title: [An early phase II study of gemcitabine hydrochloride (LY 188011). Gemcitabine Cooperative Study Group for Early Phase II].
abstract: An early phase II cooperative study of Gemcitabine Hydrochloride (abbreviated to "gemcitabine" herewith) was conducted in patients with a variety of solid tumors (i.e., lung cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon/rectum cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer) at 56 institutions. The aim of the first step (Step I) was to investigate the feasibility of gemcitabine in a variety of different solid tumors, including lung cancer regarding efficacy and safety. The aim of the second step (Step II) was as a result of step I (Responses were observed) to continue to investigate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine in chemonaive patients with non-small cell lung cancer. As a Step I study, gemcitabine was administered once weekly at a dose of 800 mg/m2 for a consecutive 3-week period followed by a week of rest, in multiple courses. Among the 29 eligible patients with lung cancer, partial response (PR) was achieved in 3 patients (25.0%, 95% confidence interval: 5.5-57.2%) out of 12 chemonaive patients. Adverse reactions (grade 3 or higher) seen in 29 patients with lung cancer were neutropenia (27.6%), leukopenia (13.8%), decreased hemoglobin (13.8%), thrombocytopenia (10.3%), malaise (6.9%), anorexia (3.4%), nausea/vomiting (3.4%), diarrhea (3.4%), dyspnea (3.4%) and interstitial pneumonia (3.4%). In other types of solid tumors, PR was achieved in 2 (8.7%) out of 23 eligible patients with cervical cancer and in 1 (5.3%) of 19 eligible patients with ovarian cancer, while the use of analgesics became unnecessary in 1 patient with pancreatic cancer. Incidence as well as severity of main adverse reactions in these patients were comparable to those seen in patients with lung cancer. A Step II study, in which gemcitabine was administered once weekly at a dose of 1,000 mg/m2 to chemonaive patients with non-small cell lung cancer, was conducted, referring to the results of Step I and clinical studies conducted overseas. The results of the Step II study demonstrated PR in 5 (14.3%, 95% confidence interval: 4.8 - 30.3%) out of 35 eligible patients with non-small cell lung cancer and that the main adverse reactions were comparable to those seen in the Step I study, posing no tolerability problems in particular.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Dept. of Internal Medicine, Osaka Prefectural Habikino Hospital.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukuoka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furuse
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirabayashi
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niitani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taguchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine