title: Combined chemotherapy of irinotecan and low-dose cisplatin (I/low-P) against metastatic biliary tract cancer.
abstract: There is no established or effective standard therapy for metastatic biliary tract cancer, resulting in poor prognosis. Recently, we performed combination chemotherapy of irinotecan and low-dose cisplatin (I/low-P) for three consecutive patients with metastatic biliary tract cancer. The regimen of I/low-P therapy consisted of irinotecan (60 mg/m(2)) and low-dose cisplatin (6 mg/m(2)), administered by intravenous infusion weekly or biweekly. Of the three patients, two showed a partial response, with durations of more than 20 months, and 2 months, respectively, while the third patient had stable disease for 3 months. One patient, who had jaundice, had grade 3 thrombocytopenia, but the other patients did not have any severe toxicities. Survival times were more than 20 months, 10 months, and 13 months, respectively. These outcomes suggest that I/low-P therapy is safe and may be worth trying as a first-line chemotherapy for patients with metastatic biliary tract cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugita
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ichihara
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furuhashi
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimada
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D000077146:Irinotecan; D002945:Cisplatin; D002166:Camptothecin