Gemcitabine as second-line chemotherapy after Folfirinox failure in advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA) is diagnosed in most cases at an advanced stage requiring chemotherapy. Folfirinox is the standard first-line treatment. After Folfirinox failure, gemcitabine alone is routinely used as second-line therapy without data supporting this attitude.

Aim: Determine the response rate and outcome of patients with advanced PA treated with gemcitabine after Folfirinox failure.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients treated with gemcitabine after Folfirinox failure for a locally advanced or metastatic PA between 2009 and 2015. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Response rate, control rate and tolerability were assessed.

Results: 96 patients were included (male, 51%; median age, 62; performance status (PS) 0-1, 47%). Median duration on gemcitabine was 2.1 months. The overall disease control rate was 40%. Median OS was 3.7 months (95%CI: 2.5-5.2) and median PFS was 2.1 months (95%CI: 2.0-2.6). Reasons for treatment discontinuation were mostly progression (51%). Age at diagnosis and PS were independently associated with OS in multivariate analysis (HR of 1.86; p=0.0055 and 2.42; p<0.0001 respectively). 34 patients experienced a grade 3 adverse event.

Conclusions: This study suggests that gemcitabine is not beneficial to all patients failing on Folfirinox first-line therapy and should be restricted to young patients with good PS.

Keywords: Advanced pancreatic cancer; Folfirinox; Gemcitabine; Second-line chemotherapy.