The retrospective analysis of gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel in advanced pancreatic cancer

Aim/Background

Gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel is one of the standard chemotherapies to treat advanced pancreatic cancer (APC). MPACT trial included a small number of Asian patients. In Japan, gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel was approved for clinical use in December 2014. We performed gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel in various lines in practice. Here, we examined the results of this treatment retrospectively in APC patients.

Methods

The subjects were 92 APC patients. They were treated with gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel starting from Dec. 2014 to July 2015. Both gemcitabine (1000 mg/m²) and nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m²) were administered on days 1, 8, and 15 for every 4 weeks. UICC stage, sex, age, performance status, febrile neutropenia, and antitumor effect based on RECIST criteria (v1.1) were examined.

Results

UICC stages were as follows; stage III: 17, stage IV: 60, and recurrence: 15. There were 54 males and 38 females, and their ages ranged from 44 to 83 years old (median: 67). The performance status was as follows; 0: 41, 1: 48, 2: 3. The treatment line was as follows; 1st: 57, 2nd: 15, 3rd: 15, 4th: 5. The febrile neutropenia was seen in only 2 patients (2%). The disease control rate (DCR) (PR + SD) was follows; 1st: 81%, remaining line: 80%. The DCR was 63% in gemcitabine refractory patients.

Conclusions

Gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel was effective as a 1st line chemotherapy as well as other lines to treat APC in practice.

Clinical trial identification

Disclosure

M. Ueno: honoraria Abbott, Eli Lilly, Taiho Yakult and AstraZeneca Research Funding Taiho, Daiichi-Sankyo, Zeria, Merck Serono. S. Kobayashi: honoraria Taiho Yakult and AstraZeneca. M. Morimoto: honoraria: Bayer, Dainippon-Sumitomo, Eisai, Nippon-Kayaku Resarch Funding: Bayer, Yakult, Shionogi, Eli Lilly, Kowa, Kyowa-Hakko-Kirin. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.