title: Advanced carcinoma of the pancreas: phase II study of combined chemotherapy, beta-interferon, and retinoids.
abstract: Because of the poor response of pancreatic cancer to conventional therapy, the authors performed a phase II pilot study to evaluate whether beta-interferon and retinoids, added to active chemotherapeutic agents, could increase response rate and survival in a group of patients who had metastatic disease. Twenty-three chemotherapy-naive patients were treated as follows: epirubicin, 60 mg/m2, and mitomycin C, 10 mg/m2, intravenously on day 1; folinic acid, 200 mg/m2, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 370 mg/m2, intravenously for 5 consecutive days. beta-Interferon, 1 x 10(6) IU/m2, subcutaneously three times a week, and retinol palmitate, 50,000 IU orally twice a day, were given between chemotherapy cycles. Patients having responses and disease stabilization were maintained with the same dose of beta-interferon and retinol palmitate. Treatment was given every 4 weeks for four courses or until onset of progression. A median of three courses of chemotherapy was delivered to each patient. All patients were evaluable. Eight patients responded (35%) and 8 (35%) had stable disease. Median time to progression and survival for all patients were, respectively, 6.1 months and 11 months. Toxicity was severe: 60% of patients had hematologic toxicity, 40% had gastrointestinal toxicity, 13% had cardiac toxicity, and 1 patient had a hemolitic-uremic syndrome. The combination of chemotherapy, beta-interferon, and retinoids shows activity in metastatic pancreatic carcinoma. Toxicity was high but patients who had responses and disease stabilization had prolonged symptom palliation.
authors.affiliation: ULLS 2 Civilian Hospital, Division of Medicine, Avezzano, C.R.O.F.I., Monterotondo, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Recchia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sica
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Casucci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rea
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gulino
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frati
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004224:Diterpenes; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D015996:Survival Rate; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D000084562:Retinyl Esters; D014801:Vitamin A; C014794:retinol palmitate; D015251:Epirubicin; D016685:Mitomycin; D016899:Interferon-beta; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil