A comprehensive update on the use of chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Phase II trials of combination chemotherapies have shown encouraging palliative benefit, objective response rates, and survival outcomes. Until ongoing phase III trials confirm these benefits, the current standard treatment for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains single agent gemcitabine. The fixed rate infusion schedule of 10 mg/m2/min is gaining wide acceptance and is a promising investigational priority. A very reasonable alternative to single agent gemcitabine, and our bias, is enrollment into clinical trials evaluating novel gemcitabine-based combinations. Further investigation is needed to determine optimal incorporation of so-called targeted therapy with combination chemotherapy.