Emergency integrative supportive care program for frail patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: A prospective GERCOR ARCAD study

Patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (aPDAC) often experience general health decline at diagnosis due to a high-symptom burden. The optimal management of symptoms and/or poor performance status (PS) in these patients remains an unmet medical need.

Patients and Methods

In this multicenter study, patients with PS≥2 and pathologically confirmed or imaging-suspected aPDAC were included at first oncology visit in a personalized 14-day emergency integrative supportive care program (14-EISCP) to manage pain, nutrition, diagnostics, and stenting procedures. The primary endpoint was the 14-EISCP success in feasibility of planned procedures and clinical benefit defined as post-EISCP PS≤1, ≥5 points improvement in fatigue, pain, global health-related quality of life (HRQoL) scores (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL), or chemotherapy initiation within 30 days.

Results

A total of 106 patients were included; 93 evaluable patients considered for primary endpoint analysis (median age: 76 years [68-80], PS3: 20.9%, metastases: 61.3%). The median overall survival was 4.1 months (IC95% 2.6-5.6). The 14-EISCP was successful in 59.1% (n=55) of patients, meeting the primary objective (clinically relevant). The 14-EISCP feasibility was achieved in 70.9% of cases. Post-EISCP clinical benefit was observed in 79.6% of patients, with PS improvement to 0/1 in 13.2%, HRQoL improvement in 23.9%, and chemotherapy initiation ≤30 days in 73.1%. Among evaluable patients, 17.2% received mFOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine-nab-paclitaxel, 35.4% received FOLFOX, 25.3% had gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil alone, and 22.2% received best supportive care. In patients with PS2 at baseline, the administration of doublet/triplet chemotherapy was associated with improved overall survival compared to single-agent.

Discussion

These results offer a promising framework for improving outcomes in aPDAC patients, bridging the gap between symptom management and systemic therapy administration.

Conclusions

In patients with PS≥2 and aPDAC, the personalized 14-EISCP was feasible and lead to meaningful clinical benefit, allowing doublet or triplet chemotherapy in half the patients.