ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) combined with thermochemotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC).Methods From June 2008 to June 2011,70 patients with LAPC were divided into radiotherapy group (30 patients) and combination group (40 patients).Radiotherapy used 3D-CRT with a 90％ to 95％ isodose curve,a single dose of 1.8 to 2.OGy,and total radiation dose 50 ～ 70 Gy.The combination group patients received simultaneous thermotherapy at 41.5 ～43.5 ℃ (1 h/fraction,twice a week for 6 times),and hyperthermia given simultaneously injected using arsenic trioxide 20 mg,recombinant mutant human tumor necrosis factor(rmhTNF) intravenous infusion of 10 million U,4 to 6 times,or 3D-CRT at the same time and the treatment given after gemcitabine(0.6 ～ 1.0 g/m2) on Days dl and 8 and cisplatin (DDP) (20 ～ 30 mg/m2) on Days d1-3 intravenous infusion,repeated every 28 days for 3 ～ 6 cycles.Results At 3 months after treatment,the total response (complete remission and partial remission) rate was 70.0％ (49/70),the efficiency of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy,and radiotherapy combined with thermo-chemotherapy were 56.5％ and 88.2％,and the radiotherapy alone group was 56.7％.There were significant difference in efficiency between radiotherapy combined with thermo-chemotherapy group compared to radiotherapy-chemotherapy group and radiotherapy group (x2 =4.68,4.98,P ＜ 0.05),the last two groups showed no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).The 1-year and 2-year survival rate was 46.8％ and 20.3％,respectively.The 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 52.4％ and 26.7％ in combination group,and 42.5％ and 16.2％ in radiotherapy group (x2 =14.17,P ＜ 0.05 ; x2 =9.74,P ＜ 0.05).No serious complications such as perforation,bleeding,and high fever were seen during treatment and follow-up.Conclusions 3D-CRT combined with thermochemotherapy is well tolerated and is relatively effective for the LAPC patients.