Results of a clinical study called PANGEA (Personalized ANtibodies for GastroEsophageal Adenocarcinoma) found survival benefits for patients when compared to the standard of care. The trial tested the genetics of both the primary tumor and metastasis for patients with advanced Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and Gastroesophageal Junction cancer and then provided chemotherapy and a targeted therapy based upon the genetic profile of each patient’s cancer. In addition, each patient’s cancer was reassessed at regular intervals to adjust for changes in the gene expression in response to treatment.
Data from the study found the median survival rate increased by more than four months when compared to the expected median survival on standard-of-care chemotherapy. But for patients on certain therapies, the median survival more than doubled when compared to standard chemotherapy. Some patients experienced a complete pathological response which resulted in no evidence of disease. Those patients were taken off treatment, and continue to be followed.
Dr. Daniel Catenacci was the lead investigator of the trial and is Director of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program at the University of Chicago. He spoke with ECAN earlier this year to share the early results of the study – and this week shared more in-depth information about what was learned from this Phase II trial. You can see each interview below. The study is expected to be published in the coming months and Dr. Catenacci is hopeful that a Phase III trial to further confirm the benefits of the approach will get underway in the next year or so.