Abstract
Background: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with gemcitabine improves median survival for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. Recently, hyper-fractionated accelerated radiotherapy (HART) has been used to treat these patients; however, the safety and efficacy are not well defined. Patients and Methods: The standard-fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) group (n=17) received 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions of 1.8 Gy/day. The HART group (n=18) received 50 Gy in 40 fractions of 1.25 Gy twice/day. Concurrent gemcitabine was administered to both groups. Results: Median survival times were 11.3 months (SFRT) and 12.9 months (HART). One- and two-year survival rates were 37.5% and 18.8% (SFRT) and 47.1% and 17.6% (HART), respectively. The response rates did not differ significantly. The HART regimen required significantly fewer treatment days (35.5) than did the SFRT regimen (41.3). The toxicity profiles were similar. Conclusion: The HART/gemcitabine regimen has equivalent efficacy and a shorter treatment time as compared with the SFRT/gemcitabine regimen for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.
- Pancreas
- unresectable cancer
- chemoradiotherapy
- hyper-fractionated accelerated radiotherapy
- conformal radiotherapy
- gemcitabine
Footnotes
- Received January 29, 2008.
- Revision received May 2, 2008.
- Accepted May 6, 2008.
- Copyright© 2008 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved