Materials and Method: Patients of an age >65 years with histologically confirmed metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma not amenable to curative surgical resection were included in the study. Efficacy and toxicity profiles of FOLFIRINOX (Group A, 16 patients), cisplatin-gemcitabine combination therapies (Group B, 16 patients) and gemcitabine monotherapy (Group C, 15 patients) in elderly patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were evaluated retrospectively.
Results: There was no difference between the groups in terms of disease control rates, overall survival, and progression-free survival. Age, primary tumour resection, tumour grade and use of second-line chemotherapy were not found to be independently prognostic on overall survival (OS). Younger age <70 (p=0.028) and cisplatin-gemcitabine chemotherapy positively prognostic on OS (p=0.011) whereas liver involvement was negatively prognostic on OS (p=0.046). The toxicities of the groups were not different from each other but the hospitalization was statistically higher in FOLFIRINOX group.
Conclusion: The study revealed that there are no differences in disease control rates and adverse events of three regimens but showed increased overall survival with cisplatin?gemcitabine combination in elderly patients with pancreatic cancer.
Keywords : Pancreatic cancer; Therapeutics; Geriatrics