Outcomes with FOLFIRINOX for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Abstract

256 Background: Trials examining the use of FOLFIRINOX in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma demonstrate significantly higher response rates compared to gemcitabine-based regimens. These high response rates may be particularly important for patients with locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (LAPD), in which there is currently limited experience with FOLFIRINOX. We examined the outcomes of patients with LAPD treated with neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX at our high volume clinic. Methods: Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained pancreatic cancer database was used to identify patients who were recommended neoadjuvant treatment with FOLFIRINOX. Clinical outcomes were reviewed. Resectability was determined using SSO criteria. Results: Between 2/2011 and 9/2012 FOLFIRINOX was recommended for 25 patients with LAPD, 13 (52%) unresectable (UR) and 12 (48%) borderline resectable (BR). Median age was 59. 4 patients (16%) either refused treatment or were lost to follow up. 21 patients (84%) were treated with a median of 4.7 cycles (Range: 2-8). 5 patients (24%) required dose reductions secondary to toxicity. 2 patients (9%) were unable to tolerate treatment and 3 patients (14%) had disease progression on treatment. Of the remaining 16 patients, 13 patients (62%) displayed a radiologic response allowing for surgical exploration, 4 (31%) of which were initially unresectable. 6 of these patients (29%) received additional chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy prior to surgery. Peritoneal metastases were discovered at surgery in 2 (8%) patients. Of the patients who were BR, 7/8 (88%) had a R0 resection. Of the 10 UR patients, 3 (33%) underwent surgical resection, with 2 (20%) R0 resections. Overall R0 resection rate was 43%. A total of 4 patients (19%) demonstrated a major pathologic response (2 complete responses and 2 near complete responses) and 8 other patients (73%) had some pathological response. Conclusions: FOLFIRINOX alone or as part of multimodality approach is a biologically active regimen in LAPD with encouraging R0 resection rates, especially in BR LAPD. Further research is needed to determine the utility of additional chemoradiotherapy with FOLFIRINOX and to identify predictors of response in UR patients.