A phase II study of epirubicin in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

THE PROGNOSIS for patients with pancreatic carcinoma remains dismal [l] and effective treatments are required. Wils et al. reported 8 responses in 34 evaluable patients who had received epirubicin [2]. This response rate of 24% encouraged us to study epirubicin in inoperable pancreatic carcinomas. Patients were eligible if they fulfilled the following criteria: histologically and/or clinically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, aged below 75, performance status (ECOG) O-3, no previous treatment with irradiation or chemotherapy, measurable disease, adequate bone marrow, cardiac, hepatic and renal