Gemcitabine/Nab-Paclitaxel With HIGRT in Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

This research protocol will evaluate the feasibility of administering neoadjuvant gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel with hypofractionated, image guided, intensity modulated radiotherapy (HIGRT) in resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States and accounts for roughly 40,000 deaths each year. Despite the use of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies, little progress has been made in the the last three decades, and the search for more efficacious treatment continues.In patients with a good performance status the combination of effective systemic therapy with gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel and high dose local radiotherapy may improve disease outcomes. This is a prospective, single arm study in patients in newly diagnosed, previously untreated pancreatic cancer who are planned to undergo surgical resection The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the toxicity of a neoadjuvant approach incorporating gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel and Hypofractionated image guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (HIGRT) prior to surgical resection. Eligible subjects will recieve standard neoadjuvant gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel dosing is as follows:Nab-Paclitaxel (125mg/m2) days 1,8,15 every 28 days for 2 cycles Gemcitabine (1000mg/m2) days 1,8,15 every 28 days for 2 cycles followed by HIGRT and surgical resection. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be given post surgery at the discretion of the treating medical oncologist.