Randomized phase 2 study of nab-paclitaxel plus S-1 versus nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine for advanced pancreatic cancer

A randomized phase 2 study at Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Wuhan, China) compared the first-line combinations of six cycles of nab-paclitaxel plus S-1 (AS, n=32) versus nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine (AG, n=30) for advanced pancreatic cancer (aPC). With a median follow-up of 8.36 months, a preplanned interim analysis found that progression-free survival and overall survival were significantly longer was AS than with AG. More patients had an objective response in the AS group than in the AG group (37.50% versus 6.67%; p=0.005). The safety profiles of both regimens were comparable. The authors conclude that the first-line AS regimen for aPC might be a convenient and reasonable alternative to the AG regimen.