The effect of single weekly paclitaxel in heavily pretreated patients with recurrent or persistent advanced ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We have reported that single weekly paclitaxel has moderate activity in heavily pretreated ovarian cancer patients and is associated with a favorable toxicity profile. The purpose of this study was to reconfirm the effect of weekly paclitaxel in more number of cases.


METHODS
Although 39 patients were enrolled, 37 patients with recurrent or persistent ovarian cancer previously treated with between one and three chemotherapeutic regimens containing platinum were eligible. Patients had measurable or assessable disease defined by clinical exam, radiographic studies, or serum CA 125. One cycle of treatment consisted of paclitaxel 80 mg/m2/week in 1-h infusion, 3 weeks on, 1 week off, and repeated at least twice. Two patients were withdrawn because of refusal of further treatment for neuropathy after the first cycle. Clinical responses were defined by established criteria.


RESULTS
Thirty-seven patients were included in this intent-to-treat study. The overall clinical response rate was 45.9% (5 complete responses, 12 partial responses). The clinical response rate in patients with measurable tumor was 25.0% (2 complete responses, 1 partial response), while that in patients without measurable tumor and with assessable CA 125 levels was 56.0% (3 complete responses, 11 partial responses). Clinical response rate in patients with chemotherapy-free interval more than 6 months had about twice higher than that in patients with chemotherapy-free interval less than 6 months. The clinical response rate by number of prior regimens revealed that as number of prior regimens increases, the response rate decreases.


CONCLUSIONS
Weekly paclitaxel has significant antitumor activity in heavily pretreated patients with recurrent or persistent ovarian carcinoma and warrants as second or third line chemotherapy in such setting.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Saitama, Japan.
Tsunekazu
T
Kita
Yoshihiro
Y
Kikuchi
Masashi
M
Takano
Mitsuaki
M
Suzuki
Michitaka
M
Oowada
Ryo
R
Konno
Kenji
K
Yamamoto
Hiromi
H
Inoue
Hiroshi
H
Seto
Tsutomu
T
Yamamoto
Ken
K
Shimizu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000097:blood; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D017239:Paclitaxel