Abstract
Many active cytotoxic drugs, given according to a number of different regimens are approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients. However, these therapies have not changed the outcome of patients affected by this malignancy. As a consequence, the balance between chemotherapy-induced side effects and relief of cancer-related symptoms must be carefully considered in this setting. Gemcitabine is an antimetabolite that is incorporated as a triphosphate into DNA. As a single agent, it yields responses rates ranging from 14% to 37% in chemotherapy-naïve patients and from 12% to 30% in patients previously treated with anthracyclines and/or taxanes. In combination with paclitaxel, it produces a significantly higher response rate (41.4% vs. 26.2%), longer time to progression (6.1 vs. 4 months) and significantly higher overall survival (18.6 vs. 15.8 months) than paclitaxel alone. In addition, a phase III study revealed that gemcitabine plus docetaxel is as effective as capecitabine plus docetaxel, but causes significantly less non-haematologic toxicity. Lastly, in another phase III trial, progression free survival was significantly longer with the combination of gemcitabine plus vinorelbine than with vinorelbine alone (6 vs. 4 months), but without a significant difference in overall survival; the incidence of haematologic toxicity was higher in the group treated with combined therapy. Novel gemcitabine combinations are being investigated in phase II studies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 220-226 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Breast |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2008 |
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Keywords
- Chemotherapy
- Gemcitabine
- Metastatic breast cancer
- Review
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Cite this
Role of gemcitabine in metastatic breast cancer patients : A short review. / Silvestris, Nicola; Cinieri, Saverio; La Torre, Ignazia; Pezzella, Giuseppe; Numico, Gianmauro; Orlando, Laura; Lorusso, Vito.
In: Breast, Vol. 17, No. 3, 06.2008, p. 220-226.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Role of gemcitabine in metastatic breast cancer patients
T2 - A short review
AU - Silvestris, Nicola
AU - Cinieri, Saverio
AU - La Torre, Ignazia
AU - Pezzella, Giuseppe
AU - Numico, Gianmauro
AU - Orlando, Laura
AU - Lorusso, Vito
PY - 2008/6
Y1 - 2008/6
N2 - Many active cytotoxic drugs, given according to a number of different regimens are approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients. However, these therapies have not changed the outcome of patients affected by this malignancy. As a consequence, the balance between chemotherapy-induced side effects and relief of cancer-related symptoms must be carefully considered in this setting. Gemcitabine is an antimetabolite that is incorporated as a triphosphate into DNA. As a single agent, it yields responses rates ranging from 14% to 37% in chemotherapy-naïve patients and from 12% to 30% in patients previously treated with anthracyclines and/or taxanes. In combination with paclitaxel, it produces a significantly higher response rate (41.4% vs. 26.2%), longer time to progression (6.1 vs. 4 months) and significantly higher overall survival (18.6 vs. 15.8 months) than paclitaxel alone. In addition, a phase III study revealed that gemcitabine plus docetaxel is as effective as capecitabine plus docetaxel, but causes significantly less non-haematologic toxicity. Lastly, in another phase III trial, progression free survival was significantly longer with the combination of gemcitabine plus vinorelbine than with vinorelbine alone (6 vs. 4 months), but without a significant difference in overall survival; the incidence of haematologic toxicity was higher in the group treated with combined therapy. Novel gemcitabine combinations are being investigated in phase II studies.
AB - Many active cytotoxic drugs, given according to a number of different regimens are approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients. However, these therapies have not changed the outcome of patients affected by this malignancy. As a consequence, the balance between chemotherapy-induced side effects and relief of cancer-related symptoms must be carefully considered in this setting. Gemcitabine is an antimetabolite that is incorporated as a triphosphate into DNA. As a single agent, it yields responses rates ranging from 14% to 37% in chemotherapy-naïve patients and from 12% to 30% in patients previously treated with anthracyclines and/or taxanes. In combination with paclitaxel, it produces a significantly higher response rate (41.4% vs. 26.2%), longer time to progression (6.1 vs. 4 months) and significantly higher overall survival (18.6 vs. 15.8 months) than paclitaxel alone. In addition, a phase III study revealed that gemcitabine plus docetaxel is as effective as capecitabine plus docetaxel, but causes significantly less non-haematologic toxicity. Lastly, in another phase III trial, progression free survival was significantly longer with the combination of gemcitabine plus vinorelbine than with vinorelbine alone (6 vs. 4 months), but without a significant difference in overall survival; the incidence of haematologic toxicity was higher in the group treated with combined therapy. Novel gemcitabine combinations are being investigated in phase II studies.
KW - Chemotherapy
KW - Gemcitabine
KW - Metastatic breast cancer
KW - Review
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=44349090341&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=44349090341&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.breast.2007.10.009
DO - 10.1016/j.breast.2007.10.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 18037292
AN - SCOPUS:44349090341
VL - 17
SP - 220
EP - 226
JO - Breast
JF - Breast
SN - 0960-9776
IS - 3
ER -