Ahn, Daniel H.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is typically refractory to conventional treatments and associated with poor prognosis. While therapeutic advances over the past several years have improved patient outcomes, the observed benefits have been modest at best, highlighting the need for continued development of alternate treatment strategies. The tumor microenvironment has been identified as being integral to oncogenesis through its direct effect on cellular pathway communication, immune inhibition, and promoting chemo-resistance. A more in depth understanding of the biology of the disease, in addition with our ability to develop more effective novel therapies have led to ongoing studies that are investigating several promising treatment options in this disease. Herein, we highlight and review the therapeutic landscape in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Purpose FGFR genetic aberrations (GAs) occur in an estimated 10% to 16% of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs). The natural history of CCA with FGFR GAs, the prognostic role of coexisting GAs, and the outcome with FGFR-targeted inhibitors are unknown. Patients and Methods Patients with CCA with FGFR GAs were identified using next-generation sequencing or fluorescence in situ hybridization from four tertiary cancer centers and compared with FGFR wild-type counterparts. Data reviewed included demographic, treatment, overall survival (OS), and GA data. Fisher’s exact test, Kaplan-Meier plots, and log-rank tests were used for statistical analysis. Results Three hundred seventy-seven patients with CCA were identified, and 95 had FGFR GAs. FGFR2 GA was most common (n = 74, with 63 fusions) and seen in intrahepatic CCA. In patients with CCA, FGFR GAs occurred more frequently in younger patients (≤ 40 years; 20%) compared with older patients (> 40 years; 6.7%; P < .001), presented at an earlier stage (TNM stage I/II v III/IV: 35.8% v 22%, respectively; P = .001), and were associated with a longer OS compared with patients without FGFR GAs (37 v 20 months, respectively; P < .001). This difference remained significant after excluding 36 patients treated with FGFR inhibitors. There was no OS difference ( P = .60) between CCA with FGFR2 fusions (n = 63) versus other FGFR GAs (n = 29). Patients with FGFR GAs had a better OS with FGFR-targeted therapy compared with standard treatment ( P = .01). BAP1 mutation was the most common coexisting mutation without prognostic impact, whereas TP53 ( P = .04) and CDKN2A/B ( P = .04) were correlated with a shorter OS. Conclusion CCA with FGFR GAs represents a unique subtype occurring in younger patients with an indolent disease course. FGFR-targeted therapy may have a positive impact on OS in this subgroup.

Treatment with cisplatin and gemcitabine demonstrates a survival benefit in patients with advanced biliary tract cancer (ABTC). However, the weekly administration can add significant toxicities that may prohibit prolonged treatment. Based on previous studies, we implemented a modified biweekly regimen of GC in an attempt to optimize the prescribed regimen with an improved toxicity profile, added convenience to patients while maintaining efficacy. Patients with ABTC were treated with fixed dose rate (FDR) gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m2/min) and cisplatin 20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 15 of every 28‐day cycle. Patients received treatment until time of progression, death, or discontinuation due to intolerance. Collected data included demographics, clinico‐pathologic features, toxicities, and survival. Kaplan‐Meier curves were used to calculate the median overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). The study included 107 evaluable pts with unresectable ABTC who received the biweekly regimen. Sites of tumor included gallbladder (21.5%), ampullary (3.7%), and bile duct (74.8%). Median number of cycles was 6 (1–27). Median PFS was 8.34 (6.74, 9.23) months and median OS was 10.32 (9.10, 11.43) months. Most common grade ≥3 adverse events included neutropenia (11%), fatigue (10%), and thrombocytopenia (6.4%). Biweekly FDR GC in ABTC is associated with a more favorable toxicity profile while maintaining efficacy similar to that observed in prior clinical trials. Minimal toxicities were observed despite a prolonged course for many patients. Further prospective trials should consider evaluating the role of biweekly GC regimen in ABTC, including a potentially more favorable platform in novel experimental strategies.

BACKGROUNDThere are limited therapeutic options for treatment‐refractory pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), with a paucity of data to support the best option after progression on gemcitabine‐based regimens. The authors performed a meta‐analysis to determine the effectiveness of adding oxaliplatin (OX) or various irinotecan formulations to a fluoropyrimidine (FP) after first‐line treatment progression in patients with PDAC.METHODSDifferent databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane, were searched to identify randomized controlled trials comparing FP monotherapy versus FP combination therapy that included either oxaliplatin (FPOX) or various irinotecan formulations (FPIRI) in patients with PDAC who progressed after first‐line treatment. Secondary analyses were planned to assess the effectiveness of FPOX and FPIRI compared with FP. Outcomes of interest included overall survival (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS).RESULTSFive studies with 895 patients were identified. Patients randomized to receive FPIRI/FPOX had a significantly improved PFS and a trend toward improved OS compared with those who received FP monotherapy. When comparing FPIRI with FP, there was an improvement in both PFS (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.47‐0.87; P = .005) and OS (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.55‐0.89; P = .004) in patients who received the combination. Conversely, FPOX produced only a modest improvement in PFS with no improvement in OS.CONCLUSIONSCombination chemotherapy with OX or various IRI formulations appears to improve PFS compared with single‐agent FP. FPIRI, but not FPOX, appears to confer an OS advantage. The combination of FP with irinotecan formulations appears to be the appropriate next line of treatment upon progression after gemcitabine‐based chemotherapy regimens. Cancer 2017;123:4680‐4686. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

4076 Background: Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is commonly diagnosed at an advanced, unresectable disease stage and has a poor prognosis. Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) has a developing role in guiding systemic, precision anti-cancer therapy. Methods: We performed hybrid capture-based CGP on FFPE samples for 491 consecutive advanced GBCs. Mean coverage depth was >550X for up to 315 cancer-related genes plus 37 introns from 28 genes frequently rearranged in cancer. All 4 classes of genomic alterations (GA) were detected. Tumor mutational burden (TMB) was determined on up to 1.1 Mb of sequenced DNA. Results: Median age was 64 (range 25-88) and 69% (337/491) of patients were female. 96% (470), 2.9% (14), and 1.4% (7) of GBC patients had the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma, adenosquamous, or carcinoma not specified (NOS), respectively. Commonly altered genes were TP53 (62%), CDNK2A (31%), ARID1A (18%), and SMAD4 (15%), and most of the genetic aberrations (GA) were short variants. Potentially targetable SCNAs (including ERBB genes, MET, FGFRs, and the CCND1-FGF3/4/19 11q13 amplicon) were identified in 21% of cases (Table). Oncogenic BRAF, ALK, or FGFR2/3 rearrangements were found in 7 cases (1.4%). Moreover, 7.8% of cases had BRCA2 or ATM GA, and 0.8% had INI1loss suggesting benefit from PARP or EZH2 inhibitors, respectively. TMB was low; the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles were 2.5, 3.8 and 6.3 mutations/Mb, respectively. Less than 1% of cases had microsatellite instability. Radiological response to TKIs and immunotherapy was noted. Conclusions: In addition to the significant opportunity for anti-HER targeted therapies, other subsets of GBC cases harbored kinase GA (particularly SCNA), the 11q13 amplicon, or BRCA2/ ATM/ INI1mutations that are linked to therapeutic benefit. How the frequency of both driver SCNA and DNA repair alterations in GBC can be linked with inflammation awaits additional investigation. [Table: see text]