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The prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer continues to remain dismal, even though numerous trials have been conducted to establish more effective therapies in Japan and throughout the world. Recent advances in treatment have been characterized by the use of novel combinations of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapies. Especially in Japan, S-1 has become one of the most widely used cytotoxic agents for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, after clinical evidence was established of the survival benefit offered by this drug for patients with resectable or unresectable pancreatic cancer. Unfortunately, with the exception of erlotinib, no targeted treatment strategies have been approved for pancreatic cancer. However, following an increase in interest in drug development in recent years, proactive attempts have been made to develop new therapeutic strategies, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with resectable or borderline resectable pancreatic cancer, multi-agent combination chemotherapy for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, and therapies with new targeted agents or immuno-oncologic agents for patients with pancreatic cancer bearing specific gene mutations.

SummaryThis open-label first-in-human study evaluated JPH203, which is a novel selective L-type amino acid transporter 1 inhibitor. We also evaluated the association between the N-acetyltransferase 2 phenotype and outcomes. Japanese patients with advanced solid tumors received daily intravenous JPH203 treatment for 7 days, followed by a 21-day rest period, at escalating doses of 12–85 mg/m2. Dose-limiting toxicities were evaluated during the first cycle using a 3 + 3 design. The study enrolled 17 patients, although grade 3 liver dysfunction was detected in one of six patients receiving 60 mg/m2 and in the first patient to receive 85 mg/m2. Further enrollment was terminated and the maximum tolerated dose was defined as 60 mg/m2. The AUC∞ increased between 12 mg/m2 and 25 mg/m2, although no differences were observed at 25–40 mg/m2. Partial response was observed for one patient with biliary tract cancer (BTC) at the 12 mg/m2 dose, and disease control was achieved by 3 of 6 patients at the 12 mg/m2 and 25 mg/m2 dose levels. Based on these results, we recommend a phase II dose of 25 mg/m2. The disease control rate for BTC was 60%. Two patients with grade 3 liver dysfunction had the rapid N-acetyltransferase 2 phenotype, and disease control was more common for the non-rapid phenotype (50% vs. 12.5%). It appears that JPH203 was well-tolerated and provided promising activity against BTC. The N-acetyltransferase 2 phenotype might help predict the safety and efficacy of JPH203. Clinical trial registration: UMIN000016546.

Single-agent nivolumab showed durable responses, manageable safety, and promising survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in the phase 1–2 CheckMate 040 study. We aimed to investigate nivolumab monotherapy compared with sorafenib monotherapy in the first-line setting for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. In this randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial done at medical centres across 22 countries and territories in Asia, Australasia, Europe, and North America, patients at least 18 years old with histologically confirmed advanced hepatocellular carcinoma not eligible for, or whose disease had progressed after, surgery or locoregional treatment; with no previous systemic therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, with Child-Pugh class A and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0 or 1, and regardless of viral hepatitis status were randomly assigned (1:1) via an interactive voice response system to receive nivolumab (240 mg intravenously every 2 weeks) or sorafenib (400 mg orally twice daily) until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was overall survival assessed in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. This completed trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02576509. Between Jan 11, 2016, and May 24, 2017, 743 patients were randomly assigned to treatment (nivolumab, n=371; sorafenib, n=372). At the primary analysis, the median follow-up for overall survival was 15·2 months (IQR 5·7–28·0) for the nivolumab group and 13·4 months (5·7–25·9) in the sorafenib group. Median overall survival was 16·4 months (95% CI 13·9–18·4) with nivolumab and 14·7 months (11·9–17·2) with sorafenib (hazard ratio 0·85 [95% CI 0·72–1·02]; p=0·075; minimum follow-up 22·8 months); the protocol-defined significance level of p=0·0419 was not reached. The most common grade 3 or worse treatment-related adverse events were palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia (1 [<1%] of 367 patients in the nivolumab group vs 52 [14%] of patients in the sorafenib group), aspartate aminotransferase increase (22 [6%] vs 13 [4%]), and hypertension (0 vs 26 [7%]). Serious treatment-related adverse events were reported in 43 (12%) patients receiving nivolumab and 39 (11%) patients receiving sorafenib. Four deaths in the nivolumab group and one death in the sorafenib group were assessed as treatment related. First-line nivolumab treatment did not significantly improve overall survival compared with sorafenib, but clinical activity and a favourable safety profile were observed in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, nivolumab might be considered a therapeutic option for patients in whom tyrosine kinase inhibitors and antiangiogenic drugs are contraindicated or have substantial risks. Bristol Myers Squibb in collaboration with Ono Pharmaceutical.

In Japan, the population aged 65 years and above accounts for 29% of the total population. Furthermore, the number of cancer patients among the elderly is increasing. Geriatric oncology is a discipline that deals with appropriate care for elderly cancer patients based on their characteristics. The International Society of Geriatric Oncology considers education, treatment, research, and partnership building areas of significance and priority for policy goals. In Japan, the Third Term of the Basic Plan to Promote Cancer Control is an initiative to improve the infrastructure and health services involved in cancer care. Content related to “cancer in the elderly” was added to establish guidelines for treating cancer in the elderly. Thus far, “Clinical Practice Guidelines of Cancer Drug Therapies for the Elderly” have been published. With the increasing age of the population, social security expenditures will increase substantially after the fiscal year 2022. Reforms to social security systems, such as pensions, medical care, and nursing care, are underway. It is important to enhance cooperation between oncology and geriatrics and to support cooperative systems among families and medical professionals to promote geriatric oncology. Since the working-age population and the total population have begun to decline, Japan is facing many challenges. As a leader of a super-aging society, Japan has the potential to share its experience on a global scale and address potential long-term outcomes.

This study analyzed outcomes of systemic chemotherapy for advanced neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) of the digestive system. Clinical data from 258 patients with unresectable or recurrent NEC of the gastrointestinal tract (GI) or hepato‐biliary‐pancreatic system (HBP), who received chemotherapy, were collected from 23 Japanese institutions and analyzed retrospectively. Patients had primary sites in the esophagus (n = 85), stomach (n = 70), small bowel (n = 6), colorectum (n = 31), hepato‐biliary system (n = 31) and pancreas (n = 31). Median overall survival (OS) was 13.4 months the esophagus, 13.3 months for the stomach, 29.7 months for the small bowel, 7.6 months for the colorectum, 7.9 months for the hepato‐biliary system and 8.5 months for the pancreas. Irinotecan plus cisplatin (IP) and etoposide plus cisplatin (EP) were most commonly selected for GI‐NEC and HBP‐NEC. For patients treated with IP/EP (n = 160/46), the response rate was 50/28% and median OS was 13.0/7.3 months. Multivariate analysis among patients treated with IP or EP showed that the primary site (GI vs HBP; hazard ratio [HR] 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.35–0.97) and baseline serum lactate dehydrogenase levels (not elevated vs elevated; HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.94) were independent prognostic factors for OS, while the efficacy of IP was slightly better than for EP (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.48–1.33; P = 0.389). IP and EP are the most common treatment regimens for NEC of the digestive system. HBP primary sites and elevated lactate dehydrogenase levels are unfavorable prognostic factors for survival. A randomized controlled trial is required to establish the appropriate chemotherapy regimen for advanced NEC of the digestive system. This study was registered at UMIN as trial number 000005176. Clinical data from patients with unresectable or recurrent NEC of the gastrointestinal tract (GI) or hepato‐biliary‐pancreatic system (HBP), who received chemotherapy, were collected from 23 Japanese institutions and analyzed retrospectively. This study included 258 patients. Multivariate analysis among the patients treated with IP or EP showed that the primary site (GI vs. HBP; HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.35–0.97) and baseline serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels (not elevated vs elevated; HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.46–0.94) were independent prognostic factors for OS, while the efficacy of IP was slightly better than EP (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.48–1.33; P = 0.389).

Comprehensive genomic profiling enables genomic biomarker detection in advanced solid tumors. Here, to evaluate the utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) genotyping, we compare trial enrollment using ctDNA sequencing in 1,687 patients with advanced gastrointestinal (GI) cancer in SCRUM-Japan GOZILA (no. UMIN000016343), an observational ctDNA-based screening study, to enrollment using tumor tissue sequencing in the same centers and network (GI-SCREEN, 5,621 patients). ctDNA genotyping significantly shortened the screening duration (11 versus 33 days, P  < 0.0001) and improved the trial enrollment rate (9.5 versus 4.1%, P  < 0.0001) without compromising treatment efficacy compared to tissue genotyping. We also describe the clonal architecture of ctDNA profiles in ~2,000 patients with advanced GI cancer, which reinforces the relevance of many targetable oncogenic drivers and highlights multiple new drivers as candidates for clinical development. ctDNA genotyping has the potential to accelerate innovation in precision medicine and its delivery to individual patients. An observational study on a large cohort of patients with gastrointestinal cancer demonstrates the utility of ctDNA analysis for accelerating the enrollment of patients in clinical trials with no accompanying deterioration in treatment efficacy.

Systemic chemotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, to improve the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer. Unresectable pancreatic cancer can be classified into three categories: metastatic, locally advanced, and hereditary pancreatic cancers. Furthermore, the second-line chemotherapy is required to prolong the survival. The combined regimens of oxaliplatin, irinotecan, fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX) and gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GEM plus nab-PTX) have been recognized as the standard of care for advanced pancreatic cancer. However, the consensus of selection of the first-line chemotherapy still remains. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) between FOLFIRINOX and GEM plus nab-PTX are ongoing for locally advanced and metastatic disease in Japan, respectively. Hereditary pancreatic cancer, especially associated with BRCA mutations, is responsive to platinum-containing regimens and/or poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. It is becoming more important to examine the presence/absence of BRCA mutations to select the appropriate treatment strategy for individual patients. Although some S-1-based regimens have been investigated in the second-line treatment after GEM-based chemotherapy in Japan, no regime demonstrated survival benefit. Nanoliposomal irinotecan (nal-IRI) plus FF has been established as the standard of care in the second-line treatment in a global phase III trial (NAPOLI-1). A randomized phase II trial comparing FF plus nal-IRI with FF alone was also conducted in Japan to examine the efficacy and safety of the FF plus nal-IRI in Japanese patients.

ObjectivesClinical Practice Guidelines for Pancreatic Cancer was first published in 2006 by the Japan Pancreas Society, and revised in 2009, 2013, 2016, and 2019. In July 2022, Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pancreatic Cancer was newly revised in Japanese.MethodsFor this revision, we developed an entirely new guideline according to the Minds Manual for Guideline Development 2020, which includes the concepts of GRADE—Grading Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, to enable a better understanding of the current guidelines. Patients and the public were actively involved in both the development and implementation of the guideline.ResultsThe guideline includes algorithms for diagnosis, treatment, chemotherapy, and precision medicine of pancreatic cancer, and addresses 7 subjects: diagnosis, surgical therapy, adjuvant therapy, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, stent therapy, and supportive & palliative medical care. It includes 73 clinical questions and 112 statements. The statements correspond to the clinical questions, evidence levels, recommendation strengths, and agreement rates.ConclusionsThis guideline represents the most standard clinical and practical management guideline available until date in Japan. This is the English synopsis of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pancreatic Cancer 2022 in Japanese, and is an attempt to disseminate the Japanese guideline worldwide to introduce the Japanese approach to the clinical management of pancreatic cancer.

The FOLFIRINOX combination of chemotherapy drugs had not been fully evaluated for Japanese pancreatic cancer patients. Therefore, we carried out a phase II study to examine the efficacy and safety of FOLFIRINOX in chemotherapy‐naïve Japanese patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. FOLFIRINOX (i.v. infusion of 85 mg/m2 oxaliplatin, 180 mg/m2 irinotecan, and 200 mg/m2 l‐leucovorin, followed by a bolus of 400 mg/m2 fluorouracil and a 46‐h continuous infusion of 2400 mg/m2 fluorouracil) was given every 2 weeks. The primary endpoint was the response rate. The 36 enrolled patients received a median of eight (range, 1–25) treatment cycles. The response rate was 38.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.1–56.5); median overall survival, 10.7 months (95% CI, 6.9–13.2); and median progression‐free survival, 5.6 months (95% CI, 3.0–7.8). Major grade 3 or 4 toxicities included neutropenia (77.8%), febrile neutropenia (22.2%), thrombocytopenia (11.1%), anemia (11.1%), anorexia (11.1%), diarrhea (8.3%), nausea (8.3%), elevated alanine aminotransferase levels (8.3%), and peripheral sensory neuropathy (5.6%). Febrile neutropenia occurred only during the first cycle. There were no treatment‐related deaths. FOLFIRINOX can be a standard regimen showing favorable efficacy and acceptable toxicity profile in chemotherapy‐naïve Japanese patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. FOLFIRINOX showed favorable results regarding RR (38.9%), PFS (5.6 months) and OS (10.7 months) in Japanese patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. This regimen can be a new first‐line standard treatment.