Combination therapy for resectable and unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

The current report summarizes our experience with 77 patients with cancer of the pancreas treated over 3.5 years. Patients were not assigned to a definite group of therapy, but through the availability of different drugs and different types of treatment several comparable groups have evolved. All patients have received radiofrequency hyperthermia and chemotherapy, but in addition, some have received selective immune stimulation with one of two low-molecular-weight compounds. The data show that radiofrequency hyperthermia permits the use of a lower dose of chemotherapy, with an apparent response to treatment. This response is enhanced significantly by the addition of selective immune stimulation. A further, more rigorously defined study will be undertaken to confirm this data.