PHASE-II STUDIES OF DOCETAXEL IN THE TREATMENT OF VARIOUS SOLID TUMORS

Docetaxel has been evaluated in six tumour types in a total of 189 patients entered into phase II studies. Treatment consisted of a 1 h intravenous infusion of docetaxel 100 mg/m(2) repeated every 3 weeks. No premedication was administered for possible hypersensitivity reactions. Docetaxel was found to be effective as first-line chemotherapy for head and neck cancer (response rate 44%) gastric cancer (23%) and melanoma (14%) and as second-line chemotherapy for soft tissue sarcomas (21%; 95% confidence interval: 7.5%-43.7%). The results in colorectal and renal cancer were disappointing, with response rates of less than 10%. The most frequent adverse effects were alopecia (81%), grade III-IV leucocytopenia of short duration (66%) and skin reactions (52%). Hypersensitivity reactions were mild and occurred in 26% of patients. Docetaxel is an important new drug in the treatment of solid tumours.