Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with low dose weekly gemcitabine in medically inoperable muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients

• Autores: B. M. Atasoy, F. Dane, I. Alsan Cetin, Z. Ozgen, U. Kefeli, R. Ibrahimov, N. S. Turhal, U. Abacioglu, Levent Türkeri
• Localización: Clinical & translational oncology, ISSN 1699-048X, Vol. 16, Nº. 1, 2014, págs. 91-95
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Purpose We aimed to determine the efficacy and the toxicity of low dose weekly gemcitabine with radiation therapy in medically unfit muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients.

    Methods Twenty-six patients were included into the retrospective analysis. Weekly gemcitabine was administered 75 mg/m2 with a median dose of 63 Gy radiation therapy. Clinical target volume was defined as the urinary bladder only in conformal treatment planning.

    Results Median follow-up was 51 months (range 14�118 months). Complete response rate was 62.5 %. The 5-year local progression-free survival, disease-specific survival and overall survival rates were 40.6, 59.5 and 58.5 %, respectively. Concurrent chemotherapy was continued in 80.7 % of patients without any interruption. Gemcitabine was stopped due to grade 3 thrombocytopenia (n = 1), cardiac angina (n = 1), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation (n = 1) or patients� reluctance (n = 2).

    Conclusions Low dose weekly gemcitabine with concurrent radiotherapy is a tolerable regimen and have comparable outcomes with platinum-based combined treatments in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Prospective randomized trials can help in understanding the safety and efficacy of this treatment specially in medically unfit patients.