Phase I study of ixabepilone, mitoxantrone, and prednisone in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with docetaxel-based therapy: a study of the department of defense prostate cancer clinical trials consortium

Abstract

Purpose: Mitoxantrone plus prednisone and ixabepilone each have modest activity as second-line chemotherapy in docetaxel-refractory castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients. Clinical noncrossresistance was previously observed.

Patients and methods: Metastatic CRPC patients progressing during or after taxane-based chemotherapy enrolled in a phase I multicenter study of ixabepilone and mitoxantrone administered every 21 days along with prednisone. Ixabepilone and mitoxantrone doses were alternately escalated in a standard 3 + 3 design. Patients were evaluated for toxicity and disease response. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were defined as treatment related, occurring during cycle 1, and included grade 4 prolonged or febrile neutropenia, thrombocytopenia (grade 4 or grade 3 with bleeding), or > or = grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity.

Results: Thirty-six patients were treated; 59% of patients experienced grade 3/4 neutropenia. DLTs included grade 3 diarrhea (n = 1), prolonged grade 4 neutropenia (n = 4), and grade 5 neutropenic infection (n = 1). Due to prolonged neutropenia, the highest dose levels were repeated with pegfilgrastim on day 2 of each cycle. The maximum tolerated dose in combination with pegfilgrastim was not exceeded. The recommended phase II dose is mitoxantrone 12 mg/m2 and ixabepilone 35 mg/m2 every 21 days, pegfilgrastim 6 mg subcutaneously day 2, and continuous prednisone 5 mg twice per day. Thirty-one percent of patients have experienced > or = 50% prostate-specific antigen (PSA) declines, and two experienced objective responses. Of 21 patients treated with mitoxantrone 12 mg/m2 plus ixabepilone > or = 30 mg/m2, nine (43%) experienced > or = 50% PSA declines (95% CI, 22% to 66%).

Conclusion: These results suggest that the combination of ixabepilone and mitoxantrone is feasible and active in CRPC and requires dosing with pegfilgrastim.

Conflict of interest statement

Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

Figures

Fig 1.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) waterfall plot of maximum PSA declines of the 21 patients who received the US Food and Drug Administration–approved mitoxantrone dose of 12 mg/m2 (dose levels V, Va, VI, and VIa). Nine patients (43%) experienced confirmed PSA declines of at least 50% (95% CI, 22% to 66%).

Fig A1.

Waterfall plot of maximal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) declines by dose level; 11 patients (31%) experienced confirmed PSA declines of at least 50%.