This was a randomized, double–blind, placebo-controlled study of erlotinib tablets (150 mg or 100 mg daily) or placebo plus gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 by intravenous infusion) in patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer (Study 5). The safety population comprised 282 patients in the erlotinib group (259 in the 100 mg cohort and 23 in the 150 mg cohort) and 280 patients in the placebo group (256 in the 100 mg cohort and 24 in the 150 mg cohort).
Adverse reactions that occurred in at least 10% of patients treated with erlotinib tablet 100 mg plus gemcitabine in the randomized trial of patients with pancreatic cancer (Study 5) were graded according to NCI-CTC v2.0 in Table 4.
The most common adverse reactions in pancreatic cancer patients receiving erlotinib tablet 100 mg plus gemcitabine were fatigue, rash, nausea, anorexia and diarrhea. In the erlotinib tablets plus gemcitabine arm, Grade 3-4 rash and diarrhea were each reported in 5% of patients. The median time to onset of rash and diarrhea was 10 days and 15 days, respectively. Rash and diarrhea each resulted in dose reductions in 2% of patients, and resulted in study discontinuation in up to 1% of patients receiving erlotinib tablet plus gemcitabine. Severe adverse reactions (≥ Grade 3 NCI-CTC) in the erlotinib tablet plus gemcitabine group with incidences < 5% included syncope, arrhythmias, ileus, pancreatitis, hemolytic anemia including microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia, myocardial infarction/ischemia, cerebrovascular accidents including cerebral hemorrhage, and renal insufficiency[see Warnings and Precautions (5)].
The 150 mg cohort was associated with a higher rate of certain class-specific adverse reactions including rash and required more frequent dose reduction or interruption.
Table 4: Adverse Reactions Occurring with an Incidence Rate ≥ 10% and an Increase of ≥ 5% in erlotinib tablets-Treated Pancreatic Cancer Patients: 100 mg Cohort (Study 5)| Adverse Reaction | Erlotinib + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 IV N = 259 | Placebo + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 IV N = 256 |
| Any Grade% | Grade3% | Grade4% | Any Grade% | Grade3% | Grade4% |
| Rash† | 70 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 0 |
| Diarrhea | 48 | 5 | < 1 | 36 | 2 | 0 |
| Decreased weight | 39 | 2 | 0 | 29 | < 1 | 0 |
| Infection* | 39 | 13 | 3 | 30 | 9 | 2 |
| Pyrexia | 36 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 4 | 0 |
| Stomatitis | 22 | < 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Depression | 19 | 2 | 0 | 14 | < 1 | 0 |
| Cough | 16 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Headache | 15 | < 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
*Infections as a composite term include infections with unspecified pathogens as well as bacterial (including chlamydial, rickettsial, mycobacterial and mycoplasmal), parasitic (including helminthic, ectoparasitic and protozoal), viral and fungal infectious disorders.
†Rash as a composite term includes: rash, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome, pigmentation disorder, acneiform dermatitis, folliculitis, photosensitivity reaction, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, urticaria, erythematous rash, skin disorder, skin ulcer.
Ten patients (4%) in the erlotinib/gemcitabine group and three patients (1%) in the placebo/gemcitabine group developed deep venous thrombosis. The overall incidence of grade 3 or 4 thrombotic events, including deep venous thrombosis was 11% for Erlotinib tablets plus gemcitabine and 9% for placebo plus gemcitabine.
The incidences of liver test abnormalities (≥ Grade 2) in Study 5 are provided in Table 5 [see Dosage and Administration (2.4) and Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
Table 5: Liver Test Abnormalities in Pancreatic Cancer Patients: 100 mg Cohort (Study 5) | Erlotinib + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 IV N = 259 | Placebo + Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2IV N = 256 |
| Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4 |
| Bilirubin | 17% | 10% | < 1% | 11% | 10% | 3% |
| ALT | 31% | 13% | < 1% | 22% | 9% | 0% |
| AST | 24% | 10% | < 1% | 19% | 9% | 0% |