[Efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine combined vinorelbine on metastatic breast cancer: a report of 34 cases].
OBJECTIVE
Chemotherapy is one of major treatments of metastatic breast cancer. Anthracyclines and taxanes are usually considered as the most active agents in breast cancer and are often used as adjuvant or first-line therapy. Gemcitabine and vinorelbine are active agents in breast cancer. This study was to evaluate the efficacy of gemcitabine combined vinorelbine on the patients with metastatic breast cancer, who had previously received treatment of anthracyclines and/or taxanes.


METHODS
Thirty-four patients with metastatic breast cancer, who had been previously treated with anthracyclines alone or with taxanes, were enrolled. The patients received 30-minute intravenous injection of gemcitabine (1 000 mg/m(2)) and intravenous bolus injection of vinorelbine(25 mg/m(2)) on Days 1 and 8; the regimen was repeated every 21 days.


RESULTS
A total of 109 cycles were given to the 34 patients (median, 3 cycles; range, 1-6 cycles). The treatment responses were evaluable in all patients. Of the 34 patients, 9 achieved partial remission (PR), 19 had stable disease (SD), 6 had progressive disease (PD)û the response rate was 26.47%. The median time to progression was 5.4 months. The median overall survival was 17.8 months. The 1-year overall survival rate was 68% [95% confidence interval (CI): 50%-86%], the 2-year overall survival rate was 46% (95% CI: 26%-66%). The major adverse events were grade I-II myelosuppression, peripheral neurologic toxicities, nausea and vomiting. Some patients had rash and hepatic dysfunction.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of gemcitabine and vinorelbine is an effective and well tolerated regimen for the patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Zhou
Ning-Ning
NN
State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, PR China.
Teng
Xiao-Yu
XY
Jiang
Wen-Qi
WQ
Liu
Dong-Geng
DG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D012074:Remission Induction; D015996:Survival Rate; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine