Efficacy and Tolerability of Second-line Nab-paclitaxel and Gemcitabine After Failure of First-line FOLFIRINOX for Advanced Pancreas Cancer: A Single-institution Experience

Prognostic analysis and outcomes of metastatic pancreatic cancer patients receiving nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine as second or later-line treatment

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer (PC) first-line therapy often consists of polychemotherapy regimens, but choosing a second-line therapy after disease progression, especially following first-line FOLFIRINOX, remains a clinical challenge. This study presents results from a large, multicenter, retrospective analysis of Italian patients with metastatic PC (mPC) treated with Nab-paclitaxel/Gemcitabine (AG) as second or later line of treatment. Main objective of the study is to identify prognostic factors that could inform treatment decisions.

METHODS

The study included 160 mPC patients treated with AG in 17 Italian institutions. AG was administered according to labelling dose, until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or patient refusal. Variations in schedules, dose modifications, supportive measures, and response evaluation were determined by individual clinicians' practice.

RESULTS

AG was well-tolerated and exhibited promising clinical activity. The overall response rate (ORR) and the disease control rate (DCR) were 22.5% and 45.6%, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 3.9 and 6.8 months, respectively. Among the patients who received AG as a second-line therapy (n = 111, 66.9%), median PFS and OS were 4.2 and 7.4 months, respectively. Notably, in the 76 patients (68%) receiving AG after first-line FOLFIRINOX, an ORR of 19.7% and a DCR of 46.0% were observed, resulting in a median PFS of 3.5 and median OS of 5.7 months. The study identified specific clinical or laboratory parameters (LDH, NLR, fasting serum glucose, liver metastases, ECOG PS, and first-line PFS) as independent prognostic factors at multivariate level. These factors were used to create a prognostic nomogram that divided patients into three risk classes, helping to predict second-line OS and PFS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study represents the largest real-world population of mPC patients treated with AG as a second or later line of therapy. It supports the feasibility of this regimen following first-line FOLFIRINOX, particularly in patients with specific clinical and laboratory characteristics who derived prolonged benefit from first-line therapy.

Retrospective Evaluation of the Efficacy of Gemcitabine-Based Therapies After FOLFIRINOX Failure in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer, Multi-Center Real-Life Data

OBJECTIVE

Combination therapies such as FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine-nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (GnP) are recommended for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of gemcitabine-based second-line therapies in patients whose disease progressed on FOLFIRINOX.

METHOD

Patients diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in 7 tertiary hospitals in Turkey were included. Patients were divided into 3 different groups according to their treatment regimens: GnP, gemcitabine doublet (gemcitabine-cisplatin or gemcitabine-capecitabine), and gemcitabine monotherapy.

RESULTS

A total of 144 patients were included in the study. In the second-line treatment, 65% of patients were given GnP, 20% were given gemcitabine doublet, and 15% were given gemcitabine monotherapy. The median exposure of the patients to gemcitabine-based therapy was 3 cycles, whereas the median progression-free survival was calculated as 3.4 months. The median overall survival for patients who received GnP was 4.6 months, 6.4 months for patients who received gemcitabine doublet therapy, and 3.7 months for patients who received gemcitabine monotherapy ( P = 0.248).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it has been shown that gemcitabine-based second-line treatments contribute to survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. In addition, there was no difference in efficacy between gemcitabine monotherapy or combination treatments.

Treatment Outcomes and Prognostic Factors of Gemcitabine Plus Nab-Paclitaxel as Second-Line Chemotherapy after Modified FOLFIRINOX in Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

Outcomes and prognostic factors of second-line gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) after modified FOLFIRINOX (mFFX) for unresectable pancreatic cancer were unclear. We retrospectively analyzed consecutive patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer treated with GnP after first-line mFFX treatment between March 2015 and March 2022 at our hospital. A total of 103 patients were included. Median overall survival (OS) from the start of first-line and second-line treatments was 14.9 months and 7.2 months, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.6 months. Performance status, modified Glasgow prognostic score, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were independently associated with OS. Our prognostic model using these parameters classifies patients into good (n = 70) and poor (n = 33) prognosis groups. Median OS and PFS were longer in the good prognosis group than in the poor prognosis group (OS: 9.3 vs. 3.8 months, p < 0.01; PFS: 4.1 vs. 2.3 months, p < 0.01). Grade 3/4 adverse events were observed in 70.9% of patients, with neutropenia being the most frequent. While GnP as second-line treatment was well-tolerated, efficacy of second-line gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel was notably limited, particularly in the poor prognosis group.

Real-world evidence on first- and second-line palliative chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic cancer

In spite of recent diagnostic and therapeutic advances, the prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains very poor. As most patients are not amenable to curative intent treatments, optimized palliative management is highly needed. One key question is to what extent promising results produced by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) correspond to clinically meaningful outcomes in patients treated outside the strict frames of a clinical trial. To answer such questions, real-world evidence is necessary. The present paper reviews and discusses the current literature on first- and second-line palliative chemotherapy in PDAC. Notably, a growing number of studies report that the outcomes of the two predominant first-line multidrug regimens, i.e. gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) and folfirinox (FFX), is similar in RCTs and real-life populations. Outcomes of second-line therapy following failure of first-line regimens are still dismal, and considerable uncertainty of the optimal management remains. Additional RCTs and real-world evidence studies focusing on the optimal treatment sequence, such as FFX followed by GnP or vice versa, are urgently needed. Finally, the review highlights the need for prognostic and predictive biomarkers to inform clinical decision making and enable personalized management in advanced PDAC.

Report from the 21st Annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference; Calgary, Alberta; 20-21 September 2019

The 21st annual Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference (WCGCCC) was held in Calgary, Alberta, 20-21 September 2019. The WCGCCC is an interactive multi-disciplinary conference attended by health care professionals from across Western Canada (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists, pathologists, radiologists, and allied health care professionals such as dietitians and nurses participated in presentation and discussion sessions to develop the recommendations presented here. This consensus statement addresses current issues in the management of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) cancers.

Gemcitabine Plus Nab-Paclitaxel as Second-Line Chemotherapy following FOLFIRINOX in Patients with Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Single-Institution, Retrospective Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Patients with advanced pancreatic cancer have a poor prognosis. FOLFIRINOX (FFX) and gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) have been established as first-line treatment, but they have not been confirmed as second-line treatment after FFX. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of GnP as second-line therapy after FFX in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Twenty-five patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer were enrolled. The patients were treated with GnP after FFX between September 2015 and September 2019. Tumor response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and incidence of adverse events were evaluated.

RESULTS

The response rate, disease control rate, median PFS, and median OS were 12%, 96%, 5.3 months, and 15.6 months, respectively. The common grade 3 or 4 adverse events were neutropenia (76%) and anemia (16%).

CONCLUSIONS

GnP after FOLFIRINOX is expected to be one of the second-line recommendations for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Beyond first line, where are we?

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most aggressive cancers, with an increasing incidence in recent years. To date, chemotherapy is still the standard of care for advanced metastatic disease, unfortunately providing only a slight advantage in terms of survival. The molecular and cellular characteristics of pancreatic cancer cells, as well as the cells that characterize the pancreatic tumour microenvironment, are the basis of the mechanisms of resistance to treatment. After progression during first-line treatment, few patients are eligible for second-line treatment due to the loss of performance status. To date, a clear survival advantage has not yet been demonstrated for second-line chemotherapy. Precision medicine could be the key to increasing responses to cancer treatment and finally impacting survival in this difficult-to-treat disease. In this review, we analyze current recommendations in the second-line setting and potential future prospects.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy after FOLFIRINOX in advanced pancreatic cancer

Background

There are no randomized data to guide treatment decisions for patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma following first-line FOLFIRINOX. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using gemcitabine-based chemotherapy after FOLFIRINOX to assess treatment efficacy and toxicity.

Methods

We included studies published between 2011 and 2018 that evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy after FOLFIRINOX in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. Primary outcomes were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), any grade 3/4 toxicity rate, and progression-free survival (PFS). We used the random-effects model to generate pooled estimates for proportions.

Results

Sixteen studies met the eligibility criteria. Overall, ORR was 10.8%, DCR was 41.1%, and any grade 3/4 toxicity rate was 28.6%. In subgroup analyses, gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel was associated with superior ORR (14.4 versus 8.4%; p = 0.038) and DCR (53.5 versus 30.5%; p < 0.001) compared with single-agent gemcitabine. Median PFS ranged from 1.9 to 6.4 months and numerically favored gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel.

Conclusions

Our study suggests gemcitabine-based chemotherapy likely outperforms best supportive care after FOLFIRINOX in advanced pancreatic cancer. Also, gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel seems to be more active than single-agent gemcitabine (CRD42018100421).

Impact of New Chemotherapy Regimens on the Treatment Landscape and Survival of Locally Advanced and Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Background: New chemotherapy regimens for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer have changed the therapy paradigm. We aimed to assess their impact on the treatment landscape and clinical outcome at our academic institution. Methods: In this single institutional posthoc registry analysis, we assessed characteristics and survival rates from all patients with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer who started a systemic treatment between 01/2011 and 12/2017. Survival analyses were performed by Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards model. Results: A total of 301 patients started a systemic treatment in the observation period. In the first line treatment, we observed a shift from the four different main regimens (gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel, modified FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine/oxaliplatin +/− erlotinib or gemcitabine alone) to gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel and modified FOLFIRINOX that add up to more than 80% of administered first line treatments in each of the time cohorts (2011–2013 vs. 2014–2017). The rate for first line modified FOLFIRINOX treatment was balanced between the two groups (19% and 15%). Median overall survival differed significantly between the two time cohorts (8.89 versus 11.9 months, p = 0.035). Survival rates for different first to second line treatment sequences (modified FOLFIRINOX to gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel to fluoropyrimidines plus nanoliposomal irinotecan, or gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel to fluoropyrimidines plus oxaliplatin) were not significantly different and median overall survival ranged from 14.27 to 15.64 months. Conclusion: Our study provides real-world evidence for the effectiveness of the new chemotherapy regimens and underscores the importance of the choice of the front-line regimen when considering different sequencing strategies.

Chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer

Chemotherapy is an important part of multimodality pancreatic cancer treatment. After curative resection, adjuvant chemotherapy can significantly improve disease free survival and overall survival. The current standard of care is six months adjuvant chemotherapy with modified folinic acid, 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin (mFOLFIRINOX) in patients fit enough for this protocol, otherwise six months of gemcitabine and capecitabine based on the European Study Group for Pancreatic Cancer (ESPAC)-4 study. In patients with metastatic disease, combination chemotherapy according to the FOLFIRINOX protocol or with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel is an important improvement to gemcitabine monotherapy that was the standard for many years. Patients not fit for combination chemotherapy however may still benefit from gemcitabine. Patients with good performance status may benefit from second-line chemotherapy. Chemoradiation has long been used in locally advanced pancreatic cancer but is now tempered following the LAP07 study. This trial showed no difference in overall survival in those patients with stable disease after four months of gemcitabine (with or without erlotinib) randomized to either continuation of gemcitabine therapy or chemoradiation (54Gy with capecitabine). As an alternative to radiation, other forms local therapies including radiofrequency ablation, irreversible electroporation, high-intensity focused ultrasound, microwave ablation and local anti-KRAS therapy (using siG12D-LODER) are currently under investigation. Given the systemic nature of pancreas cancer from an early stage, the success of any local approach other than complete surgical resection (with adjuvant systemic therapy) is likely to be very limited. In patients with locally advanced, irresectable cancer, chemotherapy may offer the chance for secondary resection with a survival similar to patients with primary resectable disease. Downstaging regimens need to be evaluated in prospective randomized trials in order to make firm recommendations. Selection of patient groups for specific therapy including cytotoxics is becoming a reality using assays based on drug cellular transport and metabolism, and molecular signatures. Going forward, high throughput screening of different chemotherapy agents using molecular signatures based on patients' derived organoids holds considerable promise.