Gemcitabine and oxaliplatin combination chemotherapy for metastatic well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas: a single-center experience.
BACKGROUND
Beyond the usual regimens based on streptozocin and doxorubicin or 5-fluorouracil, no second-line therapy of metastatic neuroendocrine tumor has gained wide acceptance. Gemcitabine and oxaliplatin are generally well tolerated and have shown activity against a wide range of malignancies. The authors assessed the efficacy of gemcitabine-oxaliplatin combination (GEMOX) in the treatment of patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors.


METHODS
Twenty consecutive patients with progressive disease were treated with GEMOX, in most cases after failure of other chemotherapy regimens (median=2). Patients were followed for evidence of toxicity, response, and survival. Two patients were chemotherapy-naive at treatment initiation and were excluded from the efficacy analysis.


RESULTS
Toxicity was manageable overall; however, 6 (30%) patients had to discontinue treatment because of oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity (grade 2). Three (17%) of 18 patients had a partial response, median progression-free survival was 7.0 months, and median overall survival was 23.4 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Gemcitabine-oxaliplatin combination shows interesting activity and is well tolerated in pretreated patients with neuroendocrine tumors.
Cassier
Philippe A
PA
Multidisciplinary Medical Oncology Day Unit, Edouard Herriot Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France.
Walter
Thomas
T
Eymard
Beatrice
B
Ardisson
Philippe
P
Perol
Maurice
M
Paillet
Carole
C
Chayvialle
Jean-Alain
JA
Scoazec
Jean-Yves
JY
Hervieu
Valerie
V
Bohas
Catherine Lombard
CL
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018358:Neuroendocrine Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D003841:Deoxycytidine