Perioperative or only adjuvant gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel for resectable pancreatic cancer (NEONAX)-a randomized phase II trial of the AIO pancreatic cancer group.

BACKGROUND: Data on perioperative chemotherapy in resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (rPDAC) are limited. NEONAX examined perioperative or adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel in rPDAC (National Comprehensive Cancer Network criteria). PATIENTS AND METHODS: NEONAX is a prospective, randomized phase II trial with two independent experimental arms. One hundred twenty-seven rPDAC patients in 22 German centers were randomized 1 : 1 to perioperative (two pre-operative and four post-operative cycles, arm A) or adjuvant (six cycles, arm B) gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2) and nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m2) on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. RESULTS: The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS) at 18 months in the modified intention-to-treat (ITT) population [R0/R1-resected patients who started neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CTX) (A) or adjuvant CTX (B)]. The pre-defined DFS rate of 55% at 18 months was not reached in both arms [A: 33.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 18.5% to 48.1%), B: 41.4% (95% CI 20.7% to 62.0%)]. Ninety percent of patients in arm A completed neoadjuvant treatment, and 42% of patients in arm B started adjuvant chemotherapy. R0 resection rate was 88% (arm A) and 67% (arm B), respectively. Median overall survival (mOS) (ITT population) as a secondary endpoint was 25.5 months (95% CI 19.7-29.7 months) in arm A and 16.7 months (95% CI 11.6-22.2 months) in the upfront surgery arm. This difference corresponds to a median DFS (mDFS) (ITT) of 11.5 months (95% CI 8.8-14.5 months) in arm A and 5.9 months (95% CI 3.6-11.5 months) in arm B. Treatment was safe and well tolerable in both arms. CONCLUSIONS: The primary endpoint, DFS rate of 55% at 18 months (mITT population), was not reached in either arm of the trial and numerically favored the upfront surgery arm B. mOS (ITT population), a secondary endpoint, numerically favored the neoadjuvant arm A [25.5 months (95% CI 19.7-29.7months); arm B 16.7 months (95% CI 11.6-22.2 months)]. There was a difference in chemotherapy exposure with 90% of patients in arm A completing pre-operative chemotherapy and 58% of patients starting adjuvant chemotherapy in arm B. Neoadjuvant/perioperative treatment is a novel option for patients with resectable PDAC. However, the optimal treatment regimen has yet to be defined. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02047513) and the European Clinical Trials Database (EudraCT 2013-005559-34).

Prognosis and tumor biology of pancreatic cancer patients with isolated lung metastases: translational results from the German multicenter AIO-YMO-PAK-0515 study.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary metastasis (M1-PUL) as first site of dissemination in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a rare event and may define a distinct biological subgroup. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie-Young Medical Oncologists-Pankreas-0515 study (AIO-YMO-PAK-0515) was a retrospective German multicenter study investigating clinical and molecular characteristics of M1-PUL PDAC patients; 115 M1-PUL PDAC patients from 7 participating centers were included. Clinical characteristics and potential prognostic factors were defined within the M1-PUL cohort. Archival tumor samples were analyzed for Her2/neu, HNF1A and KRT81 expression. Additionally, messenger RNA (mRNA) expression analysis (using a 770-gene immune profiling panel) was carried out in the M1-PUL and in a control cohort (M1-ANY). RESULTS: Median overall survival in the entire M1-PUL cohort was 20 months; the most favorable prognosis (median survival: 28 months) was observed in the subgroup of 66 PDAC patients with metachronous lung metastases after previous curative-intent surgery. The number of metastatic lesions, uni- or bilateral lung involvement as well as metastasectomy were identified as potential prognostic factors. Her2/neu expression and PDAC subtyping (by HNF1A and KRT81) did not differ between the M1-PUL and the M1-ANY cohort. mRNA expression analysis revealed significant differentially expressed genes between both cohorts: CD63 and LAMP1 were among the top 20 differentially expressed genes and were identified as potential mediators of organotropism and favorable survival outcome of M1-PUL patients. CONCLUSION: M1-PUL represents a clinically favorable cohort in PDAC patients. Site of relapse might already be predetermined at the time of surgery and could potentially be predicted by gene expression profiling.

Nal-IRI with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin or gemcitabine plus cisplatin in advanced biliary tract cancer - the NIFE trial (AIO-YMO HEP-0315) an open label, non-comparative, randomized, multicenter phase II study.

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract cancer (BTC) has a high mortality. Primary diagnosis is frequently delayed due to mostly unspecific symptoms, resulting in a high number of advanced cases at the time of diagnosis. Advanced BTCs are in principle chemotherapy sensitive as determined by improved disease control, survival and quality of life (QoL). However, median OS does not exceed 11.7 months with the current standard of care gemcitabine plus cisplatin. Thereby, novel drug formulations like nanoliposomal-irinotecan (nal-IRI) in combination with 5- fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin may have the potential to improve therapeutic outcomes in this disease. METHODS: NIFE is an interventional, prospective, randomized, controlled, open label, two-sided phase II study. Within the study, 2 × 46 patients with locally advanced, non-resectable or metastatic BTC are to be enrolled by two stage design of Simon. Data analysis will be done unconnected for both arms. Patients are allocated in two arms: Arm A (experimental intervention) nal-IRI mg/m2, 46 h infusion)/5-FU (2400 mg/m2, 46 h infusion)/leucovorin (400 mg/m2, 0.5 h infusion) d1 on 14 day-cycles; Arm B (standard of care) cisplatin (25 mg/m2, 1 h infusion)/gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2, 0.5 h infusion) d1 and d8 on 21 day-cycles. The randomization (1:1) is stratified for tumor site (intrahepatic vs. extrahepatic biliary tract), disease stage (advanced vs. metastatic), age (≤70 vs. > 70 years), sex (male vs. female) and WHO performance score (ECOG 0 vs. ECOG 1). Primary endpoint of the study is the progression free survival (PFS) rate at 4 months after randomization by an intention-to-treat analysis in each of the groups. Secondary endpoints are the overall PFS rate, the 3-year overall survival rate, the disease control rate after 2 months, safety and patient related outcome with quality of life. The initial assessment of tumor resectability for locally advanced BTCs is planned to be reviewed retrospectively by a central surgical board. Exploratory objectives aim at establishing novel biomarkers and molecular signatures to predict response. The study was initiated January 2018 in Germany. DISCUSSION: The NIFE trial evaluates the potential of a nanoliposomal-irinotecan/5-FU/leucovorin combination in the first line therapy of advanced BTCs and additionally offers a unique chance for translational research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03044587. Registration Date February 7th 2017.

Genotyping of circulating tumor DNA in cholangiocarcinoma reveals diagnostic and prognostic information.

Diagnosis of Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is difficult, thus a noninvasive approach towards (i) assessing and (ii) monitoring the tumor-specific mutational profile is desirable to improve diagnosis and tailor treatment. Tumor tissue and corresponding ctDNA samples were collected from patients with CCA prior to and during chemotherapy and were subjected to deep sequencing of 15 genes frequently mutated in CCA. A set of ctDNA samples was also submitted for 710 gene oncopanel sequencing to identify progression signatures. The blood/tissue concordance was 74% overall and 92% for intrahepatic tumors only. Variant allele frequency (VAF) in ctDNA correlated with tumor load and in the group of intrahepatic CCA with PFS. 63% of therapy naive patients had their mutational profile changed during chemotherapy. A set of 76 potential progression driver genes was identified among 710 candidates. The molecular landscape of CCA is accessible via ctDNA. This could be helpful to facilitate diagnosis and personalize and adapt therapeutic strategies.

[Cystic pancreatic tumors: diagnostics and new biomarkers]. / Zystische Pankreastumoren: Diagnostik und neue Biomarker.

Mortality due to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) will increase in the near future. The only curative treatment for PDAC is radical resection; however, even small carcinomas exhibit micrometastases leading to early relapse. Accordingly, detection of premalignant precursor lesions is important. In essence, PDAC develops from three precursor lesions: pancreatic intraepithelial lesions (PanIN), intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasia (IPMN) and mucinous-cystic neoplasia (MCN). Together with serous cystic neoplasia (SCN) and solid pseudopapillary neoplasia (SPN), these cystic lesions constitute the most common cystic neoplasms in the pancreas. In the case of IPMN, main and branch duct IPMN have to be differentiated because of a markedly different malignancy potential. While main duct IPMN and MCN have a high malignancy transformation rate, branch duct IPMNs are more variable with respect to malignant transformation. This shows that differential diagnosis of cystic lesions is important; however, this is often very difficult to accomplish using conventional imaging. Novel biomarkers and diagnostic tools based on the molecular differences of cystic pancreatic lesions could be helpful to differentiate these lesions and facilitate early diagnosis. The aim is to distinguish the premalignant cysts from strictly benign cystic lesions and a timely detection of malignant transformation. This article provides an overview on the molecular characteristics of cystic pancreatic lesions as a basis for improved diagnostics and the development of new biomarkers.

[Colon Polypectomy - And Then?]. / Polypektomie am Kolon - und dann?

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most frequent gastrointestinal tumour. Most CRC appear to arise from adenomas of the colon in a period of 10 or 15 years. The ultimately progression of benign adenomas to malignant CRC is known as the adenoma-carcinoma sequence. In addition, the description of the "serrated pathway" has shifted the focus of interest also towards to sessile serrated adenomas and traditional serrated adenomas in the development of CRC. It has been proven that the screening colonoscopy might prevent CRC by early detection of adenomatous polyps as precursors for colorectal cancer and polypectomy. Thus, disease-associated mortality of CRC could be reduced. Colonoscopy, the gold standard in CRC diagnosis, is recommended to men and women from the age of 55. On the one hand, there are requirements to the endoscopists. On the other hand there are also essential requirements to pathologists' findings. After polypectomy a risk stratification for aftercare based on endoscopic and histological findings is necessary. Endoscopic follow-up of high-risk patients (≥ 3 tubular adenomas, ≥ 1 adenoma ≥ 1 cm, tubulovillous or villous adenoma, ≥ 1 adenoma with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, ≥ 10 adenoma no matter what size or histological findings) should be done sooner (< 3 years). In contrast, colonoscopy in low-risk patients (1 or 2 [tubular] adenomas, size < 1 cm) should be performed later rather than sooner (> 5 years). Colonoscopic surveys under 12 months should be done only in exceptional and very serious situations. Pharmaceutical chemoprevention of adenomas or CRC are still part of clinical trails. More data are necessary.