title: Phase II evaluation of continuous-infusion 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, mitomycin-C, and oral dipyridamole in advanced measurable pancreatic cancer: a North Central Cancer Treatment Group Trial.
abstract: At present there remains a need for more effective systemic therapy in advanced pancreatic cancer. Some studies have suggested that infusional chemotherapy schedules and biomodulation of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) may improve the therapeutic outcome in advanced colon cancer. One such regimen that uses continuous infusion 5-FU, weekly leucovorin, daily dipyridamole, and intermittent mitomycin-C has activity in both colon and unresectable pancreatic carcinoma. The intent of this trial was to test the effectiveness of this four-drug regimen in advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients received 5-FU 200 mg/m2 daily by continuous infusion, leucovorin 30 mg/m2 IV weekly, mitomycin-C 10 mg/m2 day 1, and dipyridamole 75 mg orally four times daily for 5 weeks. After a 1-week break, treatment cycles were repeated every 6 weeks. Eligibility included biopsy-proven advanced measurable pancreatic cancer, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 and 2, and no prior systemic chemotherapy. Of 46 evaluable patients, 9 partial responses and 1 complete tumor response were seen, for an overall response rate of 22% (95% confidence interval 11-36%). The median survival in the group of 50 patients registered to this trial was 4.6 months, with a range of 0.33 to 40.2 months. Toxicity was manageable, with the most common toxicities (> or =grade III National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria) being anorexia (13%), stomatitis (17%), and hand-foot syndrome (13%). Of note, little severe hematologic toxicity and no significant headaches were reported. Although some patients did respond, the therapeutic results are not encouraging enough to take this regimen to phase III testing.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Burch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schroeder
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allmer
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Woodhouse
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Addo
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bernath
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Tschetter
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Windschitl
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Cobau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004176:Dipyridamole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D016685:Mitomycin; D004176:Dipyridamole; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil