title: A phase II study of weekly paclitaxel/estramustine/carboplatin in hormone-refractory prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this phase II study was to determine the response rate in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer given paclitaxel/estramustine/carboplatin for weeks 1, 2, and 3 of a 4-week cycle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four patients were registered into the trial. Paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 and carboplatin area under the curve of 2 were administered intravenously on days 2, 9, and 16, and oral estramustine 280 mg 3 times daily was given on days 1-3, 8-10, and 15-17 for 6 cycles. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0, 1, and 2 was 46%, 41%, and 13%, respectively, and median age was 70 years (range, 53-82 years), with 58 patients (69%) aged > 65 years. The majority of patients (83%) were white. Fifteen patients (18%) had received previous chemotherapy, 61 patients (73%) had undergone previous surgery, and 51 patients (61%) had received previous external-beam radiation therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intent-to-treat analysis revealed a > or = 50% prostate-specific antigen decrease rate of 61%. Median survival was 15.3 months. The most frequent grade > or = 3 toxicities included fatigue (11%), nausea (10%), neutropenia (9%), anemia (6%), and vomiting (6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Paclitaxel/estramustine/carboplatin administered in a weekly regimen is highly effective in the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer and can be administered with reasonable safety in an outpatient setting.
authors.affiliation: US Oncology, Inc, Houston, TX, USA. william.berry@usoncology.com
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Friedland
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fleagle
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Des
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ilegbodu
authors.forename: Kristi A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Boehm
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Asmar
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004961:Estramustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004961:Estramustine; D016190:Carboplatin; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D017239:Paclitaxel