EARLY CLINICAL-STUDIES WITH DOCETAXEL

Docetaxel has been evaluated in six phase I studies involving a total of 234 patients with a wide variety of tumour types (50% had breast or ovarian cancer). The aims of these studies were to determine the optimal dosage schedule of docetaxel for use in subsequent phase II studies, and to characterise the pharmacokinetic and tolerability profiles of docetaxel. Intravenous (i.v.) doses of docetaxel(5-115 mg/m(2)) were administered in various treatment schedules for a total of 790 courses. Cycles were repeated every 2-3 weeks. Dose-dependent neutropenia was the major dose-limiting adverse effect of docetaxel. Other adverse events reported included hypersensitivity, fluid retention, skin reactions, asthenia and alopecia. Anaphylactoid reactions occurred rarely. No abnormal cardiac activity was detected, and neurological adverse events were mild. Docetaxel 100 mg/m(2) administered as a 1 h i.v. infusion every 3 weeks combined acceptable tolerability with complete neutropenic recovery. This dosage schedule was thus considered to be optimal for further investigation in phase II studies.