[The update on pancreatic cancer chemotherapy]

Abstract

In the world five-year overall survival of patients with pancreatic cancer is low, i.e. about 5-6%. Patients without treatment live few months. Patients with pancreatic cancer are treated with combined treatment modalities. Chemotherapy is one of the three treatment methods. In the article we review chemotherapeutic agents that are used in everyday practice like fluorouracil and it's use in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents, and also, new drugs like gemcitabine, taxanes, capecitabine and other. Effectivity of the treatment with these agents, results of survival, toxicity and particularities of intraarterial chemotherapy are discussed. New perspectives in the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer and methods of new chemotherapeutic strategies are analyzed.