[Clinical study on the efficacy of weekly paclitaxel administration for platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
Recently, paclitaxel (T) and carboplatin (J) combination chemotherapy has been a standard first-line chemotherapy for epithelial ovarian cancer and has improved its prognosis. But we have many chemoresistant cases, and we examined the efficacy of weekly, single-agent, paclitaxel administration.


METHODS
Seven cases were included in this study. In all cases weekly paclitaxel administration (weekly-T chemotherapy) was performed because of the resistance to pre-treated platinum-based chemotherapy. In all cases the clinical stage was III c, and the histologic types consisted of four serous adenocarcinomas and three clear cell carcinomas. The number of courses and regimens in pre-treated chemotherapy was 8 to 16 (median 9) and 1 to 3 (median 2). Performance status (PS) was more than 2 in four cases. During weekly-T chemotherapy, 80 mg/m2 of paclitaxel was intravenously administered weekyl for 1-hour three times over two weeks, and next administration was performed two weeks later. 2 to 7 (mean 3.9) courses of weekly-T chemotherapy were performed in this study.


RESULTS
The treatment outcomes of weekly-T chemotherapy were 2 partial remission (PR), 3 no change (NC) and 2 progressive disease (PD). Though peripheral neuropathy occurred in five cases (71%), the drug for neuropathy needed to be administered in only one case (14%). While the toxicity of hemoglobin was worse than grade 3 in 13 courses (48%), hematological and non-hematological toxicity was mild.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggested that weekly-T chemotherapy was effective for heavily treated ovarian cancer patients in terms of both toxicity and quality of life (QOL).
Fujii
Kazuyuki
K
Dept. of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Defense Medical College.
Takano
Masashi
M
Okamoto
Sanshiro
S
Sasaki
Naoki
N
Kita
Tsunekazu
T
Kikuchi
Yoshihiro
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018284:Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010984:Platinum / Q000494:pharmacology; D011788:Quality of Life
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010984:Platinum; D017239:Paclitaxel