[Evaluation of antitumor effect of chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer]

The status of chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer (PC) has been difficult to assess because of the problem of evaluating tumor response, which id dependent on the accurate measurement of tumor size using imaging modalities such as computed tomography. Recently, new assessment methods for chemotherapy in PC, which include clinical benefit response and tumor marker response, have been proposed. The clinical response is evaluated using two parameters; pain and performance status. In our trial of combined chemotherapy with 5-FU and cisplatin in PC patients, 4 (19 %) of 21 PC patients showed remarkable clinical benefit response. With respect to the tumor marker (CA 19-9 and CEA) response, responders, which were defined as patients whose levels were reduced by more than 50% of the pretreatment level, survived significantly longer than non-responders. These new methods may be useful for evaluating chemotherapeutic response and may provide a strong rationale for continuing chemotherapy in patients with stable disease or with non-measurable disease by imaging modalities.