Skin Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Skin Cancer, including details on identification, causes, prevention, treatment.

Weekly docetaxel is safe and effective in the treatment of advanced-stage acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related Kaposi sarcoma.

Lim ST, Tupule A, Espina BM, Levine AM

Department of Hematology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California 90033, USA.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous paclitaxel, 100 mg/m(2), given over 3 hours every 2 weeks is associated with a response rate of 59% in patients with recurrent or refractory acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related Kaposi sarcoma (KS). However, this regimen is associated with significant myelosuppression, and the inconvenience of a 3-hour infusion. Moreover, no effective therapies have been defined for use after treatment failure with this agent. A Phase II trial was conducted with weekly docetaxel in patients with advanced-stage KS to assess safety and antitumor activity. METHODS: Docetaxel was administered at a dose of 25 mg/m(2) intravenously over 15-30 minutes weekly for 8 weeks. Thereafter, if the patient experienced stable disease or better response, treatment doses were given every other week until complete disease remission, disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity occurred. RESULTS: Twelve patients were accrued-9 had > 25 mucocutaneous lesions, 1 had lymphedema, and 2 had visceral involvement. Ten patients (83%) had previous systemic chemotherapy, including 4 who received previous paclitaxel. Treatment was well tolerated, with no Grade 4 toxicity of any type. Grade 3 neutropenia occurred in 33% of patients but no patient had neutropenic fever. Five patients (42%) achieved a partial response, including 1 who had previously failed to respond to paclitaxel. The median time to disease progression was 26 months (range, 5-53 months). With a median follow-up period of 45 months, the median survival point had not been reached. CONCLUSIONS: Weekly docetaxel is safe, with reasonable antitumor activity in patients with advanced-stage, recurrent, or refractory AIDS-related KS.

Published 17 January 2005 in Cancer, 103(2): 417-21.
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