Efficacy of 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy in treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer:a report of 30 cases

Objective To assess the efficacy and toxicity of 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy(3DCRT) in treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.Methods Thirty patients with advanced pancreatic cancer received 3DCRT 50-60 Gy/5-6 weeks,1.8-2 Gy/d,5 fractions per week.Results After radiotherapy,abdominal pain was relieved completely in 21of these 30 patients(70.0%),jaundice disappeared in 19 of these 30 patients(63.3%).Up to the time of reexamination at 1-3 months after radiotherapy,the overall response rate(CR+PR) was 73.2%(22/30).The median survival duration and the 1-year survival rate were 13 months and 55% respectively.The treatment was tolerated well.Grade-I-II leukocytopenia developed in 19 patients(63.3%) and Grade-I-II nausea/vomiting developed in 18 patients(60.0%).Conclusion The study demonstrates that 3DCRT improves symptoms and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer.