Long-term survival under maintenance gemcitabine chemotherapy for metastatic transitional cell carcinoma.
We report a case of a 74-year-old patient who received 41 courses of maintenance therapy with gemcitabine over a length of 28 months for metastatic transitional cell carcinoma. One year earlier the patient had received three cycles of adjuvant cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy after nephro-ureterectomy for a locally advanced urothelial cancer of the right renal pelvis. This case demonstrates a paradigm shift in the palliative treatment of advanced urothelial cancer, with the implementation of more tolerable agents such as gemcitabine. Even elderly patients with impaired renal function may benefit in terms of tumor reduction and survival from systemic chemotherapy, which may be applied over a prolonged period of time.
Lehmann
Jan
J
Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany. jan.lehmann@uniklinikum-saarland.de
Retz
Margitta
M
Siemer
Stefan
S
Schreier
Ulrich
U
Zwergel
Ulrike
U
Stöckle
Michael
M
D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D012186:Retroperitoneal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D012264:Ribonucleotide Reductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D012264:Ribonucleotide Reductases; D000093542:Gemcitabine