Gemcitabine in Treating Children With Refractory Solid Tumors

Overview

Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of gemcitabine in treating children who have refractory solid tumors. Drugs used in chemotherapy use different ways to stop tumor cells from dividing so they stop growing or die.

OBJECTIVES: I. Estimate the maximum tolerated dose of gemcitabine in children and adolescents with refractory solid tumors. II. Assess the toxicity of gemcitabine in this patient population. III. Determine the pharmacokinetic profile of gemcitabine in male and female children and adolescents. IV. Assess the antitumor activity of gemcitabine within a phase I study. OUTLINE: This is a dose escalation study. Patients receive gemcitabine IV over 30 minutes weekly for 2 weeks. Patients achieving objective response or stable disease after 3 weeks may receive additional courses of therapy every 3 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cohorts of 3-6 patients receive escalating doses of gemcitabine until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 of 3 or 2 of 6 patients experience dose limiting toxicity. Patients are followed at week 4 and then every 6 months until death.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

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