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Patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer are normally benefitted from chemotherapy before surgery to remove the tumor. However, in a test of one regimen by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center was halted after too many patients experienced serious side effects such as heart attacks and blood clots in the legs and lungs. 

The study included 31 patients, who were administered a combination of gemcitabine and cisplatin. 

"It's important to prospectively investigate both the activity and the potential side effects of these two chemotherapy drugs in patients with bladder cancer," said Elizabeth R. Plimack, MD, MS, Attending Physician the Department of Medical Oncology at Fox Chase Cancer, in the press release. "In patients who may be cured of their cancers, chemotherapy regimens that cause blood clots and other complications may delay or prevent life-saving surgery."

Subjects were given gemcitabine and cisplatin over 6 weeks, instead of usual 12. 

"Hitting tumors with chemotherapy more frequently might be more effective, and for patients who don't respond, a shorter regimen causes less of a delay in surgery," said Dr. Plimack, "and patients spend less of their life in cancer treatment." 

Researchers had to stop the phase II clinical trial before completion after 7 patients experienced serious cardiovascular events like stroke, heart attack and deadly blood clots in the lungs or legs. 

It's possible that condensing the doses into 6 weeks caused problems, but that's not the only explanation, said Dr. Plimack. "Two of the most severe cardiovascular events occurred after one treatment, so the dosing schedule was not the only factor here." 

Gemcitabine is a frequently administered drug, so it is critical that researchers continue to follow patients receiving it, added Dr. Plimack in the press release. "In the meantime, patients who have concerns about taking gemcitabine should consult their doctors about their individual plan."

Researchers reported their findings during the 50th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.