title: Gemcitabine: once-weekly schedule active and better tolerated than twice-weekly schedule.
abstract: This paper reviews the toxicity profile of gemcitabine, a novel anticancer drug. Gemcitabine has been administered using two different treatment schedules: once weekly or twice weekly for 3 weeks followed by a week of rest (one cycle). It was well tolerated and alopecia was not a problem. Toxicity was greater in the twice-weekly schedule. Comparing the once-weekly with the twice-weekly schedule, WHO grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia was reported in 4.7 and 25.6% of patients, respectively. Other hematological toxicity was minimal. Transient WHO grade 3 or 4 elevations of ALT and AST occurred in 9.2 and 7.2% of patients, respectively, in the once-weekly schedule. For the twice-weekly schedule the corresponding percentages were 12.2 and 13.8%. Symptomatic toxicity was greater in patients who received twice-weekly gemcitabine. Nausea and vomiting was mild and generally well controlled without 5HT3 antagonists. However, there was a greater incidence of nausea and vomiting on the twice-weekly schedule. Flu-like symptoms were documented in 19.8% of patients receiving once-weekly and 63.3% of patients receiving twice-weekly gemcitabine. Peripheral edema, not related to cardiac, hepatic or renal failure, was seen more often in patients on twice-weekly treatment. As the efficacy of gemcitabine in non-small cell lung cancer was equivalent when using both regimens, the better tolerated and more easily administered once-weekly schedule is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Lilly Research Centre, Windlesham, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lund
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thatcher
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine