@article{3148555,
    title = "Phase II Study of Gemcitabine Plus Docetaxel as Second-Line Treatment in
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma A Single Institution Study",
    author = "Tourkantonis, Ioannis and Makrilia, Nektaria and Ralli, Maria and and Alamara, Christina and Nikolaidis, Ilias and Tsimpoukis, Sotirios and and Charpidou, Andriani and Kotanidou, Anastasia and Syrigos, Kostas",
    journal = "AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY - CANCER CLINICAL TRIALS",
    year = "2011",
    volume = "34",
    number = "1",
    pages = "38-42",
    publisher = "Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins",
    issn = "0277-3732",
    doi = "10.1097/COC.0b013e3181cae90e",
    keywords = "docetaxel; gemcitabine; mesothelioma; second-line chemotherapy",
    abstract = "Objective: The combinations of cisplatin-pemetrexed and
cisplatin-gemcitabine are considered the standard systemic therapy for
malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), which is a rapidly progressive
tumor. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy,
safety, and clinical benefit of the gemcitabine plus docetaxel regimen
in the second-line treatment of this disease.
Patients and Methods: A total of 37 patients with MPM were treated with
the combination of docetaxel (80 mg/m(2)) and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2))
on day 1 and 14 of a 28-day cycle. The regimen was repeated for a
maximum of 6 cycles or until disease progression or unacceptable
toxicity.
Results: There was partial response of the disease in 7 patients
(18.9%), whereas it remained stable in 23 patients (62.2%) and
progressed in 7 patients (18.9%). The median time to disease
progression was 7 months (range: 5.8-8.2 months) with a mean survival of
16.2 months (range: 13-19.3 months).
Conclusion: The biweekly administration of docetaxel and gemcitabine,
along with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support, constitutes a
safe, tolerable, and convenient regimen for the treatment of MPM,
suggesting that this combination may be a viable option, especially in
previously treated patients."
}