title: Gemcitabine plus metronomic 5-fluorouracil or capecitabine as a second-/third-line chemotherapy in advanced adrenocortical carcinoma: a multicenter phase II study.
abstract: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare neoplasm characterized by poor prognosis. First-line systemic treatments in advanced disease include mitotane, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Studies evaluating second-line therapy options have obtained disappointing results. This trial assessed the activity and toxicity of gemcitabine plus metronomic fluoropyrimidines in heavily pretreated advanced ACC patients. From 1998 to 2008, 28 patients with advanced ACC progressing after mitotane plus one or two systemic chemotherapy lines were enrolled. They received a combination of i.v. gemcitabine (800 mg/m(2), on days 1 and 8, every 21 days) and i.v. 5-fluorouracil protracted infusion (200 mg/m(2)/daily without interruption until progression) in the first six patients, or oral capecitabine (1500 mg/daily) in the subsequent patients. Mitotane administration was maintained in all cases. The rate of non-progressing patients after 4 months of treatment was 46.3%. A complete response was observed in 1 patient (3.5%); 1 patient (3.5%) obtained a partial regression, 11 patients (39.3%) obtained a disease stabilization and 15 patients (53.7%) progressed. Treatment was well tolerated, with grade III and IV toxicities consisting of leukopenia in six patients (21.4%), thrombocytopenia in one patient (3.5%), and mucositis in one patient (3.5%). Median time to progression and overall survival in the patient population were 5.3 (range: 1-43) and 9.8 months (range: 3-73) respectively. Gemcitabine plus metronomic fluoropyrimidines is a well-tolerated and moderately active regimen in heavily pretreated ACC patients.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Biologiche Università di Torino, Orbassano, Italy. paola.sperone@email.it <paola.sperone@email.it>
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sperone
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrero
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Daffara
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Priola
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zaggia
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volante
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Badalamenti
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Intrivici
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Del Buono
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Francia
authors.forename: Emmanouil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalomirakis
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ratti
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Angeli
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dogliotti
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papotti
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terzolo
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Berruti
mesh_terms: D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D018268:Adrenocortical Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093542:Gemcitabine