Paclitaxel plus Ifosfamide followed by high-dose carboplatin plus etoposide in previously treated germ cell tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the optimal dose of carboplatin as well as the efficacy and tolerability of sequential, dose-intense chemotherapy with paclitaxel and ifosfamide followed by carboplatin and etoposide (TICE) plus peripheral-blood stem-cell (PBSC) support in patients with germ cell tumors (GCT) who are likely to experience treatment failure with conventional-dose salvage treatment. This prospective trial followed a similarly designed report of TICE, which used a different means of carboplatin dosing.


METHODS
The 48 patients entered onto this trial had progressive GCT and unfavorable prognostic features after chemotherapy. Two cycles of paclitaxel plus ifosfamide were administered with leukapheresis, followed by three cycles of carboplatin plus etoposide with reinfusion of PBSC.


RESULTS
Twenty-three (49%) of 47 assessable patients achieved a complete response (CR) to chemotherapy. An additional three patients (6%) achieved a CR to chemotherapy and surgery. The CR rate was 55%. Six patients experienced relapse, but 24 patients (51%) are alive and free of disease at a median follow-up time of 40 months. Four patients who experienced relapse or achieved an incomplete response were rendered disease free by salvage surgical resection. When combined with results of the prior trial of similar design, TICE chemotherapy yielded an overall CR of 56% (n = 84), with 50% of patients alive with no evidence of disease.


CONCLUSIONS
TICE is an effective and tolerable dose-intense treatment for patients with previously treated metastatic GCT who have a poor predicted outcome to conventional-dose salvage chemotherapy.
Kondagunta
G Varuni
GV
Genitourinary Oncology Service, Division of Solid Tumor Oncology, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. kondaguv@mskcc.org
Bacik
Jennifer
J
Sheinfeld
Joel
J
Bajorin
Dean
D
Bains
Manjit
M
Reich
Lillian
L
Deluca
John
J
Budnick
Amy
A
Ishill
Nicole
N
Mazumdar
Madhu
M
Bosl
George J
GJ
Motzer
Robert J
RJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007069:Ifosfamide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009373:Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005047:Etoposide; D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D007069:Ifosfamide