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Pancreatic Cancer - Stage IV News


Chemotherapy Improves Pancreatic Cancer Survival (9/10/2009)
Among patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer, Gemzar® (gemcitabine)-based chemotherapy results in longer survival and better quality of life than an alternative treatment regimen consisting of enzyme therapy, nutritional supplements, detoxification, and an organic diet. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Pancreatic Cancer Care Is Inconsistent (7/21/2009)
The quality of care for pancreatic cancer varies considerably among hospitals in the United States, according to the results of a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Sutent® Provides Significant Benefit for Advanced Pancreatic Islet Cell Tumors: Clinical Trial Stopped Early (3/12/2009)
Sutent® (sunitinib malate) has been shown to significantly increase progression-free survival in patients with advanced pancreatic islet cell tumors, leading Pfizer Inc. to halt their Phase III trial early.

EndoTAG™-1 Shows Promise in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer (9/17/2008)
According to the results of a Phase II clinical trial, the addition of the investigational drug EndoTAG™-1 to chemotherapy with Gemzar® (gemcitabine) may improve survival among patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. These results were presented at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

Abraxane®/Gemzar® Promising in Pancreatic Cancer (4/17/2008)
The chemotherapy combination consisting of Abraxane® (paclitaxel) and Gemzar® (gemcitabine) appears promising for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. These results were recently presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Addition of Erbitux® Does Not Improve Outcomes in Pancreatic Cancer (4/8/2008)
The addition of the targeted agent Erbitux® (cetuximab) to the chemotherapy combination Gemzar® (gemcitabine) and Platinol® (cisplatin) does not improve outcomes compared with chemotherapy only in advanced pancreatic cancer. These results were recently published in Lancet Oncology.

Levels of CA 19-9 Following Treatment Not Indicative of Survival in Pancreatic Cancer (2/8/2008)
Among patients with pancreatic cancer, levels of a specific component of certain carbohydrates (CA19-9) during and following treatment are not associated with survival outcomes. These results were recently published in The Lancet Oncology.

NCCN Updates Pancreatic Cancer Guidelines (12/12/2007)
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an alliance of 21 leading cancer centers, has updated its guidelines regarding the care of pancreatic cancer patients. The updated guidelines include a new section on supportive care and a greater emphasis on use of neoadjuvant (before surgery) therapy for patients with cancers that are borderline resectable (cancers that can possibly be surgically removed, but that run a risk of incomplete removal).

Different Chemotherapy Combinations Effective in Pancreatic Cancer (11/9/2007)
According to an article recently published in Annals of Oncology, different chemotherapy regimens may be similarly effective in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer but produce varying side effects.

Updates on the Management of Advanced Hepato-pancreato-biliary Malignancies (10/21/2007)
A Report from the 14th European Cancer Conference (ECCO)

Gemzar® plus Second Chemotherapy Agent Provides Small Survival Benefits in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (10/4/2007)
According to results recently published in the journal Drugs and Aging, the combination of Gemzar® (gemcitabine) with a second chemotherapy agent provides small but significant improvements in survival compared with Gemzar only in the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Addition of Tarceva® to Gemzar® Improves Survival in Pancreatic Cancer (5/2/2007)
According to an early online publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the addition of the targeted agent Tarceva® (erlotinib) to Gemzar® (gemcitabine) improves survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Talabostat plus Gemzar® Shows Potential in Treatment of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (1/16/2007)
According to results from a press release from Point Therapeutics, the combination of the investigative agent talabostat plus the chemotherapy agent Gemzar® (gemcitabine) may be a potentially effective treatment for metastatic pancreatic cancer. However, further trials, including trials directly comparing talabostat/Gemzar to Gemzar alone or in combination with other chemotherapy agents, are necessary to determine the true effectiveness of the addition of talabostat in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Addition of Irinotecan to Gemzar® Does Not Improve Survival with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (9/1/2006)
Among patients with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer, combination chemotherapy with irinotecan and Gemzar® (gemcitabine) did not improve survival compared to chemotherapy with Gemzar alone. These results were published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Addition of Eloxatin® or Platinol® to Gemzar® Improves Survival in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (7/17/2006)
According to results recently presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the addition of the chemotherapy agents Eloxatin® (oxaliplatin) or Platinol® (cisplatin) to Gemzar® (gemcitabine) improves progression-free and overall survival among patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Addition of Avastin® to Gemzar® Does Not Improve Survival as Initial Therapy in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (6/27/2006)
According to a press release by Genentech, the addition of the targeted agent Avastin® (bevacizumab) to the chemotherapy agent Gemzar® (gemcitabine) does not appear to improve survival compared to Gemzar alone when used as initial therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer.

Tomudex® Plus Eloxatin® Effective in Gemzar®-Resistant Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer (3/23/2006)
According to an article recently published in the British Journal of Cancer, treatment consisting of Tomudex® (raltitrexed) and Eloxatin® (oxaliplatin) provides benefit to some patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer that has stopped responding to Gemzar® (gemcitabine).

Xeloda® Improves Survival with Pancreatic Cancer (11/10/2005)
According to a press release from Roche, results of a phase III clinical trial indicate that treatment of pancreatic cancer with the combination of Xeloda® (capecitabine) and gemcitabine results in better survival than treatment with gemcitabine alone.

FDA Approves Tarceva® in Combination with Gemzar® for Pancreatic Cancer (11/3/2005)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Tarceva® (erlotinib), when given in combination with the chemotherapy drug Gemzar® (gemcitabine), for the treatment of locally advanced, inoperable or metastatic pancreatic cancer, according to a press release from OSI Pharmaceuticals and Genentech.

CA19-9 Marker of Survival in Pancreatic Cancer (10/3/2005)
According to a recent article published in the British Journal of Cancer, levels of the protein CA19-9 can predict survival in patients with pancreatic cancer. Patients who are predicted to have a worse survival may wish to pursue more aggressive therapies or participate in a clinical trial.

Combination of Alimta® and Gemzar® Does Not Improve Pancreatic Cancer Survival (9/21/2005)
According to a study published in the Annals of Oncology, combination chemotherapy with pemetrexed (Alimta®) and gemcitabine (Gemzar®) for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer does not improve survival. As well, this combination increases toxicity more than treatment with Gemzar alone.

HIFU Promising in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (9/2/2005)
According to results recently published in the journal Radiology, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) relieves pain and appears active in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

Combination Chemotherapy in Addition to Gemzar® Improves Survival over Gemzar Alone in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (6/6/2005)
According to a recent article published in The Lancet Oncology, combination chemotherapy in addition to Gemzar® (gemcitabine), referred to as the PEGF regimen, improves survival over Gemzar alone in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

Addition of Tarceva™ to Gemzar® Improves Survival in Pancreatic Cancer (5/17/2005)
According to results recently presented at the 2005 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, researchers have found that the combination of the drugs Tarceva and Gemzar improves survival among patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer.

Addition of Xeloda® to Gemzar® Improves Survival in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer and Good Performance Status (5/15/2005)
According to researchers from Europe, the addition of the drug Xeloda (capecitabine) to Gemzar (gemcitabine) improves the duration of survival in patients with advanced stage pancreatic cancer.

Pancreatic Cancer Research Map Will Track Researchers, Studies and Funding Opportunities (5/10/2005)
The Pancreatic Cancer Research Map was first launched during Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month in November 2004. The second phase has begun with the addition of grants from PanCAN and the Lustgarten Foundation.

Addition of Tarceva™ to Gemzar® Improves Survival in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (1/31/2005)
According to results presented at the Second Annual Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, the addition of the targeted agent Tarceva™ (erlotibinib) to the chemotherapy agent Gemzar® (gemcitabine) improves survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Ultrasound More Accurate Than CT in Staging Pancreatic Cancer (1/14/2005)
According to results recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, endoscopic ultrasound appears more accurate in correctly determining the extent of spread of pancreatic cancer than computed tomography (CT). This is important, as the specific stage of pancreatic cancer dictates treatment options.

Erbitux® Plus Gemzar® Looks Promising for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (7/7/2004)
According to results recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the treatment combination consisting of Erbitux® (cetuximab) plus Gemzar® (gemcitabine) appears promising for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

CA 19-9 Levels Useful for Monitoring Pancreatic Cancer (10/17/2003)
According to results published in the British Journal of Cancer, levels of the tumor marker CA 19-9 may provide a more accurate prediction of a patient’s long-term outcomes following surgery than the more commonly used assessments. 1

Longer Infusions of Gemzar® may Improve Survival in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer (9/26/2003)
According to an article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, prolonged infusions of the standard chemotherapy agent Gemzar® may improve survival in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Gemzar® More Effective than 5-FU in Pancreatic Cancer (8/28/2003)
According to results recently published in the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics, Gemzar® (gemcitabine) plus radiation therapy delays time to cancer progression compared with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) plus radiation therapy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. 1

Avastin™ Plus Gemzar(R) Appears Promising for Pancreatic Cancer (7/21/2003)
According to results presented at the 2003 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the treatment combination of Gemzar® (gemcitabine) plus Avastin™ (bevacizumab) appears promising in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

Taxotere® and Doxil® Provide Palliation for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (3/3/2003)
According to a recent article published in Anticancer Research, the chemotherapy combination Taxotere® (docetaxel) and Doxil® (doxorubicin HCl liposome injection) provides activity in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Ultrasound-Guided Injections of Biological Therapy Feasible in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/24/2003)
According to a recent article published in Clinical Cancer Research, ultrasound-guided injections of a type of biologic therapy may improve effectiveness of treatment in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. 1

Gemzar® Plus Eloxatin® Yields High Responses in Pancreatic Cancer (9/13/2002)
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the chemotherapy combination consisting of Gemzar® (gemcitabine) and Eloxatin® (oxaliplatin) appears effective for patients with locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Alimta® and Gemzar®: an Active Regimen for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (6/13/2002)
According to results presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the chemotherapy combination of Alimta® (pemetrexed) plus Gemzar® (gemcitabine) appears to be highly active in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

Virulizin® Granted “Fast-Track” Status by the FDA for Pancreatic Cancer (6/12/2002)
The Food and Drug Administration recently granted “fast-track” status to the new immunotherapy agent, Virulizin® for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. 1 The designation of fast-track status expedites the review process of an agent prior to approval and is intended for life-threatening diseases.

Photodynamic Therapy Effective for Some Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer (4/16/2002)
According to a recent article published in the medical journal Gut, photodynamic therapy may be an effective treatment option for some patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer.

Mortality from Some Cancer Surgeries Reduced in Large-Volume Hospitals (4/15/2002)
According to a recent article published in The New England Journal of Medicine, death related to surgical procedures (surgical mortality) for some cancers may be significantly reduced if patients receive treatment in hospitals that perform large volumes of the surgical procedure annually.

Rubitecan (Orathecin) Produces Responses in Refractory Pancreatic Cancer (4/9/2002)
Results from a recent clinical trial indicate that rubitecan (Orathecin™), an oral chemotherapy agent, may be effective for the treatment of refractory pancreatic cancer.

New Vaccine Significantly Improves Survival in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
A novel type of vaccine has shown to nearly double the cancer-free survival time of patients with pancreatic cancer, according to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Surgery for Pancreatic Cancer: Removing Additional Lymph Nodes Appears Not to Improve Survival (2/21/2002)
Persons with cancer of the head of the pancreas often undergo surgery to remove part or all of the pancreas, upper section of the small intestine, and nearby lymph nodes. Researchers have debated about whether a more extensive surgery, to remove more lymph nodes, might produce a better outcome. A new study by researchers in Germany indicates not.

Gemzar® Plus Radiation Promising for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
Results from a recent clinical trial reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicate that Gemzar® plus local radiation therapy is safe and may improve survival for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Marimastat a New Anticancer Drug for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
Marimastat, a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, produces equivalent long-term survival with fewer side effects than standard chemotherapy in patients with advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer, according to recent results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Gemzar® Plus Cisplatin Effective for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
According to a recent article published in the journal Cancer, the chemotherapy combination consisting of Gemzar® plus cisplatin is more effective than Gemzar® alone.

Gemzar® Plus Camptosar® Improves Survival for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
The chemotherapy combination consisting of Gemzar® plus Camptosar® improves survival for patients with advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer, according to physicians at the Baylor-Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas, Texas.

Herceptin Plus Gemzar® Improves Responses in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
The addition of Herceptin® to Gemzar® appears to prolong survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer that overexpresses HER2, according to results presented at the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Polychemotherapy for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Improves Responses (2/21/2002)
The chemotherapy combination consisting of cisplatin, epirubicin, 5-fluorouracil and Gemzar® (PEF-G) has demonstrated improved anti-cancer responses and quality of life for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

IMC-225 Plus Gemzar® May Improve Survival in Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
According to results recently reported at the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the addition of the investigational monoclonal antibody IMC-225 to Gemzar® may extend survival in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Gemzar®, UFT and Leucovorin Improves Quality of Life for Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
According to a recent study published in the journal Cancer, a combination of chemotherapy drugs consisting of Gemzar®, UFT and Leucovorin may improve the quality of life for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: High-Dose Gemzar® Appears Safe and Effective (2/21/2002)
Gemzar®, the only chemotherapy drug currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, may be more effective when administered in higher than the usual doses, according to a recent study by researchers in Austria.

Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Minimally Invasive Laparoscopy May Be Used to Alleviate Stomach and Bile Duct Obstruction (2/21/2002)
The use of a procedure called a laparoscopy may allow treatment of the blockage of the bile ducts and stomach (at the small intestine) that often occurs in persons with pancreatic cancer, according to a new report by Spanish researchers. The laparoscopy appears to achieve the same results as the more commonly performed surgical procedure, but is much less invasive.

Combined Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Prolong Survival and Improve Quality of Life in Patients with Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
Complete surgical removal of pancreatic cancer offers patients the best chance for cure. Unfortunately, most patients have locally advanced or metastatic cancer at the time of their diagnosis. Because the cancer cannot be completely removed by surgery, patient survival is often measured in months. There are few effective treatments.

Initial Surgery to Connect the Stomach with the Jejunum May Prevent Obstruction of the Stomach in Persons with Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
For persons with inoperable cancer of the head of the pancreas, a procedure called a gastrojejunostomy, performed during initial exploratory surgery, may help prevent any blockage of the stomach that could occur. This means that persons who undergo this procedure prophylactically may have a better chance to continue eating and drinking relatively normally, avoiding the obstruction of the stomach that might have otherwise occurred.

Colloidal Phosphorus-32 Combined with External Beam Radiation Therapy and 5-Fluorouracil Offers Promise as Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer (2/21/2002)
Current treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer that cannot be cured with surgery is poor with few good therapeutic choices. Physicians at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey have evaluated a new approach for the treatment of inoperable pancreatic cancer. They reported their initial results in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Combination of Gemzar®, Epirubicin, and Neupogen® May Be More Effective than Gemzar® Alone (2/21/2002)
Gemzar® is the only drug that is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. New research shows that epirubicin and a biologic therapy called granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (Neupogen®) in combination with Gemzar® as treatment for pancreatic cancer may produce higher response rates and increased survival time over Gemzar® alone.

Cancer Surgery-Related Death Rates Are Lower in Hospitals that Treat More Patients (2/21/2002)
Researchers in New York recently confirmed what has long been held by many cancer professionals: that the death rates from major cancer surgery in hospitals that treat a large number of persons with cancer are significantly lower than those in hospitals that treat fewer persons. This is likely due to the extensive experience and skill of the surgeons and other hospital staff.

Gemzar® improves the overall well-being and survival of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and is the first new drug approved for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in years. (Journal of (2/21/2002)
Surgically unresectable pancreatic cancer is an extremely aggressive and lethal disease. Few good treatment options exist for locally advanced or surgically unresectable pancreatic cancer. 5-FU (fluorouracil) chemotherapy is the most commonly utilized approach. Gemzar® is a novel chemotherapy agent that is active in treating many tumor types and showed significant activity against pancreatic cancer in phase II clinical trials. In order to determine whether Gemzar® is indeed an improvement in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, a clinical trial was designed and performed that compared Gemzar® to 5-FU chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced surgically unresectable pancreatic cancer.


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