Objective To investigate the relationship between plasma concentration of paclitaxel (PTX) and the efficacy as well as toxic and side effects in the patients with ovarian cancer.

Methods Seventy-five patients with ovarian cancer accepted PT (paclitaxel+carboplatin) chemotherapy regimen as their first line treatment. The blood samples were taken twice at (24±6) h after continuous infusion of paclitaxel in each cycle and the plasma concentration of paclitaxel was detected by latex immuno-turdidimetry. The patients were randomly assigned into three groups according to the average plasma concentration of paclitaxel: group 1 (plasma concentration paclitaxel≤25h), group 2(26-30h) and group 3(≥31h). The relationship between the drug plasma concentration, therapeutic efficacy and adverse reactions in different paclitaxel plasma concentration was analyzed retrospectively.

Results The average plasma concentrations of paclitaxel of the three groups were (22.54±2.04) h, (28.62±1.87) h, 33.01±2.84) h, respectively (P < 0.05). The incidence and extent of adverse reactions were significantly higher and stronger with the increasing plasma concentration of paclitaxel. The therapeutic efficacy of group 2 (26-30) h was 31.25% which was better than that (20%) of group 1 (≤25h) (P=0.02), but had no significant difference with that (33.33%) of group 3 (≥31h) (P=0.96).

Conclusion The ovarian cancer patients treated with paclitaxel-based chemotherapy with an average plasma concentration of paclitaxel between 26-30h have a higher curative effect and lower toxic side effect.