title: Long-term outcome of patients with advanced-stage cutaneous T cell lymphoma treated with gemcitabine.
abstract: The choice of treatment for cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is often determined by institutional experience, particularly as there is a paucity of data from phase III trials and a lack of consensus concerning treatment of the advanced stages. Among the several second-line and experimental drugs, gemcitabine could be considered one of the most suitable options for pretreated CTCL. Since it is difficult to find in literature the long-term outcome regarding the efficacy of a single-agent drug in pretreated patients and, in particular, in rare diseases such as CTCL, a retrospective observational study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the long-term outcome of CTCL patients treated with gemcitabine. Twenty-five patients with at least one therapy (range 1-8) performed prior to gemcitabine were found. After gemcitabine treatment, the overall response was 48 % with a 20 % of complete responses. At 15 years, the estimated overall survival is 47 %, progression-free survival 8.8 %, and disease-free survival 40 % (median reached at 2.9 years). All patients received at least three cycles and no grade 3-4 hematological adverse events occurred. At the latest follow-up, two patients are still in continuous complete response. This long-term update on the role of gemcitabine as a single agent in pretreated advanced-stage CTCL confirms this monotherapy as effective and safe.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Hematology "L. e A. Seràgnoli", University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pellegrini
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stefoni
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Casadei
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maglie
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Argnani
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Zinzani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine