Pharmacobiologically based scheduling of capecitabine and docetaxel results in antitumor activity in resistant human malignancies

Purpose: Capecitabine and docetaxel have demonstrated preclinical antitumor synergy. This synergy is thought to occur from docetaxel-mediated upregulation of thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase), an enzyme responsible for the relative tumor selectivity of capecitabine. On the basis of the time-dependency and transiency for this upregulation, we performed a phase I study of capecitabine in combination with weekly docetaxel. We hypothesized that weekly docetaxel would result in sustained dThdPase expression and that capecitabine administration at times of maximum dThdPase upregulation would increase the therapeutic index for this combination. Patients and Methods: Patients with advanced solid malignancies received docetaxel on days 1, 8, and 15, and capecitabine bid on days 5 to 18, every 4 weeks. Docetaxel was fixed at 36 mg/m(2)/wk, whereas capecitabine was escalated in successive patients cohorts. Results: Sixteen patients received 77 courses at capecitabine doses from 950 to 1,500 mg/m(2)/d. The most common toxicities were hand-foot syndrome, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and asthenia. Grades 3 to 4 hematologic toxicities were infrequent and no treatment-related hospitalizations occurred. Three of three patients treated at 1,500/36 mg/m(2) capecitabine/docetaxel developed grade 3 hand-foot syndrome or diarrhea during either their first or second course, whereas only two of 13 patients at 1,250/36 mg/m(2) doses developed significant toxicity. Antitumor responses (n = 7) occurred in patients with hepatocellular, non-small-cell lung, and chemotherapy-refractory breast, bladder, and colorectal carcinomas. Prolonged stabilizations occurred in patients with metastatic mesothelioma (n = 2), chemorefractory non-small-cell lung carcinoma, and bronchioloalveolar carcinoma. Conclusion: Capecitabine in combination with weekly docetaxel is well tolerated. Recommended doses are capecitabine 1,250 mg/m(2)/d (625 mg/m(2) bid) with docetaxel 36 mg/m(2)/wk. The acceptable toxicity profile in this dose schedule, and the antitumor activity observed, warrant further evaluation of this regimen. (C) 2002 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.