BACKGROUND: A phase I study and an institutional pilot study in patients with metastatic/recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) utilizing biweekly gemcitabine and paclitaxel (GEMTAX), showed an overall response rate of 53%. 1 This phase II trial was conducted to determine the feasibility, tolerability, and efficacy of this combination. METHODS: Patients with metastatic/recurrent SCCHN were treated with gemcitabine (3000 mg/m2) and paclitaxel (150 mg/m2) on days 1 and 15 of every 28-day cycle. RESULTS: In 57 patients with measurable disease, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4 months and median overall survival (OS) was 8 months. Overall response rate of 28% and disease stabilization in 19% were seen. There were no treatment-related deaths with grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity seen in 20% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Biweekly GEMTAX is feasible, well tolerated, and demonstrated reasonable efficacy. This may be an alternative for patients who are not candidates for platinum-based chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND: A phase I study and an institutional pilot study in patients with metastatic/recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) utilizing biweekly gemcitabine and paclitaxel (GEMTAX), showed an overall response rate of 53%. 1 This phase II trial was conducted to determine the feasibility, tolerability, and efficacy of this combination. METHODS:Patients with metastatic/recurrent SCCHN were treated with gemcitabine (3000 mg/m2) and paclitaxel (150 mg/m2) on days 1 and 15 of every 28-day cycle. RESULTS: In 57 patients with measurable disease, median progression-free survival (PFS) was 4 months and median overall survival (OS) was 8 months. Overall response rate of 28% and disease stabilization in 19% were seen. There were no treatment-related deaths with grade 3/4 hematologic toxicity seen in 20% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Biweekly GEMTAX is feasible, well tolerated, and demonstrated reasonable efficacy. This may be an alternative for patients who are not candidates for platinum-based chemotherapy.
Authors: P Therasse; S G Arbuck; E A Eisenhauer; J Wanders; R S Kaplan; L Rubinstein; J Verweij; M Van Glabbeke; A T van Oosterom; M C Christian; S G Gwyther Journal: J Natl Cancer Inst Date: 2000-02-02 Impact factor: 13.506
Authors: Athanassios Argiris; Michalis V Karamouzis; William E Gooding; Barton F Branstetter; Shilong Zhong; Luis E Raez; Panayiotis Savvides; Marjorie Romkes Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 2011-02-22 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: Francis P Worden; James Moon; Wolfram Samlowski; Joseph I Clark; Shaker R Dakhil; Stephen Williamson; Susan G Urba; John Ensley; Maha H Hussain Journal: Cancer Date: 2006-07-15 Impact factor: 6.860
Authors: M L Rothenberg; A Sharma; G R Weiss; M A Villalona-Calero; J R Eckardt; C Aylesworth; M A Kraynak; D A Rinaldi; G I Rodriguez; H A Burris; S G Eckhardt; C D Stephens; K Forral; S J Nicol; D D Von Hoff Journal: Ann Oncol Date: 1998-07 Impact factor: 32.976
Authors: Sebastian Stier; Caroline Koll; Thomas Neuhaus; Stefan Fronhoffs; Randolf Forkert; Arja Tuohimaa; Hans Vetter; Yon Ko Journal: Anticancer Drugs Date: 2005-11 Impact factor: 2.248
Authors: G Catimel; J B Vermorken; M Clavel; P de Mulder; I Judson; C Sessa; M Piccart; U Bruntsch; J Verweij; J Wanders Journal: Ann Oncol Date: 1994-07 Impact factor: 32.976
Authors: Elizabeth M La; Emily Nash Smyth; Sandra E Talbird; Li Li; James A Kaye; Aimee Bence Lin; Lee Bowman Journal: Eur J Cancer Care (Engl) Date: 2018-06-21 Impact factor: 2.520