(P 194) REAL WORLD OUTCOMES OF PATIENTS TREATED WITH GEMCITABINE AND DOCETAXEL FOR ADVANCED SOFT TISSUE SARCOMA IN AN AUSTRALIAN SARCOMA CENTRE

Objective: Gemcitabine and docetaxel (GD) is a standard chemotherapy regimen for soft tissue sarcoma (STS). The GeDDiS phase 3 trial compared GD with doxorubicin in the 1st-line setting, using a 90-minute infusion time for gemcitabine – reporting a response rate of 20%, progression-free survival (PFS) (median, 6-month rate) of 5.4 months and 46%, and most common grade 3/4 toxicity of neutropenia (25%) and febrile neutropenia (12%) (1). We aimed to examine the real-world efficacy and toxicity of GD in our centre in the 1st and later line using a 30-minute infusion time for gemcitabine.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients with unresectable or metastatic STS receiving ≥ one cycle of GD between July 2018 – October 2022. Data collected included patient and tumour characteristics, dose intensity, toxicity, response, PFS and overall survival (OS). Survival outcomes were calculated from the date of 1st GD treatment using the Kaplan Meier Method.

Results: 38 patients were included for analysis (Table 1). Median follow-up was 19 months (range 3-30). Histologic subtypes (n) were leiomyosarcoma (20), synovial sarcoma (4), undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (4), other (10). Primary sites (n) were extremity (12), uterine (8), other pelvic (7), intra-thoracic (4), retroperitoneal (3), other (4). Line of treatment (n) was 1st line (10), 2nd line (13), ≥ 3rd line (15). Median number of cycles was 6 (range 1-12). 16 patients (42%) required dose modification during the 1st 3 cycles. Response rate was 42%, including 5% with complete response (Table 2). At the time of data collection, 33 patients had disease progression and 24 patients had died. PFS (median, 6-month rate) was 4.5 months and 44% (Figure 1). Overall survival (median, 12-month rate) was 15 months and 65% (Figure 2). Grade 3/4 toxicity included neutropenia (8%), febrile neutropenia (3%) and anaemia (21%). There was 1 death possibly attributable to GD.

Conclusion: This data demonstrates efficacy of GD comparable to other published data and favourable toxicity in a real-life patient population despite shorter gemcitabine infusion time and heavily pre-treated patient population.