| Theme | Chemotherapy for Gastrointestinal Malignancy | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | Chemotherapy for Hepato-Biliary and Pancreatic Carcinoma | |
| Publish Date | 2001/05 | |
| Author | Junji Furuse | Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East |
| Author | Yasushi Maru | Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East |
| Author | Masahiro Yoshino | Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital East |
| [ Summary ] | With hepatobiliary pancreatic cancer, there is no regimen of systemic chemotherapy, which has shown definite clinical benefits. Most chemotherapies have been performed as clinical trials. No usefulness has been certified in any clinical trial of systemic chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma or cholangiocellular carcinoma. The widely used combination regimens in biliary tract cancer have been based on 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and they have been reported to have relatively high response rates. There is hope that such a combination of chemotherapies may improve survival rates. In locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma, chemoradation therapy, using 5-FU, has widely been performed as a standard treatment. The clinical trials of a more effective irradiation method and/or new medical agents have been conducted to improve survival rates. In advanced pancreatic carcinoma with distant metastasis, gemcitabine has recently appeared to have promise in a randomized trial with 5-FU. Gemcitabine is more effective than 5-FU in alleviation of some disease-related symptoms; pain, performance status, and weight loss. It also has an advantage for survival rates. | |