Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for Erlotinib, Gemcitabine, and Radiation Therapy in Treating Patients With Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

Study Description

Brief Summary: This phase I trial is studying the side effects and best dose of erlotinib when given together with gemcitabine and radiation therapy in treating patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. Combining erlotinib with gemcitabine may make the tumor cells more sensitive to radiation therapy and may kill more tumor cells.

Detailed Description: PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the maximum tolerated dose of erlotinib given concurrently with gemcitabine and radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients. II. Determine, preliminarily, the antitumor efficacy of this regimen, in terms of response rate, in these patients. III. Determine the time to tumor progression and overall survival of patients treated with this regimen. OUTLINE: This is a non-randomized, open-label, dose-escalation study of erlotinib. Chemoradiotherapy: Patients undergo radiotherapy 5 days a week for 5.5 weeks. Beginning on day 1 and continuing concurrently with radiotherapy, patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes twice weekly and oral erlotinib once daily. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of erlotinib until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. Once the MTD is determined, an additional 10 patients receive treatment at that dose. Patients are radiologically restaged 3-4 weeks after completion of radiotherapy. Patients with stable or responsive disease proceed to maintenance therapy. Patients whose imaging studies suggest a potential for curative resection are referred for a surgical evaluation before initiating maintenance therapy. Maintenance therapy: Beginning 4-7 weeks after the completion of chemoradiotherapy, patients receive maintenance chemotherapy comprising gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1 and 8 and oral erlotinib once daily. Treatment repeats every 21 days for a total of 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 19-28 patients will be accrued for this study.

Keywords

Eligibility

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Eligible Ages: ADULT, OLDER_ADULT

Sex: ALL

Healthy Volunteers: No

Locations

Contact Details

Useful links and downloads for this trial