title: Front-line chemotherapy with docetaxel and gemcitabine administered every two weeks in patients with metastatic breast cancer: a multicenter phase II study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the docetaxel-gemcitabine combination administered every 2 weeks in women with untreated metastatic breast cancer (MBC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-two patients with MBC received docetaxel 65 mg/m2 as front-line chemotherapy intravenously over 1 h followed by gemcitabine 1,500 mg/m2 intravenously over 30 min on days 1 and 14. Cycles were repeated every 28 days without prophylactic growth factor support. Twenty-eight (54%) patients had previously received chemotherapy as adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment. Thirty-six (69%) patients had visceral disease including 20 (38%) with liver metastases. All patients were evaluated for toxicity and 45 for response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In an intention-to-treat analysis, a complete response occurred in 7 (13%) patients and partial response in 24 (46%) for an overall response rate of 59% (95% CI: 46.3-73.0%). The response rate was 68% for the 28 patients who had previously received adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 67% for the 36 patients with visceral metastases. The median duration of response was 6.1 months and the median time to disease progression 10.9 months. A total of 254 cycles were administered with dose reduction in 26 (10%) cycles and no lethal toxicity. Grade III-IV neutropenia occurred in 17 (33%) patients and thrombocytopenia in 3 (6%). Febrile neutropenia developed in 3 (6%) patients. Nonhematological toxicity was generally mild.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The docetaxel-gemcitabine combination is an active and well-tolerated front-line treatment for patients with MBC. This regimen represents a suitable option especially for women relapsing after anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece. mavrudis@med.uoc.gr
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mavroudis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Malamos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Polyzos
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Kouroussis
authors.forename: Ch
authors.initials: Ch
authors.lastname: Christophilakis
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Varthalitis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Androulakis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kalbakis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Milaki
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Georgoulias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000093542:Gemcitabine