An Italian randomised study by Gridelli compared weekly docetaxel with the more standard third weekly docetaxel. The dose used weekly was 33.3 mg/m2 and the Q3 weekly dose was 75 mg/m2. Most experience has been with a weekly dose of 35 mg/m2. In this study 220 patients < 75 years were studied. Quality of life data indicated no difference in the global quality of life scores but there was a difference in favour of the weekly schedule for pain, cough and hair loss. Response rates and survival were similar. The three weekly docetaxel was more toxic for leukopenia, neutropenia, febrile neutropenia and hair loss; any grade 3 & 4 haematological toxicity was significantly more frequent in the standard arm (25 versus 6%).r
The study by Baker was a pharmacological study in a small number of patients and concluded that the pharmacokinetics were similar for the weekly and three weekly regimens.r
The results of the Gridelli study were confirmed in a trial by Schuette which compared docetaxel 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks versus docetaxel 35 mg/m2 weekly for 3 weeks out of 4. Response rates were 12.6% and 10.5%, and median survival 6.3 months and 9.2 months (p=0.07) respectively for the q 3-weekly and weekly schedules. There were significantly lower incidence of grade 3 / 4 anaemia and neutropenia in the weekly arm. This study confirms the equivalent efficacy between the 2 schedules but with reduced toxicity for weekly treatment.r
Efficacy
Survival:r

© Br J Cancer 2004
Toxicity
Adverse eventr |
Docetaxel 3 weekly Grade 3-4 (%) |
Docetaxel weekly Grade 3-4 (%) |
p-value |
Anaemia |
3 |
0 |
0.12 |
Leukopenia |
10 |
2 |
0.02 |
Neutropenia |
19 |
2 |
<0.0001 |
Febrile neutropenia |
5 |
0 |
0.03 |
Allergy |
2 |
1 |
0.62 |
Fatigue |
7 |
6 |
0.78 |
Diarrhoea |
3 |
3 |
0.99 |
Toxicityr
Schuette showed an increase in nail toxicities with weekly docetaxel and reduced grade 3-4 neutropenia.

© J Clin Oncol 2005