title: Gemcitabine plus carboplatin combination therapy as second-line treatment in patients with relapsed breast cancer.
abstract: This study was designed to determine the safety and efficacy of the combination therapy of gemcitabine plus carboplatin when used as a second-line treatment in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). From February 2002 to May 2003, 30 previously treated patients with adenocarcinoma of the breast received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 plus carboplatin to an area under the curve (AUC) of 5 on day 1. The carboplatin dose was changed to an AUC of 4.5 because of toxicity, with cycles repeated every 3 weeks. Among 30 patients enrolled, 25 were assessable for response rate (RR). There was no complete response; 9 patients (30%) had partial response, for an overall RR of 30%. The median time to progression for the study group was 20.47 weeks (range, 8-46 weeks). Treatment-related toxicities included grade 3/4 neutropenia in 50% of patients (20% of whom had febrile neutropenia), grade 3/4 anemia in 26.6% of patients, and grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia in 30%. Eleven patients (36.67%) had grade 1 alopecia, and 1 patient (3.33%) had grade 2 alopecia. Moderate nausea was observed in 8 patients (26.67%), and vomiting occurred in 7 patients. Four patients had asthenia and 3 (10%) experienced stomatitis. Three patients discontinued treatment because of hematologic toxicity (thrombocytopenia) and 2 patients are still receiving treatment. Carboplatin plus gemcitabine is an active combination for patients with MBC despite significant but manageable hematologic toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Group, Collaborative Group, Beirut, Lebanon. nasrfadi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Fady L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Nasr
authors.forename: George Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Chahine
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kattan
authors.forename: Fadi S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Farhat
authors.forename: Walid T
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Mokaddem
authors.forename: Elias A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Tueni
authors.forename: Joya E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dagher
authors.forename: Marwan G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ghosn
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000379:methods; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016190:Carboplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine