Decrease in CA-19-9 after neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy to predict survival in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

12 Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is among the most lethal of human cancers. Data on overall survival rates of patients treated in the community hospital setting are limited. The purpose of this retrospective data collection study was to assess the CA19-9 change during the neo-adjuvant treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients and whether this test predicts the overall survival (OS). This study was conducted within a high volume community hospital setting. Methods: Eligibility included cytological or histological evidence of locally advanced, unresectable, and borderline resectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, not amenable for surgical resection. Resectability was determined with EUS and CT scan/MRI and was discussed in the multi-disciplinary conference. Patients diagnosed before July 2009 were treated with continuous 5-FU 200mg/m2 for 5 weeks with radiation of 1.8 Gy per daily fraction, for a total dose of 50.4 Gy over 5.5 weeks. Patients diagnosed after July 2009 received gemcit...