Combination of Low-Dose Gemcitabine and PD-1 Inhibitors for Treatment in Patients With Advanced Malignancies

PURPOSE: This study determined the efficacy of low-dose gemcitabine combined with programmed death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors for treating multiple malignancies, providing a cost-effective and safe treatment option. STUDY DESIGN: This study included 61 patients with advanced solid tumors treated with low-dose gemcitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitors at the Henan Cancer Hospital between January 2018 and February 2022. We retrospectively reviewed medical records to evaluate several clinical factors, including progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), adverse effects (AEs), and objective response to treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-one patients received treatment with low-dose gemcitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitors. The objective response rate (ORR) was 29.5% and the disease control rate (DCR) was 62.3%. The median PFS was 4.3 months (95% confidence interval, 2.3 to 6.3 months) and the median OS was 15.0 months (95% confidence interval, 8.8 to 21.2 months). Hematological toxicity, mainly leukopenia or thrombocytopenia, was the most common AE, with any-grade and grade 3/4 hematological toxicity reported in 60.7 and 13.1% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose gemcitabine combined with PD-1 inhibitors may offer a novel treatment option for patients with advanced malignancies.