Is concomitant radiotherapy necessary with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer?

Table 1 Patient demographics and characteristics of the included studies

Study	Groups	Chemo regimens	RT regimens	No. of patients	Male	Age (yr)	MS (M)	Follow-up (M)	Clinical stage
Chauffert et al[16]	GEM-CRT	5-FU infusion, 300 mg /m2 per day, days 1-5 for 6 wk; cisplatin, 20 mg /m2 per day, days 1-5 during wk 1 and 5. Then, GEM 1000 mg/m2 weekly, 3/4 wk	Induction: 60 Gy, 2 Gy/fraction	59	31	60 (41-79)	8.6	31	Locally advanced unresectable PC
	GEM alone	GEM 1000 mg/m2 weekly for 7 wk. Then, GEM 1000 mg/m2 weekly, 3/4 wk	None	60	34	62 (38-80)	13	33	Locally advanced PC
Loehrer et al[18]	GEM+RT	600 mg/m2 per week for wk 1 to 5, then 4 wk later, 1000 mg/m2 for 3 of 4 wk	Starting on day 1, 1.8 Gy/Fx for a total of 50.4 Gy	34	19	66 (46.9-83.5)	11.1	NG
	GEM alone	1000 mg/m2 per week for wk 1 to 6, followed by 1 wk rest, then for 3 of 4 wk	None	37	18	69 (49.7-83.7)	9.2	NG
Van Laethem et al[19]	GEM-CRT	2 cycles of GEM (1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15, followed by 1 wk rest-a cycle), then GEM 300 mg/m2 once per wk for 5 to 6 wk	50.4 Gy in 28 fractions, 1.8 Gy per fraction for 5 to 6 wk	45	24	61 (44-75)	24.3	30.7	Curatively resected PC
	GEM alone	4 cycles of GEM (1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, 15, followed by 1 wk rest-a cycle)	None	45	27	58 (32-77)	24.4	33.3
Wang et al[17]	GEM-RT	2 cycles of GEM (1000 mg/m2 on radiation 1, 8, 15, 21-d a cycle)	50.4 Gy in 28 fractions on Monday through Friday over 5.5 wk	35	17	61 (44-71)	13	8-24	Locally advanced PC
	GEM alone	4-6 cycles of GEM (1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15, 28 d a cycle)	None	21	13	61 (39-71)	8	8-24

GEM: Gemcitabine; RT: Radiotherapy; CRT: Chemoradiotherapy; PC: Pancreatic cancer; MS: Median survival; NG: Not given.