Gemcitabine is a cytosine arabinoside(Ara-C) analog with activity in many humantumor systems. We evaluated the drug'sactivity in resistant or relapsing multiplemyeloma. Gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 wasadministered as a 30 minute infusion ondays 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Nodose escalations were permitted and dosereductions were scheduled for hematologictoxicity. Twenty-nine eligible patientswere entered into Southwest Oncology Group(SWOG)-9803. One patient received notreatment and 5 patients had inadequateresponse assessments. The major toxicitywas hematologic with grade 3/4 neutropeniain 9 and grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia in 15patients. No responses were seen. Stabledisease was confirmed in sixteen patients(57%). Median survival was eight months. Gemcitabine as utilized in this trial hasshown little activity and is not to bestrongly considered for future multiplemyeloma trials.