Treatment of cancer of the pancreas by precision high dose (PHD) external photon beam and intraoperative electron beam therapy (IOEBT).
Twenty-five patients with a diagnosis of unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were explored in the Clement O. Miniger (COMROC) IOEBT operating amphitheater at the Medical College of Ohio. Seventeen were treated with IOEBT (20-30 Gy, 15 or 18 meV electrons) PHD external beam radiation therapy (40-60 Gy, 1.8 Gy per fraction) plus appropriate operative biliary and gastrointestinal bypass procedures. No intraoperative complications were observed. Two patients died of causes that may have been treatment-related. Two patients developed abdominocutaneous fistulae. Pain was ameliorated in eleven of twelve patients. Jaundice was relieved in all patients. Four of ten patients with weight loss showed a reversal of that trend. Patient survival was not significantly different from that of patients treated with high-dose precision therapy alone.
Dobelbower
R R
RR
Dept. of Radiation Therapy, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699.
Howard
J M
JM
Bagne
F R
FR
Eltaki
A
A
Merrick
H W
HW
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D004583:Electrons; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery