Ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide, and paclitaxel chemotherapy: a dose-escalation study

Ifosfamide, carboplatin, cisplatin, etoposide, and paclitaxel are chemotherapeutic agents active in treating many malignant diseases. The ICE combination (ifosfamide/carboplatin [or cisplatin]/etoposide) has been studied in breast cancer, small cell and non-small cell lung cancer, testicular cancer, lymphoma, and other malignancies with promising results. We conducted a dose-escalation study of paclitaxel in combination with ICE (ICE-T) to evaluate the toxicity and define the maximum tolerated dose of paclitaxel. To date, 24 patients have been treated with ICE-T. Patients had to have no or minimal prior chemotherapy, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1, and adequate bone marrow, liver, and kidney function. The doses of ICE were as follows: ifosfamide 1.25 g/m2/d days 1 to 3, carboplatin 300 mg/m2 day 1, and etoposide 80 mg/m2/d days 1 to 3. Paclitaxel was given at a dose of 120 mg/m2 to five patients, 135 mg/m2 to five patients, 150 mg/m2 to three patients, and 175 mg/m2 to 11 patients. All patients received granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support. The most common side effect was neutropenia. Grade 4 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred during 34% and 20% of 94 cycles, respectively, with leukopenic fever occurring during 14% of cycles. No treatment-related death or sepsis occurred due to brief nadir durations of 3.5 days for neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Other toxicities were mostly mild to moderate and did not require dose modification, although alopecia was universal. Nine patients (100%) with metastatic breast cancer and four (67%) with soft tissue sarcoma have attained documented objective responses with four complete remissions (one breast cancer and three sarcoma patients). The maximum tolerated dose of paclitaxel has not yet been defined, and the study is ongoing. In conclusion, this pilot study showed that ICE-T is safe and tolerable. The response to ICE-T is encouraging and warrants further study with this regimen.