Efficacy and Safety of Gemcitabine (G) Carboplatin (C) Dexamethasone (D) and Rituximab (R) in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Lymphoma: A Prospective Multi-center Phase II Study of by the Puget Sound Oncology Consortium (PSOC)

摘要

We conducted a multi-center phase II trial of gemcitabine (G), carboplatin (C), dexamethasone (D), and rituximab (R) in order to examine its safety and efficacy as an outpatient salvage regimen for lymphoma. Fifty-one patients received 2–4 21-day cycles of G (1000mg/m², days 1 and 8), C (AUC=5, day 1), D (40mg daily days 1–4), and R (375mg/m², day 8 for CD20 positive disease) and were evaluable for response. Characteristics included: median age 58y (19–79y), stage III/IV 88%, elevated LDH 33%, median prior therapies 2, prior stem cell transplant 12%, chemoresistant 62%, median prior remission duration 2.5 months. The overall and complete response rates were 67% (95% confidence interval [CI], 54–80%) and 31% (95% CI 19–44%), respectively, with activity seen in a broad variety of histologies. Responses occurred in 16 of 17 (94%, 95% CI 83–100%) transplant eligible patients and 15 of 28 (54%, 95% CI 34–71%) with chemoresistant disease. The median CD34 yield in patients attempting peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection following this regimen was 10.9 × 10⁶ CD34⁺ cells/kg (range, 5.0 – 24.1 × 10⁶). Hematologic toxicity was common but febrile neutropenia (2.5%) and grade 4 non-hematologic adverse events (n=2) were rare with no treatment-related deaths. GCD(R) is a safe and effective outpatient regimen for relapsed lymphoma and successfully mobilizes PBSC.