PURPOSE: To assess the toxicity and efficacy of preoperative chemoradiation in pancreatic cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between November 1996 and December 2001, 32 patients with biopsy-proven pancreatic adenocarcinoma (28 head; 4 body) were treated by chemoradiation consisting of either split-course therapy (two courses of 15 Gy separated by a 2-week break, n = 10) or standard-fractionation therapy (45 Gy during 5 weeks, n = 22). Concurrent chemotherapy included continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil and a cisplatin bolus. Pancreatic resection was scheduled for 4-6 weeks after completion of chemoradiation treatment. RESULTS: All 32 patients completed the chemoradiation protocol. Only 2 cases of Grade 3 toxicity (weight loss, vomiting) and one fatal Grade 4 infection occurred. Of the 32 patients, 19 underwent curative resection. Two patients had a complete pathologic response. One patient died 36 months after diagnosis of late treatment-related toxicity (acute superior mesenteric artery thrombosis) with no evidence of disease. The 2-year overall survival rate for the entire group and the resected patients was 37.3% (95% confidence interval 18.2-56.4%) and 59.3% (95% confidence interval 34.1-84.9%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Preoperative chemoradiation with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin is feasible and promising.
PURPOSE: To assess the toxicity and efficacy of preoperative chemoradiation in pancreatic cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between November 1996 and December 2001, 32 patients with biopsy-proven pancreatic adenocarcinoma (28 head; 4 body) were treated by chemoradiation consisting of either split-course therapy (two courses of 15 Gy separated by a 2-week break, n = 10) or standard-fractionation therapy (45 Gy during 5 weeks, n = 22). Concurrent chemotherapy included continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil and a cisplatin bolus. Pancreatic resection was scheduled for 4-6 weeks after completion of chemoradiation treatment. RESULTS: All 32 patients completed the chemoradiation protocol. Only 2 cases of Grade 3 toxicity (weight loss, vomiting) and one fatal Grade 4 infection occurred. Of the 32 patients, 19 underwent curative resection. Two patients had a complete pathologic response. One patient died 36 months after diagnosis of late treatment-related toxicity (acute superior mesenteric artery thrombosis) with no evidence of disease. The 2-year overall survival rate for the entire group and the resected patients was 37.3% (95% confidence interval 18.2-56.4%) and 59.3% (95% confidence interval 34.1-84.9%), respectively. CONCLUSION: Preoperative chemoradiation with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin is feasible and promising.
Authors: Jonathan B Ashman; Adyr A Moss; William G Rule; Matthew G Callister; K Sudhakar Reddy; David C Mulligan; Joseph M Collins; Giovanni De Petris; Leonard L Gunderson; Mitesh Borad Journal: J Gastrointest Oncol Date: 2013-12