title: Gemcitabine as first-line therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer: a phase II trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This phase II study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with histologically or cytologically confirmed bidimensionally measurable MBC not amendable to curative surgery or radiation were eligible. Prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease was not permitted. Patients received gemcitabine 1,200 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8 and 15 for 3 weeks every 28 days for a maximum of 8 cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine patients, with a median age of 58 years, were enrolled. The overall response rate for the 35 evaluable patients was 37.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 21.5-55.1%), with 2 complete responses and 11 partial responses. Median time to progression and survival were 5.1 months (95% CI, 3.5-8.8 months) and 21.1 months (95% CI, 11.0-26.9 months), respectively. Chemotherapy was well tolerated, with a median of 4 cycles completed. Grade 4 toxicities were 1 infection and 1 abnormal pulmonary function. Grade 3 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 30.3% and 6.3% of patients, respectively. The most common grade 3 non-hematologic toxicity was nausea/vomiting (10.3%). Five of 21 patients had improved Karnofsky performance status (KPS) scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-agent gemcitabine is active and well tolerated as first-line treatment in patients with MBC.
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada. martin.blackstein@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blackstein
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Vogel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ambinder
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Melemed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine