Preoperative chemoradiotherapy, surgery and adjuvant therapy for resectable pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Background/aims: In order to improve the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, a combination therapy consisting of preoperative chemoradiotherapy, surgery and postoperative chemotherapy may be an ideal strategy; nevertheless, the influence of preoperative therapy to postoperative therapy is not investigated.

Methodology: Thirty patients with resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were enrolled. A 40Gy of radiation (2Gy/day x 20 fractions/4 weeks) was administered together with intravenous infusion of gemcitabine (800mg/m2, days 1, 8 and 15) before surgery. Surgery was performed 3-7 weeks after the final fraction of radiation, and postoperative chemotherapy consisting of 1000mg/m2 gemcitabine (days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks for 6 cycles) was started within 8 weeks after surgery.

Results: All 30 patients successfully completed preoperative therapy. Re-staging after such therapy showed radiologically unresectable disease in 4 patients and 1 patient rejected surgery. Among the 25 patients who underwent laparotomy, 21 underwent curative resection. After curative resection, 4 were inadequate in performance status, thus postoperative therapy could not be started. Ten patients completed postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Conclusions: The combination therapy for resectable pancreatic cancer seems a feasible and effective approach, though preoperative therapy may reduce the feasibility of postoperative therapy.