title: Gemcitabine and vincristine: an effective outpatient regimen with low myelotoxicity for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: The activity and tolerability of gemcitabine and the non-overlapping toxicity of gemcitabine plus vincristine were the basis for testing this regimen patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Forty patients (25 male/15 female, median age 52 years) with stage IV NSCLC and a Karnofsky Performance Status score > or = 60 entered the trial. Patients received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8 and 15 and vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 on days 1 and 15, every 4 weeks. The overall response rate was 16/40 (40%) (N = 40); with 2 complete and 14 partial responses; additional 14 patients had minor responses or stable disease. Median duration of remission was 4.5 months, and the median survival was 9 months. In two patients with grade 2 generalized vesicular rash and severe malaise, respectively, treatment-related toxicity led to early termination of treatment. Among patients treated for more than two months, vincristine doses were reduced/omitted for 55% of cycles because of grade 1-2 peripheral neuropathy. Myelotoxicity was frequent but rarely clinically significant. Mean platelet counts on day 1 of cycles 2,3 and 4 were significantly higher than the pre-treatment or post-treatment values. We conclude that vincristine plus gemcitabine is an an active and well tolerated regimen. Its interesting "platelet-saving" effect deserves further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncology, Zaloska, Ljubljana, Slovenia. mzwitter@onko-i.si
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zwitter
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cufer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013922:Thrombocytosis / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014750:Vincristine; D000093542:Gemcitabine