[Taxol--a new cytostatic drug for therapy of ovarian and breast cancer].

Taxol is a cytostatic agent of plant origin with a complex structure and a special mode of action. Owing to the small content of this substance in the bark of the Pacific yew, from which Taxol is derived, it has only been available on a limited scale. Hitherto, Taxol's chemical structure has precluded the synthesis of large quantities of this cytostatic agent. Analogue substances can be obtained from the needles of the yew, although more efficient methods are needed for the manufacture of this medicine on a commercial scale. The present paper summarises the results of preclinical and clinical studies of patients suffering from ovarian and breast cancer. In phase I studies, it was possible to delineate the side effect profile of Taxol, neutropenia being dose-limiting in most investigations. The efficacy of Taxol on patients with ovarian cancer was initially demonstrated in phase I studies. These results led to phase II studies, in which response rates of 20-36% were obtained on patients with relapsing or therapy-refractory ovarian carcinomas. In phase III studies, the efficacy of Taxol combined with cisplatinum is currently being compared with the classical regimen of cisplatinum/cyclophosphamide. Further studies are under way testing Taxol in combination with G-CSF and cisplatinum. As a supplement to intravenous Taxol therapy, initial experience with intraperitoneal Taxol treatment is now available. Taxol's cytostatic efficacy has also been confirmed in the treatment of patients suffering from metastatic breast cancer with remission rates of 56-62%. Taxol is an important new cytostatic agent for the treatment of ovarian and breast cancer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)