Phase II trial of paclitaxel shows antitumor activity in patients with previously treated germ cell tumors Journal Article


Authors: Motzer, R. J.; Bajorin, D. F.; Schwartz, L. H.; Hutter, H. S.; Bosl, G. J.; Scher, H. I.; Lyn, P.; Fischer, P.
Article Title: Phase II trial of paclitaxel shows antitumor activity in patients with previously treated germ cell tumors
Abstract: Purpose: A trial of paclitaxel was conducted in patients with previously treated germ cell tumors (GCT). As the identification of new agents in GCT may be compromised by restricting entry criteria to heavily pretreated patients, an alternative trial design was used in which eligibility was restricted to patients with limited prior therapy. Patients and Methods: Patients were eligible if their prior therapy was limited to one cisplatin- based regimen or ≤ six cycles of prior cisplatin-based therapy. Paclitaxel 250 mg/m2 was administered by continuous infusion over 24 hours every 21 days. The dose of paclitaxel was modified for each patient based on toxicity. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) 5 μg/kg/d was administered during nadir periods. Results: Thirty-one patients were treated; eight patients (26%) achieved a partial (n = 5) or a complete (n = 3) response. Responses were achieved in patients who had failed to respond to treatment with cisplatin, ifosfamide, and etoposide, and in patients with poor prognostic features, ie, mediastinal primary tumor site and patients with a best prior response of an incomplete response to cisplatin therapy. One complete responder remains continuously free of disease at 13+ months and one of the five patients who achieved a partial response remains progression- free at 14+ months. Conclusion: Paclitaxel has antitumor activity in GCT and warrants continued study in combination chemotherapy. Phase I/II trials will address its role in combination with cisplatin and ifosfamide and as a part of dose-intensive therapy. Furthermore, the study showed that a trial design in which eligibility criteria limits prior therapy was feasible, resulted in the identification of antitumor activity in a new agent, and may be considered in future trials for other promising new agents in GCT.
Keywords: adolescent; adult; clinical article; clinical trial; neutropenia; cisplatin; cancer combination chemotherapy; paclitaxel; antineoplastic agent; carboplatin; phase 2 clinical trial; etoposide; myalgia; peripheral neuropathy; cyclophosphamide; dexamethasone; vincristine; antineoplastic activity; ifosfamide; vinblastine; arthralgia; cancer regression; dactinomycin; bleomycin; lactate dehydrogenase; alopecia; germ cell tumor; granulocyte colony stimulating factor; allergic reaction; intravenous drug administration; alpha fetoprotein; chorionic gonadotropin; oral drug administration; diphenhydramine; cimetidine; autologous bone marrow transplantation; subcutaneous drug administration; human; male; female; priority journal; article
Journal Title: Journal of Clinical Oncology
Volume: 12
Issue: 11
ISSN: 0732-183X
Publisher: American Society of Clinical Oncology  
Date Published: 1994-11-01
Start Page: 2277
End Page: 2283
Language: English
DOI: 10.1200/jco.1994.12.11.2277
PROVIDER: scopus
PUBMED: 7525885
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Dean Bajorin
    657 Bajorin
  2. Robert Motzer
    1243 Motzer
  3. Lawrence H Schwartz
    306 Schwartz
  4. Patricia Marie Russ Fischer
    21 Fischer
  5. Howard Scher
    1130 Scher
  6. George Bosl
    430 Bosl