Anti-Tumor Activity of Paclitaxel-Containing Regimens in Recurrent/Refractory Wilms Tumor

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Oncology
• Cancer Therapeutics
• Wilms Tumor Research

Background:

• Previous Phase 2 study showed activity of single-agent paclitaxel in recurrent Wilms tumor (WT).
• Paclitaxel-based regimens are utilized as salvage therapy for treatment-refractory WT.
• This study aimed to further characterize the clinical activity of paclitaxel-containing regimens in recurrent WT.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of paclitaxel-containing regimens in patients with relapsed Wilms tumor.
• To assess response rates and duration of progression-free survival in heavily pretreated WT patients.

Main Methods:

• Multi-institutional retrospective study analyzing anonymized data from 28 relapsed WT patients.
• Patients received paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel, often in combination with other agents (e.g., doxorubicin, gemcitabine).
• Response was evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) after one or two cycles.

Main Results:

• Eleven of 26 patients with measurable disease achieved a partial response (PR).
• Two patients without measurable disease maintained a complete response (CR).
• The mean duration without progression was 7.6 months (range: 1-35 months) in this heavily pretreated cohort.

Conclusions:

• Paclitaxel-containing regimens demonstrate activity in recurrent WT, including cases with diffuse anaplasia (DA) histology.
• These findings support the use of paclitaxel-based therapies as salvage options for refractory WT.
• Prospective studies are recommended to formally confirm the efficacy of paclitaxel-based treatments.