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This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01267344). All patients gave written informed consent.

4000 Background: In metastatic pancreatic cancer (PC), nab-P/G demonstrated significantly longer overall survival (OS) vs G. APACT assessed efficacy & safety of nab-P/G vs G in surgically resected PC. Methods: Treatment (tx)-naive patients (pts) with histologically confirmed PC, macroscopic complete resection, ECOG PS 0/1, & CA19-9 < 100 U/mL were eligible. Stratification factors: resection status (R0/R1), lymph node status (LN+/−), & geographic region. Tx was initiated ≤ 12 wks postsurgery. Pts received nab-P 125 mg/m2 + G 1000 mg/m2 or G 1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15 of six 28-day cycles. Primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS) by independent reviewer (IR); IRs received baseline clinical data & scans. Secondary endpoints were OS & safety. ≈438 DFS events were needed for 90% power to detect an HR for disease recurrence or death of 0.73 with nab-P/G vs G at a 2-sided significance level of 0.05. Results: 866 pts were randomized. Median age was 64 y (range, 34 - 86); most pts had ECOG PS 0 (60%), LN+ (72%), & R0 (76%). 69% of pts completed 6 tx cycles ( nab-P/G, 66%; G, 71%). Median follow up for OS was 38.5 mo. Median IR-assessed DFS (439 events) was 19.4 mo ( nab-P/G) vs 18.8 mo (G) (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.729 - 1.063; stratified log-rank P = 0.1824). Investigator-assessed DFS (571 events) was 16.6 mo ( nab-P/G) vs 13.7 mo (G) (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.694 - 0.965; nominal P = 0.0168). Interim OS (427 events) was 40.5 mo ( nab-P/G) vs 36.2 mo (G) (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.680 - 0.996; nominal P = 0.045). Grade ≥ 3 TEAEs were reported in 86% vs 68% of pts with nab-P/G vs G. The most common grade ≥ 3 hematologic & nonhematologic TEAEs with nab-P/G vs G were neutropenia (49% vs 43%) & fatigue (10% vs 3%). TEAEs led to death in 2 pts in each arm. Conclusions: IR DFS with nab-P/G was not significantly longer vs G; median DFS with G was longer than historical data. DFS by investigator (sensitivity analysis) and interim OS were improved with nab-P/G vs G (HR 0.82 for both). Adjuvant nab-P/G may be an option for pts who are ineligible for FOLFIRINOX. Additional OS follow-up may better support nab-P/G as an option in the adjuvant setting. Clinical trial information: NCT01964430.

A phase 1 study was conducted to assess the safety and immunologic response induced by direct injection of autologous immature dendritic cells (DCs) into tumor under radiotherapy in advanced hepatoma patients. Patients with advanced/metastatic stage hepatoma not suitable for surgery or transarterial embolization were enrolled. Groups of patients received two vaccinations. Each vaccination consisted of intratumoral injections of autologous immature DCs in four dose cohorts of 5 x 10(6), 1.5 x 10(7), 3 x 10(7), and 5 x 10(7) cells 2 days after a single fraction of conformal radiotherapy of 8 Gy. The second vaccination was performed 3 weeks later. Of the 14 patients entered, 12 completed two cycles of vaccination. The treatment was well tolerated at any of the dose levels. Six patients had mild transient fever (grade 1-2) with chill reactions, three patients developed grade 1 fatigue, and one patient developed mild myalgia and arthralgia after DC injections. There was no evidence of clinically manifested autoimmune disease. There were two partial responses and four minor responses. A decrease in the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level of more than 50% was found in three patients. Ten patients had completed immunologic response evaluation 2 weeks after the second cycle of vaccination. The AFP-specific immune response was evident in eight patients examined by cytokine release assay and in seven patients by ELISPOT assay. Six patients showed an increased NK cell cytotoxic activity after vaccination. These data suggest that the combination of intratumoral injection of DCs and conformal radiotherapy is safe and can induce tumor-specific and innate immunity.