Radiotherapy Does Not Improve Outcome in Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

For the significant percentage of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancers with local vascular involvement that are deemed borderline resectable, outcomes with upfront surgery are poor. Preoperative chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy is considered for these patients, but there is no clear care standard.

Investigators now report results of a multicenter, randomized, phase 2 trial evaluating treatment for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer who met criteria for borderline resectable disease on central radiology review. Patients were assigned to 8 cycles of modified FOLFIRINOX or to 7 cycles of modified FOLFIRINOX followed by radiotherapy (33–40 Gy administered in 5 fractions by stereotactic body radiotherapy o…