PACLITAXEL ADMINISTRATION TO GYNECOLOGIC CANCER-PATIENTS WITH MAJOR CARDIAC RISK-FACTORS

Purpose: To examine the safety of administering paclitaxel ta patients with preexisting significant cardiac risk factors. Patients and Metho ds: The medical records of gynecologic cancer patients with major card iac risk factors who had been treated with paclitaxel (single-agent or combination regimen with cisplatin or carboplatin) at The Cleveland C linic Foundation from 1993 through February 1998 were examined to dete rmine the acute toxicity of therapy. Results: A total of 15 patients w ere found who met these criteria, of whom none were found to have suff ered a worsening of cardiac function following treatment with paclitax el. A single patient developed a severe paclitaxel-associated hypersen sitivity reaction, but no cardiac sequela. Conclusion: This series sug gests that paclitaxel can be safely administered as a single agent. or in a combination regimen with a platinum agent to some patients with significant cardiac risk factors, such as those associated with ischem ic heart disease. However, since few patients had baseline severe cond uction defects before paclitaxel treatment, the safety of this drug in this clinical setting remains to be determined. (C) 1998 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.