© 2007 European Society for Medical Oncology
gastro-intestinal cancer |
Second-line chemotherapy in advanced pancreatic carcinoma: a multicenter survey of the Gruppo Oncologico Italia Meridionale on the activity and safety of the FOLFOX4 regimen in clinical practice
1 Department of Experimental Oncology and Clinical Applications, University of Palermo, La Maddalena Clinic for Cancer, Palermo
2 IRCCS, Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo
3 Istituto Oncologico, Bari
4 Centro Catanese di OncologiaHumanitas, Catania
5 Ospedale San Vincenzo, Taormina
6 Ospedale Garibaldi, Catania
7 Ospedale Civile, Sciacca
8 Ospedale De Maria, Avola
9 Ospedale di Castelvetrano, AULS 9, Trapani, Italy
* Correspondence to: Dr V. Gebbia, Department of Experimental Oncology and Clinical Applications, University of Palermo, La Maddalena Clinic for Cancer, via san Lorenzo Colli n. 312d, Palermo, Italy. Tel: +390916806710; Fax: +390916806906; E-mail vittorio.gebbia{at}tin.it
Background: In daily clinical practice second-line chemotherapy (SLCT) is frequently given to patients with advanced pancreatic cancer failing gemcitabine-based first-line chemotherapy without solid scientific support.
Patients and methods: A retrospective survey was carried out including 42 patients. Patients received standard FOLFOX4 regimen biweekly until progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Results: Six partial responses (14%) and 16 stabilizations (38%) were recorded for a tumor growth control rate of 57%. The median time to progression (TtP) was 4 months (range 17 months), and median overall survival (OS) was 6.7 months (range 29 months). A stabilization of performance status (PS) and a subjective improvement of cancer-related symptoms were recorded in 27 patients.
Conclusions: Data presented in this paper support the use of FOLFOX4 regimen in the second-line treatment of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas patients. The use of SLCT, however, should be carefully proposed to patients with good PS or those who had a good response to first-line therapy.
Key words: FOLFOX4 regimen, pancreatic carcinoma, second-line chemotherapy