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Background Metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) patients have very poor prognosis highlighting the urgent need of novel treatments. In this regard, repurposing non-oncology already-approved drugs might be an attractive strategy to offer more-effective treatment easily tested in clinical trials. Accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic deregulation is a hallmark of cancer contributing to treatment resistance in several solid tumors, including PDAC. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are epigenetic drugs we have investigated preclinically and clinically as anticancer agents. Valproic acid (VPA) is a generic low-cost anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer with HDAC inhibitory activity, and anticancer properties also demonstrated in PDAC models. Statins use was reported to be associated with lower mortality risk in patients with pancreatic cancer and statins have been shown to have a direct antitumor effect when used alone or in combination therapy. We recently showed capability of VPA/Simvastatin (SIM) combination to potentiate the antitumor activity of gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel in vitro and in vivo PDAC preclinical models. Methods/Design VESPA is a patient-centric open label randomized multicenter phase-II investigator-initiated trial, evaluating the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of VPA/SIM plus first line gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel-based regimens (AG or PAXG) (experimental arm) versus chemotherapy alone (standard arm) in mPDAC patients. The study involves Italian and Spanish oncology centers and includes an initial 6-patients safety run-in-phase. A sample size of 240 patients (120 for each arm) was calculated under the hypothesis that the addition of VPA/SIM to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel-based regimens may extend progression free survival from 6 to 9 months in the experimental arm. Secondary endpoints are overall survival, response rate, disease control rate, duration of response, CA 19.9 reduction, toxicity, and quality of life. The study includes a patient engagement plan and complementary biomarkers studies on tumor and blood samples. Conclusions VESPA is the first trial evaluating efficacy and safety of two repurposed drugs in oncology such as VPA and SIM, in combination with standard chemotherapy, with the aim of improving mPDAC survival. The study is ongoing. Enrollment started in June 2023 and a total of 63 patients have been enrolled as of June 2024. Trial registration EudraCT number: 2022-004154-63; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT05821556, posted 2023/04/20.

Objectives Malignant double obstruction, defined as the simultaneous presence of biliary and gastric outlet obstruction, represents a challenging clinical scenario. Previous retrospective experiences have demonstrated shorter dysfunction‐free survival (DyFS) of endoscopic ultrasound‐guided choledochoduodenostomy (EUS‐CDS) versus EUS‐hepaticogastrostomy (EUS‐HGS) in this setting, but no prospective evidence is available. Methods Twenty consecutive patients with malignant double obstruction, treated with EUS‐gastroenterostomy (and EUS‐guided biliary drainage, following a previously failed ERCP, were enrolled in a prospective observational study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04813055) comparing EUS‐CDS versus EUS‐HGS. Efficacy and safety were evaluated, with Biliary Dysfunctions as the primary outcome and DyFS using Kaplan‐Meier estimates as a primary measure. Results Twenty patients (75% with pancreatic cancer, 50% with metastatic disease) with EUS‐gastroenterostomy were included (seven EUS‐CDS and 13 EUS‐HGS). No significant difference was detected at baseline. Technical success was 100% in both groups. EUS‐CDS compared to EUS‐HGS showed similar clinical success (100% vs. 92.3%, p = 0.5), a higher rate of post‐procedural adverse events (42.9% vs. 7.7%, p = 0.067, mostly related to severe/fatal cholangitis in the EUS‐CDS group) and a higher rate of biliary dysfunctions during follow‐up (71.4% vs. 16.7%, p = 0.002). DyFS was significantly shorter in the EUS‐CDS group (39 [15–62] vs. 268 [192–344] days, p = 0.0023), with a 30‐days DyFS probability of 57.1% vs. 100% (hazard ratio = 7.8 [1.4–44.2]). Conclusions In this prospective comparison of patients with malignant double obstruction undergoing EUS‐gastroenterostomy, treating jaundice with EUS‐CDS versus EUS‐HGS resulted in a reduced probability of survival without biliary events and an increased risk of biliary dysfunctions (number needed to harm = 1.8), with detection of severe/fatal cholangitis.

BackgroundDefining optimal treatment duration in patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) receiving primary chemotherapy is an unmet need. The role of time to CA19-9 nadir and of nadir magnitude was explored in this study.Patients and methodsThe databases of our institution’s prospective trials were queried to speculate on the time to maximum chemotherapy response. Patients with pathologically proven, metastatic (N = 356) or non-metastatic non-resected (N = 163) PDAC and elevated baseline (> 34 UI/mL) CA19-9 were analyzed. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared by means of the log-rank test for analyses including at least 45 patients. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate clinical features for their association with OS. All probability values were from two-sided tests.ResultsTime to CA19-9 nadir was ≥ 4 months in 184 of 346 (53%) metastatic and 121 of 163 (74%) non-metastatic patients (p = 0.002). The likelihood of a later nadir was higher with taxane-based chemotherapy as compared to taxane-free combinations (73% versus 56%; p = 0.02). Both metastatic and non-metastatic patients had significantly longer survival when nadir occurred later. Patients with a larger CA19-9 nadir magnitude had significantly longer survival. Metastatic patients with CA19-9 reduced by < 50%, 50–89%, or > 89% and had a median survival of 7.4, 9.8, and 14.7 months, respectively (p ≤ 0.001 for all comparisons). The corresponding figures for non-metastatic patients were 10.6; 17.0; and 18.7 months, respectively (p ≤ 0.02 for < 50% versus 50–89% or > 89%; p = 0.14 for 50–89% versus > 89%). Multivariable analyses showed that time to CA19-9 nadir but not CA19-9 nadir magnitude was independently predictive of survival.ConclusionThe present study suggests that a 4–6 months program might be a more suitable candidate for prospective assessment in comparison to shorter pre-defined period in patients who are candidates to surgery after primary chemotherapy.

PurposeWe aimed to explore the role of drugs re-challenge at the disease progression after a chemotherapy-free interval for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the outcome of re-treatments at the progression in two cohorts of advanced PDAC patients who had disease control (DC) and a treatment holiday ≥ 3 months after upfront chemotherapy.ResultsBetween 2015 and 2019, 66 advanced PDAC patients (cohort A) had DC with nab-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy (i.e. AG or PAXG = cisplatin, nab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine, capecitabine). At the time of progressive disease (PD), 34 patients were re-treated with AG (A1) and 32 were treated with other regimens (A2). The median (m) duration of chemotherapy holiday was 6.1 and 5.9 months in A1 and A2, respectively. Partial response (PR) and stable disease (SD) were found in 14 (41%) and 12 (35%) of patients in A1 and in 8 (25%) and 6 (19%) patients in A2. CA19-9 response was recorded in 23/33 evaluable patients (70%) in A1 and in 5/20 (25%) in A2. mPFS2 and mOS2, defined as the time between the second line of treatment start and the disease progression or death, were 4.8 and 12.2 months in A1 and 3.9 and 8.4 months in A2, respectively. Similarly, between 2006 and 2013, 64 patients (cohort B) had DC with upfront PEFG/PEXG/PDXG regimens (epirubicin or docetaxel, cisplatin, gemcitabine, capecitabine or 5-fluorouracil) and were re-treated at PD with either 4-drug (B1; N = 30) or other regimens (B2; N = 34), yielding a mOS2 of 10.9 and 7.2 months, respectively.ConclusionOur data endorse the strategy of resuming prior drugs after a chemotherapy holiday ≥ 3 months in advanced PDAC patients who achieved a durable disease control after upfront treatments.

ObjectiveLong-standing chronic pancreatitis is an established risk factor for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) has been associated in PDAC with shorter survival. We employed murine models to investigate the mechanisms by which IL-1β and chronic pancreatitis might contribute to PDAC progression.DesignWe crossed LSL-Kras +/G12D;Pdx1-Cre (KC) mice with transgenic mice overexpressing IL-1β to generate KC-IL1β mice, and followed them longitudinally. We used pancreatic 3D in vitro culture to assess acinar-to-ductal metaplasia formation. Immune cells were analysed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining. B lymphocytes were adoptively transferred or depleted in Kras-mutant mice. B-cell infiltration was analysed in human PDAC samples.ResultsKC-IL1β mice developed PDAC with liver metastases. IL-1β treatment increased Kras+/G12D pancreatic spheroid formation. CXCL13 expression and B lymphocyte infiltration were increased in KC-IL1β pancreata. Adoptive transfer of B lymphocytes from KC-IL1β mice promoted tumour formation, while depletion of B cells prevented tumour progression in KC-IL1β mice. B cells isolated from KC-IL1β mice had much higher expression of PD-L1, more regulatory B cells, impaired CD8+ T cell activity and promoted tumorigenesis. IL-35 was increased in the KC-IL1β pancreata, and depletion of IL-35 decreased the number of PD-L1+ B cells. Finally, in human PDAC samples, patients with PDAC with higher B-cell infiltration within tumours showed significantly shorter survival.ConclusionWe show here that IL-1β promotes tumorigenesis in part by inducing an expansion of immune-suppressive B cells. These findings point to the growing significance of B suppressor cells in pancreatic tumorigenesis.

[8] Phase 2/25 NCCN/51/100 -FOLFIRINOX S -GEM + nab-Paclitaxel S NR 0.78 (0.34–1.82) 73/56 Moderate PV portal vein, ° both resectale and borderline resectable, SBRT stereotactic body radiotherapy, NR not clearly reported in the full paper, NCCN National Comprehensive Cancer Network *Statistically significant [See PDF for image] Fig. 1 Network structure diagrams for overall survival [See PDF for image] Fig. 2 Forest plots of network comparisons between different neoadjuvant treatments for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer In the Bayesian comparison, patients with BR PDAC who underwent neoadjuvant therapy with FOLFIRINOX demonstrated longer OS than those who underwent upfront surgery and adjuvant CT with or without additional CTRT reducing the risk of death by 90%. Various meta-analysis have explored the role of neoadjuvant therapy in BR PDAC showing a clear benefit in terms of R0 radical resection; however, up to day, no network meta-analysis has compared efficacy among all modern neoadjuvant regimens. [...]prospective high-quality data are needed to individualize the chemotherapy regimen to achieve a more favorable risk–benefit ratio and to determine the optimal duration of neoadjuvant treatment in this setting.

Pancreatic cancer surgery is challenging and associated with up to a 70% complication rate, which translates to poor postoperative recovery and patient health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Previous studies showed that preoperative low functional capacity and malnutrition have been associated with inferior postoperative outcomes. Considering the high frequency of older and frail patients, often deconditioned by long-course neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the preoperative period, including the time window after chemotherapy, is a unique opportunity to condition modifiable risk factors (e.g., functional capacity, nutritional status). This manuscript outlines the protocol for a randomized controlled trial investigating the impact of a multimodal prehabilitation program on postoperative complications and recovery following pancreatectomy. This is a single-center, randomized controlled trial evaluating a 4-6-week multimodal prehabilitation program (physical, nutritional, and psychological interventions) compared with usual perioperative care in adults scheduled for pancreatic surgery, whether upfront or following chemotherapy for pancreatic or periampullary cancer. The primary outcome will be the severity of postoperative complications, measured using the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI ). Secondary outcomes include the level of functional capacity, time to functional recovery, length of stay, body composition parameters, and generic and disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Follow-up assessment will be conducted at 30, 60, 90, 180, and 365 days post-surgery. A sample size of 238 patients is estimated to provide adequate power to detect a clinically meaningful difference in CCI between groups. A multimodal prehabilitation program may enhance functional capacity, improve nutritional status, and increase skeletal muscle mass, thereby promoting a shift from a catabolic to an anabolic state. By modulating systemic inflammation and supporting cardiovascular and immune function, this strategy could lead to fewer postoperative complications, a shorter length of stay, and a faster recovery of health-related quality of life. Positive findings from this trial would carry strong clinical significance and could be practice-changing, potentially informing future guidelines for the implementation of multimodal prehabilitation in patients undergoing pancreatic cancer surgery. Trial Registry NCT06069297. Registered on August 25, 2023.

BackgroundPancreatic 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.MethodsData 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).ResultsEighty-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.ConclusionsThis 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.

PurposeThe 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.MethodsA 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.Results30 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.ConclusionsPl-CT does not seem to be associated with a better outcome compared to AG chemotherapy in PDAC patients with BRCA 1/2 VUS.

In a real‐world population of Italian patients with advanced pancreatic cancer carrying germline BRCA pathogenic variants, exposure to olaparib resulted in significantly longer overall survival. However, the prognostic impact of olaparib exposure was not evident in the first‐line maintenance setting, after platinum‐based chemotherapy.