Phase II evaluation of liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil) in recurrent or advanced leiomyosarcoma of the uterus: a Gynecologic Oncology Group study.

OBJECTIVE

This is a phase II group-wide study of liposomal doxorubicin chemotherapy in patients with advanced or recurrent uterine leiomyosarcomas. The aim was to evaluate clinical response and toxicity.

METHODS

Patients with histologically confirmed persistent or recurrent leiomyosarcomas of the uterus with documented disease progression after appropriate local therapy were invited to participate in this study. Bidimensionally measurable disease, GOG performance status of 0, 1, or 2 (Karnofsky 80-100) was required; all patients must have failed local therapeutic measures and be considered incurable. Other eligibility criteria included adequate hepatic, renal, and hematologic function. Patients were ineligible if they had received previous chemotherapy or had other noncutaneous malignancies. Patients received liposomal doxorubicin 50 mg/m2 IV over 1 h. Courses were repeated every 4 weeks until disease progression or adverse side effects supervened.

RESULTS

Thirty-five patients were entered into this study between May 2000 and June 2001. Three patients were determined ineligible because of wrong pathological cell type or inadequate pathology information and one was inevaluable for lack of data. Median age was 52 years (range 36-78 years). GOG performance status was 2 in 1 instance, 1 in 15 cases, and 0 in 15 others. Eleven patients (35.5%) had received radiotherapy. A median of 2.0 courses was given (range 1-8). Five patients (16.1%) experienced grade 3 or 4 neutropenia, and seven (22.6%) had grade 3 or 4 anemia. Two patients developed grade 3 and one patient developed grade 4 cardiovascular adverse events, not necessarily drug related. There were seven cases of grade 3 or 4 gastrointestinal toxicity and two patients developed grade 3 dermatologic toxicity. One complete (3.2%) and four partial (12.9%) responses were reported. Ten patients (32.3%) had stable disease, 15 (48.4%) had increasing disease, and response could not be assessed in 1 (3.2%).

CONCLUSION

The dose and schedule of liposomal doxorubicin employed in this trial showed no advantage over historical results with doxorubicin in the treatment of uterine leiomyosarcoma.