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news.Interim analysis from one of the largest phase III studies investigating the first-line treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer has suggested that adding Roche's oral chemotherapy pill Xeloda to standard chemotherapy may significantly extend patient survival.
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The study showed that, after a year, one patient out of every four was still alive when treated with Xeloda plus standard chemotherapy, compared to one in five taking standard chemotherapy alone. These findings were unveiled at the European Cancer Conference in Paris.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 32,000 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas during 2005. The five-year relative survival rate for the disease is only 4% and few effective treatment options exist for the disease.
“These data show there are new possibilities for pancreatic cancer patients who, in general, have a short life expectancy once diagnosed,” said Julie Fleshman, president & CEO of the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. “Because pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancers, it is even more critical to discover and offer these patients more treatment options.”