Seminars in oncology
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Seminars in oncology · Aug 1997
Combination treatment with docetaxel (Taxotere) and platinum compounds for non-small cell lung cancer.
There is a strong rationale for combining docetaxel (Taxotere; Rhône-Poulenc Rorer, Antony, France) and platinum compounds for use in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The compounds are active as single agents and have no overlapping toxicity profiles. The first dose-finding study reported a response rate of 46%, and recommended doses of 75 mg/m2 for docetaxel and 75 to 100 mg/m2 for cisplatin, given concomitantly every 3 weeks. ⋯ Compared with monotherapy, docetaxel/platinum combinations appear to offer the potential for improved response rates in patients with NSCLC. The use of alternating schedules offers the further possible advantage of improving tolerability while retaining effective doses. Further studies are in progress or planned to elucidate optimal doses and schedules.