Capecitabine plus erlotinib in gemcitabine-refractory advanced pancreatic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
The addition of either capecitabine or erlotinib to gemcitabine in the first-line treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer is associated with modest improvements in overall survival. We evaluated an oral regimen of capecitabine and erlotinib in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who had experienced treatment failure with standard first-line therapy with gemcitabine.


METHODS
Thirty patients with gemcitabine-refractory metastatic pancreatic cancer were treated with capecitabine, administered at a dose of 1,000 mg/m2 twice daily for 2 weeks, followed by a 1-week break. All patients also received erlotinib 150 mg daily. Patients were observed for evidence of response, toxicity, and survival. EGFR mutational status was assessed in available tumor blocks.


RESULTS
Treatment with capecitabine and erlotinib in gemcitabine-refractory patients was associated with an overall objective radiologic response rate of 10% and a median survival duration of 6.5 months. In addition, 17% of the treated patients experienced decreases in tumor marker (CA 19-9) levels of more than 50% from baseline. Common toxicities included diarrhea, skin rash, fatigue, and hand-foot syndrome. EGFR mutations were detected in two of five available tumors; no association between treatment response and EGFR mutational status was evident.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of capecitabine and erlotinib is active in patients with gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer. This regimen may represent an acceptable treatment option in patients who experience treatment failure with standard first-line therapy with gemcitabine or for whom gemcitabine may not be an appropriate first-line treatment option.
Kulke
Matthew H
MH
Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Matthew_Kulke@dfci.harvard.edu
Blaszkowsky
Lawrence S
LS
Ryan
David P
DP
Clark
Jeffrey W
JW
Meyerhardt
Jeffrey A
JA
Zhu
Andrew X
AX
Enzinger
Peter C
PC
Kwak
Eunice L
EL
Muzikansky
Alona
A
Lawrence
Colleen
C
Fuchs
Charles S
CS
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D011799:Quinazolines; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093542:Gemcitabine