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Association of radiotherapy with favorable prognosis in daily clinical practice for treatment of locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer
Author(s) -
Yang ShihHung,
Guo JheCyuan,
Yeh KunHuei,
Tien YuWen,
Cheng AnnLii,
Kuo SungHsin
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/jgh.13395
Subject(s) - medicine , pancreatic cancer , radiation therapy , oncology , clinical practice , cancer , intensive care medicine , family medicine
Background and Aim Radiotherapy (RT) with or without chemotherapy is currently used in definitive therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer. We sought to evaluate the prognostic significance, pattern of care, and use of RT in locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer. Methods Between 2002 and 2011, patients with invasive pancreatic carcinoma and prior exposure to systemic chemotherapy were included. We used Cox regression model and propensity score matching for prognostic analyses and logistic regression for analyzing the factors impacting the use of RT. Results We identified 217 pancreatic cancer patients (74 with unresectable stage II or III and 143 with stage IV). Of all patients, 90.8% had adenocarcinoma, and only 19.2% (42/217) received RT with doses ranging from 50 to 55 Gy in 25 to 28 fractions using modern RT techniques. Logistic regression showed stage ( P < 0.001) and initial CA 19‐9 level ( P = 0.026) were significantly predictive of the choice of RT as a first‐line treatment, whereas the second‐line use of RT was associated with the response to first‐line chemotherapy and longer progression‐free survival. Patients with RT had a better median survival than those without it (14.6 vs 8.1 months, P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis and propensity score matching, RT remained a good prognostic factor for overall survival. Conclusion The use of RT might be associated with a favorable clinical outcome in patients with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer. Further exploration of RT as a first‐line therapy or second‐line therapy for locally advanced or even metastatic pancreatic cancer is warranted.