title: Weekly docetaxel and estramustine in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
abstract: The combination of docetaxel and estramustine has exhibited synergistic activity both in prostate cancer cell lines and in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). Based on these promising preclinical and phase I/II data, we conducted a study of weekly docetaxel and estramustine in patients with metastatic HRPC and a poor performance status. A total of 30 patients received (1) a 3-day course of oral estramustine during weeks 1 and 2 of each 3-week cycle plus (2) docetaxel, 35 mg/m(2) intravenously on day 2 of weeks 1 and 2. The median number of cycles per patient was 5, ranging from 1 to 22. The median patient age was 74 years (range, 61 to 90 years), and the median baseline Karnofsky performance status was 60% (range, 50% to 80%). Twenty-three patients (76%) had a > or =50% decrease in serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA); 17 (56%) of these patients had a > or =75% decrease in PSA. Pain scores and performance status likewise improved in 70% of patients. Three complete responses and four partial responses were observed among 12 patients with measurable disease. Toxicities were primarily nonhematologic in nature, with the most common being grade 1 through 3 nausea, asthenia, diarrhea, and edema. Given the activity and tolerability of weekly docetaxel and estramustine in this study, this regimen appears to be more suitable than previously studied docetaxel/estramustine administration schedules for treating metastatic HRPC in elderly patients with a poor performance status.
authors.affiliation: Saint Francis Cancer Center, Grand Island, NE 68802-9804, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sitka Copur
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ledakis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lynch
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hauke
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tarantolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Norvell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Muhvic
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hake
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wendt
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004961:Estramustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004961:Estramustine; D017239:Paclitaxel