title: Gemcitabine in patients previously treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy for refractory thymic carcinoma: radiographic assessment using the RECIST criteria and the ITMIG recommendations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The key drugs for chemotherapy of thymic carcinoma are gradually being revealed in phase II and conventional retrospective studies. Gemcitabine is regarded as one of these key drugs according to the findings of clinical trials in which it was combined with capecitabine. However, the activity of single-agent gemcitabine concerning refractory thymic carcinoma remains unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of refractory thymic carcinoma patients previously treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy between 1980 and 2014.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all 11 patients in this study, the objective response rate regarding gemcitabine was 36.4 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 15.2-64.6] using the RECIST criteria and the response criteria proposed by the ITMIG. The median progression-free survival time was 4.3 months (95 % CI 0.7-11.0). The survival time from the start of gemcitabine treatment was 28.5 months (95 % CI 5.5-47.8), and from the start of first-line chemotherapy was 46.5 months (95 % CI 7.3-47.8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gemcitabine achieved a moderate response and has the potential to be used as a key drug for thymic carcinoma. Some patients treated with gemcitabine demonstrated prolonged cancer control even in later lines of chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan. y-okuma@cick.jp.|Division of Oncology, Research Center for Medical Sciences, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. y-okuma@cick.jp.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5743-0149
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okuma
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hosomi
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan.
authors.forename: Kageaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan.|Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Oncology and Respiratory Medicine, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-18-22 Honkomagome, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8677, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsunekazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hishima
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017671:Platinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use; D066066:Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013945:Thymoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D017671:Platinum Compounds; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
keywords: Chemotherapy; Gemcitabine; Rare cancer; Response; Thymic carcinoma