Objective: The aim of this phase II multicenter study was to evaluate the safety, toxicity and efficacy of docetaxel administered weekly as first line chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic endometrial cancer.
Patients and methods: Thirty five patients with recurrent or metastatic endometrial cancer without previous chemotherapy were enrolled to receive three 6-week cycles of docetaxel 35 mg/m(2)/week with 2-week breaks between the cycles. Therapy response was evaluated after every 6-week cycle, and therapy was continued in case of at least stable disease. Final therapy response was evaluated after three 6-week cycles of docetaxel.
Results: Thirty five patients with a median age of 65 years (range, 37-80 years) were evaluable for toxicity assessment, one patient presented with severe anaphylactic reaction during the second application of docetaxel and therapy was discontinued. Subsequently, this patient received doxorubicin-cisplatin combination chemotherapy. Another patient was initially documented with uterine papillary serous cancer but secondarily confirmed as uterine carcinosarcoma. Thus, 33 patients were assessable for response. Overall response rate was 21% (3 PR and 4 CR). Three patients showed stable disease. Median TTP and OAS were 12 weeks and 43 weeks, respectively. Therapy with weekly docetaxel was well tolerated; in particular, no grade 3 or 4 hematological toxicities occurred.
Conclusion: Docetaxel weekly has a favorable toxicity profile, is well tolerated and shows encouraging activity in patients with advanced endometrial cancer.