Experience with the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer in Hungary

In the first phase of this study 34 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer have been treated either with gemcitabine/cisplatin or gemcitabine/5-fluorouracil (5FU)/leucovorin combination. (Gemzar: 900 mg/m2, Cisplatin: 20 mg/m2, 5-FU: 750 mg/m2). Treatments were continued till tumor progression. There was no difference observed between the two protocols in the clinical response rates (PR=65%). On the other hand, a significant difference was found between the two protocols regarding the side effects. In the case of gemcitabine/5-FU neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anaemia (as well as nausea and vomiting) were much less frequent compared to gemcitabine/cisplatin combination. Based on these data the efficacy of gemcitabine/5-FU combination was evaluated in 99 stage III, T1-4, N1 and stage IV, T1-4, N0-1, M1 pancreatic cancer patients throughout 364 treatment cycles. OR was achieved in 10% while stable disease in 52% of the cases. The average survival period was 8.33 months while the time to progression was 5.75 months. Based on these data we recommend gemcitabine/5-FU/leucovorin combination for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.