Gemcitabine plus vinorelbine as an effective salvage chemotherapeutic regimen in cisplatin-refractory germ cell tumor

South Med J. 2009 May;102(5):546-8. doi: 10.1097/SMJ.0b013e3181a0ae6a.

Abstract

Germ cell tumors (GCT) are the most common malignancies among male adolescents. Approximately 5% of GCTs are of extragonadal origin. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard first-line treatment for GCT. Patients who fail to respond to first-line treatment usually have poor outcomes. High-dose chemotherapy with stem cell support, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and oxaliplatin are reported as effective salvage treatment. We report two patients with cisplatin-refractory, metastatic, nonseminomatous, and extragonadal GCT treated successfully with gemcitabine plus vinorelbine (GV). One patient achieved good partial remission and had a five-month progression-free period. Another patient is still alive with stable disease after 4 cycles of treatment. In heavily treated, cisplatin-refractory GCT patients, GV could be considered an effective chemotherapeutic regimen.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Bone Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Cisplatin / therapeutic use
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mediastinal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / drug therapy*
  • Salvage Therapy*
  • Vinblastine / administration & dosage
  • Vinblastine / analogs & derivatives
  • Vinorelbine
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Vinblastine
  • Cisplatin
  • Vinorelbine
  • Gemcitabine