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Weekly docetaxel is safe and effective in the treatment of advanced‐stage acquired immunodeficiency syndrome‐related Kaposi sarcoma
Author(s) -
Lim Soon Thye,
Tupule Anil,
Espina Byron M.,
Levine Alexandra M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.20780
Subject(s) - medicine , docetaxel , neutropenia , regimen , surgery , chemotherapy , sarcoma , gastroenterology , refractory (planetary science) , taxane , progressive disease , cancer , breast cancer , pathology , physics , astrobiology
BACKGROUND Intravenous paclitaxel, 100 mg/m 2 , given over 3 hours every 2 weeks is associated with a response rate of 59% in patients with recurrent or refractory acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)‐related Kaposi sarcoma (KS). However, this regimen is associated with significant myelosuppression, and the inconvenience of a 3‐hour infusion. Moreover, no effective therapies have been defined for use after treatment failure with this agent. A Phase II trial was conducted with weekly docetaxel in patients with advanced‐stage KS to assess safety and antitumor activity. METHODS Docetaxel was administered at a dose of 25 mg/m 2 intravenously over 15–30 minutes weekly for 8 weeks. Thereafter, if the patient experienced stable disease or better response, treatment doses were given every other week until complete disease remission, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurred. RESULTS Twelve patients were accrued—9 had > 25 mucocutaneous lesions, 1 had lymphedema, and 2 had visceral involvement. Ten patients (83%) had previous systemic chemotherapy, including 4 who received previous paclitaxel. Treatment was well tolerated, with no Grade 4 toxicity of any type. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in 33% of patients but no patient had neutropenic fever. Five patients (42%) achieved a partial response, including 1 who had previously failed to respond to paclitaxel. The median time to disease progression was 26 months (range, 5–53 months). With a median follow‐up period of 45 months, the median survival point had not been reached. CONCLUSIONS Weekly docetaxel is safe, with reasonable antitumor activity in patients with advanced‐stage, recurrent, or refractory AIDS‐related KS. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.