Beneficial Use of the Combination of Gemcitabine and Dacarbazine in Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Real-World Data
by
, ,
Ibon Gurruchaga Sotés
1,2,*
,
M. Carmen Gómez-Mateo
3,
María Eugenia Ortega Izquierdo
2,4 and
Javier Martínez-Trufero
2,4 1
Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
2
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
3
Department of Pathology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
4
Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Cancers 2024, 16(2), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16020267
Submission received: 14 December 2023
/
Revised: 2 January 2024
/
Accepted: 6 January 2024
/
Published: 8 January 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors: Molecular Mechanisms, Clinical Practice, and Emerging Therapeutics)
Simple Summary
Advanced soft tissue sarcomas (aSTSs) have scarce treatment options due to their low incidence, being considered by the World Health Organization as a rare disease; low investment by principal actors in trial designs; and high variability in treatment responses. The combination of gemcitabine and dacarbazine has been demonstrated to be effective in aSTSs in terms of progression-free survival and overall survival in three phase I–II clinical trials. Some pathological, clinical, and analytical variables have been analyzed as possible prognostic and predictive factors, providing a clue for clinicians to select the most optimal treatment in this setting.
Abstract
Background: The combination of gemcitabine and dacarbazine has exhibited efficacy in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for aSTSs, albeit without robust confirmation from larger clinical trials. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a single institution involving aSTS patients treated with gemcitabine and dacarbazine. Results: 95 patients were assessed, pointing to a benefit in PFS of 3.5 months and an OS of 14.2 months. Patients with translocated histotypes had better PFS, while those with platelet–lymphocyte ratios (PLRs) surpassing a specific threshold or lower albumin levels had poorer overall survival. Conclusions: This study validates previous findings from three phase I–II trials, affirming the utility of this treatment approach in routine clinical practice.
