5-fluorouracil continuous infusion combined with cisplatin for advanced pancreatic cancer: a Japanese Cooperative Study

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prognosis of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer is extremely poor. To improve their prognosis, providing effective chemotherapy is necessary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-tumor activity and toxicity of combined chemotherapy (FP therapy) using 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin in Japanese chemo-naive patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. METHODOLOGY: Thirty-seven previously untreated patients with histologically proven pancreatic adenocarcinoma were treated with FP therapy. 5-fluorouracil was administered at 500 mg/m2/day by continuous intravenous infusion for 5 days and cisplatin was administered at 80 mg/m2 intravenously on the 1st day. Therapy was repeated every 4 weeks until there was evidence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: Three patients achieved partial responses, whereas none exhibited a complete response. The overall response rate was 8% (95% confidence interval, 2-22%) and the response durations were 6, 9 and 12 months, respectively. The median survival time of patients was 5 months. Toxicities were generally mild and acceptable, although nausea/vomiting was the most commonly observed toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: FP therapy on this schedule had limited anti-tumor activity for pancreatic cancer, indicating that, practically, it should not be performed in Japanese patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.