The Clinical Efficacy of Adjuvant Systemic Chemotherapy with Gemcitabine and NSC-631570 in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Frank Gansauge¹, Marco Ramadani², Michael Schwarz¹, Hans G Beger^1,3 Erkki Lotspeich⁴, Bertram Poch¹

¹Center for Oncological, Endocrinological and Minimal-access Surgery,
²Cabion Technologies
³Pancreatic Cancer Research Group, University of Ulm, and
⁴Army Hospital Department of Surgery, Ulm, Germany
Corresponding Author: Dr. Frank Gansauge, Center for OncologicalEndocrinological and Minimal-access Surgery, Silcherstr. 36, 89231 Neu-Ulm, Germany

ABSTRACT: Background/Aims: Recently we have shown that NSC-631570 (Ukrain) is a safe and effective drug in the treatment of unresectable pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the combined treatment with Gemcitabine and NSC-631570 in the adjuvant treatment of resected advanced pancreatic cancer. Methodology: 30 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy following surgical resection for pan­creatic cancer. Chemotherapy consisted of Gemc-itabine according to the Burris-protocol with weekly infusions of 1000mg/sqm. Immediately following Gemcitabine infusion 20mg of NSC-631570 were administered intravenously over 15 minutes. Results: WHO grade II toxicities were observed in 53%, no WHO grade III or IV toxicities occurred. In 80% of the patients recurrence of the disease was observed. The relapse-free survival time was 21.7 months. The actuarial survival rates were 86.7% after one year, 76.6% after two years, 46.7% after three years and 23.3% after five years. The median survival time according to Kaplan-Meier regression analysis was 33.8 months. Conclusions: Adjuvant chemotherapy in advanced stages of pancreatic cancer using the combination of Gemcitabine and NSC-631570 is a safe treatment and seems to lead to a prolonged survival. Although further investigation is needed to confirm these results, the combined treatment of Gemcitabine and NSC-631570 is a promising therapy for the adjuvant treatment of resectable advanced pancreatic cancer.