Gemcitabine combined with epirubicin in the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer: a phase II study.

This phase II study of gemcitabine and epirubicin evaluated the activity and toxicity in advanced breast cancer. Female patients with stage IIIB or IV breast cancer received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 and then epirubicin 15 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 of 28-day cycles. Thirty-five patients with stage IV disease, a median age of 59 years (range, 39-73), and a median Karnofsky performance status of 90 (range, 60-100) were enrolled.