
Around 1 in 5 people diagnosed with cancer in the UK take part in a clinical trial.
This trial looked at the chemotherapy combination of docetaxel, cisplatin and fluorouracil for cancer of the penis. This trial was supported by Cancer Research UK.
Doctors often treat cancer of the penis with surgery. But it is not always possible to remove all the cancer. Doctors can use chemotherapy to shrink the cancer before surgery, or instead of surgery when it is too advanced for an operation.
One combination of chemotherapy used to treat penis cancer is cisplatin and fluorouracil (5FU). The researchers thought that adding another drug called docetaxel (to make a combination called TPF) may be better than cisplatin and 5FU. We have information about TPF chemotherapy.
The aims of this trial were to find out
The trial team found that the combination of cisplatin, 5FU and docetaxel did not work as well as they had hoped in cancer of the penis.
This was a phase 2 trial. It recruited 29 men. Everyone had cisplatin, 5FU and docetaxel.
Of these 29 men, the researchers were able to look at how well the cancer had responded in 26 men. At the end of study treatment they found that
After an average follow up of 14½ months, 14 men were still alive and for 12 of them there was no sign of their cancer.
The most common side effects were
The trial team concluded that although the combination of docetaxel, 5FU and cisplatin didn’t work for most of the men, in the small number that it did there was a good 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 () and published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the trial team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Amit Bahl
Dr Steve Nicolson
Cancer Research UK
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
Sanofi-Aventis (Supply of Docetaxel)
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
This is Cancer Research UK trial number CRUK/09/001.
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Around 1 in 5 people diagnosed with cancer in the UK take part in a clinical trial.