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Efavirenz as Second-Line Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

A Phase II Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Efavirenz as Second-line Monotherapy for the Treatment of Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinomas.

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT00964171
Acronym
PANTER
Enrollment
19
Registered
2009-08-24
Start date
2008-08-31
Completion date
2010-07-31
Last updated
2025-08-28

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Pancreatic Cancer

Keywords

adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, recurrent pancreatic cancer, stage IV pancreatic cancer

Brief summary

RATIONALE: Efavirenz may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well efavirenz works as second-line therapy in treating patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Evaluate the efficacy of efavirenz as second-line monotherapy, in terms of non-morphological progression at 2 months, in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Secondary * Evaluate non-morphological progression in these patients at 4 months. * Evaluate non-biological progression in these patients at 2 and 4 months. * Evaluate the quality of life of these patients at 2 and 4 months. * Evaluate the overall, progression-free, and event-free survival of these patients. * Evaluate the tolerability and safety profile of efavirenz in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients receive oral efavirenz once daily in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients complete quality-of-life questionnaires using the QLQ-C30 at baseline and at 2 and 4 months. After completion of study therapy patients are followed up every 2 months.

Interventions

Sponsors

Institut Bergonié
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 120 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas * No other histological types * Radiologically confirmed metastatic disease in a non-irradiated area * Measurable disease according to RECIST criteria * Must have exhausted first-line gemcitabine hydrochloride chemotherapy * No CNS metastases PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * WHO performance status (PS) 0-2 OR Karnofsky PS 70-100% * ANC ≥ 1,500/mm\^3 * Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3 * Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL * Creatinine ≤ 1.25 times upper limit of normal * Alkaline phosphatase \< 5 times normal * Bilirubin \< 3 times normal * Not pregnant or nursing * Negative pregnancy test * Fertile patients must use effective contraception * Has French Social Security in compliance with the French law relating to biomedical research * Able to comply with study treatment and follow-up * No severe renal failure * No severe hepatic impairment * No known hypersensitivity to the study drug and its excipients * No depression with a total score of ≥ 13 on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale * No active diarrhea that may affect the ability to absorb the study drug * No other cancer within the past 5 years except carcinoma in situ of the cervix or basal cell carcinoma of the skin * No geographical, psychiatric, social, or psychological reason that would preclude compliance with study procedures PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * Recovered from all prior anticancer therapy * More than 30 days since prior investigational drugs and/or participation in a clinical trial * Prior adjuvant chemotherapy (one-line only) and/or radiotherapy allowed * No prior enrollment on this study * No prior treatment acting on the signal transduction pathway * No prior yellow fever vaccine * No other concurrent second-line therapy * No concurrent terfenadine, astemizole, cisapride, midazolam, triazolam, pimozide, bepridil, rye alkaloids, voriconazole, or St. John wort (Hypericum perforatum)

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Patients in Non-progression at 2 Months2 monthsNon-progression is defined as partial response, complete response or stable disease according to RECIST V1.0. Complete response is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions and partial response is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters (SLD) of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline SLD (RECIST V1.0.).Stable disease is defined as no decrease or increase sufficient to qualify as partial response or progression with reference to SLD since the start of treatment. Radiologic assessment was carried out every 8 weeks.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Percentage of Patients in Non-progression at 4 Months4 monthsNon-progression is defined as partial response, complete response or stable disease according to RECIST V1.0. Complete response is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions and partial response is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters (SLD) of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline SLD (RECIST V1.0.).Stable disease is defined as no decrease or increase sufficient to qualify as partial response or progression with reference to SLD since the start of treatment. Radiologic assessment was carried out every 8 weeks.
Percentage of Patients in Non-biological Progression at 2 Months2 monthsNon-biological progression was assessed using CA 19-9 every 28 days until end of treatment, and was defined as a 2-month CA19.9 concentration lower than 1.5 times the baseline CA 19-9 concentration.
Progression-free SurvivalThrough Database Cutoff Date of 06-July-2011 ( median follow-up time of 397 days)Progression was defined as morphological or biological progression. Progression-free survival was defined as the delay between trial inclusion and progression (morphological or biological) or death for any reason. Morphological progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.0), as a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions. Biological progression is defined as a confirmed increase in CA 19-9 concentration to more than 1.5 times the baseline value, sustained over two consecutive monthly assessments. Patients who have not progressed nor died at the time of the statistical analysis will be censored at the time they were last known to be progression-free. The EFS was calculated using the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data.
Event-free SurvivalThrough Database Cutoff Date of 06-July-2011 ( median follow-up time of 397 days)Event-free survival (EFS) was defined as the delay between trial inclusion and the first of the following events: progression (biological or morphological), death, treatment interruption due to toxicity, initiation of another treatment. Morphological progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.0), as a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions. Biological progression is defined as a confirmed increase in CA 19-9 concentration to more than 1.5 times the baseline value, sustained over two consecutive monthly assessments. Patients without any of the aforementioned events at the time of the statistical analysis will be censored at the time they were last known to be event-free. The EFS was calculated using the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data.
Quality of Life Score2 monthsEORTC-QLQ-C30 is a cancer-specific instrument with 30 questions to evaluate quality of life. The first 28 use a 4-point scale (1=not at all, 2=a little, 3=quite a bit, 4=very much) assessing 5 functional scales (physical, role, emotional, cognitive, social), 3 symptom scales (fatigue, nausea/vomiting, pain), six single symptoms (dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, financial difficulties), and two global health/QoL questions. Items 29 and 30 use a 7-point scale (1=very poor to 7=excellent).Scores are linearly transformed from 0 to 100 per EORTC guidelines. Higher scores mean better functioning or QoL for functional/global scales, but worse symptoms for symptom scales and items. Score ranges (0-100): higher Functional scores = better QoL; higher Symptom scores= worse QoL; Higher Global health score= better QoL.
Overall SurvivalThrough Database Cutoff Date of 06-July-2011 ( median follow-up time of 397 days)OS was was defined as the time from the inclusion to death due to any cause. Participants without documented death were censored at the date of the last follow-up or last patient contact. The OS was calculated using the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data.

Countries

France

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Efavirenz
Efavirenz will be provided by the sponsor as follows: capsule of efavirenz 200 mg. A bottle contains 90 capsules. Investigator will dispense efavirenz to the patients according to the dose adjustment. Each patient will receive efavirenz 600 mg/day until morphological progression. Study drug will be taken every day by oral route at bedtime and in fast condition (1-2 hours far from dinner). Efavirenz 600mg
19
Total19

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000
Overall StudyDeath5

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicEfavirenz
Age, Continuous56 years
Region of Enrollment
France
19 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
6 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
13 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 0
serious
Total, serious adverse events
12 / 19

Outcome results

Primary

Percentage of Patients in Non-progression at 2 Months

Non-progression is defined as partial response, complete response or stable disease according to RECIST V1.0. Complete response is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions and partial response is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters (SLD) of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline SLD (RECIST V1.0.).Stable disease is defined as no decrease or increase sufficient to qualify as partial response or progression with reference to SLD since the start of treatment. Radiologic assessment was carried out every 8 weeks.

Time frame: 2 months

Population: 5 patients deceased at 2 months

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
EfavirenzPercentage of Patients in Non-progression at 2 Months14.3 percentage of participants
Secondary

Event-free Survival

Event-free survival (EFS) was defined as the delay between trial inclusion and the first of the following events: progression (biological or morphological), death, treatment interruption due to toxicity, initiation of another treatment. Morphological progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.0), as a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions. Biological progression is defined as a confirmed increase in CA 19-9 concentration to more than 1.5 times the baseline value, sustained over two consecutive monthly assessments. Patients without any of the aforementioned events at the time of the statistical analysis will be censored at the time they were last known to be event-free. The EFS was calculated using the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data.

Time frame: Through Database Cutoff Date of 06-July-2011 ( median follow-up time of 397 days)

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EfavirenzEvent-free Survival52 days
Secondary

Overall Survival

OS was was defined as the time from the inclusion to death due to any cause. Participants without documented death were censored at the date of the last follow-up or last patient contact. The OS was calculated using the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data.

Time frame: Through Database Cutoff Date of 06-July-2011 ( median follow-up time of 397 days)

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EfavirenzOverall Survival216 days
Secondary

Percentage of Patients in Non-biological Progression at 2 Months

Non-biological progression was assessed using CA 19-9 every 28 days until end of treatment, and was defined as a 2-month CA19.9 concentration lower than 1.5 times the baseline CA 19-9 concentration.

Time frame: 2 months

Population: 5 patients deceased at 2 months

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
EfavirenzPercentage of Patients in Non-biological Progression at 2 Months31.4 percentage of participants
Secondary

Percentage of Patients in Non-progression at 4 Months

Non-progression is defined as partial response, complete response or stable disease according to RECIST V1.0. Complete response is defined as the disappearance of all target lesions and partial response is defined as at least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters (SLD) of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline SLD (RECIST V1.0.).Stable disease is defined as no decrease or increase sufficient to qualify as partial response or progression with reference to SLD since the start of treatment. Radiologic assessment was carried out every 8 weeks.

Time frame: 4 months

Population: 8 patients deceased at 4 months

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
EfavirenzPercentage of Patients in Non-progression at 4 Months9.1 percentage of participants
Secondary

Progression-free Survival

Progression was defined as morphological or biological progression. Progression-free survival was defined as the delay between trial inclusion and progression (morphological or biological) or death for any reason. Morphological progression is defined using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors Criteria (RECIST v1.0), as a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter of target lesions, or a measurable increase in a non-target lesion, or the appearance of new lesions. Biological progression is defined as a confirmed increase in CA 19-9 concentration to more than 1.5 times the baseline value, sustained over two consecutive monthly assessments. Patients who have not progressed nor died at the time of the statistical analysis will be censored at the time they were last known to be progression-free. The EFS was calculated using the product-limit (Kaplan-Meier) method for censored data.

Time frame: Through Database Cutoff Date of 06-July-2011 ( median follow-up time of 397 days)

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
EfavirenzProgression-free Survival54 days
Secondary

Quality of Life Score

EORTC-QLQ-C30 is a cancer-specific instrument with 30 questions to evaluate quality of life. The first 28 use a 4-point scale (1=not at all, 2=a little, 3=quite a bit, 4=very much) assessing 5 functional scales (physical, role, emotional, cognitive, social), 3 symptom scales (fatigue, nausea/vomiting, pain), six single symptoms (dyspnea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhea, financial difficulties), and two global health/QoL questions. Items 29 and 30 use a 7-point scale (1=very poor to 7=excellent).Scores are linearly transformed from 0 to 100 per EORTC guidelines. Higher scores mean better functioning or QoL for functional/global scales, but worse symptoms for symptom scales and items. Score ranges (0-100): higher Functional scores = better QoL; higher Symptom scores= worse QoL; Higher Global health score= better QoL.

Time frame: 2 months

ArmMeasureGroupValue (MEDIAN)
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreDyspnoea score33.3 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreAppetite loss score16.7 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScorePhysical functionning score73.3 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreRole functionning score75 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreEmotional Functioning score83.3 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreCognitive Functioning score75 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreGlobal health status score58.3 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreFatigue score44.4 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreNausea / Vomiting score0 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScorePain score41.7 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreInsomnia score33.3 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreConstipation score0 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreDiarhoea score16.7 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreFinancial Problems score0 score on a scale
EfavirenzQuality of Life ScoreSocial Functioning score75 score on a scale

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026