A Phase II Study of Weekly Docetaxel as Second-Line Chemotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma

Docetaxel is commonly used for second-line therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC). However, myelosuppression is a substantial concern when the traditional 3-week docetaxel cycle is used. The present multicenter phase II study evaluated the efficacy and safety of weekly docetaxel as second-line chemotherapy for metastatic UC.

Patients with progression after previous platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic disease were treated with docetaxel 30 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 every 21 days. The primary endpoint was the response rate.

The study enrolled 31 patients. Their median age was 64 years (range, 40-79 years). An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 1, liver metastasis, and a hemoglobin level < 10 g/dL were observed in 100%, 32%, and 23% of patients, respectively. Previous platinum-based chemotherapy had been administered for metastatic disease in 29 patients (94%). Although fatigue (13%) and anorexia (6%) were the most frequently observed grade 3 to 4 toxicities, the safety profiles were generally mild and manageable. Two patients (6%) achieved an objective response, which was maintained for 3. 0 to 7. 8 months. Eight patients experienced disease stabilization (disease control rate, 32%). The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 1. 4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1. 3-1. 6) and 8. 3 months (95% CI, 5. 9-10. 6), respectively. A relatively long OS was associated with further salvage platinum-based chemotherapy (n = 18, 58%) showing an encouraging activity (response rate, 44%; median PFS, 4. 0 months).

Second-line chemotherapy with weekly docetaxel was well tolerated but demonstrated modest activity in patients with metastatic UC. A platinum-based combination as second-line treatment might be considered for selected patients.

Clinical genitourinary cancer. 2015 Sep 25 [Epub ahead of print]

Young Saing Kim, Soon Il Lee, Se Hoon Park, Silvia Park, In Gyu Hwang, Sang-Cheol Lee, Jong-Mu Sun, Jeeyun Lee, Ho Yeong Lim

Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon, Republic of Korea. , Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Dankook University Hospital, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea. Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. , Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. , Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. , Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Hospital Cheonan, Cheonan, Republic of Korea. , Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. , Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. , Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

PubMed