Gemcitabine With or Without Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer

Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. It is not yet known whether gemcitabine is more effective with or without radiation therapy in treating pancreatic cancer. PURPOSE: Randomized phase III trial to study the effectiveness of gemcitabine with or without radiation therapy in treating patients who have locally advanced, unresectable pancreatic cancer.

Timeline

Start

2003-08-29

Primary completion

2009-05

Completion

2009-05

Publications

• Results Loehrer PJ, Powell ME, Cardenes HR, et al.: A randomized phase III study of gemcitabine in combination with radiation therapy versus gemcitabine alone in patients with localized, unresectable pancreatic cancer: E4201. [Abstract] J Clin Oncol 26 (Suppl 15): A-4506, 2008.

Drugs

Indications