patients were randomly assigned at assignment—a total of 300 patients randomly assigned (150 to each arm)
a one-to-one ratio using a computer-based minimization algorithm with to provide estimates for a future definitive duration study.
Excluded (n = 1654)
Did not meet inclusion criteria (n = 1105)
Declined to participate (n = 264)
Other reasons (n = 285)
Randomly assigned
(n = 406)
Allocation
Allocated to Rivaroxaban (n = 203)
Allocated to Dalteparin (n = 203) Received allocated intervention (n = 202)
Received allocated intervention (n = 200) Did not receive allocated intervention because (n = 1)
Did not receive allocated intervention (n = 3) of a bleed before to starting trial treatment
because withdrew consent for trial
Treatment
Discontinued intervention (n = 90) Discontinued intervention (n = 86)
Withdrawal
Withdrawal (n = 20) Withdrawal (n = 16)
Patient choice (n = 19) Patient choice (n = 11)
Clinical decision (n = 1) Clinical decision (n = 3)
Ineligible (n = 1)
Lost to follow-up (n = 1)
Analysis
VTE recurrence (n = 203) VTE recurrence (n = 203)
Overall survival (n = 203) Overall survival (n = 203)
Fig 1. CONSORT diagram, including enrollment and outcomes. VTE, venous thromboembolism.
On September 1, 2016, based on a recommendation from the data and estimated using the complement of the Kaplan-Meier estimates, and the
safety monitoring committee (DSMC), the second random assignment was VTE recurrence rate at 6 months and 95% CIs were obtained. Kaplan-
closed, with only 92 patients recruited, because it was considered futile to Meier estimates were also obtained for bleeding and survival. A Cox model
continue. At the same time, the sample size for the trial was reduced to a total was used to obtain hazard ratios (HRs) and associated 95% CIs and to
of 400 patients (200 patients in each arm), because recruitment was slower evaluate independent prognostic factors for VTE recurrence. A competing
than anticipated. This would still allow estimates of the primary outcome to risk analysis was performed using the cumulative incidence competing risk
be within a 95% CI of 9%, instead of 8% as originally planned. method to account for death as a competing risk.16
A safety analysis was planned for the first 220 patients (110 in each
arm). This would be sufficient to detect an excess of 10% in major bleeding
and CRNMB rates (80% power; 5% one- sided significance level, assuming
a 5% rate in the control arm). RESULTS
Because of censoring, VTE recurrence was analyzed using the time to
a VTE recurrence, which was calculated from the date of random as-
signment to the date of first VTE recurrence event or censored at the Patient Population
analysis date of 6 months or date last known to be VTE recurrence free, if Between September 6, 2013, and December 22, 2016, a total
earlier. Cumulative incidence curves for the time to VTE recurrence were of 2,060 patients were screened, and 670 eligible patients were
Recurrent VTE
Twenty-six patients treated with dalteparin (n = 18) or
approached for participation; 264 patients declined random assign- rivaroxaban (n = 8) experienced a recurrent VTE within the first
ment (Fig 1). A total of 406 patients were recruited from 58 sites across 6 months after random assignment, including two patients with
the United Kingdom; 203 patients were allocated to each trial arm. symptomatic PE and six with incidental PE receiving dalteparin,
Recurrence (%)
Dalteparin Rivaroxaban 30
Thrombosis (n = 203) (n = 203)
25
VTE
VTE recurrence 18 8
20
Location of recurrence
Lower extremity 7 (39) 3 (38)† 15
Femoral vein 5 2
10
Popliteal vein 3 1
Iliac vein 2 2 5
IVC 0 1
PE 9 (50) 4 (50)
Other 2 (11) 2 (25) 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Brachial, subclavian, or jugular 1 1 Time Since Trial Entry (months)
Renal plus IVC 1 0 No. at risk:
Extrahepatic portal vein 0 1 Dalteparin 203 171 139 115
Type of PE
Rivaroxaban 203 174 149 134
Symptomatic 2 (11) 2 (25)
Incidental 6 (33) 1 (13) Fig 2. Time to venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence within 6 months.
Fatal PE 1 (6) 1 (13)
Abbreviations: IVC, inferior vena cava; PE, pulmonary embolism; VTE, venous
thromboembolism.
*Percentages are out of the total with VTE recurrence.
†One patient had deep vein thrombosis and PE. DISCUSSION
The primary goal of our trial was to obtain estimates of the VTE
recurrence rates in patients with cancer treated with rivaroxaban or
compared with two symptomatic and one incidental PE in those dalteparin. The 6-month cumulative risk of recurrent VTE in the
receiving rivaroxaban. There was one fatal PE in each arm patients receiving dalteparin was consistent with what had been
(Table 2). The cumulative VTE recurrence rate at 6 months was postulated based on the trial, Low-Molecular–Weight Heparin Versus
11% (95% CI, 7% to 16%) for patients receiving dalteparin and 4% a Coumarin for the Prevention of Recurrent Venous Thromboem-
(95% CI, 2% to 9%) for patients receiving rivaroxaban (HR, 0.43; bolism in Patients with Cancer (CLOT) .3 Given that rivaroxaban was
95% CI, 0.19 to 0.99; Fig 2). A competing risk analysis showed noninferior to initial LMWH followed by a VKA in the EINSTEIN
similar results (Appendix Fig A1, online only). Site of primary trials,9,10 and that in CLOT, dalteparin reduced recurrent VTE by 50%
tumor (stomach or pancreas v other; HR, 5.55; 95% CI, 1.97 to compared with LMWH followed by a VKA,3 we estimated that the
15.66; lung, lymphoma, gynecologic, or bladder v other; HR, 2.69; 6-month cumulative risk of recurrent VTE in patients receiving
95% CI, 1.11-6.53) and VTE type (symptomatic VTE v incidental rivaroxaban would be 10% at best. In fact, the observed 6-month
PE; HR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.20 to 6.41) predicted for VTE recurrence. recurrent VTE risk with rivaroxaban was only 4%. It is unlikely that
this reduction in recurrent VTE risk in favor of rivaroxaban was by
Bleeding chance, because the 95% CI of the HR did not include 1.0.
Six patients receiving dalteparin had major bleeds, compared Most of the cases of recurrent PE in the dalteparin arm were
with 11 patients in the rivaroxaban arm (Table 3). The cumulative incidental, related to computed tomography imaging for tumor
major bleed rate at 6 months was 4% (95% CI, 2% to 8%) for status. This did not seem to be the case for the rivaroxaban arm. It
dalteparin and 6% (95% CI, 3% to 11%) for rivaroxaban (HR, is conceivable that the increased detection of incidental PE was
1.83; 95% CI, 0.68 to 4.96; Fig 3). Most major bleeding events were a chance occurrence.
GI, and there were no CNS bleeds (Table 3). Patients with An important secondary objective of our trial was to assess
esophageal or gastroesophageal cancer tended to experience more rates of major bleeding and CRNMB. The rates of major bleeding
major bleeds with rivaroxaban than with dalteparin—four (36%) in both trial arms were relatively low and consistent with previously
of 11 versus one (11%) of 19 (Appendix Table A3, online only). observed rates.3,4 Most major bleeding events were GI. Upper GI
An additional seven patients receiving dalteparin had CRNMB bleeding is a challenge in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving
compared with 25 patients in the rivaroxaban arm (Table 3). The cu- rivaroxaban.17 There was a signal that cancer of the esophagus and
mulative rate of CRNMB at 6 months was 4% (95% CI, 2% to 9%) for gastroesophagus was associated with rivaroxaban-associated major
dalteparin and 13% (95% CI, 9% to 19%) for rivaroxaban (HR, 3.76; bleeding. CNS bleeding is a concern in patients with cancer re-
95% CI, 1.63 to 8.69). Most CRNMBs were GI or urologic (Table 3). ceiving anticoagulant therapy, and there were no such bleeds in the
trial.
There was a three-fold relative increase in CRNMB with
Survival rivaroxaban compared with dalteparin. Such bleeds were not
A total of 104 patients died within 6 months (dalteparin, n = trivial, because they had to satisfy at least one of the following
56; rivaroxaban, n = 48). Overall survival at 6 months was 70% criteria: requiring medical intervention, unscheduled contact with
(95% CI, 63% to 76%) with dalteparin and 75% (95% CI, 69% to a physician, interruption or discontinuation of study drug, or
81%) with rivaroxaban (Appendix Fig A2, online only). discomfort or impairment of activities of daily life.
7. Agnelli G, Buller HR, Cohen A, et al: Oral medicinal products in non-surgical patients. J Thromb
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Affiliations
Annie M. Young, Andrea Marshall, Jenny Thirlwall, Catherine Hill, Danielle Hale, Janet A. Dunn, and Stavros Petrou, Warwick
Clinical Trials Unit, University of Warwick; Oliver Chapman and Christopher J. Poole, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire;
Charles Hutchinson and Jeremy Dale, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry; Anand Lokare, Heart of England
National Health Service Foundation Trust, Birmingham; Peter MacCallum, Queen Mary University of London; Ajay Kakkar, Thrombosis
Research Institute, London; F.D. Richard Hobbs, University of Oxford, Oxford; Anthony Maraveyas, Hull York Medical School, Hull,
United Kingdom; Gary H. Lyman, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA; and Mark Levine, McMaster University,
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Support
Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bayer AG, which also provided rivaroxaban and placebo tablets.
Prior Presentation
Presented orally at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA, December 9-12, 2017.
nnn
Acknowledgment
We thank all the co-investigators in the United Kingdom for their commitment throughout the study period, in particular Mojid Khan
(MPharm), Robert Grieve, Martin Scott-Brown (MD), and Tom Goodfellow (MD), University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire;
Veronica Wilkie (FRCGP), University of Worcester; Andrew Entwistle (PhD) and Debs Smith (BA), patient and public involvement (PPI)
representatives; Peter Rose (FRCPath), Warwick Hospital; and Jo Grumett (BSc) and Jaclyn Brown (BSc), Warwick Clinical Trials Unit. We
also thank all of the patients who participated in the SELECT-D trial and their caregivers and all investigators and their teams from the
participating sites (Appendix, Table A4, online only) and members of the UK independent data and safety monitoring committee: Keith
Wheatley (PhD), University of Birmingham; Lisa Robinson (FRCPath), Hereford County Hospital; and Ganesh Radhakrishna (FRCR),
The Christie National Health Service Foundation Trust. During the trial, one of our PPI representatives, Irene Singleton (BSc), sadly died;
Irene gently advised with wise words of a patient.
Appendix
Abbreviations: CUS, compression ultrasound; DVT, deep vein thrombosis; PE, pulmonary embolism; VTE, venous thromboembolism.
Abbreviation: SELECT-D, Anticoagulation Therapy in Selected Cancer Patients at Risk of Recurrence of Venous Thromboembolism
20
Dalteparin
Rivaroxaban
Recurrence (%)
15
VTE
10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time Since Trial Entry (months)
No. at risk:
Dalteparin 203 171 139 115
Rivaroxaban 203 174 149 134
Fig A1. Competing risk analysis. The 6-month cumulative incidence for venous
thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence, allowing for the competing risk of death, was
9% (95% CI, 6% to 14%) for dalteparin and 4% (95% CI, 2% to 7%) for
rivaroxaban.
100
75
OS (%)
50
25
Dalteparin
Rivaroxaban
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time Since Trial Entry (months)
No. at risk:
Dalteparin 203 176 149 124
Rivaroxaban 203 177 154 138