title: Single-agent gemcitabine in elderly patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the effect of systemic chemotherapy with gemcitabine (GEM) on survival in elderly patients (aged > or =70 years) with unresectable biliary tract cancer and compares it with best supportive care (BSC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients aged > or =70 years, with unresectable biliary tract cancer who were administered GEM (800-1000 mg/m2) on days 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks as a first-line treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight patients were enrolled: 13 (46.4%) received chemotherapy with GEM and 15 (53.6%) received BSC. No cases of complete or partial response were observed. Stable disease was observed in 9 patients (69.2%) and progressive disease in 2 patients (15.4%). Disease control rate was 69.2%. The median overall survival time of patients treated with GEM and BSC was 9.1 and 2.9 months, and the 1-year survival rates were 15.4% and 6.7% respectively. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in three patients (23.1%), leukopenia in two patients (15.4%) and anemia in one patient (7.7%). Grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities were constipation (7.7%) and fatigue (7.7%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chemotherapy with single-agent GEM is a safe and well tolerated regimen for elderly patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Chigasaki Municipal Hospital, 5-15-1 Honson, Chigasaki-city, Kanagawa 253-0042, Japan.
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuriyama
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawana
authors.forename: Reo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Fumitake
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jono
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Hirobumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yoriko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murata
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inamori
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakajima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine