title: [Effect of second-line treatment with capecitabine and thalidomide in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the efficacy and tolerability of capecitabine plus thalidomide in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who previously underwent gemcitabine-based therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-one patients with unresectable or metastatic PC who had progressed on single-agent Gem or a Gem-containing regimen were enrolled. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group (31 patients) was treated with capecitabine alone, and another group was treated with capecitabine plus thalidomide. Capecitabine was administered orally twice a day at a dose of 1, 250 mg/m(2) for 14-day followed by 7-day rest and oral thalidomide 100 mg was given daily without interruption until disease progression or occurrence of unacceptable toxicity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The PFS was 2.8 months (95%CI 2.4 - 3.2) vs. 3.1 months (95%CI 2.6-3.6, P < 0.05) and the OS was 6.1 months (95%CI 5.3 - 6.9) vs. 6.3 months (95%CI 5.2 - 7.4, P = 0.426). In the capecitabine alone group, one patient experienced a partial response (PR), 10 patients showed stable disease (SD) and 20 patients had progressive disease (PD). The another group, two patients experienced a partial response (PR), 11 patients SD, and 17 patients PD. The disease control rates were 35.5% and 43.3%, respectively. The major adverse reaction in the two groups was grade 3 diarrhea.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capecitabine plus thalidomide regimen is marginally effective and well tolerated in the second-line setting in patients with gemcitabine-refractory advanced pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Shandong Tumor Hospital, Jinan 250117, China.
authors.forename: Sheng-bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Ting-hang
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Xiao-yong
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Chun-hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000139:chemically induced; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D013792:Thalidomide; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil