Randomized phase II study of valproic acid in combination with bevacizumab and oxaliplatin/fluoropyrimidine regimens in patients with RAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer: the REVOLUTION study protocol

Antonio Avallone, Maria Carmela Piccirillo, Elena Di Gennaro, Carmela Romano, Filomena Calabrese, Maria Serena Roca, Fabiana Tatangelo, Vincenza Granata, Antonio Cassata, Ernesta Cavalcanti, Nicola Maurea, Piera Maiolino, Lucrezia Silvestro, Alfonso De Stefano, Francesco Giuliani, Gerardo Rosati, Emiliano Tamburini, Pasquale Aprea, Valeria Vicario, Anna Nappi, Carlo Vitagliano, Rossana Casaretti, Alessandra Leone, Antonella Petrillo, Gerardo Botti, Paolo Delrio, Francesco Izzo, Francesco Perrone, Alfredo Budillon, Antonio Avallone, Maria Carmela Piccirillo, Elena Di Gennaro, Carmela Romano, Filomena Calabrese, Maria Serena Roca, Fabiana Tatangelo, Vincenza Granata, Antonio Cassata, Ernesta Cavalcanti, Nicola Maurea, Piera Maiolino, Lucrezia Silvestro, Alfonso De Stefano, Francesco Giuliani, Gerardo Rosati, Emiliano Tamburini, Pasquale Aprea, Valeria Vicario, Anna Nappi, Carlo Vitagliano, Rossana Casaretti, Alessandra Leone, Antonella Petrillo, Gerardo Botti, Paolo Delrio, Francesco Izzo, Francesco Perrone, Alfredo Budillon

Abstract

Background: Despite effective treatments, metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) prognosis is still poor, mostly in RAS-mutated tumors, thus suggesting the need for novel combinatorial therapies. Epigenetic alterations play an important role in initiation and progression of cancers, including CRC. Histone-deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) have shown activity in combination with chemotherapy in the treatment of solid tumors. Owing to its HDACi activity and its safe use for epileptic disorders, valproic acid (VPA) is a good candidate for anticancer therapy that we have largely explored preclinically translating our findings in currently ongoing clinical studies. We have shown in CRC models that HDACi, including VPA, induces synergistic antitumor effects in combination with fluoropyrimidines. Furthermore, unpublished results from our group demonstrated that VPA induces differentiation and sensitization of CRC stem cells to oxaliplatin. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data suggest that HDACi may prevent/reverse anti-angiogenic resistance.

Methods/design: A randomized, open-label, two-arm, multicenter phase-II study will be performed to explore whether the addition of VPA to first line bevacizumab/oxaliplatin/fluoropyrimidine regimens (mFOLFOX-6/mOXXEL) might improve progression-free survival (PFS) in RAS-mutated mCRC patients. A sample size of 200 patients was calculated under the hypothesis that the addition of VPA to chemotherapy/bevacizumab can improve PFS from 9 to 12 months, with one-sided alpha of 0.20 and a power of 0.80. Secondary endpoints are overall survival, objective response rate, metastases resection rate, toxicity, and quality of life. Moreover, the study will explore several prognostic and predictive biomarkers on blood samples, primary tumors, and on resected metastases.

Discussion: The "Revolution" study aims to improve the treatment efficacy of RAS-mutated mCRC through an attractive strategy evaluating the combination of VPA with standard cancer treatment. Correlative studies could identify novel biomarkers and could add new insight in the mechanism of interaction between VPA, fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and bevacizumab.

Trial registration: EudraCT: 2018-001414-15; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04310176.

Keywords: KRAS mutation; anti-VEGF; colorectal cancer; epigenetics; predictive biomarker.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

© The Author(s), 2020.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Study design.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Study procedures.

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