Closed at a planned interim analysis by meeting a predefined toxicity endpoint

RATIONALE: Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fluorouracil and cisplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving more than one drug (combination chemotherapy) may kill more tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Interferon alfa may interfere with the growth of tumor cells. Giving combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy together with interferon alfa before surgery may shrink the tumor so it can be removed. Giving chemotherapy after surgery may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well giving combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy together with interferon alfa works in treating patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer that cannot be removed by surgery.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Determine the effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and interferon alfa on converting patients with locally advanced unresectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas to resectability.

Secondary

• Determine the rate and severity of early and late toxic effects of these regimens in these patients.
• Improve surgical morbidity profile and overall survival of patients who undergo surgical resection.
• Determine overall and progression-free survival of patients treated with this regimen.

OUTLINE: This is an pilot, single center study.

• Part 1 (neoadjuvant therapy): Patients receive fluorouracil IV continuously over 24 hours on days 1-38; cisplatin IV over 1 hour on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36; and interferon alfa subcutaneously on days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31, 33, 36, and 38. Patients also undergo radiotherapy on days 1-5, 8-12, 15-19, 22-26, 29-33, and 36-38. Patients then undergo restaging. Patients with resectable disease undergo surgery, and 4-10 weeks later, proceed to part 2. Patients with unresectable disease proceed directly to part 2, 4 weeks after completion of neoadjuvant therapy.
• Part 2 (chemotherapy): Patients receive fluorouracil IV on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, and 36. Treatment repeats every 56 days for up to 2 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients with unresectable disease undergo restaging after each course of fluorouracil. If the tumor subsequently becomes resectable, patients then undergo surgery.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed periodically for 5 years and then annually thereafter.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient must have newly diagnosed computated tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound(EUS) stage Tx-4, N0-1, M0 adenocarcinoma of pancreas according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. The following cell types will NOT be eligible: adenosquamous carcinoma, ampullary carcinoma, carcinoid tumor, cystadenocarcinoma, cystadenoma, distal common bile duct carcinoma, duodenal carcinoma, or islet cell carcinoma

• Treatment must begin within 60 days of diagnosis

• Must have locally advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer with no metastatic spread as determined by a baseline diagnostic CT scan of the chest, endoscopic ultrasound and CT scan with intravenous (IV) contrast (or MRI) of abdomen/pelvis, within 30 days prior to registration.

• No prior systemic chemotherapy or radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer

• Documented Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG/Zubrod) performance status 0-1 within 14 days prior to registration

• Adequate hematologic, renal and hepatic function as defined by the following laboratory values (completed within 14 days prior to registration)

  • white blood cell (WBC) > 3,000 mm3
  • absolute neutrophil count (ANC) > 1,500 mm3
  • platelet count ≥ 100,000 mm3
  • hemoglobin > 9.5 g/dl
  • serum creatinine < 1.5 times institutional upper limit of normal (ULN)
  • total bilirubin ≤ 3 mg/dl
  • AST (SGOT) < 4.0 times institutional ULN
  • ALT (SGPT) < 4.0 times institutional ULN
  • alkaline phosphatase < 2.0 times institutional ULN

• Age ≥ 18 years

• Life expectancy ≥ 12 weeks

• Patient (male or female) of reproductive potential are required to use a medically acceptable contraception during treatment and for 3 months after the last dose of chemotherapy.

• Not pregnant or breastfeeding since the drugs used in this study are Pregnancy Category D: Clear evidence of risk in pregnancy. A negative pregnancy test is required within 7 days of registration if pre- or perimenopausal (i.e., last menstrual period within one year of registration)

• If patient has a previous diagnosis of cancer, all of the following criteria must be met and documented in the patient's medical record:

  • Patient has undergone potentially curative therapy for all prior malignancies.
  • No evidence of prior malignancies for at least 5 years (except for successfully treated cervical carcinoma in situ, carcinoma in situ of the breast, or nonmelanoma skin cancer.
  • No evidence of recurrence of any prior malignancy.

• Patient who is receiving chronic immunotherapy (e.g. prednisone or methotrexate) for collagen vascular disease or other chronic immunologic abnormality are not eligible.

• Not requiring one or more of the contraindicated medications

• Patient must be able to understand the potential risks and benefits associated with this study. Patient able to give informed consent and would likely to comply with the study parameters.

Adverse events were assessed during study treatment and for 1 month following study treatment (for up to 10 months).