Second-line chemotherapy with capecitabine (Xeloda) and docetaxel (Taxotere) in previously treated, unresectable adenocarcinoma of pancreas: the final results of a phase II trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of the docetaxel and capecitabine combination in patients with previously treated, unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.


METHODS
Patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, pre-treated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, were treated with capecitabine (800 mg/m(2) orally, twice a day for 14 days) and docetaxel (75 mg/m(2) i.v, on day 1), every 3 weeks. The primary end-point was overall response rate (RR).


RESULTS
Thirty-one patients were enrolled in the study; 93.6% of them had a performance status (PS) of 0-1 and 96.8% had stage IV disease. Patients received a median of 4 cycles/patient, and the main reason for treatment discontinuation was disease progression. Partial response was observed in three (9.7%) patients, stable disease in seven (22.6%) (disease control rate: 32.3%, 95% CI: 15.80-48.71%) and disease progression in 21 (67.6%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.4 months (95% CI: 1.6-3.13) and the median overall survival (OS) was 6.3 months (95% CI: 3.38-9.23); the estimated 1-year survival rate was 14.7%. Grade III/IV neutropenia occurred in 10 (32.2%) patients and febrile neutropenia in one patient. Other severe non-hematologic toxicities were mild and manageable. After 2 chemotherapy cycles, pain control occurred in 20% of patients and stabilization of body weight in 40%.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of docetaxel/capecitabine may confer good disease control associated with improvement of quality of life as second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Katopodis
Ourania
O
Hellenic Oncology Research Group (HORG), 55 Lombardou str., 11470 Athens, Greece.
Polyzos
Aris
A
Kentepozidis
Nikolaos
N
Giassas
Stylianos
S
Rovithi
Maria
M
Bozionelou
Vasiliki
V
Kalbakis
Kostas
K
Vamvakas
Lambros
L
Mavroudis
Dimitris
D
Georgoulias
Vassilis
V
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil