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Phase II study of weekly gemcitabine in patients with metastatic breast cancer relapsing or failing both an anthracycline and a taxane

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Abstract

A phase II study was performed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of gemcitabine as third-line chemotherapy for patients with metastatic breast cancer, previously treated with both an anthracycline - and taxane-containing regimen. Twenty-three patients were treated with gemcitabine 1200 mg/m2 in a 30-min infusion on day 1, 8 and 15 of a 28 day cycle. Seventy-four percent of the patients had visceral metastases. No complete or partial responses were observed. Six patients (26%) had stable disease with a median duration of 4.0 months. The median time to progression was 1.9 months and the median survival time was 7.8 months. Neutropenia grade 3 and 4 was observed in four patients (18%). Non-hematological toxicity grade 3 included nausea and vomiting in 14%, skin toxicity in 9% and elevation of transaminases in 23% of the patients. Gemcitabine is ineffective as third-line single agent therapy in patients failing anthracycline and taxane treatment for metastatic breast cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Rotterdam Cancer Institute (Daniel den Hoed Kliniek) and University Hospital Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    C.H. Smorenburg, M. Bontenbal, C. Seynaeve, C. van Zuylen, G. de Heus, J. Verweij & R. de Wit

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  1. C.H. Smorenburg
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  2. M. Bontenbal
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  3. C. Seynaeve
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  4. C. van Zuylen
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  5. G. de Heus
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  6. J. Verweij
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  7. R. de Wit
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Smorenburg, C., Bontenbal, M., Seynaeve, C. et al. Phase II study of weekly gemcitabine in patients with metastatic breast cancer relapsing or failing both an anthracycline and a taxane. Breast Cancer Res Treat 66, 83–87 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010679127390

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