Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy Before Surgery Followed by Gemcitabine in Treating Patients With Pancreatic Cancer
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2018-06-15
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This pilot clinical trial studies combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy before
surgery followed by gemcitabine hydrochloride in treating patients with pancreatic cancer.
Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as oxaliplatin, irinotecan hydrochloride, leucovorin
calcium, fluorouracil, and gemcitabine hydrochloride, work in different ways to stop the
growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing.
Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving combination
chemotherapy and radiation therapy before surgery may make the tumor smaller and reduce the
amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed. Giving chemotherapy after surgery may kill
any tumor cells that remain after surgery.