title: Neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer: the Duke experience.
abstract: The advantages of neoadjuvant (preoperative) chemoradiation therapy for pancreatic cancer include the assurance that all resected patients receive multimodality therapy; the opportunity for patients with occult metastatic disease to manifest themselves; and the potential to improve resectability. Since 1994, Duke University Medical Center has treated over 180 patients with localized pancreatic cancer using neoadjuvant 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Approximately 20% of patients demonstrate distant disease progression during CRT and avoid the morbidity of laparotomy. Almost 20% of locally advanced tumors on initial-staging CT can be resected following CRT. Patients who have successfully undergone resection have experienced favorable survival with an estimated 5-year survival rate of 36%. This article reviews the authors' experience and the lessons learned from it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Box 31118, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Rebekah R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Tyler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009657:North Carolina; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome