Gemcitabine or Combination Chemotherapy Followed by Chemoradiation for Stage IB, II, or III Pancreatic Cancer

Summary

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine hydrochloride, cisplatin, epirubicin hydrochloride, fluorouracil, and capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. It is not yet known whether gemcitabine hydrochloride is more effective when given alone or together with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy in treating patients with pancreatic cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase II/III trial is studying gemcitabine hydrochloride to see how well it works when given alone or together with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy in treating patients with stage IB, stage II, or stage III pancreatic cancer.

Timeline

Start

2003-06

Primary completion

2009-06

Completion

2009-06

Publications

• Background Reni M, Passoni P, Bonetto E, Balzano G, Panucci MG, Zerbi A, Ronzoni M, Staudacher C, Villa E, Di Carlo V. Final results of a prospective trial of a PEFG (Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5-Fluorouracil, Gemcitabine) regimen followed by radiotherapy after curative surgery for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Oncology. 2005;68(2-3):239-45. doi: 10.1159/000086780. Epub 2005 Jul 7.

Drugs

Indications