BACKGROUND: Paclitaxel and docetaxel show similar anticancer mechanisms, but cross-resistance for gastric cancer chemotherapy remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 484 patients with metastatic gastric cancer, who had received chemotherapy in 4 Japanese hospitals, we identified 28 patients who had received either paclitaxel- or docetaxel-containing chemotherapy and who were refractory to the other taxane. RESULTS: The median age was 65 years, and target lesions were present in 20 patients and absent in 8. The first taxane was administered to 16 patients as first-line chemotherapy and to 12 patients as second-line chemotherapy, while the second taxane was administered to 5 patients as second-line, 13 as third-line, and 10 as fourth-line or beyond. The median survival time was 456 days (95% confidence interval (CI) 145-767 days), and the median survival time and median progression-free survival after the second taxane were 119 days (95% CI 85-153 days) and 50 days (95% CI 42-58 days), respectively. The second taxane chemotherapy achieved a response rate of 5% (1/20 patients) and an overall disease control rate of 17.9% (5/28 patients). CONCLUSIONS: Paclitaxel and docetaxel might show a large degree of cross-resistance for gastric cancer. Paclitaxel and docetaxel should not be routinely administered for metastatic gastric cancer after failure of the other taxane.
BACKGROUND:Paclitaxel and docetaxel show similar anticancer mechanisms, but cross-resistance for gastric cancer chemotherapy remains unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among 484 patients with metastatic gastric cancer, who had received chemotherapy in 4 Japanese hospitals, we identified 28 patients who had received either paclitaxel- or docetaxel-containing chemotherapy and who were refractory to the other taxane. RESULTS: The median age was 65 years, and target lesions were present in 20 patients and absent in 8. The first taxane was administered to 16 patients as first-line chemotherapy and to 12 patients as second-line chemotherapy, while the second taxane was administered to 5 patients as second-line, 13 as third-line, and 10 as fourth-line or beyond. The median survival time was 456 days (95% confidence interval (CI) 145-767 days), and the median survival time and median progression-free survival after the second taxane were 119 days (95% CI 85-153 days) and 50 days (95% CI 42-58 days), respectively. The second taxane chemotherapy achieved a response rate of 5% (1/20 patients) and an overall disease control rate of 17.9% (5/28 patients). CONCLUSIONS:Paclitaxel and docetaxel might show a large degree of cross-resistance for gastric cancer. Paclitaxel and docetaxel should not be routinely administered for metastatic gastric cancer after failure of the other taxane.