Docetaxel (Taxotere) in the treatment of solid tumors other than breast and lung cancer.

Docetaxel (Taxotere; Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, Antony, France) has been widely studied in phase II trials in Europe and in the United States in a range of solid tumors. This review examines its activity in diseases other than breast and lung cancer (which are reviewed elsewhere in this supplement). Seventeen separate trials in eight tumor types have been reviewed, including almost 500 evaluable cases. All studies involved the same schedule, ie, docetaxel 100 mg/m2 given over 1 hour every 3 weeks. Significant activity has been seen in several diseases. Response rates in ovarian cancer range from 17% to 37% (according to extent of prior therapy); in gastric and pancreatic cancer, response rates of 26% and 29% have been reported, despite the fact that these diseases are notoriously resistant to chemotherapy. Other tumor types in which activity has been seen include head and neck cancer (32% response rate), melanoma (17%), and soft tissue sarcoma (18%). With regard to toxicity, a major feature has been the development of fluid retention and skin toxicity; efforts to ameliorate this with premedication are under way. For the future, trials will examine combination schedules and will also assess the drug's activity compared with paclitaxel. Current data suggest that it possesses antitumor efficacy that is at least as broad, and there are examples in which preliminary information indicates superiority.