Gemcitabine and docetaxel for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma - a single center experience.
BACKGROUND
Prognosis and survival for patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) are dismal. Standard first-line systemic chemotherapy is anthracycline-based. Gemcitabine/docetaxel (GD) is a therapeutic option in the second-line setting. Here we present the data of our single center retrospective analysis, using GD in locally advanced or metastatic disease.


METHODS
Between 2005 and 2012, a total of 34 patients were identified. The majority of tumors were located in the extremities (19/34, 56%) and abdomen/retroperitoneum (10/34, 29%). Most frequent histologies included leiomyosarcoma (13/34, 38%), liposarcoma (7/34, 21%), and pleomorphic sarcoma (6/34, 18%).


RESULTS
Objective response to treatment by RECIST criteria after 3 cycles was low with 6% partial responses (PR, 2/34), 65% stable disease (SD, 22/34), and 29% progressive disease (PD, 10/34). Progression-free survival at 3 and 6 months was 77 and 62%, respectively. Patients with a clinical benefit (defined as PR or SD after the 3rd treatment cycle) had a significantly prolonged median progression-free and overall survival with 8.6 months (p < 0.0001; hazard ratio (HR) 33.1) and 22.4 months (p < 0.0001; HR 12.9), respectively. Most common toxicities included hand-foot syndrome, edema, pancytopenia, febrile neutropenia, and mucositis.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, we conclude that GD is an active second-line regimen in metastatic STS, with manageable side effects.
Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Rheumatology, Heidelberg University Hospital, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. thomas.schmitt@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Thomas
T
Schmitt
Florentina
F
Kosely
Patrick
P
Wuchter
Johann-Wilhelm
JW
Schmier
Anthony D
AD
Ho
Gerlinde
G
Egerer
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000093542:Gemcitabine