title: A phase II study of carboplatin and paclitaxel in adenocarcinoma of unknown primary.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy is commonly used in the treatment of carcinoma of unknown primary site. Paclitaxel has shown promising activity as a single agent in a number of malignancies. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of combination carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary site (ACUP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-two patients with ACUP were enrolled in the study. Patients were treated with 200 mg/m2 paclitaxel intravenously (IV) over 3 hours followed by carboplatin IV with a targeted plasma area under the curve (AUC) of 5 mg/h/mL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 73 treatment courses were administered with a median of 5 courses per patient. Five of the 22 registered patients had a major response for an objective response rate of 23% (90% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.40) by intention-to-treat analysis. The median response duration was 4.1 months (90% CI, 3.6-7.1). The median survival time was 6.5 months (90% CI, 5.5-10.1) and the 1-year survival rate was 27% (90% CI, 0.11-0.42). The major toxicity observed was neutropenia, with grade 3-4 neutropenia occurring in 3 patients (14%). There were no treatment-related deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of carboplatin and paclitaxel is a tolerable and moderately active regimen in ACUP.
authors.affiliation: Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA. elrayesb@karmanos.org
authors.forename: Basil F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: El-Rayes
authors.forename: Anthony F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Shields
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zalupski
authors.forename: Lance K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Heilbrun
authors.forename: Vikash
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.forename: Damita
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: Ann Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ferris
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Philip
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel