Beneficial Use of the Combination of Gemcitabine and Dacarbazine in Advanced Soft Tissue Sarcomas: Real-World Data

Simple Summary Advanced soft tissue sarcomas (aSTSs) have scarce treatment options due to their low incidence, being considered by the World Health Organization as a rare disease; low investment by principal actors in trial designs; and high variability in treatment responses. The combination of gemcitabine and dacarbazine has been demonstrated to be effective in aSTSs in terms of progression-free survival and overall survival in three phase I-II clinical trials. Some pathological, clinical, and analytical variables have been analyzed as possible prognostic and predictive factors, providing a clue for clinicians to select the most optimal treatment in this setting.Abstract Background: The combination of gemcitabine and dacarbazine has exhibited efficacy in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for aSTSs, albeit without robust confirmation from larger clinical trials. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study in a single institution involving aSTS patients treated with gemcitabine and dacarbazine. Results: 95 patients were assessed, pointing to a benefit in PFS of 3.5 months and an OS of 14.2 months. Patients with translocated histotypes had better PFS, while those with platelet-lymphocyte ratios (PLRs) surpassing a specific threshold or lower albumin levels had poorer overall survival. Conclusions: This study validates previous findings from three phase I-II trials, affirming the utility of this treatment approach in routine clinical practice.