Points to keep in mind when carrying out clinical trials in Japan on advanced pancreatic cancer cases without alternative treatments: Analysis of 367 cases.

Authors

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Giichiro Tsurita

University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan

Giichiro Tsurita , Hiroshi Yasui , Tomohiro Kurokawa , Yuichiro Yoshioka , Kentaro Yazawa

Organizations

University of Tokyo Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan

Research Funding

Other Foundation

Background: We commenced a physician-led clinical trial to examine the efficacy of a combined treatment of peptide vaccine therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer that has no effective treatment. During this trial, there were inquiries from 367 cases, of which 145 cases (40%) were examined at our outpatient clinic. The purpose of this study was to examine these cases in detail and to consider the points to be noted in executing clinical trials for poor prognosis cases. Methods: We examined the timing of inquiry, medical condition, the person(s) they inquired, and other relevant information regarding the 367 subjects who made inquiries. For the 145 cases visited the outpatient clinic of our hospital, we examined their medical condition, treatment and whether or not they have participated in a clinical trial. Results: 140 of the 367 cases (38%) of inquiry were concentrated within the first two months after the start. During these two months, there was a concentration of patients who had completed standard treatments and were a few months into BSC, but were unable to participate in the clinical trial due to deterioration of their general condition. Many of the inquiries were made by family members (spouse or child) of the patients, around twice the number of inquiries made by patients themselves. Even among the 145 subjects that were examined in the outpatient clinic of our hospital, severe cases, in particular, were seen several months after the start of the study. There were many cases that required urgent hospitalization during outpatient visits or patients whose general condition rapidly deteriorated during the screening tests. 23 cases (16%) underwent the clinical trial. Conclusions: In clinical trials such as this one, which handles cases with poor prognosis, many of the subjects are in poor general condition at the inquiry stage, and most of these inquiries are concentrated immediately after the start of the study. Therefore, it is very important to deal with inquiries and make judgments during the outpatient examination on whether or not clinical trial participation is possible.

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Abstract Details

Meeting

2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium

Session Type

Poster Session

Session Title

Poster Session B: Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Track

Cancers of the Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract

Sub Track

Prevention, Diagnosis, and Screening

Citation

J Clin Oncol 36, 2018 (suppl 4S; abstr 243)

DOI

10.1200/JCO.2018.36.4_suppl.243

Abstract #

243

Poster Bd #

B18

Abstract Disclosures