Authors' objectives:

This review aims to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of gemcitabine as first and second line therapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Authors' recommendations: Gemcitabine as first line therapy: Until Phase II studies with existing or new drugs, alone or in combination, demonstrate significant improved benefit in pancreatic cancer, randomised studies are likely to be directed towards toxicity, QoL and any small survival benefits that may be obtained with gemcitabine alone compared with a modern 5-FU-based protocol or a combination of the two. The evidence for QoL benefits of gemcitabine is particularly poor. There is widespread acknowledgement of the need for a RCT to confirm the survival benefits of gemcitabine and, particularly, to enable the collation of acceptable QoL data. Gemcitabine as second line therapy: Further high-quality randomised trial evidence is required to determine fully the value of gemcitabine as a second line treatment.

Authors' methods: Systematic review

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.hta.ac.uk/1197

Year Published: 2001

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: England, United Kingdom

Organisation Name: NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme

Contact Address: NIHR Journals Library, National Institute for Health and Care Research, Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre, Alpha House, University of Southampton Science Park, Southampton SO16 7NS, UK

Contact Name: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk

Contact Email: journals.library@nihr.ac.uk

Copyright: 2009 Queen's Printer and Controller of HMSO