title: Paclitaxel (Taxol) as salvage therapy for relapsed ovarian cancer.
abstract: Thirty-two patients with epithelial ovarian cancer received paclitaxel 175 mg/m2, by 3-hour infusion, in this prospective phase 2 study. All patients had relapsed or progressed after initial cisplatin/cyclophosphamide therapy. Thirteen patients received paclitaxel as second line therapy, 14 as third line therapy and 5 as fourth line therapy. One patient was excluded from efficacy analysis, due to a severe anaphylactic reaction to the first cycle of paclitaxel therapy. Of the 31 evaluable patients, complete remission was observed in 3 patients (9.7%) and partial remission in 11 patients (35.5%), with a total response rate of 45.2%. The median survival from diagnosis for the 31 evaluable patients was 32.5 months and the median survival following therapy with paclitaxel was 12.2 months (range 4-27 months). The 3 patients who achieved a complete response remain alive, at greater than 20 months, since commencing paclitaxel. Twelve patients (38.7%) who achieved a partial response, or had stable disease, had a median survival, after paclitaxel treatment, of greater than 18 months. This study confirms the activity of paclitaxel in relapsed ovarian cancer and demonstrates a prolonged survival benefit in greater than one third of this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Planner
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Toner
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Sykes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017239:Paclitaxel