EFFICACY OF COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY; GEMCITABINE AND DOCETAXEL, IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED URINARY BLADDER CARCINOMA

In Advanced Urinary Bladder Carcinoma: Chemotherapy

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of combination chemotherapy; gemcitabine and docetaxel, in terms of objective response, in  advanced urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder.

Study Design: Quasi-experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Oncology Department of Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Oct 2012 to July 2013.

Patients and Methods:     Fifty one patients with histologically confirmed urothelialcarcionoma of the bladder were enrolled into this study. Patients were staged and their radiological features were documented before chemotherapy. Four cycles of gemcitabine and docetaxel; combination chemotherapy were administered to the patients. Response was evaluated after 4 courses. Patients with progressive disease were not given further chemotherapy. Patients who could not complete 4 courses were excluded from the study. Remaining patients were given 2 more courses of chemotherapy. Patients were followed up for a period of 1 year after being enrolled for the study to document median survival.

Results: Total 46 patients were included in the study out of which 2.2% patients had a complete response, 37% had a partial response, 28.3% patients had a stable disease while 32.6% patients had a progressive disease. The objective response rate was 39.2% while the median survival time was 42 weeks.

Conclusion: The results of our study have shown that combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder, has a good therapeutic index and stands as a reasonable first line option for such patients.