Clinical study of gemcitabine therapy for recurrent or metastatic pancreatic cancer

: The clinical efficacy and safety of gemcitabine (GEM) monotherapy were studied retrospectively in the patients with recurrent or metastatic pancreatic cancer. The subjects were 30 patients who were treated with GEM at our center between May 2001 and August 2003. The objective overall response rate was 11% (3/28; 95% confidence interval, 2.3-28%). The disease control rate (CR+PR+SD) was 54%. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was most frequently seen in 46%. Non-hematological toxicities were mild. The median survival time was 4.8 months. One-year survival rate was 15%. This study showed the reproducible activity and safety of GEM in practice.