title: Docetaxel in advanced ovarian cancer: preliminary results from three phase II trials. EORTC Early Clinical Trials Group and Clinical Screening Group, and the MD Anderson Cancer Center.
abstract: Docetaxel has been evaluated in 293 patients with advanced ovarian cancer in three phase II trials. All patients had previously received cisplatin and/or carboplatin as first-line treatment. In all three studies, treatment comprised docetaxel 100 mg/m2 as a 1 h intravenous infusion every 3 weeks, without premedication for hypersensitivity reactions or emesis. To date, 200 patients are evaluable for response. Of these, 63 patients achieved complete or partial response, giving an overall response rate of 31.5% (95% confidence interval 24-39%) for all evaluable patients, or 21.5% for all patients entered in the studies. Of the 57 patients whose disease had progressed either during previous therapy or within 4 months of discontinuing previous therapy, 13 (23%) responded to docetaxel (EORTC data). Major adverse effects of docetaxel observed in approximately half the patients (particularly those who received more than four courses) included skin reactions and fluid retention. Grade III or IV neutropenia was common but short-lived. Severe acute hypersensitivity reactions occurred in approximately 5% of patients. Docetaxel now warrants evaluation as part of first-line therapy. Studies aimed at reducing the incidence of fluid retention and skin reactions with docetaxel are ongoing.
authors.affiliation: CRC Department of Medical Oncology, University of Glasgow, U.K.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccart
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aapro
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kavanagh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D043823:Taxoids
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel