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  Life   Health  05 Jun 2018  Study finds rare advance for tough-to-beat pancreatic cancer

Study finds rare advance for tough-to-beat pancreatic cancer

AP
Published : Jun 5, 2018, 2:38 pm IST
Updated : Jun 5, 2018, 2:38 pm IST

Experts say it could be practice-changing for a small group of patients whose pancreatic cancer is diagnosed early.

Experts say it could be practice-changing for a small group of patients whose pancreatic cancer is diagnosed early. (Photo: Pixabay)
 Experts say it could be practice-changing for a small group of patients whose pancreatic cancer is diagnosed early. (Photo: Pixabay)

Patients with pancreatic cancer that hadn't spread lived substantially longer on a four-drug combo than on a single standard cancer drug,

It's a rare advance for a tough-to-beat cancer, and experts say it could be practice-changing for a small group of patients whose pancreatic cancer is diagnosed early enough to be removed by surgery.

Results were reported Monday at a medical meeting in Chicago.

The study tested folfirinox against the standard treatment, Gemzar. Folfirinox combines four chemotherapy drugs.

Two-thirds of patients given folfirinox were alive after three years versus half of those given Gemzar.

Nearly 500 patients in France and Canada were enrolled.

Tags: cancer, pancreatic cancer, chicago, chemotherapy drugs, france, canada