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Published on: February 12, 2017
Alternating weekly administration of paclitaxel and gemcitabine: a phase II study in patients with advanced
David Aguiar1, José Aguiar, Uriel Bohn
1Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrín, C/ Barranco de la Ballena s/n, 35020, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. dagubuj@gobiernodecanarias.org
Background:
We sought to evaluate toxicity and efficacy of an alternating week schedule of paclitaxel and gemcitabine in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Methods:
Patients (n=27, mean age 56 years, range 27-73 years) received paclitaxel (100 mg/m(2) i.v. infusion over 1 h) on days 1 and 15 alternating with gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2)) on days 8 and 22 of a 36-day cycle. Responses were evaluated after three cycles, and after the proposed six cycles.
Results:
In total, 116 cycles were administered (mean 4.25 cycles per patient). Haematological toxicity was slight: febrile neutropenia (n=1) and neutropenia grade III-IV (n=5). Non-haematological toxicities included arthromyalgia grade II (n=6) and neurotoxicity grade III (n=1). Objective response was 29%, stable disease 25% and disease progression 46%. Median duration of response was 8 months (95% CI 5-11 months), median progression-free survival was 7 months (95% CI 4-11 months), median overall survival was 13 months (95% CI 7-17 months) and survival at 1 year was 52%.
Conclusions:
A regimen of alternating weekly paclitaxel and gemcitabine is feasible in patients with advanced NSCLC, showing a lower toxicity profile compared with other platinum-based combinations, which makes this novel scheme attractive for these patients.
