Phase II study of gemcitabine and cisplatin in the treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma

BACKGROUND Pancreatic carcinoma is considered among the most chemoresistant of human malignancies. The most commonly used cytotoxic single agents, 5-fluorouracil and 2′-deoxy-2′,2′-difluorocytidine (gemcitabine), have objective response rates of less than 10% in large studies. Hypothesizing noncross resistance and a synergistic interaction between gemcitabine and cisplatin, early clinical studies have demonstrated significant activity with this...