Pancreatic cancer is often incurable and can be associated with significant pain and abdominal symptoms. This study aims to characterize the symptomatic burden of patients with pancreatic cancer receiving palliative radiotherapy and the corresponding symptomatic and radiographic responses.
Patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma referred to BC Cancer for palliative radiation from 2006 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards model were used to evaluate variables predictive of symptomatic response and survival respectively.
One hundred patients were identified. The majority had good performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score 0-1, 82%), received only one line of chemotherapy (91%), and presented with pain (84%). The most common radiotherapy prescription was 30 Gy in 10 fractions (22%). Pain improved in 69%, early satiety and bloating improved in 59%, and hemostasis was achieved in 73% of cases. Treatment toxicity occurred in 47% of cases and were predominantly grade 1-2 with 1 case of grade 3 toxicity. Median survival was 5.1 months. Tumor size, radiotherapy dose, and concurrent chemotherapy were not predictive of symptomatic response nor prolonged survival.
In the largest cohort to date evaluating palliative radiotherapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, radiation was efficacious in improving pain and gastrointestinal bleeding and was generally well-tolerated. Additional studies on the efficacy and optimal prescriptions for palliative radiotherapy are necessary in this population.