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Comparative Study
. 2024 Jan-Dec:31:10732748241304968.
doi: 10.1177/10732748241304968.

Comparing Combination vs Monochemotherapy in Late-Elderly Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: Insights From a Single-Center Study

Elena Orlandi  1 , Chiara Citterio  1 , Rebecca Chinelli  2 , Ilaria Dotti  2 , Elena Zaffignani  1 , Claudia Biasini  1 , Elisa Anselmi  1 , Gabriele Cremona  1 , Stefano Vecchia  2
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Comparing Combination vs Monochemotherapy in Late-Elderly Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: Insights From a Single-Center Study

Elena Orlandi et al. Cancer Control. 2024 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: The incidence of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) increases with age and is frequently diagnosed at an inoperable stage, which limits treatment options. There is limited evidence concerning patients over 75 years old, and clinical practice often lacks clear guidance regarding the choice of first-line therapy. The primary objective of this retrospective study was to assess overall survival (OS) in elderly patients receiving first-line monochemotherapy vs combination therapy. Secondary objectives included evaluating progression-free survival (PFS) and safety.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the records of 150 patients aged 75 or older with confirmed PDAC treated with first-line chemotherapy at Piacenza General Hospital, Italy. Of these, 72 patients received monotherapy, while 78 underwent polychemotherapy. The majority of patients (93.3%) were administered reduced doses, and within this group, 67.9% had their doses reduced by more than 20%. Most patients (80%) presented with comorbidities, predominantly hypertension and diabetes.

Results: The median overall survival was significantly higher in the polychemotherapy group (8.2 months) compared to the monotherapy group (4.7 months), with a P-value of 0.0022. The median PFS was 5.7 months for polychemotherapy and 2.8 months for monotherapy, showing a statistically significant difference (P = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, poor performance status, high CA19.9 levels, and monotherapy were significantly associated with worse OS. Patients treated with polychemotherapy had a 37% lower likelihood of death within the year compared to those treated with monotherapy (HR 0.58, P = 0.009).

Conclusion: Polychemotherapy may provide a survival advantage over monotherapy in the late-elderly population, although considerations for dose adjustments due to comorbidities and polypharmacy are necessary. These findings suggest that, when feasible, polychemotherapy could offer a balance between effectiveness and tolerability, potentially improving outcomes in this age group.

Keywords: chemotherapy toxicity; first line; late-elderly; pancreatic cancer; polychemotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart of the patient enrollment process of study cohort.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Kaplan-Meier curves for 1-year overall survival for patients receiving monochemotherapy vs polychemotherapy.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Kaplan-Meier curves for 1-year progression free survival for patients receiving monochemotherapy vs polychemotherapy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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