Neoadjuvant therapy for pancreatic cancer: The Duke experience

Rebekah R. White, Douglas S. Tyler

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

The advantages of neoadjuvant (preoperative) chemoradiation therapy for pancreatic cancer include the assurance that all resected patients receive multimodality therapy; the opportunity for patients with occult metastatic disease to manifest themselves; and the potential to improve resectability. Since 1994, Duke University Medical Center has treated over 180 patients with localized pancreatic cancer using neoadjuvant 5-fluorouracil(5FU)-based chemoradiation therapy (CRT). Approximately 20% of patients demonstrate distant disease progression during CRT and avoid the morbidity of laparotomy. Almost 20% of locally advanced tumors on initial-staging CT can be resected following CRT. Patients who have successfully undergone resection have experienced favorable survival with an estimated 5-year survival rate of 36%. This article reviews the authors' experience and the lessons learned from it.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)675-684
Number of pages10
JournalSurgical Oncology Clinics of North America
Volume13
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2004
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Surgery
  • Oncology

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