SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – April 25, 2017 – Adding cisplatin to the standard gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel drug treatment provided a very high rate of tumor shrinkage for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, according to the results of a pilot clinical trial conducted by the HonorHealth Research Institute and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).
These statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in overall response and survival rates resulted from a phase Ib/II clinical study performed at the HonorHealth Research Institute, a partnership of HonorHealth and TGen.
The results were presented during the 2017 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, in San Francisco. Connecting a global network of more than 40,000 cancer professionals, the society serves as the leading resource for best practices in clinical oncology research and academic and community practices.
"After just three treatment cycles, we saw tumor markers plummet and some patients' tumors shrink significantly in just nine weeks," said Gayle Jameson, nurse practitioner and principal investigator of the clinical trial, who is highly encouraged by the response. "After treatment, two patients had no evidence of disease and are alive over three years after starting this regimen. This is very rare with traditional chemotherapy."
Dr. Daniel Von Hoff, TGen Distinguished Professor and Physician-in-Chief who devised the clinical trial, agreed: "Although a small study, the high response rate and landmark evolving median survival are very encouraging, and this regimen is being expanded for patients with stage IV pancreatic cancer." Dr. Von Hoff also is chief scientific officer at the HonorHealth Research Institute.
Of the 24 evaluable patients (those whose response to a treatment could be measured because enough information was collected) who were enrolled in the study:
- Eleven patients are still alive. The median overall survival rate of 16.5 months exceeds the historical average survival of six-12 months with standard chemotherapy.
- Seventeen of 24 patients — 71 percent — had a reduction in tumor size of at least 30 percent.
- Two of those 17 patients had a complete response — no detectable tumor.
This pilot clinical trial began in 2013 through a partnership between the HonorHealth Research Institute and TGen. It was funded by Stand Up To Cancer, Mattress Firm, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Scottsdale-based Seena Magowitz Foundation.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer usually do not appear until the disease progresses to its late stages, making it difficult to treat. Only about one in four patients survives more than a year after diagnosis, and fewer than 10 percent survive more than five years. Pancreatic cancer this year will take the lives of more than 43,000 Americans, making it the nation's third-leading cause of cancer-related death.
The results of this trial are encouraging and deserve additional testing prior to becoming a standard of care for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Through research, the HonorHealth Research Institute and TGen aim to provide hope and a better chance for patients to live for years instead of months.
The current standard of care for advanced pancreatic cancer — a combination of nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine — was developed by TGen and the HonorHealth Research Institute, and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2013.
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About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix, Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, and diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial contribution to help our patients through efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. TGen is allied with City of Hope, a world-renowned independent research and cancer and diabetes treatment center. This precision medicine alliance enables both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a significant clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. For more information, visit: http://www.tgen.org. Follow TGen on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter @TGen.
Media Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
About HonorHealth
HonorHealth is a non-profit health system serving an area of 1.6 million people in the greater Phoenix area. The network encompasses five acute-care hospitals, an extensive medical group, outpatient surgery centers, a cancer care network, clinical research, medical education, a foundation and community services with approximately 11,500 employees, 3,700 affiliated physicians and 3,100 volunteers. HonorHealth was formed by a merger between Scottsdale Healthcare and John C. Lincoln Health Network. HonorHealth's mission is to improve the health and well-being of those we serve. Learn more at HonorHealth.com.
Media Contact:
Debbie Jacobson
480-323-1384
[email protected]
Media Contact
Steve Yozwiak
[email protected]
602-343-8704
http://www.tgen.org
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Story Source: Materials provided by Scienmag
