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Objectives: Chemoradiotherapy, which is one of the standard treatments for locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma, is considered a high-risk procedure in elderly patients. This study investigated the outcome and tolerability of this treatment in elderly patients. Methods: We reviewed our database from November 1993 to March 2003 and retrospectively examined the clinical data of patients with histologically confirmed exocrine pancreatic carcinomas that were nonresectable but confined to the pancreatic region, who were treated with protracted 5-fluorouracil infusion (200 mg/m2/day) and concurrent radiotherapy (50.4 Gy in 28 fractions over 5.5 weeks). We evaluated the outcome of patients ≥70 years and those <70 years. Results: There were 19 patients ≥70 and 39 patients <70. On pretreatment evaluation, the elderly patients showed lower serum albumin levels, lower transaminase levels, better ECOG performance status, more frequent body weight loss and less frequent abdominal and/or back pain with the administration of morphine than the younger patients. There were no significant differences in the frequency of severe toxicity. Neither the response rate nor the incidence of treatment discontinuation differed significantly between the two groups. The median survival time was longer in the elderly patients than in the younger patients (11.3 vs. 9.5 months, p = 0.04). Conclusions: With careful patient selection, chemoradiotherapy can be one of the treatment options for locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma in elderly patients. Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of small-field radiotherapy in combination with concomitant 5-fluorouracil (5FU) or cisplatin for locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma.Materials and methods: From November 1993 to January 1999, 53 patients underwent continuous 5FU infusion at 200 mg/m2 (27 patients) or a 30-min cisplatin infusion at 5 mg/m2/day (26 patients) just prior to each irradiation. The radiation field was limited to cover the primary and the paraaortic regions at celiac and supramesenteric axis levels. A total dose of 50.4 Gy in 28 sessions was given in 5.6 weeks.Results: Median and 1-year survival rates were 10.2 months and 35.2%, respectively. Local failure occurred in 19 patients (36%) and liver metastases in 16 patients (30%). All local recurrences occurred only within the radiation field.Conclusions: Median survival rates were comparable to other studies. Because local failure occurred only within the radiation field, the use of relatively small-field radiotherapy may be justified in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma in addition to concurrent administration of either 5FU or cisplatin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]