Three-weekly oxaliplatin combined with gemcitabine and capecitabine in the first-line treatment of patients with advanced biliary tract cancer

The primary objective of this study was to determine the activity and safety of 3-weekly oxaliplatin combined with gemcitabine and oral capecitabine in the first-line treatment of advanced biliary tract cancer. Treatment consisted of intravenous oxaliplatin 100 mg/m every 3 weeks combined with intravenous gemcitabine 1000 mg/m on days 1 and 8 and oral capecitabine 1500 mg/m 14 days on 21 in two divided doses. Treatment was administered until progressive disease, unacceptable toxicity, or patient refusal. Thirty-seven patients were enrolled: eight patients had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 2 performance status at presentation. The overall response rate was 35.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 20.2-52.5%] and the disease control rate was 72.9%. The median progression-free survival was 9.4 months (95% CI: 4.1-12.2 months) and the median overall survival was 13.8 months (95% CI: 7.7-17.1 months). There were no grade 4 toxicities. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in 13.5% of patients and grade 3 thrombocytopenia in 10.8%. The present study suggests that 3-weekly oxaliplatin combined with gemcitabine and oral capecitabine is an active and well-tolerated chemotherapy regimen in the first-line treatment of metastatic biliary tract cancer.