Significance of Chemoradiation Following Induction Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced,Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer -a Randomised Phase 3 Trial: Chemoradiation Following Induction Chemotherapy Compared With Chemotherapy Alone
This randomized trial examines the effectiveness of chemoradiotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone after induction chemotherapy with 3 cycles of gemcitabine or 6 cycles of FOLFIRINOX in patients with locally advanced, non resectable and non-metastatic pancreatic cancer. Chemotherapeutic agent in chemoradiotherapy is gemcitabine administered in 5 cycles, the agent and its administration for sole chemotherapy is determined by induction chemotherapy. Operability of tumor is evaluated at week 11 after randomisation. Patients will be followed for the duration of therapy and for 5 years after the last study treatment. Overall survival at the end of follow up is defined as primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints are tumor-free survival, rate of local recurrence or local progression, rate of distant metastasis, acute and late toxicity of the chemoradiotherapy, quality of life, rate of remission, rate of curative resections (R0) after chemotherapy and chemoradiotherapy. It is planned to include a total number of 830 patients.
• Age \> 18 years
• histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
• no evidence of distant metastasis based on computed tomography of the thorax and abdomen
• non resectable pancreatic cancer
• no evidence of peritoneal carcinosis
• ECOG-performance status ≤ 2
• signed study-specific consent form prior to therapy