OBJECTIVES: I. Compare survival of patients with recurrent or refractory pancreatic cancer after treatment with nitrocamptothecin versus fluorouracil. II. Compare the clinical benefit and objective response rate to these treatment regimens in these patients. III. Compare and evaluate time to treatment failure in these patients with these treatment regimens. IV. Compare the toxicities of these treatment regimens in these patients.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized, open label, multicenter study. Patients are randomized to one of two treatment arms. Arm I: Patients receive nitrocamptothecin orally on days 1-5. Arm II: Patients receive fluorouracil IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats weekly for 8 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with tumor regression or stabilization may receive additional courses of treatment. Patients with disease progression or unacceptable toxicity may crossover to the alternate treatment arm. Patients are followed every 3 months for one year.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 400 patients (200 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 15 months.
