Published in:
01-10-2016 | Original Article
Impact of treatment duration of neoadjuvant FIRINOX in patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer: a pilot trial
Published in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology | Issue 4/2016
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Purpose
The aim of this pilot study is to confirm the safety and efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy and also treatment duration efficacy using modified FOLFIRINOX for patients with borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC).
Methods
The study is a prospective multicenter pilot trial conducted on patients with BRPC. Intervention for clinical trials: Modified FOLFIRINOX (without bolus 5-FU and LV, also decreased the dose of irinotecan; FIRINOX) was given to the first five patients in the 4-cycle group of the regimen and next five patients in the 8-cycle group. The primary end point was the toxicity of the therapy and one of the secondary end points were the optimal duration.
Results
The overall rate of grade 3 and 4 events was 80 %: 3 patients (60 %) in the four-cycle group and five patients (100 %) in the eight-cycle group had grade 3 or 4 adverse events. There was no incidence of serious adverse effect such as febrile neutropenia, sepsis, liver abscess or uncontrollable diarrhea. There was no clinically relevant morbidity presented in patients who underwent surgery. R0 rates by intention to treat were 60.0 % in the four-cycle group and 40 % in the eight-cycle group (P = 0.999). The histopathologic treatment effect based on the Evans grade revealed grade I (n = 1), IIa (n = 3) in the four-cycle group and grade I (n = 2), IIa (n = 1) in the eight-cycle group.
Conclusions
FIRINOX therapy was feasible and safe for strictly selected patients with BRPC. Four cycles of FIRINOX would be sufficient for patients with BRPC as neoadjuvant therapy.