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Decrease of CA 19-9 during chemotherapy with gemcitabine predicts survival time in patients with advanced pancreatic
U Halm1, T Schumann, I Schiefke
1Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Leipzig, Germany.
British Journal of Cancer
|March 29, 2000
Summary
For advanced pancreatic cancer patients receiving gemcitabine chemotherapy, a significant drop in the tumor marker CA 19-9 indicates better survival. This finding helps guide treatment decisions for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Medical Biochemistry
Background:
- Gemcitabine chemotherapy improves quality of life and survival in advanced pancreatic cancer.
- The tumor marker CA 19-9 is often monitored in pancreatic cancer patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between CA 19-9 response to gemcitabine chemotherapy and patient survival.
- To determine if CA 19-9 levels can predict survival outcomes in pancreatic cancer.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 43 patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma received gemcitabine chemotherapy.
- Serial CA 19-9 levels were measured, with 36 patients having sufficient data for analysis.
- Multivariate analysis was used to identify independent predictors of survival.
Main Results:
- Patients showing a >20% decrease in CA 19-9 after 8 weeks had significantly longer median survival (268 days) compared to others (110 days).
- CA 19-9 response was the strongest independent predictor of survival (P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- A >20% decrease in CA 19-9 during early gemcitabine treatment is linked to improved survival in advanced pancreatic cancer.
- Serial CA 19-9 monitoring is valuable for guiding continued chemotherapy decisions.