title: Comparison of hyper-fractionated accelerated and standard fractionated radiotherapy with concomitant low-dose gemcitabine for unresectable pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with gemcitabine improves median survival for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. Recently, hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (HART) has been used to treat these patients; however, the safety and efficacy are not well defined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The standard-fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) group (n=17) received 50.4 Gy in 28 fractions of 1.8 Gy/day. The HART group (n=18) received 50 Gy in 40 fractions of 1.25 Gy twice/day. Concurrent gemcitabine was administered to both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median survival times were 11.3 months (SFRT) and 12.9 months (HART). One- and two-year survival rates were 37.5% and 18.8% (SFRT) and 47.1% and 17.6% (HART), respectively. The response rates did not differ significantly. The HART regimen required significantly fewer treatment days (35.5) than did the SFRT regimen (41.3). The toxicity profiles were similar.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HART/gemcitabine regimen has equivalent efficacy and a shorter treatment time as compared with the SFRT/gemcitabine regimen for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Oncology and Digestive Surgery, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima, Japan. kmaemura@hotmail.co.jp
authors.forename: Kosei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maemura
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinchi
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noma
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mataki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurahara
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hiraki
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakajo
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natsugoe
authors.forename: Sonshin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takao