Gemcitabine Plus Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

Brief summary public domain (ClinicalTrials.gov)

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. PURPOSE: Phase II trial to study the effectiveness of gemcitabine plus radiation therapy in treating patients with pancreatic cancer that cannot be removed surgically.

Detailed description public domain (ClinicalTrials.gov)

OBJECTIVES: I. Estimate time to progression and overall survival of patients with locoregional adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treated with gemcitabine combined with radiation therapy. II. Estimate the biomarker response to this regimen through evaluation of circulating CA19-9 levels and correlate this response with survival of this patient population. OUTLINE: Patients receive radiation therapy 5 days per week for 5 1/2 weeks and gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes not greater than 2 hours prior to radiation therapy twice weekly. This combination radiation therapy and chemotherapy is followed by 2 weeks of rest. Patients with stable or responding disease receive a higher dose of gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes weekly for 3 weeks followed by 1 week of rest. This 4 week course is repeated 3 more times for a total of 16 weeks of gemcitabine therapy alone. Patients are followed every 2 months for the first year and then every 3 months for the next 2 years or until disease progression. Upon documentation of disease progression, patients are followed every 3 months for survival and secondary malignancy. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 40 patients will be accrued for this study within 24 months.