Lolly,
While searching for something else I accidentally found this item which may be of interest to you:
Extract from a 2002 article in:
http://www.breastcancerupdate.com/pdf/BCU200206.pdf
Potential synergy of trastuzumab/gemcitabine
In 1999, we initiated a phase II trial of gemcitabine/trastuzumab in women
with HER2 overexpressing (IHC 2+ or 3+) metastatic breast cancer. The patients had a median of three prior chemotherapy regimens, and almost all had received anthracyclines and taxanes. The study regimen consisted of gemcitabine 1,200 mg/m
2on day one and day eight in a 21-day cycle and standard weekly trastuzumab. The overall response rate was 37%. Two-thirds of the patients scored 3+ on IHC for HER2 overexpression, and in that subset the response rate was 45%.
Interestingly, in Melody Cobleigh’s phase II trial, patients received single- agent trastuzumab as second- or third-line therapy, and there was a 15% response rate. Single-agent gemcitabine after anthracyclines and taxanes has demonstrated response rates ranging from about 12% to 20%. So, in our study of a very heavily pretreated group of patients, the 45% response rate with the combination of gemcitabine and trastuzumab suggests that there may be synergy or at least additivity between these agents. Kevin Fox at the Fox-Chase Cancer Center is conducting a study with gemcitabine and trastuzumab as first-line treatment for metastatic breast