[Remarkable tumor response to cisplatin plus gemcitabine therapy in a patient with recurrent gallbladder cancer - a case report].

Abstract We report a case of recurrent gallbladder cancer in which the patient's tumor showed a remarkable response to gemcitabine( GEM)plus cisplatin(CDDP)therapy. In January 2007, the patient underwent curative resection for gallbladder cancer (T2N1M0, Stage III), and tegafur/uracil was administered for a year as adjuvant chemotherapy. In September 2009, elevated serum CA19-9 levels were observed, and para-aortic lymph node swelling was seen on CT scans. In addition to the indications reported by Valle et al, CDDP plus GEM therapy was initiated. After the first 2 courses of therapy, the para-aortic lymph nodes markedly decreased in size, and the serum CA19-9 levels normalized. Grade 4 neutropenia and grade 3 thrombocytopenia were observed after 3 courses of therapy. We decreased the drug doses because toxicities were observed. We hesitated to discontinue therapy because the indications for discontinuing chemotherapy while the patient showed a good response were not known. Finally, we discontinued therapy after 28 courses because recovery from the resultant toxicities became difficult in spite of decreasing the drug doses(CDDP 25 mg/body, GEM 600 mg/body), and because a good response to therapy was confirmed by CT. The patient is alive and has been disease-free for more than 2 years.