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Weekly high‐dose calcitriol and docetaxel in patients with metastatic hormone‐refractory prostate cancer previously exposed to docetaxel
Author(s) -
Petrioli Roberto,
Pascucci Alessandra,
Francini Edoardo,
Marsili Stefania,
Sciandivasci Angela,
De Rubertis Giovanni,
Barbanti Gabriele,
Manganelli Antonio,
Salvestrini Francesco,
Francini Guido
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
bju international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 1464-4096
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.2007.07019.x
Subject(s) - docetaxel , medicine , calcitriol , chemotherapy , prostate cancer , regimen , tolerability , oncology , urology , prostate specific antigen , chemotherapy regimen , cancer , adverse effect , vitamin d and neurology
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the activity and tolerability of weekly high‐dose calcitriol and docetaxel in patients with metastatic hormone‐refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) previously exposed to docetaxel, as patients who progress after docetaxel treatment might be considered for second‐line chemotherapy, but with no standard salvage therapy available we hypothesised that high‐dose calcitriol might restore sensitivity to chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study comprised 26 patients who had progressed after first‐line treatment with docetaxel‐based chemotherapy had failed. Treatment cycles consisted of calcitriol (32 µg orally as 0.5 µg tablets) on day 1 and docetaxel (30 mg/m 2 intravenous) on day 2, administered for six consecutive weeks followed by a 2‐week rest interval for a maximum of 24 cycles. RESULTS There was a response in prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) level in eight patients (31%); seven (27%) had a stable PSA level for ≥ 12 weeks. The median time to PSA progression was 4.2 months and the median survival was 9.3 months. The regimen was generally well tolerated; there was grade 2 hypercalcaemia, probably related to calcitriol, in one patient after six treatment cycles. CONCLUSION Weekly high‐dose calcitriol and docetaxel seems to be an effective and well‐tolerated treatment option for patients with metastatic HRPC previously exposed to docetaxel‐based chemotherapy.