Sorafenib Plus Irinotecan Combination in Patients With RAS-mutated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Refractory To Standard Combined Chemotherapies: A Multicenter, Randomized Phase 2 Trial (NEXIRI-2/PRODIGE 27)

Background No treatment option was available for patients with RAS-mutated (RASmt) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who progress after standard combined chemotherapies at the time of the study. After promising results in phase II, the aim of the present NEXIRI-2/PRODIGE 27 trial was to assess the 2-month non-progression rate for sorafenib (NEX) plus irinotecan (IRI), that is, NEXIRI, treatment. Methods Patients with RASmt mCRC after failure of oxaliplatin, IRI, fluoropyrimidines, and bevacizumab were randomized between NEXIRI (IRI 120-180 mg/m2 intravenous, D1 = D15 plus oral NEX 400 mg twice a day) versus IRI (180 mg/m2) versus NEX. Primary endpoint was the 2-month non-progression rate. Secondary endpoints included progression-free and overall survival (PFS and OS), safety, and germline cyclin D1 (CCND1) rs9344 polymorphisms analyses. Results A total of 173 patients were included, 59 in NEXIRI, 57 in IRI, and 57 in NEX arms. The 2-month non-progression rate was 52.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 39%–66%), 21.4% (10%–33%), and 19.3% (9%–30%) for NEXIRI, IRI, and NEX. Median PFS was 3.6 (95% CI: 2–4.2), 1.7 (1.7–1.8), and 2 (1.8–2.3) months and the median OS was 7.2 (5.8–9.4), 6.3 (4.8–8), and 5.6 (3.9–7.7) months for NEXIRI, IRI, and NEX, respectively. For NEXIRI rs9344CCND1 A/A genotype patients, OS was 19.6 months (95% CI: 4.8–not reached). Main grade 3 toxicities included neutropenia, febrile neutropenia, diarrhea, hand-foot syndrome, and hypertension. Conclusions In patients with RASmt mCRC who progressed after standard combined chemotherapies, the results of 2-month non-progression rate and median PFS in the NEXIRI arm were in favor of an increase of the time before progression.