title: Pilot study of irinotecan/oxalipltin (IROX) combination chemotherapy for patients with gemcitabine- and 5-fluorouracil- refractory pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gemcitabine- and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)- based chemotherapy is a commonly used adjuvant or palliative treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer. However, a standard chemotherapy regimen has yet to be developed for patients refractory to gemcitabine and 5-FU treatment. We attempted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of irinotecan and oxaliplatin (IROX) as a salvage treatment for patients with gemcitabine- and 5-FU- refractory pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who were refractory to prior gemcitabine- and 5-FU- based chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. IROX chemotherapy was administered as follows: Irinotecan, 150 mg/m(2) on day 1; and oxaliplatin, 85 mg/m(2) on day 1 over 90 min every 2 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From Mar. 2006 to Dec. 2008, a total of 14 patients were administered 50 cycles of chemotherapy. The male-to-female ratio of the patient group was 11:3. These patients ranged in age from 48 to 73 years (median 65.5 years old). 3 patients (21.4%) evidenced partial responses. four patients (28.6%) exhibited stable disease. The median time to progression and overall survival time were 1.4 (95% CI: 1.2-1.6) months and 4.1 (95% CI: 2.0-6.2) months, respectively. Major hematologic toxicities included grade 1-2 anemia (88%), neutropenia (36%), thrombocytopenia (30%), and grade 3-4 neutropenia (10%). The most frequently detected non-hematological toxicities were grade 3 diarrheas (14%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The IROX regimen appears to constitute a feasible and tolerable salvage therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who have been previously treated with gemcitabine- and 5-FU-based chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Hyun Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Tae Hyo
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gyeong-Won
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hoon Gu
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chi-Young
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Hyuk-Chan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Jung Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D002166:Camptothecin; D000093542:Gemcitabine