L-Glutamine in combination with first-line gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: an open-label, single-arm, phase 1 GlutaPanc trial.

Adding L-glutamine to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel nearly doubled the overall survival to 22 months in advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients.

• Why it matters: Pancreatic cancer has limited treatment options and poor prognosis, highlighting the need for improved therapies; translating preclinical findings of L-glutamine's antitumor activity into clinical benefit is crucial.
• What they did: A phase 1 trial with 16 treatment-naive patients tested escalating doses of L-glutamine combined with standard chemotherapy, assessing safety, optimal dosing, and preliminary efficacy, including tumor response and survival metrics.
• The result: The combination was feasible at maximum doses, with a 94% tumor shrinkage rate and a 44% overall response rate, suggesting that L-glutamine enhances chemotherapy effectiveness and may improve survival outcomes.