FOLFIRINOX-based neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for borderline and locally advanced pancreatic cancer: A pilot study from a tertiary centre

Abstract

Background: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, potentially relevant to increase resection rate in pancreatic cancer, is still debated.

Aims: To assess tolerance, resection rate and outcomes of patients with non-metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma treated by concomitant chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: This monocentric study included all consecutive patients treated from 2010 to 2014 for non-metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Chemotherapy was followed by chemoradiotherapy in operable patients, surgical resectability being assessed by CT-scan.

Results: Seventy-nine patients were included: 41 patients had borderline and 38 locally advanced tumours. All patients were treated by chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX), followed by chemoradiotherapy (median dose: 59 Gy, range 45-66 Gy) for 94% of patients. Thirty-seven patients (47%) could subsequently benefit from surgery with a complete R0 resection in 94% of cases, with a postoperative mortality of 5%. Median overall survival was 21.5 months (median follow-up: 48.8 months). Local control, overall and disease-free survival were significantly higher for patients who underwent resection compared to others, with 89.2% vs 59.5% (p = 0.01), 49.7 vs 17.4 months (p < 0.01) and 25.5 vs 9.2 months (p < 0.01), respectively.

Conclusion: Neoadjuvant treatment consisting of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy is an efficient strategy for patients with borderline and locally advanced pancreatic cancer, resulting in a 43% rate of secondary complete surgical resection associated with high local control, overall and disease-free survival.

Keywords: Chemoradiotherapy; Chemotherapy; Neoadjuvant treatment; Pancreatic adenocarcinoma; Pancreatic surgical resection; Radiotherapy.