title: Paclitaxel plus doxorubicin chemotherapy as second-line therapy in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma pretreated with platinum plus gemcitabine chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and toxicity of paclitaxel plus doxorubicin as a second-line treatment in patients with urothelial carcinoma, who had not responded to a prior platinum plus gemcitabine combination.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients received intravenous infusions of paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2)/h) and doxorubicin (50 mg/m(2)/30 min) on day 1. Chemotherapy courses were repeated every 21 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median followup duration was 13.5 months (range 2.8-22.4 months). Complete and partial responses were observed in 2 (5.6%) and 10 (27.8%) patients, respectively. Median overall survival was 8.9 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 6.2-11.6). Median time to progression was 3.8 months (95% CI: 2.7-4.8). The most common hematologic toxicities were neutropenia (n = 21, 58.3%), thrombocytopenia (n = 10, 27.8%), and anemia (n = 9, 25%). The most common nonhematologic toxicities consisted of fatigue (n = 15, 41.7%), nausea/vomiting (n = 13, 36.1%), peripheral neuropathy (n = 11, 30.6%), and mucositis (n = 6, 16.7%). Dose reductions by 25-35% were performed in 6 (16.7%) patients because of grade 3/4 toxicity. Anthracycline-related heart failure did not occur.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  3-weekly courses of cyclic paclitaxel plus doxorubicin were found to be effective and tolerable in patients with urothelial carcinoma, who had not responded to prior platinum- and gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Bakirkoy Dr Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. aosmankaya@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ali O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sevinc
authors.forename: Ahmet U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Yilmaz
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gumus
authors.forename: Olcun U
authors.initials: OU
authors.lastname: Unal
authors.forename: Nuriye Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alici
authors.forename: Veli
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Degerli
authors.forename: Mehmet K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: Cemil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Umut
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kefeli
authors.forename: Celalettin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Camcı
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010984:Platinum / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011292:Premedication / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D003841:Deoxycytidine; D010984:Platinum; D004317:Doxorubicin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D000093542:Gemcitabine