Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government

Sequential Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for the Treatment of Borderline Resectable and Locally Advanced Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

Trial Status: active

This phase II trial tests how well the sequence of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel (GA) followed by oxaliplatin, irinotecan, fluorouracil and leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX) before surgery (neoadjuvant) works in treating patients with pancreatic cancer that can be removed by surgery (resectable) or that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced). Gemcitabine is a chemotherapy drug that blocks the cells from making deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill tumor cells. Paclitaxel is in a class of medications called antimicrotubule agents. It stops tumor cells from growing and dividing and may kill them. Nab-paclitaxel is an albumin-stabilized nanoparticle formulation of paclitaxel which may have fewer side effects and work better than other forms of paclitaxel. Oxaliplatin is in a class of medications called platinum-containing antineoplastic agents. It damages the cell’s DNA and may kill tumor cells. Irinotecan is in a class of antineoplastic medications called topoisomerase I inhibitors. It blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair and may kill tumor cells. Fluorouracil is a type of antimetabolite that stops cells from making DNA and it may kill tumor cells. Leucovorin is in a class of medications called folic acid analogs that is used to lessen the toxic effects of substances that block the action of folic acid and can be used with fluorouracil. It is a type of chemoprotective agent and a type of chemosensitizing agent. Giving sequential GA and mFOLFIRINOX before surgery may make the tumor smaller and may reduce the amount of normal tissue that needs to be removed in patients with borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.