Pancreatic Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Pancreatic Cancer, including details on symptoms, causes, treatment, information.

Phase II study of troxacitabine in chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced cancer of the pancreas: gastrointestinal tumors.

Lapointe R, Létourneau R, Steward W, Hawkins RE, Batist G, Vincent M, Whittom R, Eatock M, Jolivet J, Moore M

Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal, St-Luc Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Troxacitabine (Troxatyl) is a novel L-enantiomer nucleoside analog with activity in pancreatic cancer xenograft models. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Troxacitabine 1.5 mg/m(2) was administered by 30-min infusions daily x5 every 4 weeks to 54 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients were evaluated for objective tumor response, time to tumor progression (TTP), changes in tumor marker CA 19-9, survival, safety, pain, analgesic consumption, Karnofsky performance status and weight change. RESULTS: Median TTP was 3.5 months (95% CI 2.0-3.8), median survival 5.6 months (95% CI 4.9-7.4), and the 1 year survival rate 19%. Best responses were stable disease in 24 patients with eight patients having stable disease for at least 6 months (15%). A 50% or greater decrease in CA 19-9 was seen in seven of 44 assessed patients (16%). Grade 3 and 4 neutropenia were observed in 37% and 30% of patients with one episode of febrile neutropenia. The most common drug-related non-hematological toxic effects reported were cutaneous, with 22% and 6% of patients reporting grade 2 and 3 skin rash, respectively and 4% grade 2 hand-foot syndrome. CONCLUSION: Troxacitabine administered by a bolus daily x5 monthly regimen has modest activity in advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Published 25 January 2005 in Ann Oncol, 16(2): 289-93.
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