1
|
Martínez-Galán J, Jiménez-Luna C, Rodriguez I, Maza E, García-Collado C, Rodríguez-Fernández A, López-Hidalgo JL, Caba O. Metastatic pancreatic and lung cancer patient in complete remission following immunotherapy: A case report and review of literature. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2024; 16:2233-2240. [PMID: 38764840 PMCID: PMC11099454 DOI: 10.4251/wjgo.v16.i5.2233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy with dispiriting survival data. Immunotherapy is a promising approach to many cancer types, but achieves poor outcomes in advanced PDAC due to its immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. We describe a case of metastatic PDAC effectively treated with pembrolizumab. CASE SUMMARY We report the case of a 67-year-old woman with unresectable locally advanced PDAC, treated with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel followed by radiotherapy plus capecitabine. At nine months, pancreatic tumor progression was observed at the level of the hepatic hilum with the appearance of a new pulmonary nodule suggestive of a second primary, confirmed by left lung biopsy. Systemic immunotherapy was then initiated with pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting programmed cell death protein-1 that covers the two tumor types. The patient showed a complete metabolic response that was maintained throughout the treatment. The patient continues to be disease-free at 5.6 years since the start of immunotherapy. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the administration of pembrolizumab after chemoradiotherapy has a beneficial effect in patients with metastatic PDAC. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a patient with metastatic PDAC and metastatic lung cancer showing such a long-lasting complete response after pembrolizumab treatment without curative surgery. Further studies are required to determine biomarkers that identify PDAC patients most likely to benefit from this immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joaquina Martínez-Galán
- Department of Medical Oncology, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada 18014, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
| | - Cristina Jiménez-Luna
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
- Institute of Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine (IBIMER), University of Granada, Granada 18016, Spain
| | - Isabel Rodriguez
- Department of Medical Oncology, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada 18014, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
| | - Elisabeth Maza
- Department of Medical Oncology, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada 18014, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Collado
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
- Pharmacogenetics Unit, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada 18014, Spain
| | - Antonio Rodríguez-Fernández
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
- Department of Medicina Nuclear, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada 18014, Spain
| | - Javier Luis López-Hidalgo
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
- Department of Anatomía Patológica, Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital, Granada 18014, Spain
| | - Octavio Caba
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Ibs. Granada, Granada 18012, Spain
- Institute of Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine (IBIMER), University of Granada, Granada 18016, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ikezawa K, Urabe M, Kai Y, Takada R, Akita H, Nagata S, Ohkawa K. Comprehensive review of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma: epidemiology, diagnosis, molecular features and treatment. Jpn J Clin Oncol 2024; 54:271-281. [PMID: 38109477 PMCID: PMC10925851 DOI: 10.1093/jjco/hyad176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma is a rare form (0.2-4.3%) of pancreatic neoplasm with unique clinical and molecular characteristics, which largely differ from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma occurs more frequently in males and can occur in children. Serum lipase is elevated in 24-58% of patients with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma. Pancreatic acinar cell carcinomas tend to be large at diagnosis (median tumour size: ~5 cm) and are frequently located in the pancreas head. Radiologically, pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma generally exhibits a solid appearance; however, necrosis, cystic changes and intratumoral haemorrhage can occur in larger lesions. Immunostaining is essential for the definitive diagnosis of pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma. Compared with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma has a more favourable prognosis. Although radical surgery is recommended for patients with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma who do not have distant metastases, the recurrence rate is high. The effectiveness of adjuvant therapy for pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma is unclear. The response to FOLFIRINOX is generally favourable, and some patients achieve a complete response. Pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma has a different genomic profile compared with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Although genomic analyses have shown that pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma rarely has KRAS, TP53 and CDKN2A mutations, it has a higher prevalence of homologous recombination-related genes, including BRCA1/2 and ATM, than pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, suggesting high sensitivity to platinum-containing regimens and PARP inhibitors. Targeted therapies for genomic alternations are beneficial. Therefore, genetic testing is important for patients with pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma to choose the optimal therapeutic strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Ikezawa
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Makiko Urabe
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yugo Kai
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Ryoji Takada
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Akita
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shigenori Nagata
- Department of Diagnostic Pathology and Cytology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kazuyoshi Ohkawa
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sini MC, Doro MG, Frogheri L, Zinellu A, Paliogiannis P, Porcu A, Scognamillo F, Delogu D, Santeufemia DA, Persico I, Palomba G, Maestrale GB, Cossu A, Palmieri G. Combination of mutations in genes controlling DNA repair and high mutational load plays a prognostic role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC): a retrospective real-life study in Sardinian population. J Transl Med 2024; 22:108. [PMID: 38280995 PMCID: PMC10821545 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-024-04923-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDCA) carrying impaired mismatch repair mechanisms seem to have an outcome advantage under treatment with conventional chemotherapy, whereas the role for the tumor mutation burden on prognosis is controversial. In this study, we evaluated the prognostic role of the mutated genes involved in genome damage repair in a real-life series of PDAC patients in a hospital-based manner from the main Institution deputed to surgically treat such a disease in North Sardinia. METHODS A cohort of fifty-five consecutive PDAC patients with potentially resectable/border line resectable PDAC (stage IIB-III) or oligometastatic disease (stage IV) and tumor tissue availability underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based analysis using a panel containing driver oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes as well as genes controlling DNA repair mechanisms. RESULTS Genes involved in the both genome damage repair (DR) and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) were found mutated in 17 (31%) and 15 (27%) cases, respectively. One fourth of PDAC cases (14/55; 25.5%) carried tumors presenting a combination of mutations in repair genes (DR and MMR) and the highest mutation load rates (MLR-H). After correction for confounders (surgery, adjuvant therapy, stage T, and metastasis), multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that mutations in DR genes (HR = 3.0126, 95% CI 1.0707 to 8.4764, p = 0.0367) and the MLR (HR = 1.0018, 95%CI 1.0005 to 1.0032, p = 0.009) were significantly related to worse survival. CONCLUSIONS The combination of mutated repair genes and MLR-H, which is associated with a worse survival in our series of PDAC patients treated with conventional chemotherapy protocols, might become a predictive biomarker of response to immunotherapy in addition to its prognostic role in predicting survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Cristina Sini
- Unit of Cancer Genetics, Institute of Genetic Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Doro
- Unit of Cancer Genetics, Institute of Genetic Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Laura Frogheri
- Unit of Cancer Genetics, Institute of Genetic Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Angelo Zinellu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Panagiotis Paliogiannis
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Traversa La Crucca 3, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Alberto Porcu
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Traversa La Crucca 3, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Scognamillo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Traversa La Crucca 3, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Daniele Delogu
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Traversa La Crucca 3, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | | | - Ivana Persico
- Unit of Cancer Genetics, Institute of Genetic Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Grazia Palomba
- Unit of Cancer Genetics, Institute of Genetic Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Giovanni Battista Maestrale
- Unit of Cancer Genetics, Institute of Genetic Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy
| | - Antonio Cossu
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Traversa La Crucca 3, 07100, Sassari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Palmieri
- Unit of Cancer Genetics, Institute of Genetic Biomedical Research (IRGB), National Research Council (CNR), Sassari, Italy.
- Immuno-Oncology & Targeted Cancer Biotherapies, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Mahadevia H, Uson Junior PLS, Wang J, Borad M, Babiker H. An overview of up-and-coming immune checkpoint inhibitors for pancreatic cancer. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024; 25:79-90. [PMID: 38193476 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2304125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway as well as cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) have demonstrated substantial potential in several malignancies. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC) still carries a high mortality despite tremendous advances in the anti-cancer arsenal. AREAS COVERED In this review, we discuss completed and ongoing studies on various ICIs in PC. ICIs have not yielded significant benefits as monotherapy. However, the combination with currently utilized therapies as well as with several other newer forms of therapy has delineated encouraging results. Larger trials are currently underway to definitively characterize the utility of ICIs in the treatment algorithm of PC. ICIs are approved for cancers with mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) or microsatellite instability-high tumors (MSI-H) as a tumor-agnostic treatment strategy usually referred to as hot tumors. EXPERT OPINION Studies evaluating different drugs to transform the tumor microenvironment (TME) from 'cold' to 'hot' have not shown promise in PC. There still needs to be more prospective trials evaluating the efficacy of the combination of ICIs with different therapeutic modalities in PC that can augment the immunogenic potential of those 'cold' tumors. Exploratory biomarker analysis may help us identify those subsets of PC patients who may particularly benefit from ICIs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Himil Mahadevia
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Pedro Luiz Serrano Uson Junior
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Mitesh Borad
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Hani Babiker
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic Florida, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|