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01-06-2007 | Original Article

Class III β-tubulin is a marker of paclitaxel resistance in carcinomas of unknown primary site

Authors: Pascal Sève, Tony Reiman, Raymond Lai, John Hanson, Cheryl Santos, Lorelei Johnson, Laith Dabbagh, Michael Sawyer, Charles Dumontet, John R. Mackey

Published in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology | Issue 1/2007

Abstract

Purpose

In this study, we determine the prevalence and the prognostic value of the class III β-tubulin microtubule protein examined immunohistochemically, in tumors of 40 patients with carcinomas of unknown primary site treated with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy.

Methods

Immunohistochemical intensity of staining and percentage of cells were quantified. Clinical characteristics, response to chemotherapy, progression-free survival, and overall survival were assessed for relationships with the expression of class III β-tubulin.

Results

The response rate was 17.9% (seven partial responses among 39 valuable patients), while eleven patients had a stable disease (28.2%) and 21 patients progressed on therapy (53.8%). Patients with high class III β-tubulin expression were more resistant to taxane-based chemotherapy, defined as progression under treatment, while patient characteristics were not found to be correlated with response to chemotherapy. Patients whose tumors expressed high levels of class III β-tubulin isotype had shorter overall survival, while there was a trend for an association with progression free survival. Multivariate analysis showed that class III β-tubulin expression was independently correlated with progression free survival and overall survival.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that a high level of expression of class III β-tubulin in tumor cells is associated with resistance to paclitaxel and decreased survival in patients with carcinomas of unknown primary receiving paclitaxel-based chemotherapy.

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Title: Class III β-tubulin is a marker of paclitaxel resistance in carcinomas of unknown primary site
Authors: Pascal Sève
Tony Reiman
Raymond Lai
John Hanson
Cheryl Santos
Lorelei Johnson
Laith Dabbagh
Michael Sawyer
Charles Dumontet
John R. Mackey
Publication date: 01-06-2007
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology / Issue 1/2007
Print ISSN: 0344-5704
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0843
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-006-0343-1

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