The purpose of this study is first to establish what is the ideal dose of gemcitabine, a chemotherapy agent, when given in combination with radiation. In addition, the investigators want to determine the side effects and the effectiveness of this combination. The investigators will also study several markers to try to identify markers or tests that will predict which patients will benefit more from this treatment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
35
Gemcitabine weekly x 6 wks with concurrent external radiation
USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
Toxicity (Number of Participants With Serious Adverse Events)
Summary of grade 3 or higher toxicities as per Common Toxicity Criteria version 2.0. Phase 1 and 2 Combined (N=35)
Time frame: Every 3 weeks from start of study until 30 days after the last dose of treatment
Best Overall Response of Either a Complete Response (CR) or Partial Response (PR)
Participants who complete the 6 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation or who experience dose limiting toxicity or who progress at any time prior to completion of the 6 weeks of chemotherapy and radiation will be evaluable for response. Complete response (CR): Complete disappearance of all measurable and evaluable disease. No new lesions. No disease related symptoms. No evidence of nonevaluable disease, including normalization of markers and other abnormal lab values. All measurable, evaluable, and nonevaluable lesions and sites must be assessed using the same technique as baseline. Partial response (PR): Applies only to patients with at least one measurable lesion. Greater than or equal to 50% decrease under baseline in the sum of products of perpendicular diameters of all measurable lesions. No progression of evaluable disease. No new lesions. All measurable and evaluable lesions and sites must be assessed using the same techniques as baseline.
Time frame: Baseline to response (up to 24 months)
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