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FOLFIRINOX + RT for Pancreatic Cancer

Phase II Study of Preoperative FOLFIRINOX Followed by Accelerated Short Course Radiation Therapy for Borderline-Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01591733
Enrollment
48
Registered
2012-05-04
Start date
2012-08-02
Completion date
2021-04-15
Last updated
2026-09-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Pancreatic Cancer

Keywords

Borderline resectable

Brief summary

This research study is a Phase II clinical trial. Phase II clinical trials test the effectiveness of a therapy to learn whether the therapy works in treating a specific cancer. "Investigational" means that the therapy is still being studied and that research doctors are trying to find out more about it-such as the safest dose to use, the side effects it may cause, and if therapy is effective for treating different types of cancer. Proton beam radiation therapy is an FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved radiation delivery system. Proton beam radiation therapy is known to spare surrounding normal tissues from radiation as it delivers less radiation beyond the area of the target tissues. This may reduce side effects that patients would normally experience with standard (photon) radiation therapy, which tends to include more normal tissue along with tumor target tissue. Researchers in the laboratory have discovered that there are pathways inside the cells that can lead to growth and survival of the tumor. The chemotherapy drugs FOLFIRINOX and capecitabine are targeted towards blocking the pathways that allow cancer cells to divide, and may result in the tumor shrinking in size. In this research study, the investigators are looking to determine if proton beam radiation in combination with FOLFIRINOX and capecitabine is effective in controlling the growth of your cancer.

Detailed description

For weeks 1-8, you will only be receiving FOLFIRINOX via IV infusion. The treatment plan will begin with four cycles (8 weeks) of FOLFIRINOX. Each cycle is 14 days long. You will receive FOLFIRINOX therapy on days 1, 2 and 3 of each of the four cycles. The FOLFIRINOX treatment is broken up into three different drugs. 5-FU will be administered over two hours on day one of each cycle, and then continuously with a pump for days 2 and 3. Oxaliplatin will be delivered by intravenous (infusion) over 120 minutes. Irinotecan will be given by IV for 90 minutes. All parts of this treatment will be received as an outpatient. If after 4 cycles of FOLFIRINOX therapy, your tumor has not spread, you will receive a further 4 cycles of FOLFIRINOX. If after 8 total cycles of FOLFIRINOX your cancer is clearly resectable, you will proceed to phase 2 of treatment with capecitabine and radiation therapy. You will take tablets of capecitabine by mouth for a total of 10 days (Monday through Friday) during the two weeks after your FOLFIRINOX treatment. You will be given a drug diary for capecitabine which contains instructions on how to take the drug. Short course radiation: You will receive proton radiation treatment for five days (Monday through Friday) after your FOLFIRINOX treatment, during the time of your capecitabine treatment, or photon radiation for ten days (Monday through Friday for two weeks). You will also be assessed at least once during this treatment course for any side effects you may be experiencing. You will receive study radiation treatment as an outpatient at the Francis H. Burr Proton Center or the Clark Center for Radiation Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital Surgery is expected to occur approximately one to four weeks after completion of capecitabine therapy. After your surgery, you may receive additional chemotherapy at the discretion of your treating physician and be followed as per standard of care.

Interventions

DRUGFOLFIRINOX

Up to Eight-14 day cycles

DRUGCapecitabine

Orally, for 10 days

Five or ten days

PROCEDURESurgery

1-4 weeks after completion of capecitabine therapy

Sponsors

Massachusetts General Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Cytologic or histologic proof pancreatic ductal carcinoma * Borderline resectable * Life expectancy of at least 3 months * ECOG Performance Status ≤ 1 * Adequate organ and bone marrow function * No treatment of other invasive cancers within the last 5 years with greater than 5% risk of recurrence at the time of eligibility screening. Carcinoma in-situ and basal cell carcinoma/squamous cell carcinoma of the skin are allowed * \> 4 weeks since major surgery, excluding laparoscopy

Exclusion criteria

* Evidence of metastatic disease * Pregnant or breastfeeding * Other serious uncontrolled medical conditions * Prior chemotherapy, targeted/biologic therapy or radiation for treatment of the pancreatic tumor * Prior systemic fluoropyrimidine therapy * History of uncontrolled seizures, central nervous system disorders or psychiatric disability * Individuals on cimetidine

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Rate of R0 ResectionPost-surgery (about 4 months post baseline)The rate of R0 resection of patients with borderline-resectable adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas, along with borderline-resectable and resectable adenocarcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas. R0 resection means that following surgery, no cancer cells are seen microscopically at the resection margin.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Median Progression-Free SurvivalFrom the start of treatment until death or disease progression, median duration of follow-up of 14.7 monthsThe median progression free survival as measured from the start of treatment until the time of disease progression or death, whichever occurs first. Disease status was evaluated using RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors). Disease progression is defined as having at least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter (LD) of target lesion, taking as reference the smallest sum LD recorded since the treatment started or the appearance of one or more new lesions.
Median Overall SurvivalFrom the start of treatment until up to 5 years of follow-up, median duration of follow-up of 37.7 monthsMedian overall survival, as measured from the start of treatment until up to 5 years of follow-up.
Preoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationFrom the start of treatment until the end of chemoradiation, about 4 monthsFrequency of grade 3 or greater adverse events deemed related to FOLFIRINOX+short course radiation therapy. Adverse events were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 4).
The Proportion of Participants With Surgery Related Adverse EventsAt the time of surgery, 30 days post-surgeryThe number of participants with surgery related any grade adverse events following pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy after receiving preoperative FOLFIRINOX and preoperative short course radiation therapy. Adverse events were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 4).
30 Day Post-operative Mortality Rate30 days post surgery (about 6 months from baseline)The number of participants that died within 30 days after undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy.
Local Control RatesFrom the start of treatment until the end of treatment with FOLFIRINOX, or until disease progression (median duration of follow-up of approximately 14 months)The number of participants that achieved local control. Local control was evaluated using RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors). Local Failure is defined as progression of the primary tumor, or to the reappearance of tumor at the primary site.

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORJennifer Y. Wo, MD

Massachusetts General Hospital

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
FOLFIRINOX + Radiation
All participants will receive the FOLFIRINOX regimen, followed by capecitabine and short course radiation therapy. FOLFIRINOX: Up to Eight-14 day cycles Capecitabine: Orally, for 10 days Short Course Radiation: Five or ten days Surgery: 1-4 weeks after completion of capecitabine therapy
48
Total48

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicFOLFIRINOX + Radiation
Age, Continuous62 years
CA19-9 Level
≥35 U/ml (elevated)
36 Participants
CA19-9 Level
<35 U/ml (Normal)
12 Participants
CEA Level
≥3.4 ng/ml (elevated)
25 Participants
CEA Level
<3.4 ng/ml (normal)
23 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
1 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
46 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
Pancreatic Tumor Site
Body
11 Participants
Pancreatic Tumor Site
Head
35 Participants
Pancreatic Tumor Site
Tail
2 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
48 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
21 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
27 Participants
Tumor Size3.75 Centimeters (cm)
Vessel Involvement
Arterial
7 Participants
Vessel Involvement
Both
12 Participants
Vessel Involvement
None
1 Participants
Vessel Involvement
Venous
28 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
2 / 48
other
Total, other adverse events
48 / 48
serious
Total, serious adverse events
24 / 48

Outcome results

Primary

Rate of R0 Resection

The rate of R0 resection of patients with borderline-resectable adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas, along with borderline-resectable and resectable adenocarcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas. R0 resection means that following surgery, no cancer cells are seen microscopically at the resection margin.

Time frame: Post-surgery (about 4 months post baseline)

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationRate of R0 Resection31 Participants
Resected Participants - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationRate of R0 Resection31 Participants
Secondary

30 Day Post-operative Mortality Rate

The number of participants that died within 30 days after undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy.

Time frame: 30 days post surgery (about 6 months from baseline)

Population: The number of participants that underwent surgery

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + Radiation30 Day Post-operative Mortality Rate0 Participants
Secondary

Correlation of Mutational Analysis Biomarkers

To correlate mutational analysis biomarkers (SNaPSHOT assay) with response to treatment

Time frame: 2 years

Secondary

Local Control Rates

The number of participants that achieved local control. Local control was evaluated using RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors). Local Failure is defined as progression of the primary tumor, or to the reappearance of tumor at the primary site.

Time frame: From the start of treatment until the end of treatment with FOLFIRINOX, or until disease progression (median duration of follow-up of approximately 14 months)

Population: The first 5 participants treated who only received 4 cycles of FOLFIRINOX instead of 8 were not included in the analysis of local control.

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationLocal Control Rates32 Participants
Secondary

Median Overall Survival

Median overall survival, as measured from the start of treatment until the time of death.

Time frame: From the start of treatment until the time of death, median duration of follow-up of 37.7 months

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationMedian Overall Survival37.7 Months
Secondary

Median Progression-Free Survival

The median progression free survival as measured from the start of treatment until the time of disease progression or death, whichever occurs first. Disease status was evaluated using RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors). Disease progression is defined as having at least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameter (LD) of target lesion, taking as reference the smallest sum LD recorded since the treatment started or the appearance of one or more new lesions.

Time frame: From the start of treatment until death or disease progression, median duration of follow-up of 14.7 months

ArmMeasureValue (MEDIAN)
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationMedian Progression-Free Survival14.7 Months
Secondary

Preoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and Chemoradiation

Frequency of grade 3 or greater adverse events deemed related to FOLFIRINOX+short course radiation therapy. Adverse events were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 4).

Time frame: From the start of treatment until the end of chemoradiation, about 4 months

ArmMeasureGroupValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationDiarrhea5 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationNeutropenia2 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationFebrile neutropenia1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationLymphopenia1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationThrombocytopenia1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationAnemia1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationElevated alkaline phosphatase1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationElevated bilirubin1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationElevated AST/ALT1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationPeripheral neuropathy2 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationAbdominal pain1 Participants
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationPreoperative Toxicity of Grade 3 or Worse Related to FOLFIRINOX and ChemoradiationConstipation1 Participants
Secondary

Quality of Life, Symptom Burden, and Mood

Patient-reported outcomes: We will use descriptive statistics to describe Quality of Life (QOL) (EORTC QLQ-C30), symptom burden (ESAS-r) and mood (HADS) for the entire study cohort.

Time frame: 2 years

Secondary

Rate of Pathologic Downstaging

To determine the rate of pathologic down-staging among participants that underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy. The pathologic downstaging rate is the proportion of patients with the primary tumor and nodes downstaged based on final pathology of the surgical specimen.

Time frame: Baseline, Post surgery

Secondary

The Proportion of Participants With Surgery Related Adverse Events

The number of participants with surgery related any grade adverse events following pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy after receiving preoperative FOLFIRINOX and preoperative short course radiation therapy. Adverse events were assessed using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE 4).

Time frame: At the time of surgery, 30 days post-surgery

Population: The participants that underwent surgery

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
All Eligible - FOLFIRINOX + RadiationThe Proportion of Participants With Surgery Related Adverse Events0.375 proportion of participants
Secondary

Utilization of Health Services (Emergency Room, Hospital and Intensive Care Unit)

Summary of the number of hospitalizations, intensive care unit (ICU) stays, emergency department (ED) stays, and palliative care use for the study population.

Time frame: 2 years

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Sep 5, 2026