[Updates on gemcitabine at the American Society of Clinical Oncology congress (ASCO, 2002) ].
The efficacy of gemcitabine containing regimens has been explored in a large number of studies presented at ASCO 2002. The activity of gemcitabine-platinum based combinations was confirmed in lung cancer and bladder cancer. In pancreatic cancer, single agent gemcitabine remains the reference treatment, but newer combinations with oxaliplatin or docetaxel show promising activity in phase II trials and are currently being evaluated in phase III. Gemcitabine has demonstrated promising activity in phase II studies in metastatic breast cancer and gynaecologic tumors; phase III trials are ongoing. Concomitant chemo-radiation using gemcitabine as a radiosensitizer have been shown to be highly effective in pancreatic and in bladder cancer and deserve further investigation. The growing interest in gemcitabine-based combinations in various tumor types together with the results presented at ASCO 2002 confirm the broad range of activity of this drug. This is a review of papers presented at ASCO 2002.
Gligorov
Joseph
J
Service d'oncologie médicale, Hôpital Tenon, 4, rue de la Chine, 75020 Paris.
André
Thierry
T
Epaud
Christelle
C
Culine
Stéphane
S
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006147:Guanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000188:drug therapy; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012074:Remission Induction; D043823:Taxoids; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005971:Glutamates; D008937:Mitomycins; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D043823:Taxoids; D000068437:Pemetrexed; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D014747:Vinblastine; D006147:Guanine; D017239:Paclitaxel; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine