Authors: Peter Chi-Win Li, Amethyst Saldia, Sara Olson
Published: 2024-07-03
DOI: 10.1200/jco.2024.42.16_suppl.e16299
Source: Full article
e16299 Background: Survival from pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains poor, with a 5 year survival of 12.5%. A prior 2010 epidemiological study done at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) found an association between self-reported allergies and improved survival in PDAC patients. In this retrospective study, we analyzed self-reported allergies and outcomes in both resected and unresected PDAC patients. Methods: Data including allergy status and clinical information were collected from an ongoing PDAC registry study at MSKCC. 1389 eligible PDAC patients were approached and 917 were enrolled between April 2004 and November 2017. 874 patients were included in our overall survival (OS) analysis using Kaplan-Meier methods. 43 patients were excluded due insufficient data or loss to follow up. Cox proportional hazards models were used to adjust for covariates. Results: Of the 874 patients analyzed, mean age at diagnosis was 63.5 years (standard deviation: 11.4), 52% were male, and race was 87% white, 6% black, 4% Asian, and 3% other race. 32.3% had surgery and 85% received chemotherapy. Median overall survival (OS) was 32.8 vs. 27.7 months [Hazard Ratio (HR) 0.95, p = 0.73] and 12.5 vs. 11.2 months [HR 1.04, p = 0.66] in for PDAC patients with allergies compared to those without in the resected and unresected cohorts, respectively. Advanced stage was associated with worse outcomes in both groups. Chemotherapy was significantly associated with improved survival only in the unresected group (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.30-0.78, p = 0.030). Other established PDAC risk factors were also analyzed. Smoking history, diabetes, and family history were not associated with survival. Only obesity was significantly associated with worse outcomes in the unresected group (HR 1.3, 95% CI 1.01-1.67, p = 0.04). Conclusions: Contrary to previous findings, self-reported allergies were not significantly associated with improved survival in PDAC. In atopic patients, T helper type 2 cells are upregulated with allergen exposure and produce more IgE. Tumor-specific IgE has shown protective benefits in preclinical models but can be downregulated in the tumor microenvironment in PDAC. Further studies are needed to explore the relationship between allergies and PDAC and understand potential aspects of the immune system that can be harnessed to improve outcomes. One study limitation was that allergies were self-reported and not confirmed with allergy testing. We were also able to redemonstrate worse outcomes with more advanced stages and the benefit of chemo in the advanced setting. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms behind obesity and PDAC. [Table: see text]