Gemcitabine plus vinorelbine as an effective salvage chemotherapeutic regimen in cisplatin-refractory germ cell tumor.
Germ cell tumors (GCT) are the most common malignancies among male adolescents. Approximately 5% of GCTs are of extragonadal origin. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard first-line treatment for GCT. Patients who fail to respond to first-line treatment usually have poor outcomes. High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell support, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and oxaliplatin are reported as effective salvage treatment. We report two patients with cisplatin-refractory, metastatic, nonseminomatous, and extragonadal GCT treated successfully with gemcitabine plus vinorelbine (GV). One patient achieved good partial remission and had a five-month progression-free period. Another patient is still alive with stable disease after 4 cycles of treatment. In heavily treated, cisplatin-refractory GCT patients, GV could be considered an effective chemotherapeutic regimen.
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, 325 Cheng-Kong Road Section 2, Nei-Hu, Taipei, Taiwan.
Jia-Hong
JH
Chen
Ping-Ying
PY
Chang
Nai-Shun
NS
Yao
D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D055815:Young Adult; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D014747:Vinblastine; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine