Single-agent gemcitabine in elderly patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer.
Ключові слова
Анотація
OBJECTIVE
This study examined the effect of systemic chemotherapy with gemcitabine (GEM) on survival in elderly patients (aged > or = 70 years) with unresectable biliary tract cancer as compared with best supportive care (BSC).
METHODS
We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer administered GEM (800-1,000 mg/m2) on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks as a first-line treatment. Eligibility included age 70 years and over, and bile duct carcinoma or gallbladder cancer.
RESULTS
Twenty-eight patients were enrolled: 13 (46.4%) received chemotherapy with GEM and 15 (53.6%) received BSC. No cases of complete or partial response were observed. Stable and progressive disease was observed in 9 (69.2%) and 2 patients (15.4%), respectively. Disease control rate was 69.2%. The median overall survival time of patients treated with GEM and BSC was 9.1 and 2.9 months, and the 1-year survival rates were 15.4% and 6.7%, respectively. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in three (23.1%), leukopenia in two (15.4%) and anemia in one patient (7.7%). Grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities were constipation (7.7%) and fatigue (7.7%).
CONCLUSIONS
Chemotherapy with single-agent GEM is a safe and well tolerated regimen for elderly patients with unresectable biliary tract cancer.
