title: Gemcitabine-Based Treatment in Poor-Prognosis Patients with Relapsed and Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma--a Multicenter Polish Experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remains challenging. Gemcitabine is a cytidine analog with a wide spectrum of antitumor activity. Gemcitabine treatment is widely used to treat patients with certain solid tumors and relapsed/refractory hematological malignancies. There are several reports indicating that this compound is active in lymphoid malignancies. In patients with relapsed or refractory HL and NHL, gemcitabine has demonstrated efficacy as a single agent and in combination with other cytostatics.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the study was to analyze the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study evaluated 68 heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory HL and NHL. The median age of the patients was 36 years. All the patients received gemcitabine-based chemotherapy (gemcitabine monotherapy or gemcitabine in combination with other cytostatics).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall response rate was 46%. Complete response was achieved by 21% of the patients and partial response by 25%. Out of those who responded to gemcitabine treatment, 26 patients proceeded to autologous stem cell transplant. Toxicities connected with gemcitabine therapy occurred in 44% of the patients and included grade 3/4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that gemcitabine-based salvage chemotherapy is effective and well tolerated in patients with relapsed/refractory HL and NHL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rybka
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jurczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giza
authors.affiliation: Department of Lymphoid Diseases, the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute and Center of Oncology, Warszawa, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paszkiewicz-Kozik
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Brzozow Oncology Center, Brzozów, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kumiega
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Oncology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drozd-Sokołowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Butrym
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Kazimierz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuliczkowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wróbel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D011044:Poland; D011379:Prognosis; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine