Klin Onkol 1996; 9(5): 141-145.
Summary: Paclitaxel is a cytotoxic agent with a new, unique mechanism of action which consists of interference with mitosis by the induction of polymerisation of tubulin, thus forming extremely stable nonfunctional microtubules. Besides proven efficacy in breast and ovarian cancer, its activity in lung cancer, isemerging especially non-small cell lung cancer, to which its overall response in phase I a II trials is about 20 % and in combination regimens with platinum derivatives about 40-50 %. Remarkably lyear survival is about 40 % in palients with advanced stage IV tumors treated with paclitaxel monotherapy. There are also reports on the activity of paclitaxel in patients who failed platinum-based regimens - howerer, these data require further confirmation. All these data justify a hope that paclitaxel could move the therapy of non-small cell lung cancer a bit forward and contribute to the improvement in prognosis for these patients. Wheter these hope will be fulfilled in the near future will soon be known when the results of randomized trials will be published.
