title: A retrospective analysis of vinorelbine chemotherapy for patients with previously treated soft-tissue sarcomas.
abstract: Introduction. The role of vinorelbine in specific soft tissue sarcoma subtypes is unclear. We present retrospective single institution experience with single-agent vinorelbine in subjects with metastatic soft tissue malignancies. Methods. Fifty-eight patients were treated with single agent intravenous vinorelbine between April 1997 and December 2004. Doxorubicin had been administered previously to 53 subjects (91%), and the median number of lines of previous chemotherapy was 3 (range 0-7). Results. Patients received a median 6 doses of vinorelbine (range 1-65). The overall response rate was 6% (3 patients: 1 angiosarcoma, 1 epithelioid sarcoma, and 1 embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma). Fourteen patients (26%) experienced a best result of stable disease. Median time to progression was 1.8 months (95% confidence intervals 1.5-2.1 months, Kaplan-Meier estimate). Eight patients experienced grade 3 or 4 toxicity, most commonly febrile neutropenia. Conclusion. Vinorelbine demonstrates limited activity in a heavily pretreated group of soft-tissue sarcoma patients. Prospective investigation may be considered for selected sarcoma subtypes.
authors.affiliation: Gynecological Oncology Services, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
authors.forename: Sibyl E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Mary L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Keohan
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: D'Adamo
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Maki