Gemcitabine in the treatment of ovarian cancer

Gemcitabine is a new nucleoside antimetabolite with established activity against solid tumours. In previously treated patients the response rate with the drug alone was around 13%. Combination therapy with gemcitabine-cisplatin or gemcitabine-paclitaxel induced responses in 53 and 40% respectively. In previously untreated patients with poor prognostic features a 24% response rate was reported for the drug alone, but in combination with cisplatin remissions were found in 53%-71% of patients. Gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and carboplatin (or cisplatin) in combination appeared to be a feasible and active combination. In a pilot with eight previously treated patients all obtained a remission and in untreated patients a remission occurred in all evaluable patients either clinically or measured by a decrease of CA 125. Dose-limiting toxicity is mainly haematological.