Identification of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who might benefit from third-line chemotherapy

Figure 1 Study flowchart. Of 1152 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, 1031 received first-line 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) or gemcitabine plus albumin-bound paclitaxel, and 559 and 199 received second-line and third-line chemotherapy, respectively. 167 patients received best supportive care and their survival outcomes are known. In total, 141 patients were enrolled in this study. FOLFIRINOX: 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin; GNP: Gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel; PD: Progressive disease.

Figure 2 Treatment outcomes of third-line chemotherapy. A: Waterfall plot illustrating the best tumor response during third-line chemotherapy. The evaluation was based on the response evaluation criteria in solid tumors system, with a disease control rate of 26.2%; B: Kaplan-Meier curve showing a median overall survival of 15.3 weeks during third-line chemotherapy; C: Kaplan-Meier curve showing a median progression-free survival of 7.3 weeks during third-line chemotherapy. OS: Overall survival; CI: Confidence interval; PFS: Progression-free survival.

Figure 3 Prognostic factors influencing overall survival in third-line chemotherapy. A: Performance status; B: Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels; C: Duration of second-line chemotherapy; D: Presence of peritoneal seeding were significantly associated with overall survival. PS: Performance status; CA19-9: Carbohydrate antigen 19-9; 2L: Second-line chemotherapy.