Gemcitabine in bone sarcoma resistant to Doxorubicin-based chemotherapy.
Seven patients with progressive localized or metastatic chemo-resistant osteosarcoma were treated by gemcitabine.The protocol included gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2/w for 7 consecutive weeks, followed by 1 week rest. If no progression was observed,maintenance by gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2/w for 3 weeks every 28 days was given until failure was clinically or radiologically evident.Results. The true objective response rate was 0%. However, disease stabilization and clinical benefit response were observed in five patients (70%) for 13-96 weeks.Discussion. Postponing the inevitable death with a relatively non-toxic treatment, is, in our opinion, an important issue especially in young patients.Thus it may be justified and warranted to investigate the activity of gemcitabine in a larger group of patients with bone sarcomas.
Department of Oncology The Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Affiliated with Sackler Faculty of Medicine Tel-Aviv University Tel-Aviv Israel.
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Merimsky
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Meller
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Kollender
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Issakov
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Flusser
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