Gemcitabine in the treatment of ovarian cancer

Gemcitabine is a new nucleoside antimetabolite with established activity ag ainst solid tumours. In previously treated patients the response rate with the drug alone was around 13%. Combination therapy with gemcitabine-cisplat in or gemcitabine-paclitaxel induced responses in 53 and 40% respectively. In previously untreated patients with poor prognostic features a 24% respon se 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 appe ared to be a feasible and active combination. In a pilot with eight previou sly treated patients all obtained a remission and in untreated patients a r emission occurred in all evaluable patients either clinically or measured b y a decrease of CA 125. Dose-limiting toxicity is mainly haematological.