5-fluorouracil intra-arterial infusion combined with systemic gemcitabine for unresectable pancreatic cancer.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to define assessment of response and adverse events of the combination chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) pancreatic and hepatic arterial continuous infusion and systemic gemcitabine administration for unresectable pancreatic cancer.

METHODS

We treated 24 chemotherapy-naive patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. To prevent gastroduodenal injury from 5-FU infusion, the catheter was placed to allow the distribution of 5-FU to the pancreatic tumor and the liver after occlusion of the gastric and pancreaticoduodenal arteries. 5-FU was administered at a dose of 250 mg/d on days 1 to 5 every week as a continuous arterial infusion. Gemcitabine was infused intravenously at a dose of 1000 mg once weekly for 3 consecutive weeks of every 4 weeks.

RESULTS

The partial response rate was 20.8% (5 of 24), although there was no case of complete response. Fourteen cases (58.3%) were stable disease, and 5 cases (20.8%) were progressive disease. The most common toxicities were hematological and gastrointestinal events. No patients died of adverse effects using this chemotherapy. Gastric and/or duodenal ulcers occurred because of 5-FU intra-arterial infusion. Catheter-related cholangitis occurred in patients with biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice. Median survival time was 14 months, with a 50.9% 1-year survival rate, although patients with performance status 2 and multiple organ metastases had a poor prognosis.

CONCLUSIONS

This combination chemotherapy was well tolerated and seemed to be effective for patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.