Phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy in patients with advanced transitional cell cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the efficacy and toxicity of a first-line combination chemotherapy using weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with metastatic transitional cell cancer (TCC).


METHODS
Thirty-three patients with advanced measurable TCC of the urothelium were entered onto this trial. Patients were treated once weekly with a combination therapy of paclitaxel (100mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (AUC 2, according to the Calvert formula). Therapy courses were administered for six consecutive weeks. After two cycles, a re-staging was carried out to evaluate response.


RESULTS
Objective response rate was 57.6% with 6 complete (18.2%) and 13 partial remissions (39.4%). Seven patients had stable disease (21.2%) and 7 patients had progressed at the first evaluation of response (21.2%). Median progression-free interval and median survival was 6.5 (1-35) and 12 (2.5-58) months, respectively. Toxicity was moderate and manageable with grade 3 and 4 neutropenia in 8 patients (24%), but no case of neutropenic fever. Other hematological grade 3 toxicities occurred in 9 patients (27%) and grade 3 peripheral neuropathy in 2 patients (6%). There was no treatment-related death. Dose reduction or short delay of treatment was necessary in 3 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination therapy using weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin was active in patients with advanced TCC and adverse prognostic features. The weekly dosing used in this trial warrants further investigation as an alternative first-line approach in patients with poor renal reserve and/or performance status or as a second-line management of advanced TCC.
Johannsen
Manfred
M
Department of Urology, Campus Mitte, Charité University Medicine, Schumannstr. 20/21, 10117 Berlin, Germany. manfred.johannsen@charite.de
Sachs
Markus
M
Roigas
Jan
J
Hinke
Axel
A
Staack
Andrea
A
Loening
Stefan A
SA
Schnorr
Dietmar
D
Wille
Andreas H
AH
D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D019459:Urothelium / Q000473:pathology
D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel