A phase I/II study of combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil for advanced pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND: In an effort to improve efficacy of single-agent gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer, several studies have examined the effects of 5-FU combined with gemcitabine. However, no studies to date have been performed in Japanese patients. We thus conducted a phase I/II study of gemcitabine and infusional 5-FU in Japanese patients to determine a recommended dosage for this combination and clarify efficacy and toxicity. METHODS: Phase I evaluated the frequency of dose limiting toxicity of two 5-FU dosages (400 and 500 mg/m(2)/day) infused continuously over 5 days combined with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) x 3 every 4 weeks. Results from phase I determined the recommended dosage to be examined in phase II for effect on survival period, clinical benefit response (CBR), tumor response and safety. RESULTS: A total of 34 chemo-naive patients were entered into the study. All had a Karnofsky performance of > or =50 points and distant metastases. Dose limiting toxicities in phase I determined the recommended 5-FU dosage at 400 mg/m(2)/day. Grade 3-4 hematological toxicities (neutropenia, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia) were the most common severe toxicities. For the 28 patients administered the recommended dosage, 1-year survival rate was 14.3%, median survival time 7.1 months and progression free survival 3.2 months. Seven patients achieved a 25% overall response rate and three showed 27.3% improvement in CBR. CONCLUSION: Although a meaningful survival benefit over single-agent gemcitabine was not demonstrated, 5-FU 400 mg/m(2)/day infused continuously over 5 days in combination with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) x 3 every 4 weeks appeared to be a moderately effective palliative treatment with low toxicity in Japanese patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.     

Phase II study of induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus 5-fluorouracil followed by gemcitabine-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy for unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of a new treatment approach including induction chemotherapy (CT) and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients with LAPC were enrolled in the study. They first received induction CT consisting of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) (500 mg/m2) and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2), which were given weekly for 3 weeks of every 4. Patients showing a response or disease stabilization after 2 cycles of induction CT received CRT consisting of external beam radiotherapy (50.4-54 Gy in fractions of 1.8 Gy/day) and gemcitabine (350 mg/m2, weekly for 6 weeks). Patients without disease progression received 2 additional cycles of CT consisting of 5FU plus gemcitabine with the same doses and schedule as given in the induction CT. RESULTS: After the end of the study, 2 (8%) and 5 (21%) patients showed complete and partial responses, respectively. Five patients (21%) had disease stabilization. The grade 3 and 4 toxicities associated with CT were neutropenia (21%) and thrombocytopenia (4%). The grade 3 and 4 toxicities occurring in patients who received CRT were neutropenia (24%), thrombocytopenia (24%), diarrhea (18%), and nausea (12%). The median progression-free survival for all patients was 6 months (95% CI, 3.6-8.4), and the median overall survival was 11 months (95% CI, 8.16-13.84). CONCLUSIONS: The CRT approach of this study is moderately active and has an acceptable toxicity profile. However, the incorporation of combination CT into CRT at the present schedule could not produce any additional benefit over CRT alone. Newer agents with more systemic activity are clearly warranted.     

Phase II study of S-1 in patients with gemcitabine-resistant advanced pancreatic cancer

Purpose

The primary objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of S-1 in patients with gemcitabine-resistant advanced pancreatic cancer.

Methods

Patients with histologically or cytologically proven, advanced pancreatic cancer who had received first-line chemotherapy with gemcitabine were eligible for this study. S-1 was administered orally at a dose of 40?mg/m² twice daily for 28?days, followed by 14?days?? rest. Treatment was repeated every 6?weeks until disease progression.

Results

Twenty-one patients were enrolled in this study. Grade 3 and 4 toxicities included anorexia in 14% of the patients, abdominal pain in 4.8% and infection without neutropenia in 4.8%. S-1 was discontinued in two patients because of toxicity. Of the 21 eligible patients, 2 (9.5%) achieved a partial response and 9 (43%) had stable disease. A marked decrease (??50%) in tumor marker (CA19-9) was observed in 5 (28%) of the 18 evaluable patients. The median progression-free survival and the median survival time from the first day of S-1 therapy were 4.1?months (95% CI, 1.3?C6.9?months) and 6.3?months (95% CI, 3.6?C8.9?months), respectively.

Conclusions

Second-line chemotherapy with S-1 was tolerated with acceptable toxicity and resulted in a relatively high disease control rate in patients with gemcitabine-resistant advanced pancreatic cancer. As an oral agent, S-1 may be a feasible treatment option for this patient population.     

Prognostic nomogram for nonresectable pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy

Background:

A nomogram is progressively being used as a useful predictive tool for cancer prognosis. A nomogram to predict survival in nonresectable pancreatic cancer treated with chemotherapy has not been reported.

Methods:

Using prospectively collected data on patients with nonresectable pancreatic cancer receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy at five Japanese hospitals, we derived a predictive nomogram and internally validated it using a concordance index and calibration plots.

Results:

In total, 531 patients were included between June 2001 and February 2013. The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM stages were III and IV in 204 and 327 patients, respectively. The median survival time of the total cohort was 11.3 months. A nomogram was generated to predict survival probabilities at 6, 12, and 18 months and median survival time, based on the following six variables: age; sex; performance status; tumour size; regional lymph node metastasis; and distant metastasis. The concordance index of the present nomogram was higher than that of the AJCC TNM staging system at 12 months (0.686 vs 0.612). The calibration plots demonstrated good fitness of the nomogram for survival prediction.

Conclusions:

The present nomogram can provide valuable information for tailored decision-making early after the diagnosis of nonresectable pancreatic cancer.     

A phase II study of induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus S-1 followed by chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Purpose

The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine and S-1 followed by chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Methods

Patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer received four cycles of induction chemotherapy consisting of 30-min intravenous infusions of gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m² on days 1 and 8 and oral S-1 40 mg/m² twice daily on days 1–14 of a 21-day cycle. Those without disease progression received chemoradiotherapy of 30 Gy in ten fractions with 250 mg/m² of gemcitabine on days 1 and 8.

Results

A total of 20 patients were treated. Median follow-up time was 431 days (range 133–1,014 days). Four cycles of induction chemotherapy were completed in 18 patients, and 16 patients received chemoradiotherapy, which was completed without delay in all. Grade 3–4 toxicities associated with induction chemotherapy were neutropenia (50%); anemia (20%); thrombocytopenia (10%); febrile neutropenia (5%); nausea (10%); anorexia (10%); and vomiting, fatigue, dehydration, stomatitis, and rash (5%). Grade 3–4 toxicities among those receiving chemoradiotherapy were neutropenia (13%) and anemia (6%). Median progression-free survival was 8.1 months. Median overall survival was 14.4 months, with a 1-year survival rate of 54.2%.

Conclusions

The regimen of induction chemotherapy with gemcitabine and S-1 followed by chemoradiotherapy used in the present study demonstrated promising activity in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Further consideration of radiation schedule and duration of induction chemotherapy is required to enhance the efficacy of this strategy.     

A phase II study of bevacizumab plus erlotinib for gemcitabine-refractory metastatic pancreatic cancer

Purpose

No standard of care exists for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer following progression on first-line chemotherapy. Based on potential for additive or synergistic activity by concurrent inhibition of VEGF and EGFR, we conducted a phase II study evaluating the combination of bevacizumab plus erlotinib in this patient population.

Methods

Patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, ECOG performance status 0–1, and previous exposure to 1–3 systemic therapies (at least one gemcitabine-based) were eligible. Treatment consisted of bevacizumab 15 mg/kg every 21 days plus erlotinib 150 mg daily.

Results

Thirty-six patients were enrolled, including eight who had previously received VEGF-targeted therapy and nine prior erlotinib. Median number of treatment cycles was 2 (range, 1–7). Common toxicities included rash (72%), diarrhea (25%), venous thromboembolic events (15%), and hypertension (11%). One patient demonstrated partial response and seven others stable disease for >2 cycles. CA19-9 decline ≥25% was observed in 4/26 patients with baseline levels >2x ULN. Estimated median time to progression was 40 days (95% CI, 35–41 days) and median survival 102 days (95% CI, 74–117 days), with a 6-month survival rate of 22%. Baseline concentration of circulating endothelial cells (CD45^?/CD34⁺/CD31⁺) was inversely associated with overall survival.

Conclusions

The combination of bevacizumab and erlotinib is safe but relatively ineffective in patients with gemcitabine-refractory metastatic pancreatic cancer. Future studies should focus on refining subsets of patients in this challenging population likely to benefit from treatment beyond first-line.     

Telomerase peptide vaccination of patients with non-resectable pancreatic cancer: A dose escalating phase I/II study

Patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer have a dismal prognosis with a mean life expectancy of 3-6 months. New treatment modalities are thus urgently needed. Telomerase is expressed in 85-90% of pancreas cancer, and immunogenic telomerase peptides have been characterised. A phase I/II study was conducted to investigate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenecity of telomerase peptide vaccination. Survival of the patients was also recorded. Forty-eight patients with non-resectable pancreatic cancer received intradermal injections of the telomerase peptide GV1001 at three dose levels, in combination with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor. The treatment period was 10 weeks. Monthly booster vaccinations were offered as follow-up treatment. Immune responses were measured as delayed-type hypersensitivity skin reaction and in vitro T-cell proliferation. GV1001 was well tolerated. Immune responses were observed in 24 of 38 evaluable patients, with the highest ratio (75%) in the intermediate dose group. Twenty-seven evaluable patients completed the study. Median survival for the intermediate dose-group was 8.6 months, significantly longer for the low- (P = 0.006) and high-dose groups (P = 0.05). One-year survival for the evaluable patients in the intermediate dose group was 25%. The results demonstrate that GV1001 is immunogenic and safe to use. The survival data indicate that induction of an immune response is correlated with prolonged survival, and the vaccine may offer a new treatment option for pancreatic cancer patients, encouraging further clinical studies.     

A phase II study of capecitabine plus gemcitabine in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer

PURPOSE: This open-label, multicenter phase II study was conducted to investigate the efficacy and safety of capecitabine plus gemcitabine combination chemotherapy as first-line treatment in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 63 patients who received capecitabine 830 mg/m(2) orally twice daily on days 1-21 plus gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) as a 30-min infusion on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks for up to six cycles. RESULTS: A total of 14 patients had partial responses giving an overall response rate of 22% (95% confidence interval [CI] 13-34%) in the intent-to-treat population. The median time to progression and overall survival were 3.9 months (95% CI 3.5-5.7) and 7.5 months (95% CI 5.0-10.0), respectively, and 1-year survival rate was 27.1% in the intent-to-treat population. Capecitabine plus gemcitabine was well tolerated. Grade 3 hematological adverse events were neutropenia (21%) and thrombocytopenia (2%); the only grade 4 hematological events were anemia (2%) and neutropenia (6%). Non-hematological adverse events were mainly gastrointestinal events and hand-foot syndrome, which affected 16% of patients. Grade 3/4 non-hematological events were infrequent. CONCLUSION: The combination of capecitabine plus gemcitabine appears to be active and well tolerated as first-line treatment in patients with advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer.     

吉西他滨为基础的化疗方案治疗进展期胰腺癌的临床研究

背景与目的:进展期胰腺癌预后差.吉西他滨可以改善胰腺癌患者的生存质量,但吉西他滨联合方案疗效是否优于单药,还存在争议,国内更缺乏相关的临床研究.本研究目的是比较吉西他滨为基础的联合化疗方案与吉西他滨单药治疗进展期胰腺癌的疗效.方法:回顾性分析2000～2005年收治的40例经临床或病理确诊的进展期胰腺癌临床资料,其中吉西他滨单药组15例,吉西他滨剂量为1 000 mg/m2,每周1次,连用7周,休息2周,之后每周1次,连用3周,4周重复;吉西他滨联合治疗组25例,联合化疗方案包括吉西他滨1 000 mg/m2,每周1次,连用2周,分别联合:(1)氟尿嘧啶425～600 mg/m2,静脉滴注或持续静脉泵入,d1-5,3周重复;(2)顺铂60～75 mg/m2,分第1、2天,3周重复;(3)奥沙利铂85～130 mg/m2,d1,3周重复;(4)卡培他滨l000 mg/m2,2次/天,d1-14,3周重复.采用Kaplan-Meier生存曲线分析患者的生存期,并比较两组间的临床受益反应、中位疾病进展时间、中位生存时间和不良反应.结果:吉西他滨联合组与单药组患者的临床受益反应均得到改善(56.0% vs.46.7%),但疾病控制率、中位生存时间、临床受益反应在两组之间差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05),不良反应的发生率也相似(P＞0.05).对Ⅲ～Ⅳ期患者进行分层分析,发现吉西他滨联合组疾病控制率高于单药组(75.0% vs.45.5%),但无统计学意义(P=0.13).结论:吉西他滨联合方案与单药治疗进展期胰腺癌相比,疗效、临床受益反应、中位生存时间两组相似.     

A phase I study of combined UFT plus leucovorin and radiotherapy for pancreatic cancer

PURPOSE: This Phase I study combines tegafur and uracil (UFT) with leucovorin and conventional radiation for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The design seeks to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicities (DLT) of this regimen as well as to define a future Phase II dose level. METHODS: Patients with locally advanced and unresectable pancreatic cancer were treated with 45 Gy of radiation therapy. The initial UFT dose was 150 mg/m(2)/day given with leucovorin 90 mg/day, both divided into 3 daily doses for 35 days concurrent with radiation. UFT doses were escalated at increments of 50 mg/m(2)/day. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as Grade 3 or greater nausea, vomiting or diarrhea despite medical intervention; or Grade 3 or greater neutropenia/thrombocytopenia; or Grade 3 or greater hepatic toxicity; or inability of the patient to take 75% or more of the planned UFT/leucovorin; or radiotherapy interruption of greater than 1 week. The MTD for UFT/leucovorin was exceeded by one dose level when a certain dose caused DLT in 2 or more patients of 6. RESULTS: Five evaluable patients had Stage I resectable disease but had pathologic adenopathy. Seven had Stage II unresectable disease. Compliance with therapy was excellent. At a daily dose of 300 mg/m(2) of UFT, we noticed minimal diarrhea and hematologic toxicity with mild-moderate nausea, anorexia, and fatigue. Three patients had Grade 4 toxicity: 1 had neutropenia on Day 38, 1 had diarrhea on Day 55, and 1 had vomiting on Day 15. CONCLUSION: Oral UFT/leucovorin and radiation therapy offers patients a viable treatment option for pancreatic cancer. The major known toxicity of diarrhea was tolerable. The MTD was not reached in this study. Our current plan is to expand this into a Phase I/II trial beginning at a UFT dose of 300 mg/m(2) and correlate this with clinical pharmacologic parameters. The potential benefit of long bioavailability and oral delivery of UFT compares favorably with continuous infusion regimens without the added morbidity of a catheter and pump.     

Weekly gemcitabine plus Epirubicin as effective chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer: a multicenter phase II study

The current role of chemotherapy in pancreatic carcinoma is limited, and progress in the treatment of this disease represents a significant challenge to medical oncology. The most promising drug under study is gemcitabine, a relatively new antimetabolite that represents an attractive candidate for combination chemotherapy because of its excellent side-effect profile and the absence of overlapping toxicities with other chemotherapeutic agents. Combined administration of gemcitabine and anthracyclines could result in the induction of DNA breaks that are not easily repaired by the cell's machinery, thus enhancing the apoptotic signals triggered by these lesions. Forty-four patients with locally advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma were enrolled in this multicenter study. Patients received Epirubicin 20 mg m(-2) for 3 weeks followed by 1 week of rest (1 cycle) and gemcitabine 1000 mg m(-2) after Epirubicin on the same day. All were assessable for toxicity and response, 11 patients responded to treatment with one complete response and 10 partial responses, for an overall response rate of 25%. Median survival was 10.9 months (range, 2-26 months). Therapy was well tolerated, with a low incidence of haematologic grade >2 toxicity. A total of 12 of 27 (44.4%) eligible patients attained a clinical benefit response. Our findings suggest that the gemcitabine-epirubicin schedule is active and well tolerated in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.     

Phase I/II study of albumin-bound nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine administered to Chinese patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

Purpose

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) and identify the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended dose of nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine as a first-line treatment in Chinese patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA).

Methods

Patients with previously untreated advanced PDA were treated with nab-paclitaxel followed by gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m²) administered intravenously for 30 min on days 1 and 8 and repeated every 21 days.

Results

Patients received nab-paclitaxel at the following dose levels: 80 mg/m² (n = 3), 100 mg/m² (n = 6), and 120 mg/m² (n = 12). The DLTs evaluated were elevated alanine aminotransferase and febrile neutropenia. However, there had no two out of three to six patients experienced DLTs, the MTD was not met. A total of 93 cycles were administered. The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (9.52 %), thrombocytopenia (4.76 %), and sensory neuropathy (4.76 %). For 12 patients receiving 120 mg/m², the overall response rate and disease control rate were 41.67 and 83.33 %, respectively, and the median progression-free survival and overall survival were 5.23 and 12.17 months, respectively.

Conclusions

Treatment with albumin-bound nab-paclitaxel (120 mg/m²) plus gemcitabine has a favorable safety profile with an encouraging antitumor effect in Chinese patients.     

A phase II study of capecitabine plus docetaxel in gemcitabine-pretreated metastatic pancreatic cancer patients: CapTere

Purpose

Docetaxel and capecitabine combination is synergistic in preclinical models. We investigated the efficacy and toxicity of this combination as second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPC), pretreated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

Methods

Eligible patients were treated with capecitabine 800 mg/m² orally PO bid on days 1–14 in combination with intravenous docetaxel 30 mg/m² on days 1 and 8 of each 21-day cycle. The primary end point was overall response rate. Using a three-stage sequential design, two interim analyses for early stopping due to lack of efficacy were planned and conducted after 13 and 26 patients were accrued. Secondary end points included time to treatment failure, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and 50 % drop in CA19-9 levels.

Results

Forty-three patients were evaluable for toxicity and 42 evaluable for response, at a median age of 64 years. The majority of patients (74 %) had ECOG PS 0-1. Six patients (14 %) achieved a partial tumor response, and stable disease for ≥2 cycles was observed in 59 % of patients (n = 25). Thirty-five percent (n = 11/31) of patients had a ≥50 % decrease in CA19-9 levels. The median PFS was 3.7 months (95 % CI 2.1–4.3 months), and the median OS was 5.3 months (95 % CI 4.3–8.6 months). Treatment was generally well tolerated. Grade 3 toxicity and grade 4 toxicity were seen in 45 and 5 % of patients, respectively. One patient had a potential treatment-related mortality.

Conclusions

The combination of capecitabine and docetaxel is active and well tolerated in mPC patients pretreated with gemcitabine-based therapy.     

Phase I/II trial of pimasertib plus gemcitabine in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer

The selective MEK1/2 inhibitor pimasertib has shown anti‐tumour activity in a pancreatic tumour model. This phase I/II, two‐part trial was conducted in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPaCa) (NCT01016483). In the phase I part, oral pimasertib was given once daily discontinuously (5 days on/2 days off treatment) or twice daily continuously (n = 53) combined with weekly gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m²) in 28‐day cycles to identify the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of pimasertib. In the phase II part, patients were randomised to pimasertib (RP2D) or placebo plus weekly gemcitabine (n = 88) to investigate progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and safety. The RP2D was determined to be 60 mg BID. PFS and OS outcomes did not indicate any treatment benefit for pimasertib over placebo in combination with gemcitabine (median PFS 3.7 and 2.8 months, respectively, HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.58–1.42: median OS 7.3 vs. 7.6 months, respectively). KRAS status did not influence PFS or OS. The incidence of grade ≥3 adverse events was 91.1% and 85.7% for pimasertib/gemcitabine and placebo/gemcitabine respectively, but there was a higher incidence of ocular events with pimasertib/gemcitabine (28.9% vs. 4.8% for placebo/gemcitabine). In conclusion, no clinical benefit was observed with first‐line pimasertib plus gemcitabine compared with gemcitabine alone in patients with mPaCa.     

A phase I/II study of cisplatin and vinorelbine chemotherapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: A combination of cisplatin and vinorelbine chemotherapy is effective in cases of advanced non-small cell lung cancer, but the optimum administration schedule for both drugs has not yet been defined. The aim of this study was to determine the maximum dose of vinorelbine that can be tolerated while receiving a fixed dose of cisplatin every 3 weeks and to observe the response in Japanese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer who had not previously received chemotherapy. METHODS: Cisplatin was given at a dose of 80 mg/m2 on day 1. Vinorelbine was administered on days 1 and 8 at a starting dose of 25 mg/m2 that was then increased by 5 mg/m2 increments. This treatment was repeated every 3 weeks. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients received a total of 54 chemotherapy cycles consisting of three different vinorelbine dosages. Toxicity and efficacy were evaluated in all of the patients. The main dose-limiting toxicity was neutropenia. Grades 3-4 leukopenia and neutropenia were observed in 57% and 86% of all cycles, respectively. These conditions were reversible and did not result in death from toxicity. The most severe non-hematological toxicity symptom was a grade 3 infection and reaction at the site of injection. The maximum tolerated dose of vinorelbine was 35 mg/m2. The objective response was noted in one of six patients at dose level 1, in four of 12 patients at dose level 2 and in two of three patients at dose level 3. CONCLUSION: The recommended doses were 80 mg/m2 for cisplatin and 30 mg/m2 for vinorelbine. The combination of cisplatin and vinorelbine repeated every 3 weeks is well tolerated and has shown promising anti-tumor activity against non-small cell lung cancer.     

A phase I study of imexon plus gemcitabine as first-line therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer

Purpose

Imexon is an aziridine-derived iminopyrrolidone which has synergy with gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Gemcitabine is a standard therapy for pancreatic cancer. We performed a phase I trial of imexon and gemcitabine to evaluate safety, dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Methods

Patients with untreated locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma received therapy in sequential cohorts on regimen A (n = 19; imexon 200 or 280 mg/m² intravenously (IV) over 30 min days 1–5, 15–19 and gemcitabine 800 or 1,000 mg/m² IV over 30 min on days 1,8,15 every 28 days) or regimen B (n = 86; imexon 280–1,300 mg/m² IV over 30–60 min days 1, 8, and 15 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m² IV over 30 min on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days).

Results

One hundred five patients received 340 treatment cycles (median 2, range 1–16). Patient characteristics: median age 63, 61% male, ECOG PS 0/1 50%/50%, 93% metastatic. DLT was abdominal cramping and pain, often with transient, acute diarrhea. Best response was confirmed partial response (PR) in 11.4%, 8.9% unconfirmed PR, and 48.1% with stable disease. There was a dose proportional increase in imexon AUC across the doses tested with terminal half life 69 min at the MTD and no alteration of gemcitabine pharmacokinetics.

Conclusions

The recommended phase II dose of imexon is 875 mg/m² with gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m². DLT was acute abdominal pain and cramping. Encouraging antitumor responses support further evaluation of this combination in advanced pancreatic cancer.     

A multicenter phase II study of gemcitabine and S-1 combination chemotherapy in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer

Purpose

To confirm the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine and S-1 combination chemotherapy when used as a first-line therapy in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Methods

Patients with locally advanced or metastatic or recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which was histologically or cytologically proven, with at least one measurable lesion were eligible for the study. Gemcitabine at a dose of 1,000 mg/m² was intravenously given over 30 min on days 1 and 8, while S-1 at a dose of 40 mg/m² was orally given twice daily from day 1 to 14, and the cycle was repeated every 3 weeks. The objective response rate, which was assessed according to RECIST criteria, was the primary end point.

Results

A total of 38 patients were enrolled between June 2006 and June 2007. The median number of treatment courses was 5.5 (range 1–22). Thirty-four patients were evaluable for response. Although no complete response was seen, partial responses were achieved in 11 patients, resulting in an overall response rate of 32% [95% confidence interval (CI) 17–48%]. The median response duration was 6.0 months (95% CI 4.6–8.3 months), the median time-to-progression was 5.4 months (95% CI 2.9–8.0 months), and the median overall survival was 8.4 months (95% CI 5.7–11.1 months). The major grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities were neutropenia (39.5%), leukopenia (15.8%), thrombocytopenia (2.6%), and anemia (7.9%). The major grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicities included anorexia (10.5%), stomatitis (2.6%), rash (7.9%), fatigue (7.9%) and hyperbilirubinemia (5.3%).

Conclusions

Gemcitabine and S-1 combination chemotherapy was effective and tolerable in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.     

A phase I study of combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and oral S-1 for advanced pancreatic cancer

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the maximum-tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of combination therapy with gemcitabine and S-1 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Chemotherapy-naive patients with histologically or cytologically proven unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer were enrolled. The patients received gemcitabine intravenously over 30 min on days 1 and 8 and S-1 orally twice daily from days 1 to 14. Cycles were repeated every 21 days until disease progression. Patients were scheduled to receive gemcitabine (mg/m(2)/week) and S-1 (mg/m(2)/day) at four dose levels: 800/60 (level 1), 1,000/60 (level 2), 1,000/70 (level 3) and 1,000/80 (level 4). RESULTS: Eighteen patients were enrolled in this study. The maximum-tolerated dose was not reached even at the highest dose level (level 4) because only 2 of the 6 patients at this level experienced DLT. The DLTs were neutropenia and rash. Six (33%) of the 18 patients achieved a partial response and median overall survival time was 7.6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and S-1 was well tolerated and showed good antitumor activity in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We recommend a gemcitabine dose of 1,000 mg/m(2)/week and an S-1 dose of 80 mg/m(2)/day in further studies with this schedule.