Phase 2 study of docetaxel in the treatment of childhood refractory acute leukemias: a Children's Oncology Group report.

BACKGROUND

To determine the response rate and toxicity of docetaxel when administered as a 60 mg/m(2) dose by 1 hr intravenous (IV) infusion weekly x 3 weeks in children with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

PROCEDURE: Patients who were under the age of 22-year-old at the time of the original ALL or AML diagnosis and in a second relapse were accrued from August 2002 to May 2005 for this Children's Oncology Group (COG) phase 2 study (ADVL0023). Ten patients with ALL and two patients with AML were enrolled.

RESULTS

There were no complete or partial responses observed. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicities were hematologic followed by febrile neutropenia. One patient developed a dose limiting elevation in serum bilirubin, but no other significant hepatotoxicity was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Docetaxel was not effective therapy for children with relapsed ALL at the dose and schedule tested.