Bi-weekly irinotecan is an effective and convenient regimen in the treatment of relapsed or refractory small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Despite initial dramatic responses, metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) invariably recurs. Irinotecan is one of the active agents for patients with recurrent SCLC. In the second line, weekly or three-weekly irinotecan regimens have been adopted, however, the optimal dose and schedule is not defined. In our institution, we use a bi-weekly regimen of irinotecan. In this study, we aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of the bi-weekly irinotecan in the second- or third-line treatment of SCLC patients. METHODS: The study population consisted of advanced stage SCLC patients who were followed at Hacettepe University Cancer Institute between January 2007 and March 2021 and received salvage irinotecan 180 mg/m2 every two weeks, following progression after platinum-etoposide treatment. RESULTS: One hundred patients were included. At diagnosis, nineteen patients (19%) had limited stage and 81 patients (81%) had extensive stage SCLC. Objective response rates (ORR) were 44.6% and 46.2% for patients who received irinotecan treatment in second line, and in third line, respectively. Seventeen percent of all the patients had grade 3 and above adverse events during irinotecan treatment. In our study, 45.8% of patients were able to complete at least 6 cycles of irinotecan treatment and 69.8% were able to receive at least 3 cycles of irinotecan treatment without any dose interruption or reduction. CONCLUSIONS: Irinotecan 180 mg/m2 every two weeks appears to be safe and effective in the 2nd- and 3rd-line treatment of advanced stage SCLC. Bi-weekly administration allows G-CSF prophylaxis in between doses, leading to an uninterrupted administration.

Irinotecan plus raltitrexed as second-line treatment in locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer patients: a prospective open-label, single-arm, multi-center, phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death. There are limited therapeutic options for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancers which fail first-line chemotherapy. Phase I/II studies showed that the combined application of the raltitrexed and irinotecan has significant synergistic effect and acceptable toxicity. However, most of these previous studies have relatively small sample size. METHODS: This is a prospective open-label, single-arm, multi-center, Phase II trial. Brief inclusion criteria: patients were aged 18 to 75 years with locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer after failure of 5-FU and oxaliplatin therapy. Enrolled patients received raltitrexed (3 mg/m2, d1) and irinotecan (180 mg/m2, d1) each 21-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, and the secondary endpoints were disease control rate, objective response rate, overall survival and safety. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients were enrolled between September 2016 and May 2020. The median age was 61 years, ECOG 1 score accounts for 67.6%, the rest were ECOG 0. A total of 502 cycles were completed, with an average of 4.6 cycles and a median of 4 cycles. 108 patients were evaluated, with an objective response rate of 17.6%, and disease control rate of 76.9%. The median follow-up time was 27 months (range:3.1-61.0 m) at data cut-off on March 2023. Median progression-free survival was 4.9 months (95% CI 4.1-5.7) and median overall survival was 13.1 months (95% CI 12.2-15.5). The most common adverse events that were elevated are alanine aminotransferase increased, aspartate aminotransferase increased, fatigue, diarrhoea, neutrocytopenia, thrombocytopenia, hypohemoglobin, and leukocytopenia. Most of the adverse events were Grade I/II, which were relieved after symptomatic treatment, and there were no treatment-related cardiotoxicities and deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of raltitrexed and irinotecan as second-line treatment for mCRC could be a reliable option after failure of standard 5-Fu-first-line chemotherapy in locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancers, especially for patients with 5-FU intolerance (cardiac events or DPD deficiency patients). TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03053167, registration date was 14/2/2017.

Bevacizumab Alone Versus Bevacizumab Plus Irinotecan in Patients With Recurrent Glioblastoma: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: For treating recurrent glioblastoma, for which there is no established treatment, the antiangiogenic antibody, bevacizumab, is used alone or with irinotecan. This study was aimed at comparing the survival of patients with recurrent glioblastoma receiving bevacizumab monotherapy and those receiving bevacizumab plus irinotecan combination therapy (B+I) by using a nationwide population-based dataset. METHODS: Patients matching the International Classification of Diseases code C71.x were screened from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database. From January 2008 to November 2021, patients who underwent surgery or biopsy and subsequent standard concurrent chemoradiation with temozolomide were included. Among them, those who received bevacizumab monotherapy or B+I were selected. Demographic characteristics, inpatient stay, prescription frequency, survival outcomes, and steroid prescription duration were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: Eight hundred and forty-six patients who underwent surgery or biopsy and received concurrent chemoradiotherapy with temozolomide were included. Of these, 450 and 396 received bevacizumab monotherapy and B+I, respectively. The corresponding median overall survival from the initial surgery was 22.60 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.50-24.21) and 20.44 months (95% CI, 18.55-22.60; P = 0.508, log-rank test). The B+I group had significantly more bevacizumab prescriptions (median 5 times; BEV group: median 3 times). Cox analysis, based on the postsurgery period, revealed that male sex (hazard ratio [HR], 1.28; P = 0.002), older age (HR, 1.01; P = 0.042), and undergoing biopsy instead of surgery (HR, 1.79; P < 0.0001) were significantly associated with decreased survival. Fewer radiotherapy cycles correlated with improved survival outcomes (HR, 0.63; P = 0.001). Cox analysis, conducted from the start of chemotherapy including bevacizumab, showed that male sex was the only variable significantly associated with decreased survival (HR, 1.18; P = 0.044). CONCLUSION: We found no significant difference in overall survival between the bevacizumab monotherapy and B+I groups. Considering the additional potential toxicity associated with irinotecan, bevacizumab monotherapy could be a suitable treatment option for treating recurrent glioblastoma.

Irinotecan hydrochloride liposome HR070803 in combination with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma following prior gemcitabine-based therapy (PAN-HEROIC-1): a phase 3 trial.

Liposomal irinotecan has shown promising antitumor activity in patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who have undergone prior gemcitabine-based therapies. This randomized, double-blind, parallel-controlled, multicenter phase 3 study (NCT05074589) assessed the efficacy and safety of liposomal irinotecan HR070803 combined with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin (LV) in this patient population. Patients with unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic PDAC who had previously received gemcitabine-based therapies were randomized 1:1 to receive either HR070803 (60 mg/m2 anhydrous irinotecan hydrochloride, equal to 56.5 mg/m2 free base) or placebo, both in combination with 5-FU (2000 mg/m2) and LV (200 mg/m2), all given intravenously every two weeks. The primary endpoint of the study was overall survival (OS). A total of 298 patients were enrolled and received HR070803 plus 5-FU/LV (HR070803 group, n = 149) or placebo plus 5-FU/LV (placebo group, n = 149). Median OS was significantly improved in the HR070803 group compared to the placebo group (7.4 months [95% CI 6.1-8.4] versus 5.0 months [95% CI 4.3-6.0]; HR 0.63 [95% CI 0.48-0.84]; two-sided p = 0.0019). The most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events in the HR070803 group were increased gamma-glutamyltransferase (19.0% versus 11.6% in placebo group) and decreased neutrophil count (12.9% versus 0 in placebo group). No treatment-related deaths occurred in the HR070803 group, while the placebo group reported one treatment-related death (abdominal infection). HR070803 in combination with 5-FU/LV has shown promising efficacy and manageable safety in advanced or metastatic PDAC in the second-line setting, representing a potential option in this patient population.

Efficacy of chemotherapy for patients with gastric cancer with early recurrence during or after adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1 alone: a multicenter retrospective study.

This study aimed to survey the efficacy of chemotherapy regimens in the real world setting and explore the most promising regimen for patients experiencing early recurrence for gastric cancer. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical course of 207 patients with gastric cancer, who developed early recurrence during or within 6 months after completing S-1 adjuvant therapy at 19 Japanese institutions between 2012 and 2016. The treatment regimens after recurrence were fluoropyrimidines plus platinum-based regimens (FP) in 91 (44%) patients, paclitaxel-based regimens (PTX) in 102 (49%), and irinotecan-based regimens (IRI) in 14 (7%). The overall response and disease control rates were 28.7% and 54.1%. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 5.1 and 12.9 months, respectively. In the FP, PTX, and IRI regimens, the median PFS and OS were 5.9, 4.1, 4.1 months and 12.8, 12.9, and 11.8 months, respectively. The combination of PTX and ramucirumab showed survival comparable to capecitabine plus platinum. Multivariate analyses for OS showed that recurrence during adjuvant chemotherapy and undifferentiated histological type were independent poor prognostic factors. Although the prognosis of patients with early recurrence even with adjuvant S-1 was poor, PTX plus ramucirumab therapy could be a potential treatment option.

Clinico-biological factors predicting the benefit of the LV5FU2 maintenance strategy as a first-line therapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Predictive markers of LV5FU2 maintenance benefit after first-line induction with FOLFIRINOX in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer are necessary to select patients who will not be harmed by this strategy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We focused on patients who received 12 cycles of FOLFIRINOX (arm A, N = 88) or 8 cycles of FOLFIRINOX followed by LV5FU2 maintenance in controlled patients (arm B, N = 91) from the PRODIGE-35 trial. Prognostic factors and predictors of efficiency were identified by using Cox regression. Median progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and time to deterioration of quality of life (TTD-QoL) were evaluated. RESULTS: Poor independent prognostic factors were primary tumor in place, age <65 years and the presence of liver metastases for PFS, a baseline neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ≥5 and CA19.9 ≥500 UI/L for OS, independent of the treatment arm. Patients with one metastatic site had a longer PFS in arm A, whereas patients with ≥2 metastatic sites had a longer PFS in arm B. We also identified predictors of OS and TTD-QoL in arm B but these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Except for patients with one metastatic site who benefited more from 12 cycles of FOLFIRINOX, a maintenance strategy with LV5FU2 should be widely offered to mPC patients whose survival and QoL are preserved after 4 months of FOLFIRINOX. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02352337).

Phase Ib/II study on the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of pegylated irinotecan (JK1201I) as second-line monotherapy for patients with small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety, tolerability, and preliminary efficacy of multiple doses of pegylated irinotecan (JK1201I) as a second-line monotherapy for treating small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. METHODS: According to the "3 + 3" dose-escalation principle, patients received intravenous JK1201I at 180 or 220 mg/m2 once every 3 weeks for four cycles. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), median progression-free survival (mPFS), and median overall survival (mOS) were evaluated. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze PFS and overall OS. Brookmeyer and Crowley's method was used for mPFS and mOS. RESULTS: This study included 29 patients with stage III-IV SCLC (stage IIIa, n = 1; stage IIIb, n = 1; and stage IV, n = 27). Of these, 26 patients were enrolled in the 180 mg/m2 dose group, and 3 patients were enrolled in the 220 mg/m2 dose group. No dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was noted during the first 28 days of treatment. Grade 3 or higher adverse events were recorded in the 180 mg/m2 group, including diarrhea (11.5%, 3/26), neutropenia (7.7%, 2/26), and leukopenia (7.7%, 2/26). In the 220 mg/m2 group, one patient (33.3%, 1/3) experienced neutropenia or leukopenia. In the 180 mg/m2 group, 38.5% (10/26) of patients achieved an objective response rate (ORR), with a disease control rate (DCR) of 73.1% (19/26). The mPFS and mOS were 3.4 and 12.1 months, respectively. In the 220 mg/m2 group, one patient had stable disease, and one had progressive disease (PD). The ORR, DCR, mPFS, and mOS were 0% (0/3) and 33.3% (1/3), 2.7 months and 2.7 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: JK1201I exhibits promising efficacy and relatively low toxicities as a second-line monotherapy for SCLC, warranting further large-scale clinical studies to evaluate its efficacy in greater detail.

Collagen type I PET/MRI enables evaluation of treatment response in pancreatic cancer in pre-clinical and first-in-human translational studies.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an invasive and rapidly progressive malignancy. A major challenge in patient management is the lack of a reliable imaging tool to monitor tumor response to treatment. Tumor-associated fibrosis characterized by high type I collagen is a hallmark of PDAC, and fibrosis further increases in response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). We hypothesized that molecular positron emission tomography (PET) using a type I collagen-specific imaging probe, 68Ga-CBP8 can detect and measure changes in tumor fibrosis in response to standard treatment in mouse models and patients with PDAC. Methods: We evaluated the specificity of 68Ga-CBP8 PET to tumor collagen and its ability to differentiate responders from non-responders based on the dynamic changes of fibrosis in nude mouse models of human PDAC including FOLFIRNOX-sensitive (PANC-1 and PDAC6) and FOLFIRINOX-resistant (SU.86.86). Next, we demonstrated the specificity and sensitivity of 68Ga-CBP8 to the deposited collagen in resected human PDAC and pancreas tissues. Eight male participant (49-65 y) with newly diagnosed PDAC underwent dynamic 68Ga-CBP8 PET/MRI, and five underwent follow up 68Ga-CBP8 PET/MRI after completing standard CRT. PET parameters were correlated with tumor collagen content and markers of response on histology. Results: 68Ga-CBP8 showed specific binding to PDAC compared to non-binding 68Ga-CNBP probe in two mouse models of PDAC using PET imaging and to resected human PDAC using autoradiography (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). 68Ga-CBP8 PET showed 2-fold higher tumor signal in mouse models following FOLFIRINOX treatment in PANC-1 and PDAC6 models (P < 0.01), but no significant increase after treatment in FOLFIRINOX resistant SU.86.86 model. 68Ga-CBP8 binding to resected human PDAC was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) in treated versus untreated tissue. PET/MRI of PDAC patients prior to CRT showed significantly higher 68Ga-CBP8 uptake in tumor compared to pancreas (SUVmean: 2.35 ± 0.36 vs. 1.99 ± 0.25, P = 0.036, n = 8). PET tumor values significantly increased following CRT compared to untreated tumors (SUVmean: 2.83 ± 0.30 vs. 2.25 ± 0.41, P = 0.01, n = 5). Collagen deposition significantly increased in response to CRT (59 ± 9% vs. 30 ± 9%, P=0.0005 in treated vs. untreated tumors). Tumor and pancreas collagen content showed a positive direct correlation with SUVmean (R2 = 0.54, P = 0.0007). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the specificity of 68Ga-CBP8 PET to tumor type I collagen and its ability to differentiate responders from non-responders based on the dynamic changes of fibrosis in PDAC. The results highlight the potential use of collagen PET as a non-invasive tool for monitoring response to treatment in patients with PDAC.

A simulated trial with reinforcement learning for the efficacy of Irinotecan and Ifosfamide versus Topotecan in relapsed, extensive stage small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Synthetic data may proxy clinical data. At the absence of direct clinical data, this study aimed to compare Irinotecan and Ifosfamide (II) with Topotecan in synthetic, recurrent small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients within a simulated clinical trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two simulation stages were conducted. Initially, 200 recurrent SCLC cases were simulated to replicate a previous phase 3 trial, testing the utility of Cox proportional hazards model and simulation methodology together, where patients were randomized to receive Cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin, Vincristine (CAV) or Topotecan. In the second stage, 600 recurrent SCLC patients were simulated and randomized to compare Topotecan versus II in terms of overall survival (OAS), using Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: CAV versus Topotecan comparison showed no statistical difference in overall survival (hazard ratio (HR): 0.89, 95% CI: 0.67-1.18, P = 0.418), aligning with the original clinical trial. For the Topotecan versus II comparison, the RL framework significantly favored the II arm (mean reward points: 193.43 versus - 251.82, permutation P < 0.0001). Likewise, II arm exhibited superior median OAS compared to Topotecan arm (11.12 versus 6.30 months). HR was 0.44 (95% CI: 0.38-0.52) with P < 0.0001, in favor of II. CONCLUSION: Artificial trial results for CAV versus Topotecan matched the original trial, confirming indifference of OAS. Additionally, II yielded superior overall survival compared to Topotecan in recurrent SCLC patients. These demonstrate the potential of RL and simulation in conjunction with Cox modelling for similar studies. However, definitive conclusions necessitate a randomized clinical trial between II and Topotecan in this patient cohort.

Phase 1b study of first-line fuzuloparib combined with modified FOLFIRINOX followed by fuzuloparib maintenance monotherapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy remains the standard first-line treatment for pancreatic adenocarcinoma, but with limited efficacy. We aimed to explore the feasibility of adding the PARP inhibitor fuzuloparib to mFOLFIRINOX in the locally advanced/metastatic (LA/M) setting. METHODS: This was the dose-escalation and -expansion, phase 1b portion of a phase 1b/2 study. Patients were given oral fuzuloparib at escalating doses starting at 30 mg twice daily (BID) plus intravenous mFOLFIRINOX q2w for 8-12 cycles, followed by maintenance fuzuloparib at 150 mg BID. Cohorts at the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) and lower dose of fuzuloparib were expanded. Primary endpoints were dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), MTD, and recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D). RESULTS: As of data cutoff on Jan 15, 2023, 39 patients were recruited. 12 patients were enrolled during dose escalation (30 mg [n = 4]; 60 mg [n = 6]; 100 mg [n = 2]). DLT occurred in 1 patient in 60 mg cohort and 1 patient in 100 mg cohort. 60 mg BID was determined to be the MTD, and then 60 and 30 mg cohorts were expanded to 22 and 15 patients, respectively. The most common grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events were hematologic toxicities. Efficacy in 60 mg cohort seemed to be most favorable, with an objective response rate of 50.0% (95% CI, 26.0-74.0) and disease control rate of 94.4% (95% CI, 72.7-99.9). CONCLUSIONS: First-line fuzuloparib plus mFOLFIRINOX followed by maintenance fuzuloparib was generally safe and showed encouraging anti-tumor activity in patients with LA/M pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The RP2D of fuzuloparib combination was 60 mg BID. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04228601.

Tislelizumab plus cetuximab and irinotecan in refractory microsatellite stable and RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm phase 2 study.

Immunotherapy confers little to no benefit in the treatment of microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Mechanistic insights suggested that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody plus irinotecan might augment the tumor immune response in mCRC. Therefore, we conducted a proof-of-concept, single-arm, phase 2 study (ChiCTR identifier: ChiCTR2000035642) of a combination treatment regimen including tislelizumab (anti-PD-1), cetuximab (anti-EGFR) and irinotecan in 33 patients with MSS and RAS wild-type (WT) mCRC who were previously treated with ≥2 lines of therapy. The primary endpoint was met, with a confirmed objective response rate of 33%. As secondary endpoints, the disease control rate was 79%, and the median progression-free survival and overall survival were 7.3 and 17.4 months respectively. Among the 33 patients, 32 (97.0%) had treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Three (9.1%) reported grade ≥ 3 AEs, including rash (n = 1), neutropenia (n = 2). The post-hoc evaluation of dynamic circulating tumor DNA using next generation sequencing and the analysis of peripheral immune proteomics landscape using Olink revealed that lower variant allele frequency (VAF) at baseline, greater reduction in VAF on treatment, and a hot peripheral macroenvironment were associated with the treatment response independently. Our study showed the antitumor activity of tislelizumab, cetuximab, and irinotecan combination with a tolerable safety profile in previously treated MSS and RAS WT mCRC.

Transcriptome-based classification to predict FOLFIRINOX response in a real-world metastatic pancreatic cancer cohort.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is often diagnosed at metastatic stage and typically treated with fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX). Few patients benefit from this treatment. Molecular subtypes are prognostic in particularly resectable PDAC and might predict treatment response. This study aims to correlate molecular subtypes in metastatic PDAC with FOLFIRINOX responses using real-world data, providing assistance in counselling patients. We collected 131 RNA-sequenced metastatic biopsies and applied a network-based meta-analysis using published PDAC classifiers. Subsequent survival analysis was performed using the most suitable classifier. For validation, we developed an immunohistochemistry (IHC) classifier using GATA6 and keratin-17 (KRT17), and applied it to 86 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of advanced PDAC. Lastly, GATA6 knockdown models were generated in PDAC organoids and cell lines. We showed that the PurIST classifier was the most suitable classifier. With this classifier, classical tumors had longer PFS and OS than basal-like tumors (PFS: 216 vs. 78 days, p = 0.0002; OS: 251 vs. 195 days, p = 0.049). The validation cohort showed a similar trend. Importantly, IHC GATA6low patients had significantly shorter survival with FOLFIRINOX (323 vs. 746 days, p = 0.006), but no difference in non-treated patients (61 vs. 54 days, p = 0.925). This suggests that GATA6 H-score predicts therapy response. GATA6 knockdown models did not lead to increased FOLFIRINOX responsiveness. These data suggest a predictive role for subtyping (transcriptomic and GATA6 IHC), though no direct causal relationship was found between GATA6 expression and chemoresistance. GATA6 immunohistochemistry should be seamlessly added to current diagnostics and integrated into upcoming clinical trials.

Phase 1 study of NEDD8 activating enzyme inhibitor pevonedistat in combination with chemotherapy in pediatric patients with recurrent or refractory solid tumors (ADVL1615).

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) of pevonedistat, a first in class inhibitor of NEDD8 activating enzyme, in combination with irinotecan (IRN) and temozolomide (TMZ) in children with cancer. METHODS: This Phase 1 study used a rolling 6 design to evaluate escalating doses of pevonedistat in combination with standard doses of IRN and TMZ in pediatric patients with recurrent/refractory solid or CNS tumors. During cycle 1, pevonedistat was administered intravenously on days 1, 8, 10, and 12, with IRN (IV, 50 mg/m2) and TMZ (orally, 100 mg/m2), on days 8-12 of a 28-day cycle. In subsequent cycles, pevonedistat was administered on days 1, 3, and 5, with IRN/TMZ on days 1-5 of a 21-day cycle. RESULTS: Thirty patients enrolled; all were eligible and evaluable for toxicity. Six patients each enrolled on pevonedistat dose levels (DL) 1 (15 mg/m2), 2 (20 mg/m2), 3 (25 mg/m2) and 4 (35 mg/m2) as well as an expanded pharmacokinetic (PK) cohort at DL4. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was not exceeded. 2/12 (17 %) patients treated at the RP2D (35 mg/m2) experienced a cycle 1 dose limiting toxicity (DLT). IRN is unlikely to affect the pharmacokinetics of pevonedistat. Two patients had a partial response and 6 patients had prolonged stable disease (> 6 cycles). CONCLUSIONS: Pevonedistat in combination with IRN/TMZ is well tolerated in children with solid or CNS tumors. The RP2D of pevonedistat is 35 mg/m2 on days 1, 3, 5 in combination with IRN/TMZ.

Mature MUC5AC Expression in Resected Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Predicts Treatment Response and Outcomes.

Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for early-stage pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) has recently gained prominence. We investigated the clinical significance of mucin 5 AC (MUC5AC), which exists in two major glycoforms, a less-glycosylated immature isoform (IM) and a heavily glycosylated mature isoform (MM), as a biomarker in resected PDA. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 100 resected PDAs to evaluate the expression of the IM and MM of MUC5AC using their respective monoclonal antibodies, CLH2 (NBP2-44455) and 45M1 (ab3649). MUC5AC localization (cytoplasmic, apical, and extra-cellular (EC)) was determined, and the H-scores were calculated. Univariate and multivariate (MVA) Cox regression models were used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Of 100 resected PDA patients, 43 received NAT, and 57 were treatment-naïve with upfront surgery (UpS). In the study population (n = 100), IM expression (H-scores for objective response vs. no response vs. UpS = 104 vs. 152 vs. 163, p = 0.01) and MM-MUC5AC detection rates (56% vs. 63% vs. 82%, p = 0.02) were significantly different. In the NAT group, MM-MUC5AC-negative patients had significantly better PFS according to the MVA (Hazard Ratio: 0.2, 95% CI: 0.059-0.766, p = 0.01). Similar results were noted in a FOLFIRINOX sub-group (n = 36). We established an association of MUC5AC expression with treatment response and outcomes.

A multicenter, prospective, non-interventional real-world study to assess the effectiveness of mecapegfilgrastim in preventing neutropenia in patients with gastrointestinal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mecapegfilgrastim, a long-acting granulocyte-colony stimulating factor has been approved for reducing the incidence of infection, particularly febrile neutropenia (FN), in China. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study to examine the safety and effectiveness of mecapegfilgrastim in preventing neutropenia in gastrointestinal patients receiving the chemotherapy, including S-1/capecitabine-based regimens or the fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFOXIRI)/fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX)/fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan (FOLFIRINOX) regimens. METHOD: Five hundred and sixty-one gastrointestinal patients from 40 sites across China, between May 2019 and November 2021, were included. The administration of mecapegfilgrastim was prescribed at the discretion of local physicians. RESULTS: The most common adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of any grade for all patients was increased white blood cells (2.9%). Grade 3/4 ADRs were observed for anemia (0.2%), decreased white blood cells (0.2%), and decreased neutrophil count (0.2%). Among the 116 patients who received S-1/capecitabine-based chemotherapy throughout all cycles, ADRs of any grade included anemia (1.7%), myalgia (0.9%), and increased alanine aminotransferase (0.9%). No grade 3/4 ADRs were observed. In 414 cycles of patients who underwent S-1/capecitabine-based regimens, only one (0.2%) cycle experienced grade 4 neutropenia. In the FOLFIRINOX, FOLFOXIRI, and FOLFOX chemotherapy regimens, grade 4 neutropenia occurred in one (2.7%) of 37 cycles, four (4.7%) of 85 cycles, and two (1.2%) of 167 cycles, respectively. CONCLUSION: In a real-world setting, mecapegfilgrastim has proven effective in preventing severe neutropenia in gastrointestinal patients following chemotherapy. This includes commonly used moderate or high-risk FN regimens or regimens containing S1/capecitabine, all of which have demonstrated favorable efficacy and safety profiles.

Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: An Observational Cohort Study.

Early pancreatic cancer diagnosis is crucial for timely intervention and better outcomes. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted routine health care globally. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted routine health care globally. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. This retrospective study compared pancreatic cancer patients from 2 tertiary hospitals in pre and COVID-19 periods. Pre-COVID-19 period spanned from January 1, 2018, to January 19, 2020, while the COVID-19 period extended from January 20, 2020, to December 31, 2021. Results: A total of 542 patients were included. In the pre-COVID-19 period, 280 new cases of pancreatic cancer were enrolled, compared to 262 during COVID-19. The annual incidence rates were 136.63 and 134.50 patients, respectively. The median age was significantly lower during COVID-19 (71.5 years) compared to pre-COVID-19 (77 years) (P < .001). In subgroup analyses for stage 3 and 4, the proportion of stage 4 pancreatic cancer increased during COVID-19 (χ2 = 5.53, P = .019), and the COVID-19 group had younger diagnoses, better performance status, more surgery, higher use of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy, fewer hospital referrals, and better median overall survival compared to the pre-COVID-19 group. This study revealed changes in the characteristics and treatment of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although further large-scale research is necessary, the findings of this study can function as foundational data for formulating policies for the management of patients with pancreatic cancer during future pandemics of other infectious diseases.

Budget impact analysis of introducing fruquintinib for metastatic colorectal cancer previously treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy and biologics in the United States from the payer perspective.

AIMS: Fruquintinib is a selective small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-1, -2, and -3 recently approved in the United States (US) for the treatment of adult patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) who have previously been treated with fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin-, and irinotecan-based chemotherapy, an anti-VEGF biological therapy, and if RAS wild-type and medically appropriate, anti-epidermal growth factor receptor therapy. This study aimed to estimate the 5-year budget impact of fruquintinib from a US payer perspective (commercial and Medicare). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A budget impact model was developed to compare two scenarios: a reference scenario in which patients received regorafenib, trifluridine/tipiracil, or trifluridine/tipiracil with bevacizumab and an alternative scenario in which patients received reference scenario treatments or fruquintinib. Market shares were evenly divided across available options. A 5-year time horizon and a hypothetical health plan of 1 million members was assumed. The model included epidemiological inputs to estimate the eligible population; clinical inputs for treatment duration, progression-free survival, overall survival, and adverse event (AE) frequency; and cost inputs for treatment, AEs, disease management, subsequent therapy, and terminal care costs. Budget impact was reported as total, per member per year (PMPY), and per member per month (PMPM). RESULTS: The model estimated an eligible population of 194 patients (39 per year) over 5 years. In the base case, the estimated 5-year budget impact of fruquintinib was $4,077,073 ($0.82 PMPY and 0.07 PMPM) for a commercial health plan. During the first year, the estimated budget impact was $627,570 ($0.63 PMPY and 0.05 PMPM). Results were robust across sensitivity analyses. PMPM costs from the Medicare perspective were greater than the base-case (commercial) ($0.17 vs. $0.07) due to higher incidence of CRC in that population. CONCLUSIONS: Fruquintinib is associated with a low budget impact for payers based on proposed thresholds in the US.

Fruquintinib is a treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer that has progressed after or not responded to multiple guideline-recommended therapies. This budget impact analysis was conducted to estimate the added costs a health plan would incur over a 5-year period if it chose to cover this therapy. The analysis found that the per plan member per month cost of covering fruquintinib was $0.07 for a United States commercial health plan and $0.17 for Medicare.

First-line Chemotherapy in Combination With Oral Recombinant Methioninase and a Low-methionine Diet for a Stage IV Inoperable Pancreatic-Cancer Patient Resulted in 40% Tumor Reduction and an 86% CA19-9 Biomarker Decrease.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Pancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5% among patients with distant metastasis, a figure that has not improved over many decades. Only 10 to 20% patients are candidates for curative surgery at presentation due to the aggressive nature and asymptomatic progression of pancreatic cancer. Although first-line chemotherapy, such as FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine + nab paclitaxel, improved the median survival from 8.5 to 11.1 months, more effective treatments are immediately needed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of methionine restriction with oral rMETase (o-rMETase) and a low-methionine diet combined with first-line chemotherapy on a patient with stage IV metastatic pancreatic cancer. CASE REPORT: A 63-year-old female was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer in October 2023. The patient started FOLFIRINOX as first-line chemotherapy in combination with methionine restriction, which comprised o-rMETase 250 units twice a day and a low-methionine diet. The patient was monitored using computed tomography and CA19-9 blood tests. After five months from the start of combination therapy, the size of the primary tumor decreased by 40% along with liver-metastasis regression. The CA19-9 blood marker decreased by 86%. The patient sustains a high performance status and continues the combination therapy without severe side effects. CONCLUSION: Methionine restriction consisting of o-rMETase and a low-methionine diet, in combination with first-line chemotherapy, was highly effective in a patient with inoperable stage IV pancreatic cancer.

Sequential therapy of refractory metastatic pancreatic cancer with 5-FU/LV/irinotecan (FOLFIRI) vs. 5-FU/LV/oxaliplatin (OFF). The PANTHEON trial (AIO PAK 0116).

PURPOSE: In patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, after failure of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel, this trial compares the efficacy of second-line therapy with FOLFIRI vs. OFF (1:1 randomisation) with cross-over to the vice-versa regimen as third-line therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The primary endpoint was PFS (progression-free survival: time from randomization until progression or death) of second-line therapy. The trial aimed to demonstrate non-inferiority of FOLFIRI vs OFF (non-inferiority margin of a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.5, power of 80% and a significance level of 5%, 196 events needed). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival of third-line therapy and safety. The trial is registered with EudraCT Nr. 2016-004640-11. RESULTS: The trial was terminated with 60 evaluable (37 with FOLFIRI, 23 with OFF) patients due to insufficient recruitment. PFS of second-line therapy was 2.4 (95% CI 2.3-2.6) months with FOLFIRI vs 2.4 (95% CI 2.2-2.7) months with OFF (HR: 0.80, 95% CI 0.45-1.42, P = 0.43). OS was comparable between the arms (HR: 0.95, 95% CI 0.54-1.66), P = 0.84). Only 4 out of 28 (14%) patients receiving third-line therapy achieved a disease control (partial remission or stable disease). Both second-line regimens were well tolerated without new or unexpected safety signals being observed. CONCLUSION: The exploratory analysis of this early terminated trial suggests that FOLFIRI and OFF have similar efficacy ant toxicity as second-line therapy of PDAC after failure of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel. Third-line therapy regardless of regimen does not provide satisfactory efficacy in this sequential treatment algorithm.