Paclitaxel and concurrent radiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the activity and toxicity of paclitaxel and concurrent radiation for pancreatic cancer.


METHODS
Forty-four patients with locally unresectable pancreatic cancer were studied. Patients received paclitaxel, 50 mg/m(2) by 3 h i.v. (IV) infusion, weekly, on Days 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. Radiation was administered concurrently to a total dose of 50.4 Gy, in 1.80 Gy fractions, for 28 treatments.


RESULTS
Nausea and vomiting were the most common toxicities, Grade 3 in five patients (12%). Two patients (5%) had Grade 4 hypersensitivity reactions to their first dose of paclitaxel. Of 42 evaluable patients, the overall response rate was 26%. The median survival was 8 months, and the 1-year survival was 30%.


CONCLUSIONS
Concurrent paclitaxel and radiation demonstrate local-regional activity in pancreatic cancer. Future investigations combining paclitaxel with other local-regional and systemic treatments are warranted.
Safran
H
H
The Brown University Oncology Group, Providence, RI 02906, USA.
Moore
T
T
Iannitti
D
D
Dipetrillo
T
T
Akerman
P
P
Cioffi
W
W
Harrington
D
D
Quirk
D
D
Rathore
R
R
Cruff
D
D
Vakharia
J
J
Vora
S
S
Savarese
D
D
Wanebo
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D017239:Paclitaxel