Confirmed Activity and Tolerability of Weekly Paclitaxel in the Treatment of Advanced Angiosarcoma

Abstract

Background. In several prospective and retrospective studies, weekly paclitaxel showed promising activity in patients with angiosarcoma. Patients and Methods. Our study was originally designed as a prospective, phase II multicenter trial for patients younger than 75, with ECOG performance status 0-2, affected by locally advanced or metastatic angiosarcoma. Patients received paclitaxel 80 mg/m(2) intravenously, at days 1, 8, and 15 every 4 weeks, until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was objective response. Results. Eight patients were enrolled but, due to very slow accrual, the trial was prematurely stopped and further 10 patients were retrospectively included in the analysis. Out of 17 evaluable patients, 6 patients obtained an objective response (5 partial, 1 complete), with an objective response rate of 35% (95% confidence interval 17%-59%). Of note, five responses were obtained in pretreated patients. In the paper, details of overall survival, progression-free survival, and tolerability are reported. Conclusions. In this small series of patients with locally advanced or metastatic angiosarcoma, weekly paclitaxel was confirmed to be well tolerated and active even in pretreated patients.

Figure 1

Kaplan-Meier curves of overall survival. (a) Overall survival in the whole series of patients (prospective + retrospective). Dotted lines represent 95% confidence intervals. (b) Overall survival according to type of study: continuous line refers to patients enrolled in the prospective study; dotted line refers to patients included in the retrospective study. (c) Overall survival according to line of treatment: continuous line refers to patients treated with paclitaxel as first-line; dotted line refers to patients receiving paclitaxel as second-line or further line.

Figure 2

Kaplan-Meier curves of progression-free survival. (a) Progression-free survival in the whole series of patients (prospective + retrospective). Dotted lines represent 95% confidence intervals. (b) Progression-free survival according to type of study: continuous line refers to patients enrolled in the prospective study; dotted line refers to patients included in the retrospective study. (c) Progression-free survival according to line of treatment: continuous line refers to patients treated with paclitaxel as first-line; dotted line refers to patients receiving paclitaxel as second-line or further line.