Gemcitabine and platinum combinations in pancreatic cancer

Progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in the past several decades has been very modest. Several new agents with activity against this disease have been identified. Of these, gemcitabine appears to be the most promising when used in combination with other drugs. Gemcitabine and cisplatin combinations have been tested in several studies. The major toxicity reported to occur with the gemcitabine-cisplatin combination is myelosuppression, which is greater than that encountered with single-agent gemcitabine. However, episodes of neutropenic fever or spontaneous bleeding are reported to be very infrequent. Pilot Phase 11 studies combining gemcitabine with cisplatin have shown improved outcomes in objective response rates and survival; however, these findings must be confirmed in larger randomized studies. (C) 2002 American Cancer Society.