Effect on Tumor Perfusion of a Chemotherapy Combining Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) in Pancreatic Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

• Histo(cyto)logically proven ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma;

• Resectable or potentially resectable tumor; resectability assessed during amultidisciplinary meeting with expert surgeon and radiologist (cohort 1), or locallyadvanced and/or metastatic tumor (cohort 2);

• First line chemotherapy;

• Age > 18 years;

• WHO performance status (PS) grade 0 or 1;

• Absolute neutrophil count > 1.5 x 10 9 / L, platelets > 100 x 10 9/ L, creatinineclearance (Cockcroft and Gault formula) > 60 ml/min, haemoglobin level > 10 g/dl (transfusions authorized), bilirubin<1.5 g/dl;

• Optimal biliary drainage;

• Women of child-bearing potential (WCBP), defined as a sexually mature woman who hasnot undergone a hysterectomy or tubal ligation of who has not been naturallypostmenopausal for at least 24 consecutive months, must have a negative serum or urinepregnancy test prior to treatment. All WCBP, all sexually active male patients, andall partners of patients must agree to use adequate methods of birth controlthroughout the study;

• Signed informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous anticancer therapy for the pancreatic adenocarcinoma;

• Biliary obstruction without endoscopic biliary drainage;

• Any contre-indication for surgery;

• Prior malignancy (except non-melanoma skin cancer, and in situ carcinoma of theuterine cervix treated with a curative intent and any other tumor in completeremission with a disease-free interval > 3 years);

• Uncontrolled congestive heart failure or angina pectoris, myocardial infarction within 1 year prior to study entry, uncontrolled hypertension (systolic pressure > 160 mm ordiastolic pressure > 100 mm under well conducted antihypertensive treatment), QTprolongation;

• Major uncontrolled infection;

• Severe hepatic impairment;

• Any medical, psychological, or social condition, which, in the opinion of theinvestigator, could hamper patient's compliance to the study protocol and/orassessment/interpretation of the data;

• Pregnant or lactating women, or patients of both genders with procreative potentialnot using adequate contraceptive methods;

• Patients receiving or having received any investigational treatment within 4 weeksprior to study entry, or participating to another clinical study; patients previouslyenrolled into this study.