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Mesothelioma
Treatment
Articles
and Abstracts
A
Phase II study of gemcitabine in patients
with malignant pleural mesothelioma.
European Organization for Research and
Treatment of Cancer Lung Cancer
Cooperative Group.
Cancer
1999 Jun 15;85(12):2577-82
van
Meerbeeck JP, Baas P, Debruyne C, Groen
HJ, Manegold C, Ardizzoni A, Gridelli C,
van Marck EA, Lentz M, Giaccone
G
Department
of Pulmonology, University Hospital,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
BACKGROUND:
Gemcitabine has shown activity in patients
with less chemosensitive solid tumors.
Phase II screening of novel drugs is an
accepted method with which to investigate
new therapies in malignant mesothelioma.
The European Organization for Research and
Treatment of Cancer-Lung Cancer
Cooperative Group has performed several
sequential Phase II trials of new agents
for the treatment of mesothelioma over the
last 10 years.
METHODS:
Twenty-seven chemotherapy-naive patients
with histologically proven malignant
mesothelioma were treated with gemcitabine
as a 30-minute intravenous administration
of 1250 mg/m2 on Days 1, 8, and 15 of a
28-day cycle. Therapy continued for up to
ten cycles unless disease progression or
excessive toxicity mandated
discontinuation. RESULTS: With a median
relative dose intensity of 96%, toxicity
was mild and neutropenia of > or =
Grade 3 (according to National Cancer
Institute criteria) occured in 30% of
patients, without episodes of febrile
neutropenia. One case of hemolytic-uremic
syndrome, most likely related to
gemcitabine use, was observed. Overall, 2
objective responses were observed
(response rate of 7%; 95% confidence
interval, 1-24%). The median survival was
8 months.
CONCLUSIONS:
At the prescribed dosage and schedule,
single agent gemcitabine appears to have
limited activity in chemotherapy-naive
patients with malignant pleural
mesothelioma.
PMID:
10375105, UI: 99301641
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