What serious toxicities have been observed with gemcitabine hydrochloride given concurrently with thoracic radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer?

In one trial, gemcitabine hydrochloride at 1,000 mg/m² given concurrently with therapeutic thoracic radiotherapy for up to six consecutive weeks in non-small cell lung cancer was associated with severe, potentially life-threatening mucositis, especially oesophagitis, and pneumonitis, particularly with large radiotherapy volumes.