A Phase II evaluation of weekly topotecan as a single agent second line therapy in persistent or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix: A Gynecologic Oncology Group study

Abstract Purpose To estimate antitumor activity and toxicity of weekly topotecan hydrochloride in patients with persistent or recurrent cervical carcinoma who failed prior treatment. Patients and methods Women entered on study had or failed one prior chemotherapy regimen in addition to radiosensitizing chemotherapy, performance status less than 3, and adequate hematologic, renal, hepatic, and neurological function. Topotecan was infused at 3.0 mg/m 2 on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days. Results Twenty-seven patients were enrolled onto this study with 25 evaluable. Twenty-two patients had received radiation and chemotherapy prior to study. A median of two and mean of three courses of chemotherapy was given (range, one to eight courses). The most frequently severe adverse events were grade 3 anemia (28%) and grade 4 (4%) along with grade 3 neutropenia (8%) and grade 4 (8%). Two patients had grade 4 thrombocytopenia. There were no complete or partial responders. Ten patients (40%) had stable disease, twelve (48%) had increasing disease, and response could not be assessed in three (12%). The median progression-free survival was 2.4 months for the patients with increasing disease and 6.2 months (3.5–8.8 months) for those with stable disease. Disease location was equally divided within and outside the irradiated field. The 12 patients with increasing disease were more likely to have disease outside the pelvic radiation field. Conclusion There were no complete or partial responders to weekly topotecan among the 25 patients in this study.