title: A phase 1 study of tazarotene in adults with advanced cancer.
abstract: Tazarotene is an acetylenic retinoid which is metabolised to tazarotenic acid and which binds selectively to the retinoid receptors RARbeta and RARgamma. The safety, toxicity and pharmacokinetics of oral tazarotene were determined over 12 weeks of treatment in 34 patients with advanced cancer. Commonly seen toxicities were mucocutaneous symptoms, musculoskeletal pain and headache. Dose-limiting toxicities were hypercalcaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and musculoskeletal pain. The maximum tolerated dose of tazarotene in this schedule is 25.2 mg day(-1). Plasma concentrations of tazarotenic acid were found to peak rapidly within 1-3 h of dosing and thereafter declined quickly. The C(max) and AUC values on day 0, and weeks 2 and 4 were similar indicating no drug accumulation. The dose-normalised C(max) and AUC values at different dose levels and different study days appeared to be similar indicating linear pharmacokinetics. No objective responses were seen, although stable disease was seen in six out of eight evaluable patients receiving the three highest dose levels of tazarotene (16.8, 25.2 or 33.4 mg day(-1)). We conclude that oral tazarotene is well tolerated when administered daily for 12 weeks, has a favourable toxicity profile compared with other retinoids and merits further investigation as an anticancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: MRC Cancer Cell Unit and Cancer Research UK Department of Oncology, University of Cambridge, Hutchison/MRC Research Centre, Cambridge CB2 2XZ, UK. phj20@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Burnett
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fainaru
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nadolny
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tang-Liu
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Ganesan
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: G J S
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rustin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009539:Nicotinic Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity*; D012176:Retinoids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009539:Nicotinic Acids; D012176:Retinoids; C086827:tazarotene