title: Novel gemcitabine-containing triplets in the management of urothelial cancer.
abstract: Chemotherapy has been the cornerstone of treatment of advanced urothelial cancer. For a decade, the combination regimen of methotrexate/vinblastine/doxorubicin/cisplatin has been considered the standard for these patients. The need for improved efficacy and reduced toxicity of a predominantly palliative therapy has propelled efforts for new drug development. Of the newly identified agents with documented activity, both gemcitabine and paclitaxel have been evaluated with a platinum and have been incorporated into multiagent chemotherapy combinations. Phase II data from two gemcitabine-based triplets are currently available. Combination gemcitabine/paclitaxel/cisplatin and gemcitabine/paclitaxel/carboplatin have high levels of activity with overall and complete response rates of 76% and 26%, respectively, for the former and 68% and 32%, respectively, for the latter combination. The role of gemcitabine-based multiagent combinations compared with standard therapy awaits evaluation in prospectively randomized trials.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, Wayne State University and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Ulka
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Vaishampayan
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate; D000093542:Gemcitabine