Safety and Efficacy of Gemcitabine Plus Nab-Paclitaxel for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer Patients Undergoing Biliary Stent Placement

Background Gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) is the first-line chemotherapeutic regimen for metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC); however, there are concerns regarding its safety in patients undergoing biliary stent placement. This study aimed to examine the tolerability and efficacy of GnP in MPC patients who underwent biliary stent placement. Methods A total of 105 MPC patients who had received GnP treatment between 2015 and 2020 were included and investigated. The patients were divided into two groups: those undergoing biliary stent placement for symptomatic biliary obstruction (BO) (With-BO group) and those without biliary stent placement (Without-BO group). The best tumor response, overall survival (OS), and adverse events in each group were compared. Results The partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease rates were 22%, 61%, and 14.6% in the With-BO group, and 26.6%, 46.9%, and 21.9% in the Without-BO group, respectively, with no significant differences. The median OS was 12.2 months and 14.6 months in the With-BO and Without-BO groups, respectively (P = 0.483). Grade 3 or higher biliary tract-related events were significantly more common in the With-BO group (41.5%) than in the Without-BO group (1.6%) (P < 0.001), but all events were managed successfully by urgent intervention. The rates of any treatment-related toxicities, including febrile neutropenia, were not significantly different, and there were no chemotherapy-related deaths in either group. Conclusions GnP can be as tolerable and effective in MPC patients with biliary stents as in those without biliary stents. However, careful management and appropriate reintervention to treat biliary tract-related adverse events are required.