The Role Of Gemcitabine And Capecitabine In Combination For Advanced Breast Cancer

Objective:To summarize efficacy and toxicity of the combination of gemcitabineand capecitabine(GX) in the treatment of advanced breast cancer patients in ourdepartment in recent6years.To analyse the factors that may influence the chemotherapyeffect, and compared with chemotherapy regimen including anthracycline and taxane(including AT) acting as positive control. To evaluate the role of GX in treatment ofadvanced breast cancer.Methods: Retrospective analysis advanced breast cancer patients who weretreated with GX or including AT in our hospital from January2007to January2013.38patients were treated with GX: the treatment consisted of gemcitabine1000mg/m~2, i.v.,days1and8every21days, plus oral capecitabine1000mg/m~2b.i.d., days1–14every21days.35patients were treated with including AT: the treatment contain pirarubicin50mg/m~2, taxol175mg/m~2or docetaxel75mg/m~2,with or without cyclophosphamide500mg/m~2,on day1i.v. every21days.Each person was treated2~6cycles. Tumourevaluations were done every2cycles according to the RECIST1.1criteria.Subjectivetoxicity was recorded according to the WHO cancer drug adverse reactions of acute andsubacute toxic reaction dividing standard every cycle.Results: The GX group CR rate was0(0/38), the PR rate was26.31%(10/38), SDrate was71.05%(27/38), the PD rate was2.63%(1/38). The effective rate was26.31%(10/38), the clinical benefit rate was97.36%(37/38),median TTP was7months. Theeffective rate was significantly below compared with including AT group (71.4%),andthe clinical benefit rate and the median TTP did not show obviously difference.Adverse reactions in GX group of bone marrow suppression, gastrointestinal reactionsand hair loss was lighter than including AT group,and hand-foot syndrome(HFS) is higher incidence than including AT group, but no Ⅲ-Ⅳ degree HFS occurred.Conclusion: Combination of gemcitabine and capecitabine is an active and saferegimen in advanced breast cancer patients.