Phase II study of gemcitabine plus cisplatin in patients with metastatic breast cancer: a North Central Cancer Treatment Group Trial.
BACKGROUND
This 2-stage, phase II cooperative group trial examined the efficacy and toxicity of 1000 mg/m2 gemcitabine plus 25 mg/m2 cisplatin weekly for 3 weeks and repeated every 28 days for patients with previously treated metastatic breast cancer.


METHODS
Eligible patients had to have measurable metastatic disease. Progression on prior treatment with at least 1 chemotherapy program for metastatic disease and 1 prior anthracycline and/or taxane-containing regimen in either the metastatic or adjuvant setting was required. Patients who had received more than 2 chemotherapy treatments were not eligible for this study.


RESULTS
Fifty-eight eligible patients were entered on this 2-stage study. A 38% incidence of grade 4 thrombocytopenia observed in the first stage of accrual required lowering the chemotherapy doses to 800 mg/m2 gemcitabine plus 20 mg/m2 cisplatin weekly for the first 3 weeks of a 4-week cycle during the second stage of the study. The overall response rate was 29% (95% confidence interval [CI], 11-52%) among patients receiving the original study dose and 32% (95% CI, 18-50%) for patients receiving the lower dose. In the original- and lower-dose groups, median time to progression was 30.7 weeks (95% CI, 12.7-43.4 weeks) and 26.0 weeks (95% CI, 19.0-32.1 week), respectively. Median survival of the original- and low-dose groups was 67.9 weeks (95% CI, 42.3-90.6 weeks) and 54.1 weeks (95% CI, 41.6-73.6 weeks), respectively. Hematologic toxicities were more manageable in the lower-dose group, whereas the nonhematologic toxicity profile was similar in the 2 dose groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The response rate of this combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin is similar to that reported by other investigators but may not differ substantially from reports with single-agent gemcitabine in this patient population. The original dose level we used had unacceptable toxicity, which required lowering the doses of both gemcitabine and cisplatin by 20% to achieve acceptable toxicity and preserve clinical activity.
Burch
Patrick A
PA
Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA. burch.patrick@mayo.edu
Mailliard
James A
JA
Hillman
David W
DW
Perez
Edith A
EA
Krook
James E
JE
Rowland
Kendrith M
KM
Veeder
Michael H
MH
Cannon
Michael W
MW
Ingle
James N
JN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D003841:Deoxycytidine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000093542:Gemcitabine