Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of subsequent resection of locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma after chemotherapy and external-beam radiotherapy.
Patients and methods: Between January 1996 and January 2001, 33 consecutive patients (18 males and 15 women, mean age 63 years) with locally advanced PA were treated with chemotherapy and concurrent external-beam radiotherapy. Radiotherapy delivered 45-50.4 Gy, in a classical manner (N=27) or on a split-course (N=6). Chemotherapy was made of 5FU by continuous infusion for all patients during 5 weeks and cisplatin at the 1st and 5th weeks (N=22). Tumor resectability was reassessed at the end of the chemoradiotherapy; surgical resection of tumour was attempted in patients whose tumor demonstrated reduction in size, and supplementary radiotherapy of 10 to 15 Gy was delivered to the others.
Results: Thirty-nine percent of patients experienced grade 3 acute toxicity. WHO criteria response to chemoradiotherapy four weeks after the end of treatment were: 4 partial responders (12%), 6 minor responders (18%), 14 stable disease (42%), 9 progression (28%). Ten patients underwent exploratory laparotomy, in one case vascular encasement did not allow for tumor resection, and in another patient, there was peritoneal carcinomatosis. In the 8 remaining patients, surgical (R0) resection was possible. In one patient histological examination showed fibrosis with no residual tumour. After a median follow-up period of 40 months, median survival was 16 months (66% and 37% of survival at 1 and 2 years respectively). In operated and non-operated patients, survival rates at 24 months were 73% and 12.5% respectively. At 1 year, 80% of the patients treated with radiochemotherapy developed recurrence, metastatic recurrence in 88%. Initial laparotomy, split course radiotherapy were poor outcome factors whereas chemotherapy appears to be a favorable outcome factor.
Conclusion: Subsequent resection of locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma is possible after chemoradiotherapy allowing for a prolonged survival in some patients.