<p>Antibiotic therapy augments the efficacy of gemcitabine-containing regimens for advanced cancer: a retrospective study</p>

Abstract

BackgroundThe addition of antibiotics reportedly augments the efficacy of gemcitabine (GEM) in tumor-bearing mice. However, whether this phenomenon is also observed in cancer patients remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to assess whether antibiotics for treatment or prevention of infection augments treatment efficacies of GEM-containing regimens in patients with any type of cancer.MethodsMedical records of patients diagnosed with cancer histopathologically and treated with GEM-containing regimens (n=169) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were assigned into two groups: antibiotics-untreated group (patients who were treated with GEM-containing regimens but without antibiotics) and antibiotics-treated group (patients who were treated with GEM-containing regimens plus antibiotics). Response rates, progression-free survival (PFS) time, and overall survival (OS) time were analyzed for each group.ResultsThe response rates of the antibiotics-untreated and antibiotics-treated groups with GEM-containing regimens were 15.1% and 27.6%, respectively. The median PFS times of the antibiotics-untreated and antibiotics-treated groups were 2.5 (95% CI: 1.86–3.73) and 4.9 (95% CI: 3.47–6.0) months, respectively. The median OS times of the antibiotics-untreated and antibiotics-treated groups were 7.53 (95% CI: 5.63–9.57) months and 13.83 (95% CI: 10.83–16.43) months, respectively.ConclusionThe addition of antibiotics augments the treatment efficacies of GEM-containing regimens, and it may be a potential therapeutic option to improve treatment efficacies of GEM-containing regimens in patients with advanced cancer.

Antibiotics Improve the Treatment Efficacy of Oxaliplatin-Based but Not Irinotecan-Based Therapy in Advanced Colorectal Cancer Patients

“…A previous study [7] revealed that a decrease in intratumor bacteria by antibiotic treatment augments the antitumor efficacy of gemcitabine in tumor-bearing mice. On the basis of that report [7], we retrospectively demonstrated that antibiotic treatment augments the treatment efficacy of gemcitabine-based therapy in advanced cancer patients [8]. In addition, a decrease in bacteria by adding antibiotics also augments the cytotoxicity of oxaliplatin but not of irinotecan in the CRC cell line in vitro [7], which is consistent with our results in this study.…”

“…A previous study reported improvement in the treatment efficacy of anticancer agents by adding antibiotics in pancreatic cancer patients [8], indicating that this improvement is independent of the tumor primary site. In contrast, improvement in the treatment efficacy of anticancer agents by adding antibiotics seems to depend on the type of anticancer agent.…”

“…Some types of bacteria mediate the resistance to gemcitabine in the pancreatic cancer cell line and to oxaliplatin but not to irinotecan in the colon cancer cell line [7]. A retrospective study revealed that antibiotics improve the treatment efficacy of gemcitabine-based therapy in advanced cancer patients [8]. We hypothesized that improvement in the treatment efficacy of cytotoxic anticancer agents by adding antibiotics is independent of the tumor primary site but dependent on the type of anticancer agent.…”

Association between the use of antibiotics and efficacy of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel in advanced pancreatic cancer

“…[ 11 ] Imai et al reported that the use of antibiotics during a gemcitabine-containing regimen for various cancers is associated with increased survival. [ 12 ] However, little is known about whether the use of antibiotics leads to a better clinical outcome of GnP.…”

“…[ 10 ] In clinical settings, a few monocenter retrospective studies have reported the association between the use of antibiotics before or during chemotherapy and clinical outcomes of gemcitabine monotherapy [ 11 ] and combination therapy. [ 12 ] However, little is known about the association between the use of antibiotics and efficacy of GnP combination therapy, which is regarded as the standard therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study to elucidate the association between the use of antibiotics and efficacy of GnP.…”