Phase II multicentre study of efficacy and feasibility of dose-intensified preoperative weekly cisplatin, epirubicin, and paclitaxel (PET) in resectable gastroesophageal cancer

Perioperative chemotherapy improves the overall survival of resectable gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEA) patients. However, more than 40 % of the patients are not healthy enough to complete their post-operative chemotherapy, and the progression-free survival rate is lower than 35 % at 5 years. In order to optimise neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen, a pilot study of weekly dose-intensified cisplatin, epirubicin, and paclitaxel (PET) was conducted. The primary objective was a complete resection (R0) rate. Then, a R0 rate ≤80 % was considered as uninteresting, with an expected R0 rate of 92 %. Secondary objectives were the feasibility, safety, histological response rate (Becker score), and survival (Trial registration: NCT01830270).

Patients with >T1N0M0 GEA were included. Treatment consisted of eight preoperative cycles of weekly PET regimen at 30/50/80 mg/m² of cisplatin, epirubicin, and paclitaxel, respectively. Primary prophylaxis by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was administered. Surgery was performed 4–6 weeks following the last cycle of chemotherapy. Using Fleming two-step design with a unilateral alpha type one error of 5 % and a statistical power of 80 %, it would be required to include 68 patients. At planned interim analysis for futility, it was required to observe at least 25 of 29 patients with R0 resection to pursue inclusion. At the second step, it was required to observe at least 61 of 68 patients with R0 resection to conclude for promising activity of the dose-intensified chemotherapy.

Between May 2011 and January 2013, 29 patients were enrolled. Median age was 62 years (range 39–83 years), and seven (24 %) patients presented signet-ring cell histology. Twenty-seven (93 %) patients underwent surgery. Pathological complete responses (Becker score 1a) were observed in four patients, and nearly complete responses (Becker score 1b) for additional three patients. A R0 rate was achieved for 24 of 29 (82.7 %; 95 % CI 64–94 %) patients. No Becker score 1a/1b response was observed among patients with signet-ring cell GEA. Twenty-one (72 %) patients completed all eight cycles, and 86 % received seven or more cycles. Sixteen (56 %) patients experienced grade 3–4 neutropenia, and five patients had febrile neutropenia. Among non-haematological toxicities, mucositis and fatigue were the most frequent ones. The median-delivered relative dose intensity (DI) was 80 % for cisplatin, 75 % for epirubicin, and 79 % for paclitaxel. However, only 45 % of the patients received at least 80 % of the planned median DI for all three drugs.

Despite high R0 and pathological response rates, neoadjuvant PET chemotherapy did not meet the primary end-point and failed to show an acceptable relative DI. PET chemotherapy is not recommended in resectable GEA patients.