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

[BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES] 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.

[METHODS] 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.

[RESULTS] 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).

[CONCLUSION] 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.