Prognostic factors in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma treated with intra-arterial chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to identify the prognostic factors of a large group of patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent the same regimen of intra-arterial chemotherapy.


METHODS
5-fluorouracil (1000 mg/m2), leucovorin (100 mg/m2), epirubicin (60 mg/m2), and carboplatin (300 mg/m2) were administered every 3 weeks into celiac axis (FLEC regimen). Kaplan-Meyer survival curve for univariate analysis and Cox regression model for multivariate one were used to determine factors predictive of survival.


RESULTS
Data of 211 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who underwent FLEC regimen were analyzed. Eighty-nine had locally advanced disease, and 112 had distant metastases. Median overall survival was 9.2 months. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, pain reduction after treatment (< or =30% of baseline level vs >30%; overall survival, 7.6 vs 11.5 months), stage of disease (III vs IV; overall survival, 10.5 vs 6.6 months), and number of administered cycles (< or =3 vs >3; overall survival, 5.9 vs 12.3 months) were significant and independent predictors of survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Pain reduction, stage of disease, and number of administered cycles are independent prognostic factors of overall survival in a multivariate analysis of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving FLEC regimen intra-arterially.
Mambrini
Andrea
A
Department of Oncology, Massa Carrara City Hospital, Massa Carrara, Italy.
Bassi
Claudio
C
Pacetti
Paola
P
Torri
Tito
T
Iacono
Calogero
C
Ballardini
Michela
M
Orlandi
Massimo
M
Guadagni
Stefano
S
Fiorentini
Giammaria
G
Cantore
Maurizio
M
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
D015251:Epirubicin; D016190:Carboplatin; D002955:Leucovorin; D005472:Fluorouracil