PACLITAXEL FOR MALIGNANT PLEURAL MESOTHELIOMA - A PHASE-II STUDY OF THE EORTC LUNG-CANCER COOPERATIVE GROUP

The EORTC Lung Cancer Cooperative Group undertook a phase II study of paclitaxel in 25 chemotherapy-naive patients with malignant pleural me sothelioma. Paclitaxel was given intravenously at a dose of 200 mg m(- 2), as a 3 h infusion every 3 weeks, after standard premedication with corticosteroids and antihistamines. This regimen was well tolerated, with < 4% of cycles resulting in severe toxicity. No major objective r esponses were observed and ten patients had stable disease. Median sur vival time was 39 weeks and the 1 year survival rate was 30%. In concl usion, paclitaxel at the dose and schedule investigated in this trial had no major activity in the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelio ma.