A Feasibility Study of Weekly Docetaxel with Capecitabine in Ovarian Cancer: A Promising Combination of Two Active Drugs with a Potential for Synergism

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly docetaxel with capecitabine in patients with recurrent/persistent epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Patients and Methods: Women treated for recurrent/persistent EOC in our department (January 2004 through December 2005) were recruited into this feasibility study. They received 35 mg/m² docetaxel on days 1 and 8 and 1,000 mg/m² capecitabine twice daily on days 1–14 in a 21-day cycle. Results: Nine patients were enrolled. The median age was 64 years (37–80). Time to progression ranged from 1.67 to 11.27 months: 1 had complete response, 3 had partial responses, 4 had stable disease and 1 had disease progression. There was no grade 3 or 4 bone marrow toxicity. Nonhematological toxicity included partial hair loss (n = 4), fatigue (n = 7), hand and foot syndrome (n = 2), diarrhea (n = 5) and fluid retention syndrome (n = 1). Conclusion: There was good antitumor activity but frequent moderate-to-severe nonhematological toxicities when weekly docetaxel and capecitabine were used as second-line therapy for recurrent EOC. Further investigation of this combination is warranted.

A phase II study of docetaxel weekly in combination with carboplatin every three weeks as first line chemotherapy in stage IIB-IV epithelial ovarian cancer: Neurological toxicity and quality-of-life evaluation

“…Data of weekly chemotherapy are reported in a number of previous studies (4,5). We encountered an overall response rate of 78.8%, which is superior to the 55.8% reported by Katsumata et al (8) but lower than the 92% reported by Safra et al (13) who used weekly carboplatin (AUC=2) and paclitaxel (80 mg/m 2 ) on Days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day cycle for primary treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma. Micha et al (23) and Penson et al (24) have reported response rates of 80 and 76%, respectively, when adding bevacizumab to paclitaxel and carboplatin in treatment of advanced-stage ovarian cancer.…”

“…Standard 3-week schedule seems to be of comparable efficacy with paclitaxel but with a different toxicity profile (9). More dose-dense weekly schedules have also been studied in small patient A phase II study of docetaxel weekly in combination with carboplatin every three weeks as first line chemotherapy in stage IIB-IV epithelial ovarian cancer: Neurological toxicity and quality-of-life evaluation series of recurrent ovarian cancer (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). Results have been promising but further studies are warranted.…”

Phase II Study of Docetaxel Weekly in Combination With Carboplatin Every 3 Weeks as First-Line Chemotherapy in Stage IIB to Stage IV Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

“…Data of weekly chemotherapy are reported in a number of previous studies. 4,5 We encountered an overall response rate of 78.8%, which is superior to the 55.8% reported by Katsumata 8 but lower than the 92% reported by Safra et al 13 As in these studies, we have also used the WHO criteria 19 for clinical response evaluation. However, the median PFS of 12 months in our study was substantially lower than the 26 months reported by Safra et al 4 using weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of advanced ovarian carcinoma.…”

Effect of Cytoskeleton Inhibitors on Conidiogenesis and Capsule in the Long Neck Yeast <i>Fellomyces</i> Examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy

“…Consequently, neither mitosis nor cytokinesis can proceed due to a double block in the M-phase of the cell cycle. Combining two active agents with a potential for synergism is known in other drugs [18] .…”