title: Gemcitabine for palliative treatment in metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: Gemcitabine is one of the recently developed drugs with a high efficacy in various malignant tumours and a mild toxicity profile. As monochemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer, gemcitabine yielded response rates up to 46% as first- and second-line treatment. Neutropenia is the clinically most relevant unwanted effect. Haematological and nonhaematological toxicities are mild, making dose reductions, delays of treatment or withdrawal from treatment very rare. The first phase I and phase II studies of gemcitabine in combination with anthracyclines have shown a good toxicity profile and promising remission rates. Phase I experiences with long-time infusion schedules reveal good feasibility and high patient acceptance.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinik Charité, Schwerpunkt Onkologie und Hämatologie, Humboldt-Universität Berlin, Germany. Diana.Lueftner@rz.hu-berlin.de
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lüftner
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Flath
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Akrivakis
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grunewald
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Mergenthaler
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Possinger
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010166:Palliative Care; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine