OncoTargets and Therapy (Feb 2017)

nab-Paclitaxel plus gemcitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer: a subgroup analysis of the Western European cohort of the MPACT trial

  • Tabernero J,
  • Kunzmann V,
  • Scheithauer W,
  • Reni M,
  • Shiansong Li J,
  • Ferrara S,
  • Djazouli K

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 10
pp. 591 – 596

Abstract

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Josep Tabernero,1 Volker Kunzmann,2 Werner Scheithauer,3 Michele Reni,4 Jack Shiansong Li,5 Stefano Ferrara,6 Kamel Djazouli7 1Medical Oncology Department, Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain; 2Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany; 3Medizinische Universität Wien, Wien, Austria; 4San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; 5Celgene Corporation, Summit, NJ, USA; 6Celgene Corporation, Boudry, Switzerland; 7Celgene Corporation, Paris, France Purpose: The global Phase III MPACT trial demonstrated superior efficacy of nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine over gemcitabine alone as first-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer. Region was a randomization stratification factor in the MPACT trial. This subgroup analysis of MPACT examined efficacy and safety of patients treated in Western Europe.Patients and methods: Patients received nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine or gemcitabine alone as first-line treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer as previously described. A total of 76 patients were included in this analysis (n=38 for each arm).Results: Differences between the overall Western European cohort and the intention-to-treat population included lower percentages of male patients (46% and 58%, respectively) and patients with biliary stents (8% and 17%), and higher percentages of patients with Karnofsky performance status of 90–100 (78% and 60%) and primary tumors in the body of the pancreas (48% and 31%). The median overall survival was 10.7 months with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine vs 6.9 months with gemcitabine alone (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.82 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.48–1.40]; P=0.471). Median progression-free survival was 5.3 vs 3.7 months, respectively (HR: 0.70 [95% CI: 0.37–1.33]; P=0.277). The independently assessed overall response rate was 18% vs 5% (response rate ratio, 3.50 [95% CI: 0.78–15.78]; P=0.076). The most common grade ≥3 adverse events with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine and gemcitabine alone were neutropenia (46% vs 33%, respectively), leukopenia (35% vs 19%), anemia (22% vs 0%), asthenia (21% vs 6%), thrombocytopenia (14% vs 3%), and peripheral neuropathy (13% vs 3%).Conclusion: Although a statistically significant difference between the treatment arms was not reached for efficacy endpoints, this study does report treatment benefit and a manageable safety profile associated with nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine in patients treated in Western Europe with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Keywords: metastatic pancreatic cancer, nab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine, Western Europe, MPACT

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