Chemotherapy switch for nonresponse or progression on neoadjuvant chemotherapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Patients with localized pancreatic adenocarcinoma who do not respond to neoadjuvant therapy present a challenge. We sought to define the characteristics and outcomes of those patients to guide clinical practice.

Patients included were those without evidence of biochemical or radiographic response and no evidence of distant progression at the first reassessment after initiation of therapy.

Of the 45 patients in the cohort, 23 (51.1%) proceeded to surgical exploration with all but one of those undergoing resection. The median overall survival of the study cohort was 28.6 and 48.6 months in those who underwent resection. A total of 13 patients (28.9%) underwent chemotherapy switch (CS) during their course of neoadjuvant therapy. The CS cohort demonstrated higher rates of radiologic progression (25% vs. 10%, p = 0.329), new or worse vascular involvement (58.3% vs. 30%, p = 0.082), and CA 19-9 increase (30.8% vs. 12.9%, p = 0.209) at initial re-staging. Despite this, overall survival was similar between the two groups (20.7 vs. 28.7 months, p = 0.674).

Non-responders to first-line neoadjuvant therapy have poor rates of curative-intent resection. However, resection should be undertaken when feasible. CS may be considered in patients who do not respond to first-line chemotherapy.