Background Nimotuzumab is a targeted drug targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which has achieved good outcomes in clinical trials abroad, while domestic clinical data in large scale is relatively small.
Objective To investigate the outcomes and safety of nimotuzumab combined with gemcitabine (GEM) as the first-line treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer.
Methods Through the big data platform of our hospital, clinical data about patients with advanced pancreatic cancer from January 2012 to June 2019 were searched. According to the inclusion criteria, the cases in line with this study were selected, and divided into combined therapy group (nimotuzumab + GEM monotherapy) and monotherapy group (GEM monotherapy). After matching by sex, age, and differentiation, 61 cases were included in each group, and the differences of adverse reactions, progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups were analyzed.
Results The combined therapy group had significantly longer PFS (4.5 months vs 3.1 months, P＜0.001) and OS (7.4 months vs 6.4 months, P＜0.001) compared to the monotherapy group. Further, Cox regression analysis showed that GEM combined with nimotuzumab was associated better prognosis in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (P＜0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of treatment-related adverse events between the two groups (P＞0.05).
Conclusion Compared with GEM monotherapy, nimotuzumab combined with GEM in the first-line treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer can increase the survival benefits without increasing toxic and side effects, which is an alternative first-line treatment for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.
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