title: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced gallbladder cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Surgery is the only curative option for patients with gallbladder cancer (GBC). This study looks at the outcome of patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is retrospective analysis of the prospectively maintained database of patients with locally advanced GBC treated between February 2009 and September 2013 with NACT. Patients received gemcitabine-platinum based regimen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 37 patients (median age: 54 years, 64.9% females) received NACT. Overall response rate was 67.5%. In total, 17 patients (46%) underwent R0 resection. Median overall survival/progression-free survival of the whole group was 13.4/8.1 months, respectively. Patients who underwent surgery had a significantly better overall survival (median not reached vs 9.5 months) and progression-free survival (25.8 vs 5.6 months), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NACT increases resectability and survival in patients with locally advanced GBC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai, India.
authors.forename: Bhawna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sirohi
authors.forename: Abhishek
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.forename: Palepu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jagannath
authors.forename: Ashish
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Mukta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramadvar
authors.forename: Suyash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goel
authors.forename: Shailesh V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Shrikhande
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005706:Gallbladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: gallbladder cancer; gemcitabine; locally advanced; neoadjuvant chemotherapy; platinum; response rate; surgery; survival; unresectable