title: Pharmacokinetic study of weekly administration dose of paclitaxel in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer in Japan.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to clarify the relationship between the maximum tolerated dose and plasma concentration of paclitaxel in Japanese patients with gastric cancer on a weekly paclitaxel administration regimen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were treated with escalating doses of paclitaxel, administered weekly, along with a fixed dose of 5-fluorouracil or cisplatin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma concentration of paclitaxel remained above 8.5 ng/ml for 24 h after administration. The mean area under the curve increased significantly with escalating dosage levels (R = 0.63; P 0.001). At level 4, patients showing dose-limiting toxicity had a significantly higher plasma paclitaxel concentration than patients without it.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The weekly administration of paclitaxel, for which a single dose is about one-third of the dose for a tri-weekly treatment regimen, is clinically feasible and appropriate in terms of toxicity and the maintenance of an effective plasma concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Health and Medical Sciences, Kochi Medical School, Oko-cho, Nankoku, 783-8505, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oba
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: Takehiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okabayashi
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Namikawa
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hanazaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil