A Randomized Phase II Study Of Gemcitabine Plus Radiotherapy Vs. Gemcitabine, 5-Fluorouracil And Cisplatin Followed By Radiotherapy And 5-Fluoraracil For Patients With Locally Advanced, Potentially Resectable Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

OBJECTIVES:

• Compare the percentage of margin-free resections in patients with locally advanced, potentially resectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treated with gemcitabine and radiotherapy vs gemcitabine, fluorouracil, and cisplatin followed by radiotherapy and fluorouracil.
• Compare the efficacy of these regimens, as measured by CT scan response, in these patients.
• Compare the posttreatment fibrosis in resected specimens of patients treated with these regimens.
• Compare the toxicity of these regimens in these patients.
• Compare the duration of objective response in patients treated with these regimens.
• Compare the disease-free and overall survival of patients treated with these regimens.
• Compare the effect of these regimens and disease recurrence on CA 19-9 values in these patients.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to superior mesenteric vein (SMV)/portal vein (PV) occlusion (yes vs no), SMV/PV/superior mesenteric artery/hepatic artery abutment or narrowing (yes vs no), prior exploration (yes vs no), and whether deemed to require preoperative therapy due to other factors (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Arm I: Patients undergo radiotherapy once daily 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 50 minutes once weekly for 6 weeks during radiotherapy. Patients undergo surgical resection 4-6 weeks after completion of chemoradiotherapy.

Maintenance therapy (4-8 weeks after completion of surgery): Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 100 minutes once weekly for 2 weeks. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for 5 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.