title: Weekly gemcitabine, paclitaxel, oxaliplatin combination chemotherapy in patients with Cisplatin-refractory germ cell tumor: preliminary experience.
abstract: Although the overall cure rate for advanced germ cell tumor (GCT) is high, the prognosis for patients with cisplatin-refractory GCT remains poor. Gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and oxaliplatin have shown significant activity as single agents in these patients. We investigated the activity and tolerance of a weekly gemcitabine, paclitaxel, oxaliplatin chemotherapy regimen. From September 2000 to February 2002, 9 patients with cisplatin-refractory GCT were treated with gemcitabine 800 mg/m2, paclitaxel 70 mg/m2, and oxaliplatin 50 mg/m2, days 1, 8, and 15, every 4 weeks. Only 1 patient stayed on schedule. In 7 patients, chemotherapy treatment was modified due to grade 3-4 hematological toxicity, whereas in another patient, who received high-dose chemotherapy 2 months before, chemotherapy was administered biweekly. In total, 21 cycles were administered with a median of 2 cycles for each patient. One patient achieved a partial remission lasting 5 months, 1 had disease stabilization for 5 months, whereas 7 had progressive disease. This chemotherapy regimen was not feasible in our patient population. Recently, oxaliplatin at full doses, but not as weekly administration, has appeared to possess activity in cisplatin-refractory GCT. Thus, we plan a phase II study protocol of the oxaliplatin and gemcitabine combination at full doses every 3 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Ospedale Santa Maria delle Croci, Ravenna, Italy. ugo.degiorgi@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: De Giorgi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosti
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papiani
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aieta
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fochessati
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paoluzzi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valduga
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marangolo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D018237:Germinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013736:Testicular Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine