title: Biweekly dose-dense gemcitabine-oxaliplatin and dexamethasone for relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A multicenter, single-arm, phase II trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We performed a phase II study to evaluate the efficacy of combination chemotherapy consisting of gemcitabine, dexamethasone and oxaliplatin (GemDOx) as a biweekly regimen and salvage therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2) ) and oxaliplatin (85 mg/m(2) ) were administered intravenously on days 1 and 15, and dexamethasone (40 mg) was administered orally on days 1-4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine patients were enrolled, and most patients had diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 18). The median age of the patients and median prior number of chemotherapy cycles were 53 (range, 26-74) years and 1 (range, 1-4) cycle, respectively. Only 17 (58.6%) and 9 (31.0%) patients completed two or more and four or more cycles, respectively, and the median number of received cycles was two (range, 1-8). Overall response rates were 27.6% (complete response in 13.8%) among intent-to-treat patients and 47.1% (complete response in 23.5%) among patients who had received at least two GemDOx cycles. Median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 3.9 and 20.5 months, respectively. The most-frequent grade 3 or 4 toxicity was neutropenia (22.9%), and no grade 3 or 4 peripheral neurotoxicity was noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GemDOx chemotherapy, therefore, showed modest activity against relapsed or refractory aggressive NHL, although toxicities were acceptable.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Cheol
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Je-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Don
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Daegu Catholic University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Daegu Fatima Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Lim
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae-Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Sik
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Daegu Catholic University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
authors.forename: Hun Mo
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Ryoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Yunsuk
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hawk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoo-Hyung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016403:Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D012074:Remission Induction; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000093542:Gemcitabine
keywords: aggressive lymphoma; gemcitabine; oxaliplatin; salvage therapy