Adenocarcinomas of stomach, pancreas, liver, and biliary tracts. Survival of 328 patients treated with fluoropyrimidine therapy

Abstract

A series of 328 patients with advanced cancers of the stomach, pancreas, liver, and biliary tract were treated with intensive fluoropyrimidine therapy, including 5‐FU, 5‐FUDR, intra‐arterial infusions of 5‐FU, and 5‐FU plus radiotherapy. Survival patterns were analyzed with particular emphasis on survival over 1 year after treatment was begun. Patients with stomach cancer had median survivals of 5–7 1/2 months; over‐all survival of more than a year was seen in 22%. Radiation therapy plus 5‐FU was associated with slightly longer survival, as was prior resection of the primary tumor. Patients with pancreatic cancer survived four months median, with 12.5% surviving longer than 1 year. Survial was most dependent on extent of disease at the onset of therapy. Hepatobiliary cancer continued to present a very bleak prognosis. However, excellent responses occurred in 3/31 patients with liver cell or bile duct carcinoma. Intra‐arterial infusions for liver involvement in these patients appeared to contribute little benefit to over‐all survival, although dramatic responses were observed in two patients with primary liver tumors. It would appear that fluoropyrimidine therapy may modestly increase over‐all survival in advanced stomach cancer. Survival in pancreatic cancer does not seem to be favorably influenced by this therapy. Copyright © 1974 American Cancer Society