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Z Gastroenterol 2000; 38(11): 909-912
DOI: 10.1055/s-2000-10296
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© Karl Demeter Verlag im Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Chemotherapy with gemcitabine in patients with advanced gallbladder carcinoma

A. Teufel1 , T. Lehnert2 , W. Stremmel1 , J. Rudi1
  • Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik der Universität, Heidelberg
  • Chirurgische Universitätsklinik, Heidelberg
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Publication History

14.1.2000

7.6.2000

Publication Date:
31 December 2000 (online)

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Summary

Background: Advanced or metastatic gallbladder carcinoma is regarded not much sensitive to chemotherapy. Standard chemotherapy regimens have not been established up to now.

Patients: We report on 5 patients with advanced gallbladder carcinoma who received chemotherapy with gemcitabine.

Results: Of these 5 patients, 3 demonstrated a partial remission and stable disease was achieved in another patient. Only one patient had no benefit from treatment with gemcitabine.

Conclusion: We conclude that gemcitabine may be an effective drug in the palliative treatment of gallbladder cancer, and thus its efficiency warrants evaluation in further studies.

Chemotherapie mit Gemcitabine beim fortgeschrittenen Gallenblasenkarzinom

Hintergrund: Das Gallenblasenkarzinom wird in fortgeschrittenem Stadium als nur gering chemotherapiesensitiv angesehen. Standard-Chemotherapieprotokolle sind bisher nicht etabliert.

Patienten: Wir berichten über 5 Patienten, die eine Chemotherapie mit Gemcitabine erhielten.

Ergebnisse: Bei 3 von 5 Patienten zeigte sich unter Chemotherapie mit Gemcitabine eine partielle Remission, bei einem weiteren Patienten wurde ein stabiler Krankheitsverlauf erzielt. Nur ein Patient profitierte nicht von der Behandlung mit Gemcitabine.

Schlussfolgerung: Wir folgern daraus, dass Gemcitabine ein wirkungsvolles Medikament zur palliativen Behandlung des Gallenblasenkarzinoms sein kann. Die Effektivität von Gemcitabine beim fortgeschrittenen Gallenblasenkarzinom sollte in weiteren Studien untersucht werden.

Key words

Gallbladder Carcinoma - Gemcitabine - Palliative Chemotherapy

Schlüsselwörter

Gallenblasenkarzinom - Gemcitabine - palliative Chemotherapie

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Address for correspondence:

Priv.-Doz. Dr. med. Jochen Rudi

Medizinische Klinik IV Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg

Bergheimer Straße 58

69115 Heidelberg

Email: jochen_rudi@med.uni-heidelberg.de