title: Phase I/II studies of docetaxel (Taxotere) combined with estramustine in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
abstract: Evaluation of the combined regimen of estramustine and docetaxel (Taxotere; Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, Collegeville, PA) in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer is in its early stages. While this combination is promising in terms of efficacy, adverse events associated with estramustine are a concern. Estramustine has been associated with side effects such as nausea, vomiting, edema, and serious vascular events. Reported here are the results of phase I and phase II trials in which 280 mg estramustine was given three times daily on days I to 5 in 21-day treatment cycles with docetaxel at varying doses. Data from patients evaluable thus far support the efficacy of this combination, both in chemotherapeutically naive patients and in those who have had prior therapy. A survival benefit from this combination appears achievable from these early studies. As significant antitumor activity can be achieved with docetaxel alone, future studies need to define the minimal dose of estramustine for this combination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY 10032-3789, USA.
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Petrylak
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Macarthur
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weitzman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Judge
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: England-Owen
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zuech
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pfaff
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Newhouse
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bagiella
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hetjan
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sawczuk
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olsson
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004961:Estramustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004961:Estramustine; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D017239:Paclitaxel