Phase I-II trial of prolonged gemcitabine infusion plus paclitaxel as a biweekly schedule for advanced breast cancer patients pretreated with anthracyclines.
OBJECTIVE
Paclitaxel (PACL) plus gemcitabine (GEM) is an effective regimen for advanced breast cancer patients pretreated with anthracyclines. A prolonged GEM infusion at a fixed dose rate (FDR) of 10 mg/m²/min produces higher levels of intracellular active metabolites of GEM when compared with a standard 30-min infusion. In the present phase I/II trial, we investigated the association of FDR GEM plus PACL.


METHODS
1,200 mg/m² was the dose of GEM recommended for the phase II study, in which patients received PACL at 150 mg/m², followed by FDR GEM at 1,200 mg/m² (total GEM infusion time = 120 min), both drugs administered biweekly.


RESULTS
Forty-two anthracycline-pretreated advanced breast cancer patients with disease recurrence following at least one line of chemotherapy were enrolled. Two (4.8%) and 12 (33.3%) patients experienced a complete and partial response, respectively, for an overall response rate of 38.1% (95% CI 23.4-52.8%). Median progression free survival and overall survival were 5 and 19.9 months, respectively. No statistically significant association was noted between in situ protein expression of RRM1 and BRCA1 (as assessed by immunofluorescence combined with automated quantitative analysis) and response to treatment in 15 patients with tissue available for analysis. Toxicity was mostly mild to moderate, mainly consisting of G3-G4 neutropenia (9.6%) and hypertransaminasemia (9.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Biweekly FDR GEM in combination with PACL is an active and safe regimen for advanced breast cancer patients pretreated with anthracyclines. A prolonged infusion regimen of GEM does not seem to improve the efficacy of a standard 30-min infusion.
Department of Medical Oncology, Regina Elena Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy. pvici@ifo.it
Patrizia
P
Vici
Alessandra
A
Fabi
Giulio
G
Metro
Domenico
D
Sergi
Diana
D
Giannarelli
Luigi
L
Di Lauro
Gerold
G
Bepler
Federica
F
Tomao
Francesco
F
Cognetti
Francesca
F
Conti
Massimo
M
Lopez
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012262:Ribonucleoside Diphosphate Reductase; D013534:Survival; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D018943:Anthracyclines; D019313:BRCA1 Protein; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D003841:Deoxycytidine; C475286:RRM1 protein, human; D012262:Ribonucleoside Diphosphate Reductase; D017239:Paclitaxel; D000093542:Gemcitabine