Weekly paclitaxel with intermittent imatinib mesylate (Gleevec®): Tolerance and activity in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer

Objective: Imatinib mesylate (IM, Gleevec), a potent PDGF/PDGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, affects stroma and vascular endothelial cells. Our study sought to determine the safety and activity of paclitaxel with an intermittent schedule of IM. Materials and Methods: rEOC patients previously treated with platinumlpaclitaxel and ≤2 regimens for recurrence were enrolled. Paclitaxel 80 mg/m² was given on days 3, 10, 17 every 28 days and oral IM 300 mg bid on days 1-4, 8-11, and 13-18. Results: Between 2007-2009, 14 patients enrolled, 12 were evaluable. Nine patients were on study at 12 weeks. Objective responses (by RECIST and/or CA125) occurred in 4 patients. There were no grade 4, and only four grade 3 toxic events: diarrhea, edema and 2 cases of neutropenia. Early study closure was due to sufficient safety information with preliminary encouraging efficacy results. Conclusion: This weekly paclitaxel regimen with intermittent IM is tolerable with anti-tumor activity, making it suitable as part of future studies.