title: Evaluation of external-beam radiation therapy plus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) versus external-beam radiation therapy plus hycanthone (HYC) in confined, unresectable pancreatic cancer.
abstract: From March 1981 to November 1987, 87 patients with histologically confirmed pancreatic adenocarcinoma, unresectable but confined to the pancreatic region, were randomized to two treatments. The standard treatment was 40-50 Gy external-beam radiation therapy (RT) to gross tumor plus potential microscopic tumor with a 5 Gy boost to gross tumor plus a 1.5-2.0 cm margin, using multiple fields and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) 500 mg/m2/d intravenously by rapid infusion. The 5-FU was given each of the initial 3 days of each of three 20 Gy radiation courses. The experimental treatment used identical radiation fields, but the two Gy daily radiation fractions were administered in a continuous course to a total dose of 50 Gy. Hycanthone was administered 60 mg/m2 intravenously within 2 to 4 hr during each day of the 5-day course of infusions during the first and fifth weeks of radiation therapy. There was no statistically significant difference between treatment arms in survival (p = 0.82) or disease-free survival (p = 0.27). Seven percent of hycanthone-treated patients demonstrated hepatic toxicity which was usually mild in nature. There was, however, one death due to hepatic toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Earle
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Foley
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wieand
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Kvols
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Krook
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Tschetter
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Schutt
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Twito
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006826:Hycanthone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D006826:Hycanthone; D005472:Fluorouracil