Docetaxel plus gemcitabine as first-line treatment in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a single institution phase II study.
BACKGROUND
The cisplatin-pemetrexed and cisplatin-gemcitabine combinations are considered the standard treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of gemcitabine plus docetaxel in the first-line setting, as this combination has not been investigated in mesothelioma before.


METHODS
Twenty-five consecutive patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma were enrolled. They received 80 mg/m(2) of docetaxel and 1,000 mg/m(2) of gemcitabine on days 1 and 14 of a 28-day cycle. The treatment was scheduled for a maximum of 6 cycles or until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.


RESULTS
A total of 7 out of our 25 patients (28%) responded to treatment. In 14 patients (56%), the disease remained stable, while in 4 (16%) it progressed. The median time to progression was 7 months (range: 5.4-8.6 months) and the median overall survival was 15 months (range: 12.4-17.5 months).


CONCLUSIONS
The administration of gemcitabine and doctaxel appears to be promising first-line therapy for patients with mesothelioma, as it is well tolerated and appears to improve survival.
Ralli
Maria
M
Oncology Unit, 3rd Department of Medicine, Athens University School of Medicine, Building Z, Sotiria General Hospital, Mesogion 152, 11527 Athens, Greece. rallh79@yahoo.gr
Tourkantonis
Ioannis
I
Makrilia
Nektaria
N
Gkini
Eleni
E
Kotteas
Elias
E
Gkiozos
Ioannis
I
Katirtzoglou
Nikolaos
N
Syrigos
Kostas
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018450:Disease Progression; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000093542:Gemcitabine