Digestion
ESPAC Satellite Study
Clinical Response Benefit in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic CancerRole of Gemcitabine CRC Academic Unit of Clinical Oncology, University of Nottingham, UK
|
|
Log in to MyKarger to check if you already have access to this content.
KAB
Buy a Karger Article Bundle (KAB) and profit from a discount!
If you would like to redeem your KAB credit, please log in.
Save over 20% compared to the individual article price.
Article / Publication Details
Published online: February 05, 2009
Issue release date: 1997
Number of Print Pages: 5
Number of Figures: 0
Number of Tables: 0
ISSN: 0012-2823 (Print)
eISSN: 1421-9867 (Online)
For additional information: https://www.karger.com/DIG
Abstract
The prognosis for patients with pancreatic cancer remains extremely poor. A minority are surgically resectable, but the remainder suffer problems from locally invasive disease and also metastatic spread. Median survival in these patients approximates 4 months, with limited systemic options. Many chemotherapy drugs have been evaluated in pancreatic cancer and the results have been disappointing. Of the newer agents, gemcitabine shows the greatest promise in this tumour type. Gemcitabine is a novel pyrimidine antagonist with activity in a number of tumour types. Gemcitabine has been evaluated in 3 phase II studies revealing anti-tumour activity, albeit to a modest degree of around 10%. Many objective tumour reductions have been seen, and more importantly improved symptom control is reported by many investigators. In view of these findings a randomized phase III study was performed in the United States comparing gemcitabine with weekly 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy. Patients receiving gemcitabine achieved a higher response rate, improved symptom control and prolonged survival. These results were statistically significant. Despite the statistically significant improvement in objective response rate and survival in these patients, the outcome of systemic treatment in these patients remains extremely poor. These studies raise the question about the appropriate end-points for systemic chemotherapy trials in pancreatic cancer. Despite low objective response rates and survival improvement of approximately 6 weeks, these patients did achieve symptom control and improvements in quality of life (clinical benefit response). Gemcitabine is the first agent to be evaluated in this way and has been shown to be a benefit for approximately a quarter of the patients treated. Single agent gemcitabine could represent the standard on which to develop and evaluate new approaches. We need to improve on these results and one way forward is to look to gemcitabine containing combination chemotherapy regimens. The relative lack of toxicity associated with this drug lends itself to this approach.
© 1997 S. Karger AG, Basel
Related Articles:
Article / Publication Details
Published online: February 05, 2009
Issue release date: 1997
Number of Print Pages: 5
Number of Figures: 0
Number of Tables: 0
ISSN: 0012-2823 (Print)
eISSN: 1421-9867 (Online)
For additional information: https://www.karger.com/DIG
Copyright / Drug Dosage / Disclaimer
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug.
Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.
Get Permission
PubMed ID
