A trial looking at paclitaxel, cisplatin and gemcitabine for cancer of the urinary system (EORTC 30987)

This trial looked at adding paclitaxel to cisplatin and gemcitabine chemotherapy for cancer of the bladder, urethra, ureter or kidney.

Doctors often treat cancers of the urinary system with surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy or immunotherapy into the bladder.

Sometimes the cancer is more difficult to treat because it has already grown outside the urinary system (locally advanced) or spread somewhere else in the body (metastatic). If this happens, you may have chemotherapy. Cisplatin and gemcitabine are 2 drugs that doctors often use.

In this trial, the researchers wanted to see if adding another drug called paclitaxel helped.

The aim of the trial was to see if having all 3 drugs worked better than just having cisplatin and gemcitabine for locally advanced or metastatic cancer of the urinary system.

Recruitment

Start 01/09/2001

End 01/06/2004

Phase

Phase 3

Summary of results

Initial results showed that the cancer had shrunk or disappeared in more people who had all 3 drugs than in people who had just 2.

627 patients took part in the trial. Over 3 quarters of them had bladder cancer. Half the people taking part had gemcitabine and cisplatin. Half had gemcitabine, cisplatin and paclitaxel.

With the 2 drug combination, the cancer responded in 46 out of every 100 people treated (46%). In 10% of people, all signs of cancer had disappeared (a complete response).

With the 3 drug combination, the cancer responded in 57 out of every 100 people treated (57%). In 15%, all signs of cancer had disappeared (complete response).

We have based this summary on information from the team who ran the trial. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed) but may not have been published in a medical journal. Any figures we mention above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.