A phase II/III randomized clinical trial of CisPlatin plUs Gemcitabine and Nabpaclitaxel (GAP) as pReoperative chemotherapy versus immediate resection in patIents with resecTable BiliarY Tract Cancers (BTC) at high risk for recurrence: PURITY study.

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are rare and lethal cancers, with a 5-year survival inferior to 20%(1-3). The only potential curative treatment is surgical resection. However, despite complex surgical procedures that have a remarkable risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality, the 5-year survival rate after radical surgery (R0) is 20-40% and recurrence rates are up to ~ 75%(4-6). Up to ~ 40% of patients relapse within 12 months after resection, and half of these patient will recur systemically(4-6). There is no standard of care for neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in resectable BTC, but retrospective reports suggest its potential benefit (7, 8). METHODS: PURITY is a no-profit, multicentre, randomized phase II/III trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of the combination of gemcitabine, cisplatin and nabpaclitaxel (GAP) as neoadjuvant treatment in patients with resectable BTC at high risk for recurrence. Primary objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant GAP followed by surgery as compared to upfront surgery, in terms of 12-month progression-free survival for the phase II part and of progression free survival (PFS) for the phase III study. Key Secondary objectives are event free survival (EFS), relapse-free survival, (RFS), overall survival (OS), R0/R1/R2 resection rate, quality of life (QoL), overall response rate (ORR), resectability. Safety analyses will include toxicity rate and perioperative morbidity and mortality rate. Exploratory studies including Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) in archival tumor tissues and longitudinal ctDNA analysis are planned to identify potential biomarkers of primary resistance and prognosis. DISCUSSION: Considering the poor prognosis of resected BTC experiencing early tumor recurrence and the negative prognostic impact of R1/R2 resections, PURITY study is based on the rationale that NAC may improve R0 resection rates and ultimately patients' outcomes. Furthermore, NAC should allow early eradication of microscopic distant metastases, undetectable by imaging but already present at the time of diagnosis and avoid mortality and morbidity associated with resection for patients with rapid progression or worsening general condition during neoadjuvant therapy. The randomized PURITY study will evaluate whether patients affected by BTC at high risk from recurrence benefit from a neoadjuvant therapy with GAP regimen as compared to immediate surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PURITY is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06037980) and EuCT(2023-503295-25-00).

The Italian Rare Biliary tract Cancer initiative (IRaBiCa): A multicentric observational study of Gruppo Oncologico dell'Italia Meridionale (GOIM) in collaboration with Gruppo Italiano Colangiocarcinoma (GICO).

INTRODUCTION: About 90% of cholangiocarcinomas are adenocarcinomas with glandular or tubular structures lined by epithelial cells, with no bile production and with a variable degree of differentiation, arising in the background of desmoplastic stroma. The remaining 10% is represented by rarer histological variants of which there is little knowledge regarding the biological behavior, molecular characterization, and sensitivity to the various possible therapies, including molecular-based treatments. Such rare tumors are described only in case reports or small retrospective series because of their exclusion from clinical trials. This national initiative, here presented, aims to address the following knowledge gap: a) how much does histological diversity translate into clinical manifestation variety? b) are those chemotherapy regimens, recommended for conventional biliary tract cancers, potentially active in rare variants?Therefore, epidemiological, pathological, and clinical characterization of series of rare biliary histotypes/variants, for which therapeutic and follow-up data are available, will be collected. METHODS: An Italian task force on rare tumors of the biliary tract (IRaBiCa) has been created, whose initiative is a multicenter retrospective study involving 34 Italian cancer centers.Clinical data from approximately 100 patients will be collected and analyzed. Continuous variables will be presented as median ± standard deviation, while categorical variables will be expressed in terms of frequency. Kaplan-Maier analyses will be used to compare disease free, progression free and overall survival, according to the different histotypes. CONCLUSIONS: We expect to gather novel data on rare histotypes of biliary tract cancer that will be useful to support their molecular and immunological characterization.

Inflammatory indices as prognostic markers in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with chemotherapy plus Bevacizumab.

Background: Validated predictors of sensitivity or resistance to Bevacizumab (Bev) are not available, and Inflammatory Indexes (IIs) has been reported to be useful prognostic factors in various malignant solid tumours, including metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Objectives: To explore the prognostic value of IIs in mCRC patients treated with first-line chemotherapy plus Bev. Design: One hundred and eighty-two patients diagnosed with mCRC and treated with first line chemotherapy plus Bev were considered for this prospective non-pharmacological study. Neutrophil, lymphocyte, platelet, aspartate transaminase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) tests were carried out at baseline and before each treatment cycle, according to clinical practice. Methods: Pre-treatment Systemic Immune-inflammation Index (SII), Colon Inflammatory Index (CII) and Aspartate aminotransferase-Lymphocyte Ratio Index (ALRI) were evaluated to assess a correlation with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: In the overall population, PFS and OS were lower in patients with high SII (HR 1.64, p = 0.006 and HR 1.75, p = 0.004, respectively) and high ALRI (HR 2.13, p = 0.001 and HR 1.76, p = 0.02, respectively), but no difference was detected according to CII value. The multivariate analysis confirmed both SII and ALRI as independent prognostic factors for PFS (HR 1.64 and 2.82, respectively) and OS (HR 1.65 and 2.12, respectively). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate and confirm that IIs, and in particular SII and ALRI, are easy to measure prognostic markers for patient candidates to first line chemotherapy plus Bev for mCRC.

Inflammatory Indexes can predict the efficacy of bevacizumab in metastatic colorectal cancer Bevacizumab (Bev) is a humanized monoclonal antibody with antiangiogenic activity, used in combination with chemotherapy as a standard first line treatment for many metastatic colorectal cancer patients. Validated predictors of sensitivity or resistance to Bevacizumab are not available, although several studies have investigated this issue in recent years. In this study, we investigated whether some selected baseline inflammatory indexes levels, namely Systemic Immune-inflammation Index (SII) and Aspartate aminotransferase-Lymphocyte Ratio Index (ALRI) could predict the survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer treated with Bevacizumab plus chemotherapy. We enrolled 182 patients diagnosed with mCRC and treated with first line chemotherapy plus Bev. For each patient we tested blood neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, aspartate transaminase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) before each treatment cycle, according to clinical practice. We calculated the SII value as platelet count × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count, and ALRI as AST/lymphocyte count. We found that patients with high SII and high ALRI values had lower survival as compared to those with low values. These parameters represent reproducible, inexpensive and easy to measure biomarkers to be used in both clinical practice and clinical trials, for patient selection.

Clinical outcomes and response to chemotherapy in a cohort of pancreatic cancer patients with germline variants of unknown significance (VUS) in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

PURPOSE: The clinical outcome and the efficacy of chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients with BRCA1/2 Variants of Unknown Significance (VUS) is unknown. We explored the effects of chemotherapy with or without Platinum in non metastatic and metastatic pancreatic cancer patients with BRCA1/2 VUS. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of non-metastatic or metastatic pancreatic cancer patients with gBRCA1/2 VUS treated in 13 Italian centers between November 2015 and December 2020 was performed. All patients were assessed for toxicity and RECIST 1.1 response. Metastatic patients were evaluated for survival outcome. RESULTS: 30 pancreatic cancer patients with gBRCA1/2 VUS were considered: 20 were M+ and 10 were non-M+. Pl-CT was recommended to 16 patients: 10 M+ (6 FOLFIRINOX and 4 PAXG) and 6 non-M+ (3 FOLFIRINOX and 3 PAXG); 11 patients received Nabpaclitaxel-Gemcitabine (AG; 8 M+) and 3 patients (2 M+) were treated with Gemcitabine (G). The RECIST 1.1 response rate was 27% for AG and 44% for Pl-CT (22% for (m) FOLFIRINOX and 71% PAXG). 1 year Progression-Free Survival was 37.5% for patients treated with AG and 33% in the Pl-CT subgroup. Median Overall Survival (OS) was 23.5 months for patients treated with AG and 14 months for the Pl-CT subgroup. 1 Year and 2 Year OS were numerically better for AG (1 Year OS: 75% vs 60% and 2 Year OS: 50% and 20% in AG and Pl-CT subgroups, respectively) as well. CONCLUSIONS: Pl-CT does not seem to be associated with a better outcome compared to AG chemotherapy in PDAC patients with BRCA 1/2 VUS.

Durvalumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin in advanced biliary tract cancer: An early exploratory analysis of real-world data.

BACKGROUND: The TOPAZ-1 phase III trial reported a survival benefit with the anti-programmed death cell ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1) durvalumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. The present study investigated the efficacy and safety of this new standard treatment in a real-world setting. METHODS: The analysed population included patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the biliary tract treated with durvalumab in combination with gemcitabine and cisplatin at 17 Italian centres. The primary endpoint of the study was progression-free survival (PFS), whereas secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), overall response rate (ORR) and safety. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) by baseline characteristics were calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: From February 2022 to November 2022, 145 patients were enrolled. After a median follow-up of 8.5 months (95% CI: 7.9-13.6), the median PFS was 8.9 months (95% CI: 7.4-11.7). Median OS was 12.9 months (95% CI: 10.9-12.9). The investigator-assessed confirmed ORR was 34.5%, and the disease control rate was 87.6%. Any grade adverse events (AEs) occurred in 137 patients (94.5%). Grades 3-4 AEs occurred in 51 patients (35.2%). The rate of immune-mediated AEs (imAEs) was 22.7%. Grades 3-4 imAEs occurred in 2.1% of the patients. In univariate analysis, non-viral aetiology, ECOG PS >0 and NLR ≥3 correlated with shorter PFS. CONCLUSION: The results reported in this first real-world analysis mostly confirmed the results achieved in the TOPAZ-1 trial in terms of PFS, ORR and safety.

Analysis of EVs from patients with advanced pancreatic cancer identifies antigens and miRNAs with predictive value.

The identification of predictive factors for treatment of pancreatic cancer (PC) is an unmet clinical need. In the present work, we analyzed blood-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) from patients with advanced PC in order to find a molecular signature predictive of response to therapy. We analyzed samples from 21 patients with advanced PC, all receiving first-line treatment with gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel. Isolated EVs have been analyzed, and the results of laboratory have been matched with clinical data in order to investigate possible predictive factors. EV concentration and size were similar between responder and non-responder patients. Analysis of 37 EV surface epitopes showed a decreased expression of SSEA4 and CD81 in responder patients. We detected more than 450 expressed miRNAs in EVs. A comparative survey between responder and non-responder patients showed that at least 44 miRNAs were differently expressed. Some of these miRNAs have already been observed in relation to the survival and gemcitabine sensitivity of tumor cells. In conclusion, we showed the ability of our approach to identify EV-derived biomarkers with predictive value for therapy response in PC. Our findings are worthy of further investigation, including the analysis of samples from patients treated with different schedules and in different settings.

Identification of palliative care needs and prognostic factors of survival in tailoring appropriate interventions in advanced oncological, renal and pulmonary diseases: a prospective observational protocol.

INTRODUCTION: It is estimated that of those who die in high-income countries, 69%-82% would benefit from palliative care with a high prevalence of advanced chronic conditions and limited life prognosis. A positive response to these challenges would consist of integrating the palliative approach into all healthcare settings, for patients with all types of advanced medical conditions, although poor clinician awareness and the difficulty of applying criteria to identify patients in need still pose significant barriers. The aim of this project is to investigate whether the combined use of the NECPAL CCOMS-ICO and Palliative Prognostic (PaP) Score tools offers valuable screening methods to identify patients suffering from advanced chronic disease with limited life prognosis and likely to need palliative care, such as cancer, chronic renal or chronic respiratory failure. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This multicentre prospective observational study includes three patient populations: 100 patients with cancer, 50 patients with chronic renal failure and 50 patients with chronic pulmonary failure. All patients will be treated and monitored according to local clinical practice, with no additional procedures/patient visits compared with routine clinical practice. The following data will be collected for each patient: demographic variables, NECPAL CCOMS-ICO questionnaire, PaP Score evaluation, Palliative Performance Scale, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status and data concerning the underlying disease, in order to verify the correlation of the two tools (PaP and NECPAL CCOMS-ICO) with patient status and statistical analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by local ethics committees and written informed consent was obtained from the patient. Findings will be disseminated through typical academic routes including poster/paper presentations at national and international conferences and academic institutes, and through publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Clinical Outcomes After Progression on First-Line Therapies in IDH1 Mutated Versus Wild-Type Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Patients.

BACKGROUND: Isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutations occur in a significant proportion of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (iCCAs). No data are available regarding the prognostic impact of IDH1 mutations in advanced iCCA patients after progression on first-line therapies. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the role of IDH1 mutation in advanced iCCA after progression on first-line therapies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After progression on first-line therapies for advanced iCCA, consecutive patients were retrospectively collected. The IDH1 status was tested at baseline. This analysis aimed to examine the association between the presence of IDH1 missense mutations and survival outcomes in patients with advanced iCCA treated with a second-line therapy. RESULTS: The analysis included 119 patients; 56/119 (47%) were IDH1 mutated (IDH1m) and 63/119 (53%) were IDH1 wild type (IDH1 WT). At univariate analysis for overall survival (OS), the presence of IDH1 mutation was associated with a worse median OS (mOS; 8.2 vs. 14.1 months; hazard ratio [HR] 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-3.0, p = 0.0047). Patients harboring IDH1 mutations showed a worse objective response rate (ORR) compared with patients without IDH1 mutation, whereas no significant differences in disease control rate (DCR) were found. Multivariate analysis confirmed IDH1 mutations as an independent negative prognostic factor for OS (HR 1.7, 95% CI 1.1-2.7, p = 0.0256). By evaluating only patients receiving FOLFOX as second-line therapy, no statistically significant differences were found in terms of both OS and PFS between IDH1m and IDH1 WT patients. In this subset of patients, those harboring an IDH1 mutation showed a worse ORR and DCR compared with those without. Finally, at univariate analysis for OS from third-line treatment, the presence of an IDH1 mutation was associated with a trend toward a worse mOS (6.0 vs. 11.9 months; HR 1.6, 95% CI 0.8-3.2, p = 0.25). CONCLUSION: The present analysis constitutes the first evidence of a negative prognostic impact of IDH1 mutations in a cohort of patients treated after progression on first-line therapies in contrast to IDH1 inhibitors.

Second-line therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients with germline BRCA1-2 pathogenic variants (gBRCA1-2pv).

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) harbouring germline BRCA1-2 pathogenic variants (gBRCA1-2pv) is a distinct nosological entity. Information on second-line therapy (2LT) outcome in this setting is lacking. METHODS: Data of gBRCA1-2pv metastatic PDAC patients treated with chemotherapy were collected. A primary analysis of 2LT RECIST response, median progression-free survival (mPFS2) and overall survival (mOS2), was performed. A secondary analysis addressed the impact of timing of platinum introduction on the outcome of patients receiving at least a first-line combination chemotherapy (1LT). RESULTS: Eighty-four gBRCA1-2pv metastatic PDAC patients were enrolled. The primary analysis, including 43 patients, highlighted a significant improvement of mPFS2 and a doubled response rate, in the platinum-based 2LT subgroup as compared to the platinum-free (8.8 versus 3.7 months, p = 0.013). Seventy-seven patients were included in the secondary analysis. Median PFS1 of 3- and 4-drug platinum-based 1LT significantly outperformed both platinum-free combinations and platinum-based doublets (11.4 versus 6.4 versus 7.9 months, p = 0.01). Albeit still immature, data on mOS paralleled those on mPFS. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted the beneficial role of platinum agents in gBRCA1-2pv PDAC patients also in second-line treatment setting. However, our data suggest that early use of 3- and 4-drug platinum-based chemotherapy combinations provides a survival outcome advantage.

Molecular profile and its clinical impact of IDH1 mutated versus IDH1 wild type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

IDH1-mutated cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are an interesting group of neoplasia with particular behavior and therapeutic implications. The aim of the present work is to highlight the differences characterizing IDH1m and IDH1wt CCAs in terms of genomic landscape. 284 patients with iCCA treated for resectable, locally advanced or metastatic disease were selected and studied with the FOUNDATION Cdx technology. A comparative genomic analysis and survival analyses for the most relevant altered genes were performed between IDH1m and IDH1wt patients. Overall, 125 patients were IDH1m and 122 IDH1wt. IDH1m patients showed higher mutation rates compared to IDH1wt in CDKN2B and lower mutation rates in several genes including TP53, FGFR2, BRCA2, ATM, MAP3K1, NOTCH2, ZNF703, CCND1, NBN, NF1, MAP3KI3, and RAD21. At the survival analysis, IDH1m and IDH1wt patients showed no statistically differences in terms of survival outcomes, but a trend in favor of IDH1wt patients was observed. Differences in prognostic values of the most common altered genes were reported. In surgical setting, in IDH1m group the presence of CDKN2A and CDKN2B mutations negatively impact DFS, whereas the presence of CDKN2A, CDKN2B, and PBRM1 mutations negatively impact OS. In advanced setting, in the IDH1m group, the presence of KRAS/NRAS and TP53 mutations negatively impact PFS, whereas the presence of TP53 and PIK3CA mutations negatively impact OS; in the IDH1wt group, only the presence of MTAP mutation negatively impact PFS, whereas the presence of TP53 mutation negatively impact OS. We highlighted several molecular differences with distinct prognostic implications between IDH1m and IDH1wt patients.

Statins increase pathological response in locally advanced rectal cancer treated with chemoradiation: a multicenter experience.

Aims: To investigate the influence of various concomitant medications on outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Materials & methods: The authors retrospectively identified 246 patients from 2003 to 2018, collecting demographic and clinicopathological data of interest. Odds ratio (OR) was used to assess the association between concomitant drugs and outcomes. Results: The authors found an association between statins and a Dworak regression grade of 3-4 (OR = 8.78; p = 0.01). Furthermore, statins were significantly associated with more frequent chemoradiation-related toxicity (OR = 2.39; p = 0.0098) and chemotherapy dose reduction or discontinuation (OR = 2.26; p = 0.03). Conclusion: Despite higher frequency of radiotherapy and chemotherapy interruption or dose reduction, the concomitant use of statins during neoadjuvant chemoradiation proved to be associated with better tumor regression.

Platinum sensitivity in patients with IDH1/2 mutated vs wild-type intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: A propensity score-based study.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)1/2 mutations are the most frequent druggable alterations in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), reported in ~20% of cases. Preclinical evidence indicates that these mutations are associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), which could be exploited as a target for platinum chemotherapy (ChT) and PARP inhibitors. However, the role of IDH1/2 mutations as surrogate biomarkers for platinum efficacy is unknown. We conducted a multicenter, propensity score-matched analysis to investigate the impact of IDH1/2 mutations on progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) in patients with iCCA treated with platinum-based ChT. An exploratory comparison of complex HRD estimates between IDH1/2 mutated and wild-type tumors from TCGA was also performed. A total of 120 cases were matched in a 1:1 ratio (60 IDH1/2 mutant and 60 wild-type). No differences were observed for platinum-based PFS (7.7 vs 7.3 months, P = .970), DCR (66.1% vs 74.1%, P = .361) and ORR (27.8% vs 25.0%, P = .741). IDH1/2 mutations showed mutual exclusivity with genomic alterations in ATM, BRCA2, MST1R, NF1, FGFR2 and CDKN2A/B losses, respectively, with no clear survival and response differences. Among TCGA tumors, IDH1/2 mutated CCA did not show higher HRD compared to wild-type cases. IDH1/2 mutations are not associated with increased sensitivity to platinum-based ChT in iCCA patients. Deeper genomic sequencing is needed to elucidate the HRD phenotype in IDH1/2 mutant iCCA and exploit its therapeutic vulnerabilities.

Molecular Targets and Emerging Therapies for Advanced Gallbladder Cancer.

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs), for their low incidence, have been often considered together. Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most common biliary tract malignancy, characterized by late diagnosis and poor prognosis, and although it is considered a rare tumor in western countries, other areas of the world show considerable incidence rates. In 2010, results from the large phase III ABC-02 clinical trial on GBC identified the gemcitabine and cisplatin combination as the most effective first-line regimen for both GBC and other BTCs. Since then, various systemic therapies have proven active in BTCs in both first- and second-line settings. Molecular profiling has highlighted important genetic differences between GBC and other BTCs, opening new ways for targeted therapy in advanced disease where standard chemotherapies show marginal benefit. Genome-wide data analysis have shown that GBC molecular landscape offer possible strategies for precision medicine approaches, and a better molecular understanding of the GBC is needed to better stratify patients for treatment. In this review, we discuss the molecular targetable agents for GBC, including the results that emerged by clinical trials exploring new treatment strategies.

Multimodal Treatment with GEMOX Plus Helical Tomotherapy in Unresectable Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of Two Phase 2 Studies.

In locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is a widely used treatment option. We performed a pooled analysis, including an exploratory analysis for prognostic and predictive factors, of two phase 2 trials including 73 patients with LAPC, treated with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (GEMOX) and hypofractionated tomotherapy. With a median follow-up of 36 months (range 1-65), median progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 10.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.8-13.2) and 14.3 (95% CI 12.0-18.1) months, respectively. The overall resectability rate was 23.3% (95% CI 13.6-33.0), and the R0 resection rate was 13.7% (95% CI 5.8-21.6). In the multivariate analysis, ECOG performance status (PS) 0 and low levels of CA 19-9 were associated with improved OS and PFS. Concerning OS, log(CA19-9) resulted in a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.20 (95% CI 1.02-1.42), p = 0.027. For ECOG PS 0, HR was 1.00; for PS 1, HR was 2.69 (95% CI 1.46-4.96); for PS 2, HR was 4.18 (95% CI 0.90-19.46); p = 0.003. Low CA19-9 levels were also predictive for resection, with an odds ratio of 0.71 (95% CI 0.52-0.97), p = 0.034. In conclusion, GEMOX and hypofractionated radiotherapy is a treatment option in LAPC. Further studies are needed to identify differences in tumor biology, which may help to predict resectability and prognosis.

Adverse events as potential predictive factors of activity in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with lenvatinib.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Lenvatinib is a standard of care option in first-line therapy of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we aim to identify, in patients with HCC treated with lenvatinib, a possible association between occurrence and grading of adverse events (AEs) and outcome. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 606 Japanese and Italian patients treated with lenvatinib in first-line setting and investigated the possible correlation between the onset of AEs, toxicity grade (G) and outcome measures such as overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: The appearance of arterial hypertension G ≥ 2 independently predicted prolonged OS [hazard ratio (HR) 0.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46-0.93, P = .0188], whereas decreased appetite G ≥ 2 independently predicted decreased OS (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.25-2.32, P = .0007) by multivariate analysis. Appearance of hand-foot skin reaction independently predicted prolonged PFS (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.56-0.93, P = .0149), whereas decreased appetite G ≥ 2 predicted decreased PFS (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.04-1.77, P = .0277). CONCLUSIONS: Our main findings are that the occurrence of arterial hypertension G ≥ 2 is a predictor of longer survival, whereas decreased appetite G ≥ 2 predicts for a poor prognosis. A careful management of AEs under lenvatinib treatment for HCC is required, to improve patients' quality of life, minimize the need for treatment discontinuation and achieve optimal outcome.

Equivalent Efficacy but Different Safety Profiles of Gemcitabine Plus Nab-Paclitaxel and FOLFIRINOX in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer.

FOLFIRINOX (FFX) and gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel (GN) are the most common chemotherapy regimens in first-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer (PC). They have not been compared each other in a prospective trial, but only in retrospective studies, which can thus be affected by several biases. In order to overcome these biases, we took advantage of matching-adjusted indirect comparison (MAIC), that allows an indirect comparison by reducing cross-trial differences, and compared data from 268 patients treated with GN in a real-world setting with data from the 171 patients included in the FFX arm of the PRODIGE trial. Survival outcomes did not differ between the two populations. Overall survival was 11.1 months for both treatments (hazard ratio (HR) of FFX 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.81-1.49; p = 0.527). Progression-free survival was 6.0 months with GN and 6.4 months with FFX (HR of FFX 1.11, 95% CI 0.82-1.50; p = 0.520). On the other hand, we observed a difference in the toxicity profiles: grade 3/4 anemia was more frequent with GN, whereas a higher occurrence of grade 3/4 vomiting and diarrhea was reported with FFX. FFX and GN show an equivalent efficacy but different safety profiles in the first-line therapy of metastatic pancreatic cancer. Searching for reliable predictive biomarkers is advised in order to improve therapeutic strategy in metastatic PC.

Comprehensive analysis of DNA damage repair genes reveals pathogenic variants beyond BRCA and suggests the need for extensive genetic testing in pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a major cause of cancer death. In an effort to improve treatment strategies and outcomes, DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways have been introduced as a new target in PC and in other cancers, through the exploitation of synthetic lethality. Furthermore, genes involved in DDR are among the major determinants of cancer susceptibility. In addition to the well-known BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, a plethora of other targets in the same pathways are now emerging. METHODS: We analyzed samples from 60 patients, affected by PC and already tested for BRCA, using a panel with 24 other cancer susceptibility genes. RESULTS: We detected 8 pathogenic or likely pathogenic mutations (13.3% of samples analyzed), 4 of which were found in non-BRCA genes (2 in ATM, 1 each in PALB2 and RAD50). Furthermore, 4 pathogenic or likely pathogenic mutations were found in patients without a personal or familial history of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that genetic testing with a comprehensive gene panel should be perfomed in all patients with PC, in order to allow screening for PC and other gene-related cancers in all at risk family members and to assess patients' eligibility for emerging therapeutic options.

Sequential Treatment of Sorafenib-Regorafenib Versus Sorafenib-Physician's Choice: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Regorafenib has been shown to improve clinical outcomes compared to placebo, becoming a standard second-line therapy for sorafenib-progressed and -tolerated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. OBJECTIVE: We performed a multicentre, retrospective study in Italy and Korea to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment sequence sorafenib-regorafenib compared with sorafenib and physician's choice in a real-life setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A propensity score model was developed to control the results for baseline variable imbalances between the arm treated with sorafenib and regorafenib (S-R) and the arm treated with sorafenib and physician's choice (S-P). Survival analysis was conducted on the matched population. RESULTS: After the application of propensity score matching, we analysed 99 patients in the arm treated with S-R and 99 patients in the arm treated with S-P. For the S-R group, the median overall survival was 22.2 months (95% CI 17.1-27.4), compared to 17.9 months (95% CI 15.1-50.0) for the S-P group. The results of the univariate analysis showed a 31% reduction of death risk for patients treated with S-R (p = 0.0382) compared to patients treated with S-P. Interaction tests highlighted the predictive role of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and extrahepatic spread. CONCLUSION: This study provides additional proof of the superiority of the S-R treatment over the S-P treatment approach in advanced HCC patients from a real-life setting.