Purpose: To examine the feasibility of concurrent use of full-dose gemcitabine (GEM) and radiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer.
Patient and methods: 22 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were subjected to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (GEM 1,000 mg/m(2) weekly, three times during 4 weeks). They received limited-field irradiation by three-dimensional radiotherapy planning.
Results: Of the 22 patients, 16 (72%) completed the treatment (50 Gy irradiation and at least three times concurrent administration of 1 g/m(2) GEM). One patient with unresectable tail cancer showed peritonitis carcinomatosa and both chemotherapy and radiotherapy had to be stopped. Dose reduction or omission of GEM was necessary in another four patients. In addition, radiotherapy was discontinued in one patient for fatigue. Grade 3 hematologic toxicity was detected in eight patients (36%), and grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity (anorexia) in one patient (5%). In total, the response rate amounted to 32% (seven partial responses), and the median survival time (MST) was 16 months. Among the twelve patients who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy, nine underwent surgery and showed a survival rate of 78% at 1 year. Another 13 patients without surgery showed 14 months of MST. No regional lymph node failure has appeared so far.
Conclusion: Limited-field radiotherapy enables the safe concurrent administration of 1,000 mg/m(2) GEM.