[Docetaxel in treatment of other solid tumors].

UNLABELLED

PHASE-II-STUDIES: Docetaxel (Taxotere; Rhône-Poulenc Rorer) was evaluated in the treatment of a wide range of tumors in the early nineties. This overview relates mainly to the results of 32 phase-II-studies from Europe, North America and Japan including the following malignancies: head and neck cancer, cancer of the ovary and cervix uterus, soft tissue sarcomas, gastrointestinal cancers, renal and transitional cell cancer as well as melanoma and glioma. Results of recent studies also revealed a high activity of combination chemotherapy with cisplatinum in untreated head and neck cancer as well as ovarian cancer.

RESULTS

A remarkable single agent activity was observed in the palliative treatment after recurrence of head and neck tumors (ORR 27 to 42%) and as salvage chemotherapy after failure of platinum compounds in ovarian cancer, where Docetaxel appeared to be similarly active as Paclitaxel and Topotecan. Remarkable activity was also observed in the treatment of gastric, pancreatic and urothelial cancer as well as melanoma.

CONCLUSION

Docetaxel ist a new cytotoxic drug with a broad range of activity in various solid tumors. The place of this compound in relation to established regimens and its value its value in combination chemotherapy warrants further investigation.