Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 16, 3483-3485, Copyright © 1998 by American Society of Clinical Oncology
Paclitaxel administration to gynecologic cancer patients with major cardiac risk factors
M Markman, A Kennedy, K Webster, B Kulp, G Peterson and J Belinson
The Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center, and the Department of Hematology/Medical Oncology, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, OH 44195, USA. markman@cesmtp.ccf.org
PURPOSE: To examine the safety of administering paclitaxel to patients with
preexisting significant cardiac risk factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The
medical records of gynecologic cancer patients with major cardiac risk
factors who had been treated with paclitaxel (single-agent or combination
regimen with cisplatin or carboplatin) at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
from 1993 through February 1998 were examined to determine the acute
toxicity of therapy. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were found who met
these criteria, of whom none were found to have suffered a worsening of
cardiac function following treatment with paclitaxel. A single patient
developed a severe paclitaxel-associated hypersensitivity reaction, but no
cardiac sequela. CONCLUSION: This series suggests that paclitaxel can be
safely administered as a single agent or in a combination regimen with a
platinum agent to some patients with significant cardiac risk factors, such
as those associated with ischemic heart disease. However, since few
patients had baseline severe conduction defects before paclitaxel
treatment, the safety of this drug in this clinical setting remains to be
determined.
