PMID: 8941411Oct 1, 1996Paper

Paclitaxel in the treatment of patients with upper gastrointestinal carcinomas

Seminars in Oncology
J A AjaniD P Kelsen

Abstract

New agents active against unresectable metastatic and locoregional carcinoma of the esophagus or stomach are needed to improve patient outcomes. Paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ) appears to be active against both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus. A phase II study of paclitaxel 250 mg/m2 administered by 24-hour intravenous infusion every 21 days with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (5 micrograms/kg/d subcutaneously 24 hours following paclitaxel) was conducted in such patients who had received no prior chemotherapy or biologic therapy. Of 33 patients with adenocarcinoma and 18 with squamous cell carcinoma, 16 (32%) had an objective response, including one complete response (CR); 11 others (22%) had minor responses. The CR, 11 of the partial responses (PRs), and six of the minor responses occurred among the 33 patients with adenocarcinoma. Granulocytopenia resulted in 11 hospitalizations in nine patients. Subsequently, paclitaxel (175 mg/m2 over 3 hours on day 1), cisplatin (20 mg/m2 days 1 through 5), and 5-fluorouracil (initially 1,000 mg/ m2, lowered to 750 mg/m2/d, by continuous infusion days 1 through 5) were administered every 28 days to patients with advanced ad...Continue Reading

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