Dose intense triplet chemotherapy with gemcitabine, carboplatin, paclitaxel with peripheral blood progenitor cell support for six cycles in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

The interval required for haematological reconstitution following myelosuppressive chemotherapy can be reduced by the infusion of autologous peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs). When carboplatin (C) and paclitaxel (P) are followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF), multiple courses can be given at 10-day intervals with the autologous PBPCs from a unit of whole blood with each cycle. We extended this approach and defined the dose-limiting toxicity and maximum-tolerated dose for the addition of gemcitabine (G) to CP for patients (pts) with EOC in a phase I–II study of increasing doses of G (0, 800, 1000 and 1250 mg m(−2)) over four cohorts with C at area under curve (AUC) 6, plus P at 175 mg m(−2) 3 h(−1) every 10 days for six cycles. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor 5 μg kg(−1) day(−1) was given s.c. days 1–10 and 450 ml whole blood was venesected before each treatment, stored untreated at 4°C and reinfused 24 h later. In all, 17 patients with EOC either bulky stage IV or recurrent after treatment-free interval >12 months were treated over 30 months. Of the 17 patients, 13 completed six cycles (one patient stopped early with PD, three with toxicity), interdose interval 9–28 (median 10) days. Delays occurred in four patients due to infection or malaise, and there were no dose reductions. Haematological toxicity was not considered to be dose limiting. Febrile neutropenia was uncommon (2 patients), but grade III/IV thrombocytopenia was seen across all cohorts. Treatment was not delayed for thrombocytopenia and no bleeding complications occurred. Grade III transaminitis was seen in all patients in cohort 4 and grade IV toxicity, considered to be dose limiting, occurred in one. Responses were observed at all dose levels with six CR, seven PR, three SD and one PD. Dose intense GCP was deliverable over six cycles with manageable haematological toxicity, but with dose-limiting hepatic toxicity in cohort 4. The MTD was gemcitabine 1000 mg m(−2), carboplatin AUC 6, paclitaxel 175 mg m(−2) given every 10 days for six cycles.