Biweekly gemcitabine plus S-1 for locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer: a preliminary feasibility study

Chemotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer should not only prolong survival but maintain quality of life, considering its limited life expectancy. To achieve these goals, biweekly gemcitabine plus S-1 was assessed in the clinical practice setting.

Fifty-two patients with either locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer who received biweekly gemcitabine plus S-1 as a first-line anti-cancer treatment were included in this study. Treatment delivery, toxicity, response, and survival were reviewed to assess the feasibility and efficacy.

The completion rate of treatment delivery was 95.1%, with relative dose intensity of 97.1% for gemcitabine and 97.3% for S-1. Overall, grade 3 or worse adverse events were rare, with hematologic toxicities occurring in 5.8%. The objective response rate was 30.8%, and more than a 50% reduction of CA19-9 was observed in 77.1%. Surgical conversion was completed with a margin-negative resection in four patients whose tumor had shrunk for at least 6 months. The median progression-free and overall survivals were 10.4 and 18.2 months, respectively. Reduction of CA19-9 was associated with longer survival.

Biweekly gemcitabine plus S-1 may be a good alternative to current standard chemotherapies for unresectable pancreatic cancer with less toxicity and less treatment burden without losing efficacy.