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A woman in her 50s previously treated for early-stage breast cancer, parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma and Caroli's disease was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) metastatic to the liver and was found to harbour a

PURPOSE This randomized, open-label trial compared the efficacy and safety of adjuvant nab-paclitaxel + gemcitabine with those of gemcitabine for resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01964430 ). METHODS We assigned 866 treatment-naive patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma to nab-paclitaxel (125 mg/m2) + gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m2) or gemcitabine alone to one 30-40 infusion on days 1, 8, and 15 of six 28-day cycles. The primary end point was independently assessed disease-free survival (DFS). Additional end points included investigator-assessed DFS, overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS Two hundred eighty-seven of 432 patients and 310 of 434 patients completed nab-paclitaxel + gemcitabine and gemcitabine treatment, respectively. At primary data cutoff (December 31, 2018; median follow-up, 38.5 [interquartile range [IQR], 33.8-43 months), the median independently assessed DFS was 19.4 ( nab-paclitaxel + gemcitabine) versus 18.8 months (gemcitabine; hazard ratio [HR], 0.88; 95% CI, 0.729 to 1.063; P = .18). The median investigator-assessed DFS was 16.6 (IQR, 8.4-47.0) and 13.7 (IQR, 8.3-44.1) months, respectively (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.694 to 0.965; P = .02). The median OS (427 events; 68% mature) was 40.5 (IQR, 20.7 to not reached) and 36.2 (IQR, 17.7-53.3) months, respectively (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.680 to 0.996; P = .045). At a 16-month follow-up (cutoff, April 3, 2020; median follow-up, 51.4 months [IQR, 47.0-57.0]), the median OS (511 events; 81% mature) was 41.8 ( nab-paclitaxel + gemcitabine) versus 37.7 months (gemcitabine; HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.687 to 0.973; P = .0232). At the 5-year follow-up (cutoff, April 9, 2021; median follow-up, 63.2 months [IQR, 60.1-68.7]), the median OS (555 events; 88% mature) was 41.8 versus 37.7 months, respectively (HR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.678 to 0.947; P = .0091). Eighty-six percent ( nab-paclitaxel + gemcitabine) and 68% (gemcitabine) of patients experienced grade ≥ 3 treatment-emergent adverse events. Two patients per study arm died of treatment-emergent adverse events. CONCLUSION The primary end point (independently assessed DFS) was not met despite favorable OS seen with nab-paclitaxel + gemcitabine.

Purpose: Emerging evidence implicates the microbiome in the development of pancreatic cancer. We investigated whether increased levels of microbial-related metabolites in circulation are associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Methods: We applied metabolomics profiling to sera from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) Cohort to quantify and build a model based on 14 microbial-related metabolites. The study involved samples collected from 172 subjects within five years prior to diagnosis and 863 matched controls. Data from five PLCO centers were used for training and from two centers for validation and model selection. The model was subsequently tested using samples from three independent centers. The contributions of non-microbial-associated metabolites as well as CA19-9 was also assessed. Results: A 3-marker microbial-related metabolite panel yielded in the PLCO testing set an AUC of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.53-0.76) for 5-year probability of pancreatic cancer. Five additional non-microbial metabolites were identified that when combined with the microbiome panel yielded an AUC of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.71-0.88) for 5-year probability of pancreatic cancer in the PLCO testing set. The combined metabolite panel and CA19-9 yielded an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.77-0.95) for 2-year probability of pancreatic cancer in the PLCO testing set, which was improved compared to CA19-9 alone (AUC: 0.70 (95% CI: 0.57-0.82), p< 0.001). Conclusion: We developed a metabolite panel derived in part from the microbiome for risk assessment of pancreatic cancer, which has relevance to prevention and early detection. Citation Format: Johannes F. Fahrmann, Ehsan Irajizad, Ana Kenney, Tiffany Tang, Jody Vykoukal, Ranran Wu, Jennifer B. Dennison, Marta Sans Escofet, James P. Long, Maureen Loftus, John A. Chabot, Michael D. Kluger, Fay Kastrinos, Lauren Brais, Ana Babic, Kunal Jajoo, Linda S. Lee, Thomas E. Clancy, Kimmie Ng, Andrea Bullock, Jeanine M. Genkinger, Anirban Maitra, Kim-Anh Do, Bin Yu, Brian M. Wolpin, Samir Hanash. Contribution of the microbiome to a metabolomic signature predictive of risk for pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Precision Prevention, Early Detection, and Interception of Cancer; 2022 Nov 17-19; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2023;16(1 Suppl): Abstract nr P076.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is often diagnosed in older adults. However, most published studies investigating chemotherapy for PDA include a predominantly younger population, and the standard of care for the older adult population is not defined. It is our goal to review the literature available about the safety and efficacy of combination chemotherapy for locally advanced or metastatic PDA in older adults ≥65 years. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting checklist. We searched PubMed, EMBASE and MEDLINE databases to identify retrospective and prospective studies published until October 2018 that assessed the survival outcomes and adverse events in patients 65 years and older diagnosed with PDA and treated with combination chemotherapy. RESULTS: A total of 1,479 studies were screened. Twenty-four full-text studies were assessed for eligibility. Nineteen were excluded due to wrong study design (n=4) or abstract only with no further publication (n=15). A total of 5 full text studies met eligibility and were included in the present review. Combination chemotherapy is associated with similar survival to that reported in younger populations with advanced PDA. The most common toxicities across studies included: sensory neuropathy and neutropenia. Two studies each reported one death related to treatment-associated sepsis. DISCUSSION: Papers examined in this systematic review concluded that the use of combination chemotherapy regimens is safe and effective for older adults with minimal comorbidities and adequate performance status. Prospective data is needed to confirm these findings, provided that the most significant limitation of these studies was a small sample size.

A woman in her 50s previously treated for early-stage breast cancer, parotid mucoepidermoid carcinoma and Caroli’s disease was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) metastatic to the liver and was found to harbour aBRCA1germline mutation. She had palliative chemotherapy, initially with 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan and oxaliplatin, and then FOLFIRI and capecitabine, achieving a sustained near-complete response for at least 86 months. Chemotherapy was eventually discontinued when she was diagnosed with a tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Despite withholding systemic therapy, she has maintained a durable response. This is the first report in the English literature showing a sustained duration of response in a patient with PDAC and BRCA1germline mutation.

Background VT1021, a cyclic pentapeptide, reprograms myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and induces the production of thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1) in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Tsp-1, via binding to CD36 and CD47, induces apoptosis in tumor and endothelial cells, blocks the ‘do-not-eat-me’ signal, increases the M1:M2 macrophage ratio and activates cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Preclinical studies showed robust anti-tumor activities of VT1021 in multiple animal models. Methods This is a first-in-human, Ph 1/2, open-label, multicenter dose escalation and expansion study in advanced solid tumors. The primary objectives are to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) and characterize the safety and tolerability of VT1021. Secondary objectives are to characterize the adverse event (AE) profile, evaluate pharmacokinetics (PK), and describe preliminary efficacy. Exploratory objectives include evaluation of pharmacodynamic effects of VT1021 in tumor, TME, and peripheral blood. The expansion phase focuses on ovarian, pancreatic, triple negative breast cancer, glioblastoma, and a basket cohort with high CD36-expressing tumors. Results In the escalation phase, 46 subjects received between 0.5–15.6 mg/kg of VT1021 by IV infusion twice weekly. VT1021 has been well tolerated through all doses tested. One patient dosed at 1.0 mg/kg developed a grade 3 infusion reaction and 3 patients dosed at 1.0, 6.6, and 8.8 mg/kg respectively developed grade 2 infusion reactions. Other drug related AEs included grade 1–2 fatigue (n=7), nausea (n=4), constipation (n=2), increased aspartate aminotransferase (n=2) and blood bilirubin (n=2), hypomagnesaemia (n=2), and dizziness (n=2). Dose proportionality was observed in PK analysis. Among 28 evaluable subjects, one partial response (thymoma, 372+ days on treatment) and 11 stable disease (SD) in 9 different solid tumors have been observed for a disease control rate of 43%. Seven of eleven SDs had high CD36 AND high CD47 expression with an average duration of 162 days on study. VT1021 induced Tsp-1 production in peripheral blood cells at most dose levels. In addition, on-study biopsies exhibited increased Tsp-1 expression in the TME by activation of p53 in MDSCs, increased CTL infiltration, increased M1:M2 macrophage ratio, and reduced regulatory T cells in the TME. The RP2D was declared to be 11.8 mg/kg and enrollment in tumor-specific expansions is on-going. Conclusions Through all doses tested, VT1021 was safe and well tolerated, with dose proportional PK properties. In addition, VT1021 has demonstrated activities in reprogramming the TME which resulted in a high disease control rate in subjects with tumors expressing both high CD36 and high CD47. Trial Registration NCT03364400 Ethics Approval The study was approved by Northwestern University Medical School institutional review board (IRB), approval number 00000418, Horizon Oncology Center IRB, approval number 00001313, South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutic IRB, approval number 00003657, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center IRB, approval number 00006075, Cleveland Clinic IRB, approval number 00000536, Florida Cancer Specialists IRB, approval number 00006075, Case Western IRB, approval number 00000536, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital and Dana Farber Cancer Institute IRB, approval number 00000753 and MD Anderson IRB, approval number 00006023.

To review the technical feasibility of resin microsphere (SIR-Spheres®) yttrium-90 radioembolization prescribed using the medical internal radiation dose (MIRD) model.All radioembolization procedures for hepatic malignancies using resin microspheres with MIRD model between November 2015 and February 2019 were included in this IRB-approved study (n = 60). Student's T test was used to compare prescribed activity based on MIRD and BSA models. Adverse events were assessed immediately, 30 days, and 6 months post-treatment.Sixty radioembolizations were performed in 54 patients (age 68 ± 9 years, 48-87 years, 35% female). Mean prescribed activity calculated by the MIRD model (target absorbed dose 120-200 Gy for primary and 80-200 Gy for metastatic liver cancers) was 1.7 GBq (0.3-6.4) compared with 0.6 GBq (0.12-2.1) if BSA had been used (p 0.0001). The prescribed activity was successfully delivered in 93% (56/60) treatments. Prophylactic embolization and anti-reflux catheters were used in 20% (12/60) and 5% (3/60) treatments, respectively. No immediate post-procedural complications occurred. Abdominal pain was the most common clinical Grade 3 CTCAE in 30 days (10%) and 6 months (12%). Radiation pneumonitis occurred in 3 (5%) patients but no radiation-induced gastric ulcer or radiation-induced liver disease occurred.MIRD dosimetry results in higher prescribed activity compared with BSA dosimetry with resin microspheres. MIRD prescribed activity with target absorbed doses up to 200 Gy can be successfully administered without prophylactic embolization in selected patients.•MIRD dosimetry results in higher prescribed activity compared with BSA dosimetry for radioembolization. •MIRD dosimetry can be used for yttrium-90 resin microsphere radioembolization with acceptable safety profile.

Summary Background Patients with advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer that progresses on chemotherapy have poor outcomes. We compared pembrolizumab with paclitaxel in patients with advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer that progressed on first-line chemotherapy with a platinum and fluoropyrimidine. Methods This randomised, open-label, phase 3 study was done at 148 medical centres in 30 countries. Eligible patients were randomised (1:1) in blocks of four per stratum with an interactive voice-response and integrated web-response system to receive either pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks for up to 2 years or standard-dose paclitaxel. Primary endpoints were overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with a programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) of 1 or higher. Safety was assessed in all patients, irrespective of CPS. The significance threshold for overall survival was p=0·0135 (one-sided). This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02370498. Findings Between June 4, 2015, and July 26, 2016, 592 patients were enrolled. Of the 395 patients who had a PD-L1 CPS of 1 or higher, 196 patients were assigned to receive pembrolizumab and 199 patients were assigned to receive paclitaxel. As of Oct 26, 2017, 326 patients in the population with CPS of 1 or higher had died (151 [77%] of 196 patients in the pembrolizumab group and 175 [88%] of 199 patients in the paclitaxel group). Median overall survival was 9·1 months (95% CI 6·2–10·7) with pembrolizumab and 8·3 months (7·6–9·0) with paclitaxel (hazard ratio [HR] 0·82, 95% CI 0·66–1·03; one-sided p=0·0421). Median progression-free survival was 1·5 months (95% CI 1·4–2·0) with pembrolizumab and 4·1 months (3·1–4·2) with paclitaxel (HR 1·27, 95% CI 1·03–1·57). In the total population, grade 3–5 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 42 (14%) of the 294 patients treated with pembrolizumab and 96 (35%) of the 276 patients treated with paclitaxel. Interpretation Pembrolizumab did not significantly improve overall survival compared with paclitaxel as second-line therapy for advanced gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction cancer with PD-L1 CPS of 1 or higher. Pembrolizumab had a better safety profile than paclitaxel. Additional trials of pembrolizumab in gastric and gastro-oesophageal cancer are ongoing. Funding Merck Sharp & Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck & Co.

BackgroundOne barrier to treating pancreatic cancer is the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). VT1021 is a cyclic peptide derived from prosaposin and stimulates thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1) production in myeloid derived suppressor cells. Tsp-1 binds to CD36 on macrophages to convert M2 macrophages to anti-tumorigenic M1 macrophages; on tumor cells to induce apoptosis; and increases the CD8+/Treg ratio. Tsp-1 also binds to CD47 on tumor cells to block the ”do not eat me signal”. In a recently completed phase I/II clinical study (NCT03364400), VT1021 had no major adverse events and a predictable pharmacokinetic profile.MethodsTo evaluate potential predictive biomarkers of VT1021, CD36/CD47 levels were analyzed on pre-treatment biopsy samples and on-study tumor biopsies collected during the treatment using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Samples were stained and scored by software-based image analysis and manual review (figure 1). Induction of Tsp-1 in circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by ELISA was correlated with Tsp-1 induction in on-study biopsy samples via IHC, and with clinical responses. To be considered ”evaluable”, subjects completed ≥1 cycle of VT1021 treatment and tumor imaging during cycle 2.ResultsIn the pancreatic cancer expansion study, 21 of 32 enrolled subjects (66%) had dual high (DH) expression of CD36/CD47. There were 5 subjects with stable diseases among 15 evaluable subjects with disease control rate of 33%. Of the 13 subjects with measurable disease, all 5 subjects with reduction of tumor burden were DH CD36/CD47 and remained on study for an average of 105 days. Moreover, paired tumor biopsies revealed increased Tsp-1 expression, CTL infiltration and M1:M2 ratio among subjects that obtained disease control with DH baseline CD36/CD47 expression.To identify other solid tumor indications that could benefit from VT1021 treatment based on CD36/CD47 expression, commercially available tumor tissue microarrays from 16 different indications were evaluated. Several indications demonstrated high percentage of DH CD36/CD47, including gastric (59%), head and neck (57%), and pancreatic cancers (56%).Abstract 369 Figure 1Expression intensities of CD36/CD47 in subjects with pancreatic cancerConclusionsPancreatic cancer subjects who were DH for CD36/CD47 were more likely to have a reduction in tumor burden and stay on study longer than non-DH subjects. Increased Tsp-1 induction in circulating PBMCs and in the TME was confirmed. Remodeling of the TME by VT1021 to be more immune sensitive via CTL and M1 accumulation was demonstrated. Based on these findings, the DH expression of CD36/CD47 could be a useful predictive biomarker to stratify subjects for inclusion in future trials in pancreatic cancer, and in other solid tumor indications.Trial RegistrationTrial RegistrationNCT03364400

We conducted 2 experiments (N = 180 participants in Study 1 and N = 102 in Study 2) to examine the effect of imitation shown by a mediator towards negotiators who were on opposing sides in regard to a financial decision being made by a fictitious company. Contrary to what was expected, data in the first study showed that, when the mediator imitated the negotiator during the first 5 minutes of an interview, this was insufficient to predispose negotiators to be more likely to reach an agreement with one another. The results in the second study showed that imitation conducted over a longer time and repeated more often during negotiations predisposed opposing parties to be more likely to agree with one another. Applications and limitations of these studies are discussed.

International audience; This field study on blood donor behavior tests the effectiveness of semantic priming on donor intention and commitment. Using face-to-face interactions, participants were primed with the concept of love and solicited to promise blood to the French National Blood Bank. Results showed a significant effect on willingness to donate blood and on donor commitment. The relatively simple and easily implemented technique used in this study could be of interest in improving performance of recruitment and retention campaigns.