Chemo plus hyperthermia active in advanced pancreatic cancer
(HealthDay)—For patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic carcinoma with malignant ascites, a combined systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy approach plus hyperthermia is well tolerated and active, according to a study published online July 25 in the Journal of Global Oncology.
Yu-Fei Fan, from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and colleagues treated 29 chemotherapy-naive patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic carcinoma with malignant ascites with intraperitoneal cisplatin and gemcitabine intravenously on days one, eight, and 15 every 28 days until tumor progression. From days one to 21, patients received regional hyperthermia treatment (41 to 42 degrees Celsius) on the upper abdomen twice per week.
The researchers found that 83 chemotherapy cycles were administered, and these were generally well tolerated. None of the patients had a complete response, while 13, seven, and nine had a partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease, respectively. The median progression-free survival was 119 ± 61 days, while overall survival was 195 ± 98 days.
"This study provides preliminary evidence that the treatment approach of combined systemic and intraperitoneal chemotherapy plus hyperthermia is well tolerated, is active, and has an acceptable survival profile for patients with stage IV pancreatic cancer and ascites," the authors write.
One author disclosed financial ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
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