Docetaxel and cisplatin combination chemotherapy in advanced carcinoma of the urothelium: A multicenter phase II study of the Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group

Purpose: Both docetaxel and cisplatin have moderate activity in patients wi th advanced urothelial cancer. We performed a multicenter phase II study in order to assess the efficacy and toxicity of the combination of these two agents in patients with advanced carcinoma of the urothelium. Patients and methods: Sixty-six patients not amenable to curative surgery o r irradiation were enrolled onto this cooperative group study and treated o n an outpatient basis with docetaxel 75 mg/m(2) followed by cisplatin 75 mg /m(2), both administered intravenously. Granulocyte-colony stimulating fact or was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 5 mu g/kg daily from day 5 until resolution of neutropenia. The chemotherapy was administered every th ree weeks for a maximum of six courses in patients without evidence of prog ressive disease. Results: Thirty-four of sixty-six patients (52%, 95% confidence interval 40 %-64%) demonstrated objective responses, with eight achieving clinical comp lete responses and twenty-six partial responses. A multivariate logistic re gression analysis indicated that the patients most likely to respond were t hose without lung metastasis and without weight loss before treatment. The median duration of response was 6.1 months and the median times to progress ion and survival for all patients were 5 and 8 months, respectively. Absenc e of anemia, of liver metastases and of weight loss correlated with longer survival. Grade greater than or equal to 3 toxicities included granulocytop enia in 33% of patients, anemia in 14%, diarrhea in 13% and emesis in 7% of patients. Conclusion: The combination of docetaxel and cisplatin appeared relatively well tolerated and moderately active in patients with advanced urothelial c ancer. The patients most likely to benefit were those without weight loss a nd without lung or liver metastases.