Gemcitabine and Pulse Dose Erlotinib in Second Line Treatment of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2020-09-03
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose of this study is to see whether an altered schedule of giving erlotinib in
combination with gemcitabine will be safe and might improve the results of the treatment for
advanced cancer of the pancreas.
Gemcitabine and erlotinib are commercially available. Gemcitabine is FDA approved as
first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic cancer of
the pancreas. Erlotinib is FDA approved in combination with gemcitabine for the first-line
treatment of patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The FDA recommended dose for erlotinib is 100 mg daily. This study will investigate the
experimental administration of higher doses of erlotinib given for only three days twice a
month, a schedule called "pulse dosing".