[Prediction of gemcitabine treatment discontinuation based on platelet count before first administration]

Decrease in white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil or platelet (PLT) count due to treatment with gemcitabine (GEM) is a dose-limited factor (DLF). Even for cases that satisfy the standard criteria for initiation of GEM therapy, the scheduled therapy is reportedly occasionally discontinued because of decreased PLT or WBC count. Here, a retrospective study was made to predict the factor causing discontinuation of GEM treatment before its first administration. The results showed that PLT count immediately before the first administration was significantly less in the unfinished administration group than in the finished group. It was also demonstrated that a PLT count less than 16×10/4 mL before the first administration of GEM was the significant risk factor leading to discontinuation of GEM treatment. Thus, it was suggested that this result would be available as the dose reduction standard to determine the first dose of GEM treatment.