title: The French experience with infusional 5-FU in gastric and pancreatic cancer.
abstract: Ninety-five patients with metastatic pancreatic (n = 38) or gastric (n = 57) carcinomas were treated by 5-day continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus cisplatin in two parallel phase II trials. 5-fluorouracil was given at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 for 5 consecutive days and cisplatin was given on day 2 at a dose of 100 mg/m2. The total number of cycles administered was 425, and each patient received a median number of four cycles. Severe toxicities were observed in around 20% of the patients and 2 toxic deaths occurred. Response rate assessed in 92 evaluable patients was 34%. The overall median survival was 8 months. There were no clinical or biological factors predictive of response, but a better survival was observed in patients with objective response and CA 19-9 blood levels lower than 100 UI/I. These two predictive factors are independent when tested in a multivariate model. The combination of infusion 5-FU plus cisplatin can be considered as a standard for the treatment of gastric metastatic carcinomas and as a promising schedule for pancreatic carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ducreux
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rougier
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D002272:Carcinoembryonic Antigen; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil