Justyna Rybka1, Wojciech Jurczak2, Agnieszka Giza2, Ewa Paszkiewicz-Kozik3, Beata Kumiega4, Joanna Drozd-Sokołowska5, Aleksandra Butrym1, Kazimierz Kuliczkowski1, Tomasz Wróbel1. 1. Department of Hematology, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland. 2. Department of Hematology, Collegium Medicum, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland. 3. Department of Lymphoid Diseases, the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute and Center of Oncology, Warszawa, Poland. 4. Department of Hematology, Brzozow Oncology Center, Brzozów, Poland. 5. Department of Hematology, Oncology and Internal Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remains challenging. Gemcitabine is a cytidine analog with a wide spectrum of antitumor activity. Gemcitabine treatment is widely used to treat patients with certain solid tumors and relapsed/refractory hematological malignancies. There are several reports indicating that this compound is active in lymphoid malignancies. In patients with relapsed or refractory HL and NHL, gemcitabine has demonstrated efficacy as a single agent and in combination with other cytostatics. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study evaluated 68 heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory HL and NHL. The median age of the patients was 36 years. All the patients received gemcitabine-based chemotherapy (gemcitabine monotherapy or gemcitabine in combination with other cytostatics). RESULTS: The overall response rate was 46%. Complete response was achieved by 21% of the patients and partial response by 25%. Out of those who responded to gemcitabine treatment, 26 patients proceeded to autologous stem cell transplant. Toxicities connected with gemcitabine therapy occurred in 44% of the patients and included grade 3/4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that gemcitabine-based salvage chemotherapy is effective and well tolerated in patients with relapsed/refractory HL and NHL.
BACKGROUND: The treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) remains challenging. Gemcitabine is a cytidine analog with a wide spectrum of antitumor activity. Gemcitabine treatment is widely used to treat patients with certain solid tumors and relapsed/refractory hematological malignancies. There are several reports indicating that this compound is active in lymphoid malignancies. In patients with relapsed or refractory HL and NHL, gemcitabine has demonstrated efficacy as a single agent and in combination with other cytostatics. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to analyze the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy in patients with relapsed or refractory lymphomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study evaluated 68 heavily pretreated patients with relapsed/refractory HL and NHL. The median age of the patients was 36 years. All the patients received gemcitabine-based chemotherapy (gemcitabine monotherapy or gemcitabine in combination with other cytostatics). RESULTS: The overall response rate was 46%. Complete response was achieved by 21% of the patients and partial response by 25%. Out of those who responded to gemcitabine treatment, 26 patients proceeded to autologous stem cell transplant. Toxicities connected with gemcitabine therapy occurred in 44% of the patients and included grade 3/4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that gemcitabine-based salvage chemotherapy is effective and well tolerated in patients with relapsed/refractory HL and NHL.