Evaluation of oxaliplatin-based regimens in the treatment of pankreatic cancer

Although cure can be achieved by surgical resection, the resectability rate is low in pancreatic cancer since it progresses rapidly and is diagnosed in advanced stages. The prognosis is poor because the patients are referred in locally advanced or metastatic stages.Today in standart adjuvant treatment, gemcitabine-based regimens are applied alone or concurrent with radiotherapy.Since pancreatic cancer is resistant to chemotherapy and progresses rapidly, there are some studies in patients who became resistant to initial gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. The regimens including oxaliplatin are used as an alternative therapy in patients resistant to gemcitabine-based treatment.In our study, the efficiacy and safety of oxaliplatin were evaluated in 23 patients wtih locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who had progressed after gemcitabine-based therapy. The safety and toxicity profile of our study was similar o the previous ones. Grade 1 and 2 neutropenia, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea were generally observed and there were grade 1 neuropathy and grade 3 thrombocytopenia in one patient. However the incidence of some side effects seemed to be lower than it was like sensorial neuropathy due to inadequate records in patients? files. The toxicity associated with oxaliplatin was as expected and at a level which could be treated.In patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, the median PFS was 4 months and OS was 7 months with oxaliplatin-based regimens.The patients showed good tolerance to oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy with treatable toxicity; so that it can be accepted as a second-line treatment in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and progressed after first-line gemcitabine-based therapy until new treatment approaches are found.Key words: Pancreatic cancer, oxaliplatin efficacy-toxicity