title: Capecitabine based postoperative accelerated chemoradiation of pancreatic carcinoma. A dose-escalation study.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of escalating up to 55 Gy within five weeks, the dose of external beam radiotherapy to the previous tumor site concurrently with a fixed daily dose of capecitabine, in patients with resected pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with resected pancreatic carcinoma were eligible for this study. Capecitabine was administered at a daily dose of 1600 mg/m (2). Regional lymph nodes received a total radiation dose of 45 Gy with 1.8 Gy per fractions. The starting radiation dose to the tumor bed was 50.0 Gy (2.0 Gy/fraction, 25 fractions). Escalation was achieved up to a total dose of 55.0 Gy by increasing the fraction size by 0.2 Gy (2.2 Gy/fraction), while keeping the duration of radiotherapy to five weeks (25 fractions). A concomitant boost technique was used. Dose limiting toxicity (DLT) was defined as any grade>3 hematologic toxicity, grade>2 liver, renal, neurologic, gastrointestinal, or skin toxicity, by RTOG criteria, or any toxicity producing prolonged (> 10 days) radiotherapy interruption.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Twelve patients entered the study (median age: 64 years). In the first cohort (six patients), no patient experienced DLT. Similarly in the second cohort, no DLT occurred. All 12 patients completed the planned regimen of therapy. Nine patients experienced grade 1-2 nausea and/or vomiting. Grade 2 hematological toxicity occurred in four patients. The results of our study indicate that a total radiation dose up to 55.0 Gy/5 weeks can be safely administered to the tumor bed, concurrently with capecitabine (1600 mg/m (2)) in patients with resected pancreatic carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Radiotherapy Unit, Department of Oncology, John Paul II Center for High Technology Research and Education in Biomedical Sciences, Catholic University, Campobasso, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Morganti
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Picardi
authors.forename: Edy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massaccesi
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Macchia
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Deodato
authors.forename: Gian Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Mattiucci
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caravatta
authors.forename: Liberato
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Lullo
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giglio
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tambaro
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mignogna
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caprino
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ingrosso
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sofo
authors.forename: Numa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cellini
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Valentini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000009:adverse effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil