Conditions: Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer Stage II Pancreatic Cancer Stage III Pancreatic Cancer Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 143
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This randomized phase II trial is studying bevacizumab, gemcitabine, and cetuximab to see how well they work compared to bevacizumab, gemcitabine, and erlotinib in treating patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab and bevacizumab, can locate tumor cells and either kill them or deliver tumor-killing substances to them without harming normal cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die. Erlotinib may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking the enzymes necessary for their growth. Combining bevacizumab and gemcitabine with either cetuximab or erlotinib may kill more tumor cells.

Detailed description:
OBJECTIVES:

I. Compare the objective response rate in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treated with bevacizumab and gemcitabine with cetuximab vs erlotinib.

II. Compare the toxicity of these regimens in these patients. III. Compare median progression-free and overall survival of patients treated with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to participating center (University of Chicago vs other) and ECOG performance status (0-1 vs 2). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

Arm I: Patients receive cetuximab IV over 1-2 hours on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15; and bevacizumab IV over 30-90 minutes on days 1 and 15.

Arm II: Patients receive gemcitabine and bevacizumab as in arm I. Patients also receive oral erlotinib once daily on days 1-5, 8-12, and 15-26.

In both arms, courses repeat every 28 days in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Patients are followed every 3 months.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 54-126 patients (27-63 per treatment arm) will be accrued for this study within 16 months.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients receive cetuximab IV over 1-2 hours on days 1, 8, 15, and 22; gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes on days 1, 8, and 15; and bevacizumab IV over 30-90 minutes on days 1 and 15. arm 2: Patients receive gemcitabine and bevacizumab as in arm I. Patients also receive oral erlotinib once daily on days 1-5, 8-12, and 15-26.

Interventions: intervention 1: cetuximab intervention 2: gemcitabine hydrochloride intervention 3: bevacizumab intervention 4: erlotinib hydrochloride
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Given IV intervention 2: Given IV intervention 3: Given IV intervention 4: Given orally

Protocol document: