title: A phase II study of neoadjuvant gemcitabine plus doxorubicin in stage IIIB breast cancer: a preliminary report.
abstract: The purpose of this ongoing study is to determine the response and safety of a combination of gemcitabine (Gemzar; Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN) plus doxorubicin as neoadjuvant therapy for stage IIIB breast cancer. Thirty-nine chemotherapy-naive patients were enrolled in the study. The median age was 54 years (range, 32 to 74 years), and the median Karnofsky performance status was 100. Gemcitabine 1,200 mg/m(2) was given on days 1 and 8, and doxorubicin 60 mg/m(2) on day 1, followed by surgery or radiotherapy. Ninety-seven of 117 cycles (83%) were administered at full dose. An overall response rate of 95% was obtained, with a complete response in 18% (seven patients) and a partial response in 77% (30 patients). Twenty-eight patients (72%) underwent breast surgery after a maximum of three cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. World Health Organization grade 3/4 toxicities included leukopenia in nine cycles (8%), neutropenia in 16 cycles (14%), febrile neutropenia in 11 cycles (9%), and anemia in two cycles (2%). The most important nonhematologic toxicity was grade 2/4 mucositis in 16 cycles (14%), and/or grade 2/3 diarrhea in 10 cycles (9%). Neoadjuvant therapy with gemcitabine plus doxorubicin results in a high tumor response rate with moderate oral and hematologic toxicity. Semin Oncol 28 (suppl 10):57-61.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Instituto de Enfermedades Neoplásicas, Avenida Angamos Este 2520, Lima 34, Perú.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kahatt
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falcon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santillana
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: de Mendoza
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valdivia
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vallejos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Otero
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Pen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D000093542:Gemcitabine