title: Docetaxel and gemcitabine combinations in non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: Docetaxel and gemcitabine have been shown to be active as single agents in a variety of solid tumors. These two agents have been studied in combination with several different treatment schedules. Two phase I studies used a novel 2-week administration schedule that involved a 1-hour infusion of 35 mg/m2 to 65 mg/m2 docetaxel and gemcitabine administered as either a 30-minute infusion (2,000 to 4,000 mg/m2) or a 10 mg/m2/min infusion (1,000 to 1,200 mg/m2 total dose). Another novel phase I study evaluated the effect of drug sequence on toxicities. Patients received 30 to 40 mg/m2 docetaxel and 800 to 1,250 mg/m2 gemcitabine on days 1 and 8 every 21 days. Two phase I studies of a monthly docetaxel regimen have been conducted. Patients received 800 mg/m2 gemcitabine on days 1, 8, and 15 and 100 mg/m2 docetaxel on day 1 of a 28-day cycle. Finally, in a phase II study, patients received 900 mg/m2 gemcitabine on days 1 and 8 and 100 mg/m2 docetaxel on day 8, with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor administered on days 9 through 15. In these studies, antitumor responses were observed in lung cancer as well as a number of other histologies. Neutropenia was the most frequent dose-limiting toxicity and no difference in clinical toxicity was observed with either sequence of administration. The emerging evidence suggests, therefore, that the combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel is active in a variety of solid tumors and is well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Lombardi Cancer Center, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rizvi
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Spiridonidis
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhargava
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dahut
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Figuera
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hawkins
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077143:Docetaxel; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D043823:Taxoids; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel; D000093542:Gemcitabine