Lack of availability and efficacy of phase I and basket trials for patients with gastrointestinal cancers Journal Article


Authors: Agarwal, R.; Cangemi, N. A.; Epstein, A. S.; Harding, J.; Reidy-Lagunes, D.; Saltz, L. B.
Article Title: Lack of availability and efficacy of phase I and basket trials for patients with gastrointestinal cancers
Abstract: In the modern era of targeted and immune-based therapies, investigator and patient expectations of availability and efficacy in phase I trials have increased. We assessed availability of, and benefit from, early drug development trials, specifically in patients with gastrointestinal cancers. We reviewed computerized referral records of the Early Drug Development Service at our institution to identify patients internally referred from our Gastrointestinal Oncology Service in calendar year 2018. End points were treatment on a trial, 3- and 6-month progression-free survival (PFS), and any tumor shrinkage. Of 394 gastrointestinal cancer patients referred in 2018, 54 enrolled on a trial and 53 (13.5%) were treated (1 withdrew before treatment): 34 on immune-based and 19 on targeted (3 to phase II basket) studies. None of the 52 patients who had exhausted standard therapy achieved 6-month PFS, two (3.8%) met 3-month PFS with tumor growth below Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors progression at 3 months, and both came off study for progression at 4 months. One patient who was to receive an irinotecan-based regimen as standard therapy instead received irinotecan plus an investigational targeted agent and remained stable for 8 months. No patients achieved any degree of tumor shrinkage. The most common reasons for nonaccrual were lack of available protocol treatment openings and failure to meet eligibility criteria for specific trials. Thus, availability and benefit from investigational treatment in this treatment-refractory gastrointestinal cancer patient population was extremely modest. Expectations regarding both availability and efficacy of phase I investigational therapy in gastrointestinal cancer patients likely exceed what our experience suggests. © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Journal Title: JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Volume: 112
Issue: 5
ISSN: 0027-8874
Publisher: Oxford University Press  
Date Published: 2020-05-01
Start Page: 438
End Page: 442
Language: English
DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djz228
PUBMED: 31834379
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC7225670
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 June 2020 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Leonard B Saltz
    790 Saltz
  2. James Joseph Harding
    250 Harding
  3. Diane Lauren Reidy
    294 Reidy
  4. Andrew Saul Epstein
    157 Epstein
  5. Nicholas A Cangemi
    10 Cangemi
  6. Rajiv Agarwal
    12 Agarwal