CA 19-9 as a biomarker in advanced pancreatic cancer patients randomised to gemcitabine plus axitinib or gemcitabine alone

Incidence, risk factors and the prognostic role of thromboembolic events (TEEs) amongst patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD): a retrospective, single-center analysis

Background

Thromboembolic events (TEEs) are frequent among patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). We set out to estimate the incidence and establish predictive risk factors for TEE and estimate the impact of TEEs on the overall survival (OS) of patients with metastatic PAAD.

Methods

This is a retrospective, single-center study. We included patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of PAAD with distant metastases treated at AC Camargo Cancer Center from 2016 to 2021. We used the competitive risk survival models to estimate the cumulative incidence of TEE. Risk factors for the development of TEEs were evaluated using the competitive risk and logistic regression models. The impact of TEEs on OS was assessed using both landmark and time-dependent covariate Cox survival analyses.

Results

The study population consists of 199 patients. The cumulative incidence of TEEs in 1, 6 and 24 months were 10.1%, 19.3% and 30.2%, respectively. Log10(CA 19-9) was the only factor independently associated with increased risk of TEEs in the logistic regression (Odds ratio = 1.03; 95% confidence interval (95%CI), 1.00-1.06; p = 0.030) and competitive risk survival (Subdistribution hazard ratio = 1.14; 95%CI, 1.02-1.27; p = 0.019) models. In the landmark analysis, early TEEs (within 1 month of diagnosis) were not associated with inferior OS. In the time-dependent covariate Cox proportional hazard model, TEEs were not found to be statistically associated with inferior OS, although there was a trend towards it (Hazard ratio = 1.59; 95%CI, 0.99-2.54; p = 0.051).

Conclusion

TEEs occur in a large fraction of patients with metastatic PAAD. Statistical models with higher predictive performance are currently needed. For the time being, consideration for prophylactic anticoagulation should be done on an individual basis.

Liquid biopsy leads to a paradigm shift in the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most cancers. Its 5-year survival rate is very low. The recent induction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and improvements in chemotherapy for patients with pancreatic cancer have resulted in improved survival outcomes. However, the prognosis of pancreatic cancer is still poor. To dramatically improve the prognosis, we need to develop more tools for early diagnosis, treatment selection, disease monitoring, and response rate evaluation. Recently, liquid biopsy (circulating free DNA, circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cells, exosomes, and microRNAs) has caught the attention of many researchers as a new biomarker that is minimally invasive, confers low-risk, and displays an overall state of the tumor. Thus, liquid biopsy does not employ the traditional difficulties of obtaining tumor samples from patients with advanced PDAC to investigate their molecular biological status. In addition, it allows for long-term monitoring of the molecular profile of tumor progression. These could help in identifying tumor-specific alterations that use the target structure for tailor-made therapy. Through this review, we highlighted the latest discoveries and advances in liquid biopsy technology in pancreatic cancer research and showed how it can be applied in clinical practice.

The Impact of Biomarkers in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma on Diagnosis, Surveillance and Therapy

Simple Summary

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Due to the frequently late diagnosis, early metastasis and high therapy resistance curation is rare and prognosis remains poor overall. To provide early diagnostic and therapeutic predictors, various molecules from blood, tissue and other origin e.g., saliva, urine and stool, have been identified as biomarkers. This review summarizes current trends in biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still difficult to treat due to insufficient methods for early diagnosis and prediction of therapy response. Furthermore, surveillance after curatively intended surgery lacks adequate methods for timely detection of recurrence. Therefore, several molecules have been analyzed as predictors of recurrence or early detection of PDAC. Enhanced understanding of molecular tumorigenesis and treatment response triggered the identification of novel biomarkers as predictors for response to conventional chemotherapy or targeted therapy. In conclusion, progress has been made especially in the prediction of therapy response with biomarkers. The use of molecules for early detection and recurrence of PDAC is still at an early stage, but there are promising approaches in noninvasive biomarkers, composite panels and scores that can already ameliorate the current clinical practice. The present review summarizes the current state of research on biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy of pancreatic cancer.

Optimal value of CA19-9 determined by KRAS-mutated circulating tumor DNA contributes to the prediction of prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients

Despite the acceptance of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) as a valuable predictor for the prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its cutoff value remains controversial. Our previous study showed a significant correlation between CA19-9 levels and the presence of KRAS-mutated ctDNA in the blood of patients with PDAC. Based on this correlation, we investigated the optimal cutoff value of CA19-9 before surgery. Continuous CA19-9 values and KRAS-mutated ctDNAs were monitored in 22 patients with unresectable PDAC who underwent chemotherapy between 2015 and 2017. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified 949.7 U/mL of CA19-9 as the cutoff value corresponding to the presence of KRAS-mutated ctDNA. The median value of CA19-9 was 221.1 U/mL. Subsequently, these values were verified for their prognostic values of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in 60 patients who underwent surgery between 2005 and 2013. Multivariate analysis revealed that 949.7 U/mL of CA19-9 was an independent risk factor for OS and RFS in these patients (P = 0.001 and P = 0.010, respectively), along with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.008 and P = 0.017), unlike the median CA19-9 level (P = 0.150 and P = 0.210). The optimal CA19-9 level contributes to the prediction of prognosis in patients with PDAC before surgery.

Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan nanoparticles loaded with quinacrine attenuate growth and metastasis of pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating gastrointestinal tumor with limited Chemotherapeutic options. Treatment is restricted by its poor vascularity and dense surrounding stroma. Quinacrine is a repositioned drug with an anticancer activity but suffers a limited ability to reach tumor cells. This could be enhanced using nanotechnology by the preparation of quinacrine-loaded Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan nanoparticles. The system exploited fucoidan as both a delivery system of natural origin and active targeting ligand. Lactoferrin was added as a second active targeting ligand. Single and dual-targeted particles prepared through nanoprecipitation and ionic interaction respectively were appraised. Both particles showed a size lower than 200 nm, entrapment efficiency of 80% and a pH-dependent release of the drug in the acidic environment of the tumor. The anticancer activity of quinacrine was enhanced by 5.7 folds in dual targeted particles compared to drug solution with a higher ability to inhibit migration and invasion of cancer. In vivo, these particles showed a 68% reduction in tumor volume compared to only 20% for drug solution. In addition, they showed a higher animals' survival rate with no hepatotoxicity. Hence, these particles could be an effective option for the eradication of pancreatic cancer cells.

Recent Discoveries of Diagnostic, Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease with a dismal prognosis that is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Although less common than other malignant diseases, it currently ranks as the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the European Union with a five-year survival rate of below 9%. Surgical resection, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, remains the only potentially curative treatment but only a minority of patients is diagnosed with locally resectable, non-metastatic disease. Patients with advanced disease are treated with chemotherapy but high rates of treatment resistance and unfavorable side-effect profiles of some of the used regimens remain major challenges. Biomarkers reflect pathophysiological or physiological processes linked to a disease and can be used as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive tools. Thus, accurate biomarkers can allow for better patient stratification and guide therapy choices. Currently, the only broadly used biomarker for PDAC, CA 19-9, has multiple limitations and the need for novel biomarkers is urgent. In this review, we highlight the current situation, recent discoveries and developments in the field of biomarkers of PDAC and their potential clinical applications.

Tumor growth kinetics by CA 19-9 in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer receiving chemotherapy: A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Recently, measures of tumor growth kinetics calculated by carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) determinations after cytotoxic chemotherapy (CHT) have been reported as effective prognostic indicators in locally-advanced unresectable and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPDAC). The study aims to evaluate the prognostic role of tumor kinetics measured by CA 19-9 in patients with mPDAC, measuring it by three different ways.

METHODS

Patients with mPDAC receiving a first-line CHT between 2009 and 2017 were identified, and those for whom CA 19-9 data were available were enrolled. Three CA 19-9-related variables were calculated: CA 19-9 related reduction rate (RR) and tumor growth rate (G), after 8 weeks of CHT, tumor growth and inflammation index (TGII), after 90 days of CHT. The relationships with the outcome were analysed, and a Cox model has been build with each of the three variables.

RESULTS

Of 118 patients only 48 were eligible for the analysis. RR, G, or TGII appear as significant prognostic factors, and, after multivariate analysis, a reduction rate of 20% the baseline or more was associated with good survival (HR 0.321; CIs 0.156-0.661) as well as a G > -0.4%/day (HR 2.114; CIs 1.034-4.321), whereas TGII >190 was not correlated with the outcome (HR 1.788; CIs 0.789-4.055).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with mPDAC, after 8 weeks of first-line CHT, CA 19-9-related tumor reduction or growth rate appear as valuable prognostic factors.

Lactoferrin/Hyaluronic acid double-coated lignosulfonate nanoparticles of quinacrine as a controlled release biodegradable nanomedicine targeting pancreatic cancer

Quinacrine is an antimalarial drug that was repositioned for treatment of cancer. This is the first work to enhance quinacrine activity and minimize its associated hepatotoxicity via loading into bio-degradable, bio-renewable lignosulfonate nanoparticles. Particles were appraised for treatment of pancreatic cancer, one of the most life-threatening tumors with a five-year survival estimate. Optimum nanocomposites prepared by polyelectrolyte interaction exhibited a particle size of 138 nm, a negative surface charge (-28 mV) and a pH dependent release of the drug in an acidic environment. Ligands used for active targeting (lactoferrin and hyaluronic acid) were added to nanoparticles' surface via layer by layer coating technique. The highest anticancer activity on PANC-1 cells was demonstrated with dual active targeted particles (3-fold decrease in IC₅₀) along with an increased ability to inhibit migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. In vivo studies revealed that elaborated nanoparticles particles showed the highest tumor volume reduction with enhanced survival without any toxicity on major organs. In conclusion, the elaborated nanoparticles could be considered as a promising targeted nanotherapy for treatment of pancreatic cancer with higher efficacy& survival rate and lower organ toxicity.

CA19.9 decrease >15% is a predictor of favourable outcome in patients treated for advanced pancreatic carcinoma: analysis of two independent cohorts

BACKGROUND

Although carbohydrate antigen 19.9 (CA19.9) is widely used in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA), no consensual cut-off value of CA19.9 decrease has been established for treatment monitoring.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study including patients with a baseline CA19.9 ≥ 37 UI/ml and with locally advanced or metastatic PA from two French centers. CA19.9 measurements were performed at baseline and first CT-scan evaluation. The aim was to use a training set to determine the best cut-off of CA19.9 decrease for predicting progressive disease (PD) and to analyze its performance in an independent validation cohort.

RESULTS

A total of 95 and 93 patients were included in the training and validation sets, respectively. A ≤15% CA19.9 decrease was the best cut-off for predicting PD with a sensitivity (Se) = 68% and a specificity (Sp) = 90%. In the validation set, this threshold was associated with Se = 76% and Sp = 83%. A >15% CA19.9 decrease was significantly associated with improved PFS (median 8.3 versus 3.1 months, p < 0.0001) and OS (median 14 versus 7.2 months, p < 0.0001). A >15% CA19.9 decrease was also identified as a factor independently associated with OS (HRa = 0.25, 95% CI:0.14-0.44).

CONCLUSIONS

A CA 19.9 decrease >15% is a favourable predictor of outcome in patients treated for advanced PA.

Consensus statement on mandatory measurements in pancreatic cancer trials (COMM-PACT) for systemic treatment of unresectable disease

Variations in the reporting of potentially confounding variables in studies investigating systemic treatments for unresectable pancreatic cancer pose challenges in drawing accurate comparisons between findings. In this Review, we establish the first international consensus on mandatory baseline and prognostic characteristics in future trials for the treatment of unresectable pancreatic cancer. We did a systematic literature search to find phase 3 trials investigating first-line systemic treatment for locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer to identify baseline characteristics and prognostic variables. We created a structured overview showing the reporting frequencies of baseline characteristics and the prognostic relevance of identified variables. We used a modified Delphi panel of two rounds involving an international panel of 23 leading medical oncologists in the field of pancreatic cancer to develop a consensus on the various variables identified. In total, 39 randomised controlled trials that had data on 15 863 patients were included, of which 32 baseline characteristics and 26 prognostic characteristics were identified. After two consensus rounds, 23 baseline characteristics and 12 prognostic characteristics were designated as mandatory for future pancreatic cancer trials. The COnsensus statement on Mandatory Measurements in unresectable PAncreatic Cancer Trials (COMM-PACT) identifies a mandatory set of baseline and prognostic characteristics to allow adequate comparison of outcomes between pancreatic cancer studies.

NARCA: A novel prognostic scoring system using neutrophil-albumin ratio and Ca19-9 to predict overall survival in palliative pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Several serum based-markers and ratios have been investigated for their prognostic value in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This cohort study aimed to combine these into a novel prognostic scoring system.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed on 145 patients with unresectable histologically-confirmed PDAC. Based on the existing literature the following markers were investigated: neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), neutrophil-albumin ratio (NAR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), fibrinogen, and Ca19-9. These values were dichotomized about their medians for Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Univariate Cox regression revealed statistically significant prognostic value for: NLR, NAR, PLR, fibrinogen, and Ca19-9. When combining these using Cox regression analysis adjusting for other prognostic indicators, only NAR (hazard ratios [HR] = 3.174, P = 0.022) and Ca19-9 (HR = 2.697, P = 0.031) were independent predictors of survival. Combining NAR and Ca19-9 we split the cohort into three "NARCA" groups: NARCA0 = NAR ≤ 0.13 and Ca19-9 ≤ 770, NARCA1 = either NAR > 0.13 or Ca19-9 >770, NARCA2 = NAR > 0.13 and Ca19-9 > 770. Median survival was 20.5, 9.7 and 4.1 months in NARCA0, 1, and 2 respectively ( P < 0.0005, log-rank test). A separate validation cohort confirmed the prognostic significance of the score ( P = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Combining NAR and Ca19-9 into a prognostic score allows stratification of unresectable PDAC patients into groups with significantly different overall survival.

A varying-coefficient cox model for the effect of CA19-9 kinetics on overall survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

Purpose

To evaluate the relationship between serum CA19-9 and overall survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Methods

109 advanced pancreatic cancer patients with gemcitabine based first-line chemotherapy were included. The effect of pretreatment CA19-9 level on overall survival was modeled by Cox proportional hazard regression. The effect of CA19-9 kinetics on overall survival was modeled by an extended Cox regression with a time varying coefficient and a time varying covariate.

Results

Univariate analysis indicated that baseline CA19-9 correlated with OS (HR = 1.66, p < 0.01) and this association remained significant within multivariate analysis (HR = 1.56, P < 0.01). For the analysis of CA19-9 kinetics, the extended Cox model showed that the effect of CA19-9 on overall survival changed with time: increased in the first two months and reached the top at a HR of about 2, then decreased for the next two months to a HR of about 1.56 and finally tended to be stable. The combination of pretreatment CA19-9 and CA19-9 at 2 month may better evaluate the patients’ prognosis compared to pretreatment CA19-9 alone.

Conclusion

Pretreatment CA19-9 and CA19-9 kinetics may serve as a useful serum biomarker in advanced pancreatic cancer.

Increased expression of αTubulin is associated with poor prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer after surgical resection

Background

αTubulin, the essential orchestrator of cytoskeletal protein polymers, critical for cell growth and division, motility, signaling development and maintenance of cell shape, plays vital roles in the oncogenesis and progression of various types of cancer, but its role in prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients remains unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate its prognostic value in patients with pancreatic cancer after surgical resection.

Results

αTubulin expression in pancreatic cancer was significantly associated with N classification (p = 0.013) and TNM stage (p = 0.025). Increased expression of αTubulin in tumoral tissue was associated with decreased overall survival rate (p = 0.002). Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that αTubulin expression was an independent prognostic indicator for pancreatic cancer except for T and N classification (p = 0.002). Using multivariate analysis, αTubulin expression, CA19-9, and N classification were selected to generate the nomogram to predict the 1-year and 3-year overall survival. The c-index of this model was 0.692. The calibration curve for probability of survival showed good agreement between prediction by nomogram and actual observation.

Methods

αTubulin expression was evaluated by tissue microarrays from 124 pancreatic cancer patients and statistically assessed for correlations with the clinical profiles and the prognosis of the patients with pancreatic cancer. The prognostic nomogram was designed to predict 1-year and 3-year overall survival probability.

Conclusions

αTubulin expression might be an independent prognostic factor for pancreatic cancer after surgical resection and could potentially be a high-priority therapeutic target. Incorporating αTubulin expression into CA19-9 and N classification can provide a good prognostic model.

Prognostic Factors for Risk Stratification of Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Who Were Treated with Gemcitabine-Based Chemotherapy

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to verify prognostic factors including sarcopenia in patients with recurrent or metastatic pancreatic cancer receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Medical records and computed tomography scan of consecutive patients treated with palliative gemcitabine-based chemotherapy from 2008 to 2014 were reviewed. The lumbar skeletal muscle index at third lumbar spine level was computed, and together with clinicolaboratory factors, univariate and multivariable analyses for overall survival (OS) were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 88 patients were found. Median age was 65 years, and male patients were predominant (67.0%). Most patients had initially metastatic disease (72.7%), and gemcitabine monotherapy was administered in 29 patients (33.0%) while gemcitabine plus erlotinib was administered in 59 patients (67.0%). Seventy-six patients (86.3%) had sarcopenia. With a median follow-up period of 44.3 months (range, 0.6 to 44.3 months), median OS was 5.35 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.11 to 6.59). In univariate and multivariable analysis, high carcinoembryonic antigen level (hazard ratio [HR], 4.18; 95% CI, 1.95 to 8.97; p < 0.001), initially metastatic disease (HR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.55 to 7.32; p=0.002), sarcopenia (HR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.20 to 7.36; p=0.019), neutrophilia (HR, 2.94; 95% CI, 1.27 to 6.79; p=0.012), and high lactate dehydrogenase level (HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.07 to 3.58; p=0.029) were identified as independent prognostic factors for OS.

CONCLUSION

Five independent prognostic factors in patients with recurrent or metastatic pancreatic cancer who received gemcitabine-based chemotherapy were identified. These findings may be helpful in prediction of prognosis in clinical practice and can be used as a stratification factor for clinical trials.

CA19-9-related tumor kinetics after first-line chemotherapy of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: a monoinstitutional experience

The absolute value of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) pretreatment and its reduction after chemotherapy are established prognostic variables for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The present study is a retrospective monoinstitutional evaluation of the prognostic role of the CA19-9 reduction and some CA19-9-related tumor kinetics parameters, such as tumor growth rate constant (G), kinetic tumor response and log ratio. Forty-one cases met the selection criteria. After 8 weeks only G reported an inverse relationship with OS (r = -0.494) that was confirmed by regression analysis (R (2) = 0.192). G after 8 weeks of chemotherapy appears as a possible surrogate end point of overall survival.

ITRAQ-based quantitative proteomics reveals apolipoprotein A-I and transferrin as potential serum markers in CA19-9 negative pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Currently the diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) relies on CA19-9 and radiological means, whereas some patients do not have elevated levels of CA19-9 secondary to pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study was to identify potential serum biomarkers for CA19-9 negative PDAC.A total of 114 serum samples were collected from 3 groups: CA19-9 negative PDAC patients (n = 34), CA19-9 positive PDAC patients (n = 44), and healthy volunteers (n = 36), whereas the first 12 samples from each group were used for isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) analysis. Thereafter, candidate biomarkers were selected for validation by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with the rest specimens.Using the iTRAQ approach, a total of 5 proteins were identified as significantly different between CA19-9 negative PDAC patients and healthy subjects according to our defined criteria. Apolipoprotein A-I (APOA-I) and transferrin (TF) were selected to validate the proteomic results by ELISA in a further 78 serum specimens. It revealed that TF significantly correlated with the degree of histological differentiation (P = 0.042), and univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that TF is an independent prognostic factor for survival (hazard ratio, 0.302; 95% confidence interval, 0.118-0.774; P = 0.013) of patients with PDAC after curative surgery.ITRAQ-based quantitative proteomics revealed that APOA-I and TF may be potential CA19-9 negative PDAC serum markers.

Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors: Are they real tumor killers?

Inhibiting tumor growth by targeting the tumor vasculature was first proposed by Judah Folkman almost 40 years ago. Since then, different approaches and numerous drugs and agents have been developed to achieve this goal, either with the aim of inhibiting tumor neoangiogenesis or normalizing the tumor vasculature. Among the most promising therapeutic targets are receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), some of which are predominantly expressed on tumor endothelial cells, although they are sometimes also present on tumor cells. The majority of RTK inhibitors investigated over the past two decades competes with ATP at the active site of the kinase and therefore block the phosphorylation of intracellular targets. Some of these drugs have been approved for therapy, whereas others are still in clinical trials. Here, we discuss the scientific basis, current status, problems and future prospects of RTK inhibition in anti-tumor therapy.

Abnormal distribution of peripheral lymphocyte subsets induced by PDAC modulates overall survival

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

The impairment of the immune system is prevalent in patients with malignancies, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The present study aimed to evaluate alternations of peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with PDAC, and also to assess the prognostic value of observed changes.

METHODS

We recruited 160 consecutive PDAC patients who had undergone radical surgical resection between 2010 and 2013. To investigate the prognostic factors, we detected the peripheral lymphocyte subsets in PDAC by flow cytometry, including T cells (CD3(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), CD3(+)CD8(+), CD8(+)CD28(+)), regulatory T cells (Tregs, CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(-)), natural killer cells (NK cells, CD3(-)CD56(+)) and B cells (CD19(+)). We also evaluated the clinical and pathological features of these patients. Survival analysis was performed by univariate and multivariate analyses.

RESULTS

Our results indicated the profile of peripheral lymphocyte subsets undergone profound changes in PDAC patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated the levels of peripheral lymphocyte subsets (CD19(+) B cells, Tregs and CD8(+)CD28(+) T cells) were independent predictors for overall survival. The results also suggested that the systemic impairment of immune system in patients with PDAC, was reversed when primary tumor was removed.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study provided some evidences that the impairment of host immunity induced by PDAC may play a role in the survival of patients.

Glycoprotein biomarker panel for pancreatic cancer discovered by quantitative proteomics analysis

Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease where specific early detection biomarkers would be very valuable to improve outcomes in patients. Many previous studies have compared biosamples from pancreatic cancer patients with healthy controls to find potential biomarkers. However, a range of related disease conditions can influence the performance of these putative biomarkers, including pancreatitis and diabetes. In this study, quantitative proteomics methods were applied to discover potential serum glycoprotein biomarkers that distinguish pancreatic cancer from other pancreas related conditions (diabetes, cyst, chronic pancreatitis, obstructive jaundice) and healthy controls. Aleuria aurantia lectin (AAL) was used to extract fucosylated glycoproteins and then both TMT protein-level labeling and label-free quantitative analysis were performed to analyze glycoprotein differences from 179 serum samples across the six different conditions. A total of 243 and 354 serum proteins were identified and quantified by label-free and TMT protein-level quantitative strategies, respectively. Nineteen and 25 proteins were found to show significant differences in samples between the pancreatic cancer and other conditions using the label-free and TMT strategies, respectively, with 7 proteins considered significant in both methods. Significantly different glycoproteins were further validated by lectin-ELISA and ELISA assays. Four candidates were identified as potential markers with profiles found to be highly complementary with CA 19–9 (p < 0.001). Obstructive jaundice (OJ) was found to have a significant impact on the performance of every marker protein, including CA 19–9. The combination of α-1-antichymotrypsin (AACT), thrombospondin-1 (THBS1), and haptoglobin (HPT) outperformed CA 19–9 in distinguishing pancreatic cancer from normal controls (AUC = 0.95), diabetes (AUC = 0.89), cyst (AUC = 0.82), and chronic pancreatitis (AUC = 0.90). A marker panel of AACT, THBS1, HPT, and CA 19–9 showed a high diagnostic potential in distinguishing pancreatic cancer from other conditions with OJ (AUC = 0.92) or without OJ (AUC = 0.95).

A retrospective analysis of early CA19‑9 change in salvage chemotherapy for refractory pancreatic cancer

PURPOSE

In salvage chemotherapy for refractory pancreatic cancer, early assessment is important to avoid unnecessary toxicities from ineffective chemotherapy. Early CA19-9 change after the first course as a prognostic factor was evaluated in this setting.

METHODS

Patients receiving salvage chemotherapy were retrospectively studied. CA19-9 was measured prior to and after the first course. Cox regression analysis was performed for prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), using the landmark method defined as a day of CA19-9 measurement after the first course.

RESULTS

A total of 239 salvage regimens were given in 167 patients. Median PFS and OS were 2.7 and 6.1 months, respectively. Median pretreatment CA19-9 was 2,362 U/mL, and median CA19-9 change after the first course was 17.8 % increase. CA19-9 change was associated with tumor response, and PFS was 1.7 versus 3.5 months and OS was 3.9 and 8.6 months in patients with ≥50 % versus <50 % increase. In the multivariate analyses, CA19-9 increase ≥50 % was prognostic of both PFS and OS (HR 2.28 and 2.50, p < 0.001, respectively).

CONCLUSION

CA19-9 change after the first course was prognostic of PFS and OS in refractory pancreatic cancer. Early discontinuation should be considered given the palliative setting.

Pancreatic cancer and predictors of survival: comparing the CA 19-9/bilirubin ratio with the McGill Brisbane Symptom Score

INTRODUCTION

Few tools predict survival from pancreatic cancer (PAC). The McGill Brisbane Symptom Score (MBSS) based on symptoms at presentation (weight loss, pain, jaundice and smoking) was recently validated. The present study compares the ability of four strategies to predict 9-month survival: MBSS, carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) alone, CA19-9-to-bilirubin ratio and a combination of MBSS and the CA19-9-to-bilirubin ratio.

METHODOLOGY

A retrospective review of 133 patients diagnosed with PAC between 2005 and 2011 was performed. Survival was determined from the Quebec civil registry. Blood CA 19-9 and bilirubin values were collected (n = 52) at the time of diagnosis. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine a cutoff for optimal test characteristics of CA 19-9 and CA19-9-to-total bilirubin ratio in predicting survival at 9 months. Predictive characteristics were then calculated for the four strategies.

RESULTS

Of the four strategies, the one with the greatest negative predictive value was the MBSS: negative predictive value (NPV) was 90.2% (76.9-97.3%) and the positive likelihood ratio (LR) was the greatest. The ability of CA 19-9 levels alone, at baseline, to predict survival was low. For the CA19-9-to-bilirubin ratio, the test characteristics improved but remained non-significant. The best performing strategy according to likelihood ratios was the combined MBSS and CA19-9 to the bilirubin ratio.

CONCLUSION

CA19-9 levels and the CA19-9-to-bilirubin ratio are poor predictors of survival for PAC, whereas the MBSS is a far better predictor, confirming its clinical value. By adding the CA19-9-to-bilirubin ratio to the MBSS the predictive characteristics improved.

Clinical significance and revisiting the meaning of CA 19-9 blood level before and after the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: analysis of 1,446 patients from the pancreatic cancer cohort in a single institution

Background

Life expectancy of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients is usually short and selection of the most appropriate treatment is crucial. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of serum CA 19-9 as a surrogate marker under no impress excluding other factors affecting CA 19-9 level other than tumor itself.

Methods

We recruited 1,446 patients with PDACs and patients with Lewis antigen both negative or obstructive jaundice were excluded to eliminate the false effects on CA 19-9 level. The clinicopathologic factors were reviewed including initial and post-treatment CA 19-9, and statistical analysis was done to evaluate the association of clinicopathologic factors with overall survival (OS).

Results

The total of 944 patients was enrolled, and205 patients (22%) underwent operation with curative intention and 541 patients (57%) received chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. The median CA 19-9 levels of initial and post-treatment were 670 IU/ml and 147 IU/ml respectively. The prognostic factors affecting OS were performance status, AJCC stage and post-treatment CA 19-9 level in multivariate analysis. Subgroup analysis was done for the patients who underwent R0 and R1 resection, and patients with normalized post-operative CA 19-9 (≤37 IU/mL) had significantly longer OS and DFS regardless of initial CA 19-9 level; 32 vs. 18 months, P<0.001, 16 vs. 9 months, P = 0.004 respectively.

Conclusions

Post-treatment CA 19-9 and normalized post-operative CA 19-9 (R0 and R1 resected tumors) were independent factors associated with OS and DFS, however, initial CA 19-9 level was not statistically significant in multivariate analysis.

CA19-9 in potentially resectable pancreatic cancer: perspective to adjust surgical and perioperative therapy

PURPOSE

In pancreatic cancer, genetic markers to aid clinical decision making are still lacking. The present study was designed to determine the prognostic role of perioperative serum tumor marker carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, with a focus on implications for pre- and postoperative therapeutic consequences.

METHODS

Of a total of 1,626 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma, data from 1,543 patients with preoperative serum levels of CA19-9 were evaluated for tumor stage, resectability, and prognosis. Preoperative to postoperative CA19-9 changes were analyzed for long-term survival. A control cohort of 706 patients with chronic pancreatitis was used to assess the predictability of malignancy by CA19-9 and the effects of hyperbilirubinemia on CA19-9 levels.

RESULTS

The more that preoperative CA19-9 increased, the lower were tumor resectability and survival rates. Resectability and 5-year survival varied from 80 to 38 % and from 27 to 0 % for CA19-9 <37 versus ≥4,000 U/ml, respectively. The R0 resection rate was as low as 15 % in all patients with CA19-9 levels ≥1,000 U/ml. CA19-9 increased with the stage of the disease and was highest in AJCC stage IV. Patients with an early postoperative CA19-9 increase had a dismal prognosis. Hyperbilirubinemia did not markedly affect CA19-9 levels (correlation coefficient ≤0.135).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, CA19-9 predicts resectability, stage of disease, as well as survival. Highly elevated preoperative or increasing postoperative CA19-9 levels are associated with low resectability and poor survival rates, and demand the adjustment of surgical and perioperative therapy.

Metastatic pancreatic cancer: are we making progress in treatment?

Development of systemic treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer (APC) has been challenging. After fluorouracil, gemcitabine (GEM) became the treatment of choice based on its benefit of symptom relief. Many cytotoxic agents have been combined with GEM in search of regimens with improved survival benefit. However, there were only marginal benefits in people with good performance status. Recently, the combination regimen consisting of oxaliplatin, irinotecan, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX) was found to achieve unprecedented survival benefit and has become the preferred option for patients with good clinical conditions. On the other hand, many biological agents have been combined with GEM, but only erlotinib was found to derive statistically significant survival advantage. However, the effect was too small to be appreciated clinically. The effort in development of targeted therapy in APC continues. This paper summarized key findings in the development of chemotherapy and targeted therapy for APC patients and discussed future directions in management.

The clinical utility of serum CA 19-9 in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: An evidence based appraisal

BACKGROUND

Serum carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) is the most common tumor marker assessed in pancreatic cancer patients; nevertheless few articles have comprehensively evaluated the evidence for its utility in pancreatic cancer management.

METHODS

Literature search was performed using Medline with keywords "pancreatic cancer", "tumor markers", "CA 19-9", "diagnosis", "screening", "prognosis", "resectability" and "recurrence". All English language articles pertaining to the role of CA 19-9 in pancreatic cancer were critically analyzed to determine its utility as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer.

RESULTS

Serum CA 19-9 is the most extensively validated pancreatic cancer biomarker with multiple clinical applications. CA 19-9 serum levels have a sensitivity and specificity of 79-81% and 82-90% respectively for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients; but are not useful as a screening marker because of low positive predictive value (0.5-0.9%). Pre-operative CA 19-9 serum levels provide useful prognostic information as patients with normal levels (<37 U/mL) have a prolonged median survival (32-36 months) compared to patients with elevated levels (>37 U/mL) (12-15 months). A CA 19-9 serum level of <100 U/mL implies likely resectable disease whereas levels >100 U/mL suggest unresectablity or metastatic disease. Normalization or a decrease in post-operative CA 19-9 serum levels by ≥20-50% from baseline following surgical resection or chemotherapy is associated with prolonged survival compared to failure of CA 19-9 serum levels to normalize or an increase. Important limitations to CA 19-9 serum level evaluation in pancreatic cancer include poor sensitivity, false negative results in Lewis negative phenotype (5-10%) and increased false positivity in the presence of obstructive jaundice (10-60%).

CONCLUSIONS

CA 19-9 is the most extensively studied and validated serum biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients. CA 19-9 serum levels can provide important information with regards to prognosis, overall survival, and response to chemotherapy as well as predict post-operative recurrence. However, non-specific expression in several benign and malignant diseases, false negative results in Lewis negative genotype and an increased false positive results in the presence of obstructive jaundice severely limit the universal applicability of serum CA 19-9 levels in pancreatic cancer management.

The clinical utility of serum CA 19-9 in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: An evidence based appraisal

BACKGROUND

Serum carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) is the most common tumor marker assessed in pancreatic cancer patients; nevertheless few articles have comprehensively evaluated the evidence for its utility in pancreatic cancer management.

METHODS

Literature search was performed using Medline with keywords "pancreatic cancer", "tumor markers", "CA 19-9", "diagnosis", "screening", "prognosis", "resectability" and "recurrence". All English language articles pertaining to the role of CA 19-9 in pancreatic cancer were critically analyzed to determine its utility as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer.

RESULTS

Serum CA 19-9 is the most extensively validated pancreatic cancer biomarker with multiple clinical applications. CA 19-9 serum levels have a sensitivity and specificity of 79-81% and 82-90% respectively for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients; but are not useful as a screening marker because of low positive predictive value (0.5-0.9%). Pre-operative CA 19-9 serum levels provide useful prognostic information as patients with normal levels (<37 U/mL) have a prolonged median survival (32-36 months) compared to patients with elevated levels (>37 U/mL) (12-15 months). A CA 19-9 serum level of <100 U/mL implies likely resectable disease whereas levels >100 U/mL suggest unresectablity or metastatic disease. Normalization or a decrease in post-operative CA 19-9 serum levels by ≥20-50% from baseline following surgical resection or chemotherapy is associated with prolonged survival compared to failure of CA 19-9 serum levels to normalize or an increase. Important limitations to CA 19-9 serum level evaluation in pancreatic cancer include poor sensitivity, false negative results in Lewis negative phenotype (5-10%) and increased false positivity in the presence of obstructive jaundice (10-60%).

CONCLUSIONS

CA 19-9 is the most extensively studied and validated serum biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients. CA 19-9 serum levels can provide important information with regards to prognosis, overall survival, and response to chemotherapy as well as predict post-operative recurrence. However, non-specific expression in several benign and malignant diseases, false negative results in Lewis negative genotype and an increased false positive results in the presence of obstructive jaundice severely limit the universal applicability of serum CA 19-9 levels in pancreatic cancer management.

The clinical utility of serum CA 19-9 in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma: An evidence based appraisal

BACKGROUND

Serum carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) is the most common tumor marker assessed in pancreatic cancer patients; nevertheless few articles have comprehensively evaluated the evidence for its utility in pancreatic cancer management.

METHODS

Literature search was performed using Medline with keywords "pancreatic cancer", "tumor markers", "CA 19-9", "diagnosis", "screening", "prognosis", "resectability" and "recurrence". All English language articles pertaining to the role of CA 19-9 in pancreatic cancer were critically analyzed to determine its utility as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer.

RESULTS

Serum CA 19-9 is the most extensively validated pancreatic cancer biomarker with multiple clinical applications. CA 19-9 serum levels have a sensitivity and specificity of 79-81% and 82-90% respectively for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients; but are not useful as a screening marker because of low positive predictive value (0.5-0.9%). Pre-operative CA 19-9 serum levels provide useful prognostic information as patients with normal levels (<37 U/mL) have a prolonged median survival (32-36 months) compared to patients with elevated levels (>37 U/mL) (12-15 months). A CA 19-9 serum level of <100 U/mL implies likely resectable disease whereas levels >100 U/mL suggest unresectablity or metastatic disease. Normalization or a decrease in post-operative CA 19-9 serum levels by ≥20-50% from baseline following surgical resection or chemotherapy is associated with prolonged survival compared to failure of CA 19-9 serum levels to normalize or an increase. Important limitations to CA 19-9 serum level evaluation in pancreatic cancer include poor sensitivity, false negative results in Lewis negative phenotype (5-10%) and increased false positivity in the presence of obstructive jaundice (10-60%).

CONCLUSIONS

CA 19-9 is the most extensively studied and validated serum biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients. CA 19-9 serum levels can provide important information with regards to prognosis, overall survival, and response to chemotherapy as well as predict post-operative recurrence. However, non-specific expression in several benign and malignant diseases, false negative results in Lewis negative genotype and an increased false positive results in the presence of obstructive jaundice severely limit the universal applicability of serum CA 19-9 levels in pancreatic cancer management.

AB0 blood group and prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Although blood group 0 is associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer, little is known about the role of AB0 blood group antigens in disease progression. We assessed the prognostic relevance of AB0 blood status in a large cohort of patients with resected pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

A total of 627 patients, who underwent resection for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma between October 2001 and December 2008 were enrolled. The relationship between AB0 blood group status and outcome was analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses.

RESULTS

In patients with pancreatic cancer the incidence of blood group 0 (31%) was lower compared to 13.044 patients without pancreatic cancer (38%) (p = 0.0005). There were no significant differences in clinicopathologic characteristics among patients with different AB0 blood groups. The 3-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 29% and 14%. On univariate analysis AB0 blood group status did not correlate with survival (p = 0.39). Multivariate analysis, however, revealed a favorable and independent impact of blood group 0 on survival (Hazard ratio 0.78; 95% confidence interval 0.62 - 0.99; p = 0.037).

CONCLUSION

AB0 blood group status is associated independently with the prognosis of patients with resected pancreatic cancer.

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 is a prognostic and predictive biomarker in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who receive gemcitabine-containing chemotherapy: a pooled analysis of 6 prospective trials

BACKGROUND

Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) is a widely used biomarker in pancreatic cancer. There is no consensus on the interpretation of the change in CA19-9 serum levels and its role in the clinical management of patients with pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

Individual patient data from 6 prospective trials evaluating gemcitabine-containing regimens from 3 different institutions were pooled. CA19-9 values were obtained at baseline and after successive cycles of treatment. The objective of this study was to correlate a decline in CA19-9 with outcomes while undergoing treatment.

RESULTS

A total of 212 patients with locally advanced (n = 50) or metastatic (n = 162) adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were included. Median baseline CA19-9 level was 1077 ng/mL (range, 15-492,241 ng/mL). Groups were divided into those levels below (low) or above (high) the median. Median overall survival (mOS) was 8.7 versus 5.2 months (P = .0018) and median time to progression (mTTP) was 5.8 versus 3.7 months (P = .082) in the low versus high groups, respectively. After 2 cycles of chemotherapy, up to a 5% increase versus ≥ 5% increase in CA19-9 levels conferred an improved mOS (10.3 vs 5.1 months, P = .0022) and mTTP (7.5 vs 3.5 months, P = 0.0005).

CONCLUSIONS

In patients who have advanced pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine-containing regimens baseline CA19-9 is prognostic for outcome. A decline in CA19-9 after the second cycle of chemotherapy is not predictive of improved mOS or mTTP; thus, CA19-9 decline is not a useful surrogate endpoint in clinical trials. Clinically, a ≥ 5% rise in CA19-9 after 2 cycles of chemotherapy serves as a negative predictive marker.

Systemic treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer belongs to the most malignant gastrointestinal cancers and, in its advanced stage, remains a deadly disease for nearly all affected patients. Treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas not only involves chemotherapy and targeted therapy, but also requires attention to accompanying comorbidities as well as frequently intensive supportive treatment and psychosocial support. Gemcitabine-based combinations with fluoropyrimidines and platin analogs have essentially failed to provide a substantial prolongation of survival and may constitute a treatment option only in patients with a good performance status. Among targeted therapies, only the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib has shown activity which is marginal in the overall population, but clinically relevant in patients developing skin rash. New avenues of polychemotherapy are presently explored since the gemcitabine-free FOLFIRINOX-regimen (infusional 5-fluorouracil/folinic acid plus irinotecan and oxaliplatin) was shown to be markedly superior to gemcitabine in selected good-performance patients. Pancreatic cancer is notably characterized as a hypovascular tumor rich in desmoplastic stromal tissue. An innovative approach to treatment therefore focuses on peritumoral fibroblasts and aims to induce a depletion of the stroma either by inhibition of the hedgehog pathway or by targeting SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) via application of albumin-bound paclitaxel.

Molecular markers for cancer prognosis and treatment: have we struck gold?

The last decade has witnessed an emerging role for molecular or biochemical markers indicating a specific cellular mechanism or tissue function, often called 'biomarkers'. Biomarkers such as altered DNA, proteins and inflammatory cytokines are critical in cancer research and strategizing treatment in the clinic. In this review we look at the application of biological indicators to cancer research and highlight their roles in cancer detection and treatment. With technological advances in gene expression, genomic and proteomic analysis, biomarker discovery is expanding fast. We focus on some of the predominantly used markers in different types of malignancies, their advantages, and their limitations. Finally we conclude by looking at the future of biomarkers, their utility in the tumorigenic studies, and the progress towards personalized treatment strategies.

Serum CA 19-9 as a Biomarker for Pancreatic Cancer-A Comprehensive Review

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive tumor with a dismal prognosis, biomarkers that can detect tumor in its early stages when it may be amenable to curative resection may improve prognosis. At present, serum CA 19-9 is the only validated tumor marker in widespread clinical use, but precise knowledge of its role in pancreatic cancer diagnosis, staging, determining resectability, response to chemotherapy and prognosis remains limited. A comprehensive search was performed using PubMed with keywords "pancreatic cancer" "tumor markers" "CA 19-9" "diagnosis" "screening" "prognosis" "resectability" and "recurrence". All English language articles pertaining to the role of CA 19-9 in pancreatic cancer were critically analyzed to determine its utility as a biomarker for pancreatic cancer. Serum CA 19-9 is the most extensively studied and clinically useful biomarker for pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, CA 19-9 serum level evaluation in pancreatic cancer patients is limited by poor sensitivity, false negative results in Lewis negative phenotype (5-10%) and increased false positivity in the presence of obstructive jaundice (10-60%). Serum CA 19-9 level has no role in screening asymptomatic populations, and has a sensitivity and specificity of 79-81% and 82-90% respectively for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients. Pre-operative CA 19-9 serum level provide useful prognostic information as patients with normal CA 19-9 serum levels (<37 U/ml) have a prolonged median survival (32-36 months) compared to patients with elevated CA 19-9 serum levels (>37 U/ml) (12-15 months). A CA 19-9 serum level of <100 U/ml implies likely resectable disease whereas levels >100 U/ml may suggest unresectablity or metastatic disease. Normalization or a decrease in post-operative CA 19-9 serum levels by ≥20-50% from baseline following surgical resection or chemotherapy is associated with prolonged survival compared to failure of CA 19-9 serum levels to normalize or an increase. Carbohydrate antigen (CA 19-9) is the most extensively studied and validated serum biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in symptomatic patients. The CA 19-9 serum level can provide important information with regards to prognosis, overall survival, and response to chemotherapy as well as predict post-operative recurrence. Non-specific expression in several benign and malignant diseases, false negative results in Lewis negative genotype and an increased false positive results in the presence of obstructive jaundice severely limit the universal applicability of serum CA 19-9 levels in pancreatic cancer management.