Gemcitabine and Pemetrexed Disodium in Treating Patients With Advanced Mycosis Fungoides or Sézary Syndrome

You may be eligible if

• DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• Histologically confirmed\* mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome
• * Stage IB-IVB disease NOTE: \*Pathology report must read diagnostic or consistent with mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome
• Failed ≥ 1 prior systemic treatment
• Measurable disease
• * At least 1 indicator lesion must be designated prior to study entry
• PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• ECOG performance status 0-2
• Life expectancy ≥ 6 months
• Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• Creatinine clearance ≥ 45 mL/min
• Bilirubin ≤ 2.2 mg/dL
• AST and ALT ≤ 2 times upper limit of normal
• WBC ≥ 3,000/mm³
• Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,500/mm³
• Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm³
• No acute infection requiring systemic treatment
• No history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to the study drugs or to any other ingredient used in their formulation
• Not pregnant or nursing
• Negative pregnancy test
• Fertile patients must use effective contraception
• PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• See Disease Characteristics
• At least 4 weeks since prior topical therapy, systemic chemotherapy, or biological therapy
• No acetylsalicylic acid or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for 2 days before and for 2 days after pemetrexed disodium infusion (5 days before and for 2 days after pemetrexed disodium infusion for patients taking NSAIDs with a long half-life \[e.g., naproxen, refocoxib, or celecoxib\])
• No concurrent topical agents except emollients
• No other concurrent topical or systemic anticancer therapies
• No other concurrent investigational agents