Modified FOLFIRINOX for Gemcitabine-Refractory Pancreatic Cancer: Improved Safety and Efficacy

Pancreatic cancer is a serious condition, being the fourth leading cause of death in the Western world. Usually, surgery is the only treatment that offers a significant survival advantage, but unfortunately, only a small number of patients (10-20%) have operable cancer at the time of diagnosis. Gemcitabine has been the standard treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer, but it hasn't significantly improved the prognosis. A treatment called FOLFIRINOX has shown to extend survival compared to gemcitabine, but it comes with increased side effects. However, a modified FOLFIRINOX regimen has demonstrated a better safety profile in certain studies. This research aims to investigate the effectiveness and safety of this modified FOLFIRINOX treatment in patients with pancreatic cancer who didn't respond well to initial gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. During this phase II, multi-center study, participants with pancreatic cancer who have progressed despite gemcitabine-based first line chemotherapy will receive the modified FOLFIRINOX treatment. This treatment includes specific doses of oxaliplatin and irinotecan. The main goal of the study is to measure the 'true response rate', which helps to understand how many patients respond positively to the treatment. The study also monitors the safety of this treatment regimen for these patients.