A Study of Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX and FDR-Gemcitabine With Concurrent IMRT in Patients

Gemcitabine has been the cornerstone of systemic therapy for pancreas cancer over this past decade. Recently, a combination of 5-fluorouracil, irinotecan and oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX) was reported to have significant efficacy in advanced pancreatic cancer. Preclinical data suggests synergy between irinotecan and 5FU as well as between oxaliplatin and 5FU. Results of a phase II trial in advanced disease were reported in 2005 demonstrating a 26% confirmed response rate and median overall survival of 10.2 months. A follow-up phase III trial comparing FOLFIRINOX with gemcitabine for patients \<75 years of age with advanced pancreatic cancer was presented at ASCO 2010 revealing improvement in PFS (6.4 vs 3.3 months, p=\<.0001) and improved disease control rate (CR+PR+SD) (70.2% vs 50.9%, p=.0003). The most notable result was an impressive improvement in median overall survival with FOLFIRINOX compared to gemcitabine (11.1vs 6.8 months, p-value = \<.0001, HR=.57). The main toxicity was grade 3/4 neutropenia (45.7% vs 18.7%, p=.0001) and increased risk of febrile neutropenia (5.4% vs 0.6%, p=.009)31.