title: Docetaxel and irinotecan (CPT-11) in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma--a feasibility study.
abstract: We chose to treat malignant pleural mesothelioma with a combination of docetaxel and irinotecan (CPT-11), because there have been preliminary reports that CPT-11 is active against mesothelioma, and docetaxel and CPT-11 were the most active agents in our in vitro experiments in human mesothelioma cell lines. Fifteen previously untreated patients with pleural mesothelioma (IMIG Stage III-IV) were given docetaxel 60 mg/m2 followed by CPT-11 190 mg/m2 on day 1, repeated every 3 weeks. All the patients were evaluable for toxicity and 13 patients were evaluated for response. No objective responses (complete or partial) were achieved, but there were two minor responses (overall response rate 15%) each of a duration of 4 months. Three patients had stable disease (23%); median time to progression was 7 months. Median survival in all the patients was 8.5 months from the first chemotherapy cycle and 11 months from diagnosis. Toxicity was severe with seven of 15 patients suffering neutropenic fever and six of 15 patients grade 3-4 diarrhea. The trial was discontinued because of toxicity and lack of activity. We do not recommend the combination of docetaxel and CPT-11 using the schedule presented here for further investigation in malignant mesothelioma. However, CPT-11 and docetaxel, individually, still warrant further study in this disease, especially in combination with cisplatin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland. aija.knuuttila@hus.fi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Knuuttila
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ollikainen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halme
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mali
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kivisaari
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Linnainmaa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jekunen
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mattson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D043823:Taxoids; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000077146:Irinotecan; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002166:Camptothecin