ISSN:
1442-2042
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background : A phase II multicentric trial of paclitaxel and cisplatin was conducted in previously untreated patients, with locally advanced transitional-cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, to assess its toxicity and efficiency in preserving the bladder.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉 Methods :Forty-four patients with locally advanced TCC of the bladder (seven with T3a, 27 with T3b, and eight with T4a) were treated with paclitaxel 175 mg/m〈link href="#b2"/〉 over 3 h, and cisplatin 75 mg/m〈link href="#b2"/〉 over 30 min, on the first day of each 21-day treatment cycle. Therapy was continued for three cycles. Patients were re-evaluated and scheduled for radiotheraphy or radical surgery depending on tumoral response. Tumoral response was measured by citology, computed tomographical scans, and deep randomized biopsies of the bladder.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉 Results :Thirty-two out of 42 patients (76%; 95% confidence interval 45–93%) showed a major response (22 complete, and 10 partial). Response times ranged from 18 to 54 months. Three patients with T4 bladder primary tumors experienced a pathological CR. At a median follow-up of three years, 20 patients remain free of disease (47.6%), six patients are alive with disease (14.3%), 12 patients died of disease (28.5%), and four others died of unrelated causes (9.5%). Hematological toxicity included anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia. No grade four febrile neutropenia was observed. Non-hematological toxicity included alopecia (93.2%), diarrhea (11.4%), vomiting (18.5%) mucosytis (4.6%), and neuropathy (4.6%). Drug omissions or dose delay for adverse events were only necessary in one patient (2.2%), and three patients (6.8%), respectively.〈section xml:id="abs1-4"〉〈title type="main"〉 Conclusions :Paclitaxel and cisplatin is an active and well-tolerated neo-adjuvant regimen for previously untreated patients with pure TCC of the bladder, achieving a vesical preservation rate of 52%.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1442-2042.2002.00443.x
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