A Phase II, Trial of Ixabepilone Plus Cetuximab as First Line Therapy for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

Tumor response was assessed according to the Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria: Complete Response (CR)= disappearance of all non-target lesions, Partial Response (PR)= at least 30% reduction in the sum of the longest diameter (LD) of all target lesions in reference to the baseline sum LD; Stable Disease (SD)= neither PR nor progressive disease (PD) criteria were met; PD = at least 20% increase in the sum of the LD of all target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum LD recorded at or following baseline.

Percentage of participants with objective tumor response was determined by the number of participants with PR or CR divided by the total number of response-evaluable participants. Tumor response was assessed according RECIST criteria: PR=at least 30% reduction in the sum of the LD of all target lesions in reference to the baseline sum LD, CR=Disappearance of all non-target lesions.

Progression-Free Survival (PFS) time was defined as the time, in months, from the first dosing date until the date of disease progression or death from any cause.

Overall survival time was defined as the time in months from the first dosing date to the date of death.

Duration of response was defined as the number of months from when measurement criteria were first met for CR or PR (whichever was recorded first) until the first date of disease progression or death. Complete Response (CR)= disappearance of all non-target lesions, Partial Response (PR)= at least 30% reduction in the sum of the longest diameter (LD) of all target lesions in reference to the baseline sum LD.

Time to response was defined as the number of weeks from first dose of study therapy (ixabepilone or cetuximab) until measurement criteria were first met for PR or CR, whichever status was recorded first. Complete Response (CR)= disappearance of all non-target lesions, Partial Response (PR)= at least 30% reduction in the sum of the longest diameter (LD) of all target lesions in reference to the baseline sum LD.

AE=any new untoward medical occurrence or worsening of a pre-existing medical condition not necessarily having a causal relationship with this treatment. SAE=any untoward medical occurrence that at any dose results in death, is life-threatening, requires inpatient hospitalization/causes prolongation of existing hospitalization, results in persistent or significant disability/incapacity, is a congenital anomaly/birth defect, results in development of drug dependency or drug abuse, or is an important medical event.

AE=any new untoward medical occurrence or worsening of a pre-existing medical condition not necessarily having a causal relationship with this treatment. Acneform rash and peripheral neuropathy were captured by multiple MedDRA preferred terms. Acneform rash included rash, rash pustular, and rash pruritic preferred terms. Peripheral neuropathy included neuromuscular toxicity, peripheral motor neuropathy, and peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy preferred terms.

Laboratory results were graded according to CTC v 3.0. Hematology laboratory evaluations included absolute neutrophil count (ANC), white blood cell count (WBC), platelets (PLT), and hemoglobin (HGB). Liver function laboratory evaluations included alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, and total bilirubin. Renal function laboratory evaluation included creatinine.

Dose reduction of ixabepilone and/or cetuximab due to toxicity was permitted for participants deriving benefit from therapy. Each drug could be dose modified independently of the others. Participants unable to start a cycle due to unacceptable toxicity related to ixabepilone or cetuximab could have therapy delayed for up to 4 weeks. If toxicities prevented the administration of ixabepilone or cetuximab therapy, participants continued receiving the other therapy as scheduled. A dose interruption for ixabepilone or cetuximab was defined as any interruption during the infusion period.

EGFR expression was evaluated by means of an immunohistochemical assay using tumor tissue collected prior to receiving first dose.

The FHSI-8 includes eight items representing pancreatic-related symptoms; each symptom is rated by participants on a scale of from 0 to 4. The FHSI-8 total score ranges in value from 0 to 32, with higher scores representing fewer symptoms and lower scores representing more symptoms. Scoring of the FHSI-8 was to be conducted according to the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT) manual. The symptom assessment was to include treated participants who had baseline measurement and at least one on-study measurement of FHSI-8 questionnaire.