Preliminary analysis of FOLFIRI regimen with or without bevacizumab as second-line systemic therapy in patients with metastatic gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Abstract

469 Background: Patients with gastroenterpancreatic neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) have a very poor prognosis. And the role of the second-line therapy remains unknown. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 11 patients with gastroenteropancreatic NEC after failure of first-line chemotherapy in the last two years in our cancer center. Data examined included clinical and pathological characteristics at the time of diagnosis, efficacy and safety. Results: Median age was 51 (17-64) years old. Most were male (81.8%). Tumor origin included pancreas (6pts, 54.5%), colon-rectum (3pts, 27.3%), one stomach and one liver. Metastatic disease was evident at diagnosis in all patients (liver metastases: 100%, celiac lymph nodes: 72.7%, bone: 18.2%, pleural effusion and peritoneal metastasis: 18.2%). Median Ki-67 index was 80%. Etoposide-cisplatin combinations as first line chemotherapy were administered in 8 (72.7%) patients and 2 (18.2%) capecitabine based regimen and 1(9.1%) gemcitabine with nab-paclitaxel. All patients received the FOLFIRI regimen with a median number of 8 (3-36) courses. Three patients (27.3%) had partial response, 4 (36.4%) stable disease, and 4 (36.4 %%) tumor progression. But in 6 patients received the FOLFIRI plus bevacizumab, disease control rate was 66.7%, 3 (50.0%) partial response, 1(16.7%) stable disease. The median PFS in all 11 pts was 3.77 (1.77-24.07) months, in 6pts with bevacizumab was 4.77(1.83-24.07) months. The most severe toxicities was grade 3 neutropenia (27.2%), the other adverse effects were mild to moderate, including mild anemia, transient transferase elevation and proteinuria. Conclusions: FOLFIRI regimen is a potentially effective and safe chemotherapy given as second-line in patients with NEC. Additional anti-VEGF therapy with bevacizumab may improve the disease control and PFS time.