Gemcitabine and oral vinorelbine as salvage treatment in patients with advanced anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Despite progress achieved with new chemotherapeutic and endocrine agents, advanced breast cancer (ABC) remains a disease with poor prognosis. We sought to determine the efficacy of gemcitabine (GC) and oral vinorelbine (VB) in heavily preatreated ABC.


METHODS
Patients previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes in the metastatic setting with progressive disease were eligible. Treatment consisted of VB (60 mg/m2, orally) and GC (1000 mg/m2, intravenous infusion), every two weeks of a 28- day cycle.


RESULTS
Thirty-one patients with ABC were enrolled. Toxicity was acceptable, mainly haematological. Three and 8 patients achieved a complete (9.6%) and partial (25.8%) response, respectively; ten patients (32.2%) had stable disease. Median time-to-progression was 5.3 months, while in responders 8.6 months. Median overall survival was 14 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral VB and GC is an active and well-tolerated combination in anthracycline/taxane-pretreated ABC, representing an interesting option in this poor prognosis group of patients.
Ardavanis
A
A
First Department of Medical Oncology, Ag. Savvas Anticancer Hospital, Athens, Greece. ardavanis@yahoo.com
Kountourakis
P
P
Maliou
S
S
Vassilakopoulou
M
M
Basioukas
S
S
Kyriakou
F
F
Koumna
S
S
Rigatos
G
G
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D018943:Anthracyclines; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine