Study reveals, incorporating metastasis-directed radiation therapy enhances progression-free survival in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer
Advertisement
In a recent study published in the journal of clinical oncology, Researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center demonstrated that adding metastasis-directed radiation therapy to standard-of-care chemotherapy improves progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with oligometastatic pancreatic cancer. At a median follow-up of 17.3 months, PFS was 10.3 months in patients who received metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) plus chemotherapy compared to only 2.5 months in those who received standard chemotherapy treatment. Additionally, increased immune responses from MDT were connected to longer survival times.
Metastatic pancreatic cancer spreads rapidly to vital organs, posing significant challenges for disease management. Diagnosis often occurs at an advanced stage, reducing treatment efficacy and decreasing survival rates. The disease's complexity and resistance to many therapies also contributes to its poor prognosis. Chemotherapy, the main treatment option, generally offers a seven-month average survival time before disease progression.
MDT targets metastases with high-dose ablative radiation therapy, aiming to eliminate all cancer cells at all sites identified on a scan. This approach is primarily being evaluated for patients with oligometastatic disease for whom imaging shows five or fewer metastases. Oligometastatic disease is often described as an intermediate stage of cancer, between a localised tumour and widespread cancer.
The median time to new lesion recurrence was 14 months in the MDT arm versus five months in the control arm. The 12-month freedom from new lesion recurrence rate was 54% in the MDT arm and 38% in the control arm. Crossover from the control arm to MDT was allowed. MDT, which primarily consisted of high-dose ablative radiation therapy, was very well tolerated, with no grade three or greater adverse events related to MDT observed.
The study's exploratory endpoints aimed to investigate the effects of MDT on the body's immune system, following earlier research demonstrating its potential to boost immune response. The researchers found that systemic immune activation events were associated with MDT and correlated with improved PFS.
The results suggested that metastasis-directed therapy is effective and safe for patients with oligometastatic pancreatic cancer. Nevertheless, larger trials are necessary to confirm the survival advantage observed with metastasis-directed local treatment and to investigate systemic immune activation as a potential mechanism for therapeutic benefits.
References: Bray F., Ferlay J., Soerjomataram I., Siegel R.L., Torre L.A., Jemal A. Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J. Clin. 2018;68:394–424. doi: 10.3322/caac.21492. [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Our comments section is governed by our Comments Policy . By posting comments at Medical Dialogues you automatically agree with our Comments Policy , Terms And Conditions and Privacy Policy .
Disclaimer: This website is primarily for healthcare professionals. The content here does not replace medical advice and should not be used as medical, diagnostic, endorsement, treatment, or prescription advice. Medical science evolves rapidly, and we strive to keep our information current. If you find any discrepancies, please contact us at corrections@medicaldialogues.in. Read our Correction Policy here. Nothing here should be used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We do not endorse any healthcare advice that contradicts a physician's guidance. Use of this site is subject to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Advertisement Policy. For more details, read our Full Disclaimer here.
NOTE: Join us in combating medical misinformation. If you encounter a questionable health, medical, or medical education claim, email us at factcheck@medicaldialogues.in for evaluation.