Background and purpose: Locoregional breast cancer recurrence is characterized by a high rate of systemic and local re-recurrence. Data on concurrent radiochemotherapy (RCT) in these cases are scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate feasibility, toxicity and efficacy of local control of a radiotherapy combined with a chemotherapy containing a taxane.
Patients and methods: Between May 1999 and November 2004, 36 women referred to the authors' clinic because of locoregional breast cancer recurrence that was either inoperable (n = 29) or resected (n = 7) received concurrent irradiation and taxane monotherapy weekly (TAX/RT; n = 28: paclitaxel 90 mg/m(2), n = 24, or docetaxel 35 mg/m(2), n = 4) or taxane + cisplatin therapy (TAX/CIS/RT; n = 8; paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2) d1 and cisplatin 20 mg/m(2) d1-5 q28).
Results: Comparing TAX/RT with TAX/CIS/RT, the complete remission rate in patients with macroscopic tumor prior to RCT was significantly higher for TAX/RT than for TAX/CIS/RT (7/19 vs. 0/8; p = 0.046), but overall remission rates were comparable, i.e., partial remission: 11/20 versus 6/8 cases, stable disease (no change): 1/20 versus 2/8 cases, and response rate: 95% versus 75%, respectively. The cumulative local recurrence-free survival rate at 1 and 2 years post-treatment was 83% and 68% and that of systemic recurrence-free survival 56% and 29%, respectively. The main toxic reactions of third-degree and higher were dermatitis in TAX/RT (57% vs. 11% for TAX/CIS/RT) and leukocytopenia in TAX/CIS/RT (62% vs. 7% for TAX/RT).
Conclusion: Concurrent irradiation and taxane chemotherapy weekly, in particular with paclitaxel, is recommended due to response and acceptable side effects for treatment of inoperable locoregional breast cancer recurrence.