Feasibility and efficacy of chemotherapy with gemcitabine mono and with paclitaxel/mitoxantron in gynaecological cancers

In this prospective study 32 patients with advanced gynaecologic tumours were treated with different schemes of chemotherapy: 15 received a combination of paclitaxel (100 mg/m2/week)/mitoxantron (6 mg/m2/every second week). Seventeen patients were treated with gemcitabine (100 mg/m2) in two different schedules, and the time of infusion was 2,2-3,3 hours or 30 minutes, respectively. Tolerability and efficacy were observed. The most common reason for reduction of the dosage or for cycle delay in the combined scheme was neutropenia. The response rate was 82%. The median overall survival was 30 weeks since beginning of the chemotherapy and 15 weeks after the last infusion. Gemcitabine in the shorter scheme led to a higher median dose rate. Toxic skin effects and hematological adverse events led to dose reduction and cycle delay in 90% of the infusions in the longer scheme. The response rate was 76%. The overall survival was one to 69 weeks with a median survival of 22 weeks. The advantages of the shorter scheme were confirmed.

Paclitaxel; Mitoxantron; Gemcitabine; Gynaecologic cancers

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