The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling:
6.1 Clinical Trials Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Single Agent
The data described below reflect exposure to gemcitabine as a single agent administered at doses between 800 mg/m2 to 1,250 mg/m2 intravenously over 30 minutes once weekly in 979 patients with various malignancies. The most common (≥20%) adverse reactions of single agent gemcitabine are nausea/vomiting, anemia, increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT), increased aspartate aminotransferase (AST), neutropenia, increased alkaline phosphatase, proteinuria, fever, hematuria, rash, thrombocytopenia, dyspnea, and edema. The most common (≥5%) Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions were neutropenia, nausea/vomiting, increased ALT, increased alkaline phosphatase, anemia, increased AST, and thrombocytopenia. Approximately 10% of the 979 patients discontinued gemcitabine due to adverse reactions. Adverse reactions resulting in discontinuation of gemcitabine in 2% of 979 patients were cardiovascular adverse reactions (myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, arrhythmia, and hypertension) and adverse reactions resulting in discontinuation of gemcitabine in <1% of 979 patients were anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, nausea/vomiting, fever, rash, dyspnea, hemorrhage, infection, stomatitis, somnolence, flu-like syndrome, and edema.
Tables 5 and 6 present the incidence of selected adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities reported in patients with various malignancies receiving single agent gemcitabine across 5 clinical trials. Additional clinically significant adverse reactions are provided following Table 6.
Table 5: Selected Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥10% of Patients Receiving Single Agent Gemcitabine*Adverse Reactions† | Gemcitabine‡ |
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All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Nausea and Vomiting | 69 | 13 | 1 |
Fever | 41 | 2 | 0 |
Rash | 30 | <1 | 0 |
Dyspnea | 23 | 3 | <1 |
Diarrhea | 19 | 1 | 0 |
Hemorrhage | 17 | <1 | <1 |
Infection | 16 | 1 | <1 |
Alopecia | 15 | <1 | 0 |
Stomatitis | 11 | <1 | 0 |
Somnolence | 11 | <1 | <1 |
Paresthesias | 10 | <1 | 0 |
Table 6: Selected Laboratory Abnormalities Occurring in Patients Receiving Single Agent Gemcitabine*Laboratory Abnormality† | Gemcitabine‡ |
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All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Hematologic |
Anemia | 68 | 7 | 1 |
Neutropenia | 63 | 19 | 6 |
Thrombocytopenia | 24 | 4 | 1 |
Hepatic |
Increased ALT | 68 | 8 | 2 |
Increased AST | 67 | 6 | 2 |
Increased Alkaline Phosphatase | 55 | 7 | 2 |
Hyperbilirubinemia | 13 | 2 | <1 |
Renal |
Proteinuria | 45 | <1 | 0 |
Hematuria | 35 | <1 | 0 |
Increased BUN | 16 | 0 | 0 |
Increased Creatinine | 8 | <1 | 0 |
Additional adverse reactions include the following:
- Transfusion requirements: Red blood cell transfusions (19%); platelet transfusions (<1%)
- Edema: Edema (13%), peripheral edema (20%), generalized edema (<1%)
- Flu-like symptoms: Fever, asthenia, anorexia, headache, cough, chills, myalgia, asthenia insomnia, rhinitis, sweating and/or malaise (19%)
- Infection: Sepsis (<1%)
- Extravasation: Injection-site reactions (4%)
- Allergic: Bronchospasm (<2%); anaphylactoid reactions
Ovarian Cancer
Tables 7 and 8 present the incidence of selected adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities, occurring in ≥10% of gemcitabine-treated patients and at a higher incidence in the gemcitabine with carboplatin arm, reported in a randomized trial (Study 1) of gemcitabine with carboplatin (n=175) compared to carboplatin alone (n=174) for the second-line treatment of ovarian cancer in women with disease that had relapsed more than 6 months following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy [see Clinical Studies (14.1)]. Additional clinically significant adverse reactions, occurring in <10% of patients, are provided following Table 8.
The proportion of patients with dose adjustments for carboplatin (1.8% versus 3.8%), doses of carboplatin omitted (0.2% versus 0) and discontinuing treatment for adverse reactions (11% versus 10%), were similar between arms. Dose adjustment for gemcitabine occurred in 10% of patients and gemcitabine dose was omitted in 14% of patients in the gemcitabine/carboplatin arm.
Table 7: Adverse Reactions Occurring in >10% of Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Carboplatin and at Higher Incidence than in Patients Receiving Single Agent Carboplatin [Between Arm Difference of ≥5% (All Grades) or ≥2% (Grades 3–4)] in Study 1*Adverse Reactions† | Gemcitabine/Carboplatin (N=175) | Carboplatin (N=174) |
---|
| All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Nausea | 69 | 6 | 0 | 61 | 3 | 0 |
Alopecia | 49 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
Vomiting | 46 | 6 | 0 | 36 | 2 | <1 |
Constipation | 42 | 6 | 1 | 37 | 3 | 0 |
Fatigue | 40 | 3 | <1 | 32 | 5 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 25 | 3 | 0 | 14 | <1 | 0 |
Stomatitis/Pharyngitis | 22 | <1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Table 8: Laboratory Abnormalities Occurring in Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Carboplatin and at Higher Incidence than in Patients Receiving Single Agent Carboplatin [Between Arm Difference of ≥5% (All Grades) or ≥2% (Grades 3–4)] in Study 1*Laboratory Abnormality† | Gemcitabine/Carboplatin (N=175) | Carboplatin (N=174) |
---|
| All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Hematologic |
Neutropenia | 90 | 42 | 29 | 58 | 11 | 1 |
Anemia | 86 | 22 | 6 | 75 | 9 | 2 |
Thrombocytopenia | 78 | 30 | 5 | 57 | 10 | 1 |
RBC Transfusions‡ | 38 | - | - | 15 | - | - |
Platelet Transfusions‡ | 9 | - | - | 3 | - | - |
Hematopoietic growth factors were administered more frequently in the gemcitabine-containing arm: leukocyte growth factor (24% and 10%) and erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (7% and 3.9%).
The following clinically relevant Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions occurred more frequently in the gemcitabine with carboplatin arm: dyspnea (3.4% versus 2.9%), febrile neutropenia (1.1% versus 0), hemorrhagic event (2.3% versus 1.1%), motor neuropathy (1.1% versus 0.6%), and rash/desquamation (0.6% versus 0).
Breast Cancer
Tables 9 and 10 present the incidence of selected adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities, occurring in ≥10% of gemcitabine-treated patients and at a higher incidence in the gemcitabine with paclitaxel arm, reported in a randomized trial (Study 2) of gemcitabine with paclitaxel (n=262) compared to paclitaxel alone (n=259) for the first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in women who received anthracycline-containing chemotherapy in the adjuvant/neoadjuvant setting or for whom anthracyclines were contraindicated [see Clinical Studies (14.2)]. Additional clinically significant adverse reactions, occurring in <10% of patients, are provided following Table 10.
The requirement for dose reduction of paclitaxel were higher for patients in the gemcitabine/paclitaxel arm (5% versus 2%). The number of paclitaxel doses omitted (<1%), the proportion of patients discontinuing treatment for adverse reactions (7% versus 5%) and the number of treatment-related deaths (1 patient in each arm) were similar between the two arms.
Table 9: Selected Adverse Reactions Occurring in Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Paclitaxel and at Higher Incidence than in Patients Receiving Single Agent Paclitaxel [Between Arm Difference of ≥5% (All Grades) or ≥2% (Grades 3–4)] in Study 2*Adverse Reactions† | Gemcitabine/Paclitaxel (N=262) | Paclitaxel (N=259) |
---|
| All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Alopecia | 90 | 14 | 4 | 92 | 19 | 3 |
Neuropathy-Sensory | 64 | 5 | <1 | 58 | 3 | 0 |
Nausea | 50 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 2 | 0 |
Fatigue | 40 | 6 | <1 | 28 | 1 | <1 |
Vomiting | 29 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 2 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 20 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
Anorexia | 17 | 0 | 0 | 12 | <1 | 0 |
Neuropathy-Motor | 15 | 2 | <1 | 10 | <1 | 0 |
Stomatitis/Pharyngitis | 13 | 1 | <1 | 8 | <1 | 0 |
Fever | 13 | <1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Rash/Desquamation | 11 | <1 | <1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Febrile Neutropenia | 6 | 5 | <1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
Table 10: Selected Laboratory Abnormalities Occurring in >10% of Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Paclitaxel and at a Higher Incidence than Patients Receiving Single Agent Paclitaxel [Between Arm Difference of ≥5% (All Grades) or ≥2% (Grades 3–4)] in Study 2*Laboratory Abnormality† | Gemcitabine/Paclitaxel (N=262) | Paclitaxel (N=259) |
---|
| All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Hematologic |
Anemia | 69 | 6 | 1 | 51 | 3 | <1 |
Neutropenia | 69 | 31 | 17 | 31 | 4 | 7 |
Thrombocytopenia | 26 | 5 | <1 | 7 | <1 | <1 |
Hepatobiliary |
Increased ALT | 18 | 5 | <1 | 6 | <1 | 0 |
Increased AST | 16 | 2 | 0 | 5 | <1 | 0 |
Clinically relevant Grade 3 or 4 dyspnea occurred with a higher incidence in the gemcitabine with paclitaxel arm compared with the paclitaxel arm (1.9% versus 0).
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Tables 11 and 12 present the incidence of selected adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities occurring in ≥10% of gemcitabine-treated patients and at a higher incidence in the gemcitabine with cisplatin arm, reported in a randomized trial (Study 3) of gemcitabine with cisplatin (n=260) administered in 28-day cycles as compared to cisplatin alone (n=262) in patients receiving first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC [see Clinical Studies (14.3)].
Patients randomized to gemcitabine with cisplatin received a median of 4 cycles of treatment and those randomized to cisplatin alone received a median of 2 cycles of treatment. In this trial, the requirement for dose adjustments (>90% versus 16%), discontinuation of treatment for adverse reactions (15% versus 8%), and the proportion of patients hospitalized (36% versus 23%) were all higher for patients receiving gemcitabine with cisplatin compared to those receiving cisplatin alone. The incidence of febrile neutropenia (3% versus<1%), sepsis (4% versus 1%), Grade 3 cardiac dysrhythmias (3% versus <1%) were all higher in the gemcitabine with cisplatin arm compared to the cisplatin alone arm.
The two-drug combination was more myelosuppressive with 4 (1.5%) possibly treatment-related deaths, including 3 resulting from myelosuppression with infection and one case of renal failure associated with pancytopenia and infection. No deaths due to treatment were reported on the cisplatin arm.
Table 11: Selected Adverse Reactions Occurring in ≥10% of Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Cisplatin and at Higher Incidence than in Patients Receiving Single Agent Cisplatin [Between Arm Difference of ≥5% (All Grades) or ≥2% (Grades 3–4)] in Study 3*Adverse Reactions† | Gemcitabine/Cisplatin‡ | Cisplatin§ |
---|
All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Nausea | 93 | 25 | 2 | 87 | 20 | <1 |
Vomiting | 78 | 11 | 12 | 71 | 10 | 9 |
Alopecia | 53 | 1 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 |
Neuro Motor | 35 | 12 | 0 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 24 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Neuro Sensory | 23 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
Infection | 18 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
Fever | 16 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Neuro Cortical | 16 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
Neuro Mood | 16 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
Local | 15 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
Neuro Headache | 14 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Stomatitis | 14 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Hemorrhage | 14 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Hypotension | 12 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
Rash | 11 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Table 12: Selected Laboratory Abnormalities Occurring in >10% of Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Cisplatin and at Higher Incidence than in Patients Receiving Single Agent Cisplatin [Between Arm Difference of ≥5% (All Grades) or ≥2% (Grades 3–4)] in Study 3*Laboratory Abnormality† | Gemcitabine/Cisplatin‡ | Cisplatin§ |
---|
All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Hematologic |
Anemia | 89 | 22 | 3 | 67 | 6 | 1 |
Thrombocytopenia | 85 | 25 | 25 | 13 | 3 | 1 |
Neutropenia | 79 | 22 | 35 | 20 | 3 | 1 |
Lymphopenia | 75 | 25 | 18 | 51 | 12 | 5 |
RBC Transfusions¶ | 39 | - | - | 13 | - | - |
Platelet Transfusions¶ | 21 | - | - | <1 | - | - |
Hepatic |
Increased Transaminases | 22 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
Increased Alkaline Phosphatase | 19 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Renal |
Increased Creatinine | 38 | 4 | <1 | 31 | 2 | <1 |
Proteinuria | 23 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
Hematuria | 15 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
Other Laboratory |
Hyperglycemia | 30 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 0 |
Hypomagnesemia | 30 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 0 |
Hypocalcemia | 18 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | <1 |
Tables 13 and 14 present the incidence of selected adverse reactions and laboratory abnormalities occurring in ≥10% of gemcitabine-treated patients and at a higher incidence in the gemcitabine with cisplatin arm, reported in a randomized trial (Study 4) of gemcitabine with cisplatin (n=69) administered in 21-day cycles as compared to etoposide with cisplatin (n=66) in patients receiving first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC [see Clinical Studies (14.3)]. Additional clinically significant adverse reactions are provided following Table 14.
Patients in the gemcitabine/cisplatin (GC) arm received a median of 5 cycles and those in the etoposide/cisplatin (EC) arm received a median of 4 cycles. The majority of patients receiving more than one cycle of treatment required dose adjustments; 81% in the GC arm and 68% in the EC arm. The incidence of hospitalizations for adverse reactions was 22% in the GC arm and 27% in the EC arm. The proportion of patients who discontinued treatment for adverse reactions was higher in the GC arm (14% versus 8%). The proportion of patients who were hospitalized for febrile neutropenia was lower in the GC arm (7% versus 12%). There was one death attributed to treatment, a patient with febrile neutropenia and renal failure, which occurred in the GC arm.
Table 13: Selected Adverse Reactions in Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Cisplatin in Study 4*Adverse Reactions† | Gemcitabine/Cisplatin‡ | Etoposide/Cisplatin§ |
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All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Nausea and Vomiting | 96 | 35 | 4 | 86 | 19 | 7 |
Alopecia | 77 | 13 | 0 | 92 | 51 | 0 |
Paresthesias | 38 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
Infection | 28 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 8 | 0 |
Stomatitis | 20 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
Diarrhea | 14 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 2 |
Edema¶ | 12 | - | - | 2 | - | - |
Rash | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Hemorrhage | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Fever | 6 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Somnolence | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Flu-like Syndrome¶ | 3 | - | - | 0 | - | - |
| | | | | | |
Dyspnea | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Table 14: Selected Laboratory Abnormalities Occurring in Patients Receiving Gemcitabine with Cisplatin in Study 4*Laboratory Abnormality† | Gemcitabine/Cisplatin‡ | Etoposide/Cisplatin§ |
---|
All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) | All Grades (%) | Grade 3 (%) | Grade 4 (%) |
---|
|
Hematologic |
Anemia | 88 | 22 | 0 | 77 | 13 | 2 |
Neutropenia | 88 | 36 | 28 | 87 | 20 | 56 |
Thrombocytopenia | 81 | 39 | 16 | 45 | 8 | 5 |
RBC Transfusions‡ | 29 | - | - | 21 | - | - |
Platelet Transfusions¶ | 3 | - | - | 8 | - | - |
Hepatic |
Increased Alkaline Phosphatase | 16 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Increased ALT | 6 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
Increased AST | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Renal |
Hematuria | 22 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
Proteinuria | 12 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
Increased BUN | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Increased Creatinine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |