Docetaxel and epirubicin salvage regimen in relapsed anthracycline-sensitive metastatic breast cancer patients after anthracycline-containing adjuvant therapy

Invest New Drugs. 2009 Feb;27(1):67-73. doi: 10.1007/s10637-008-9151-2. Epub 2008 Aug 29.

Abstract

Our aim in this paper is to verify the efficacy and safety of a epirubicin and docetaxel salvage regimen for anthracycline sensitive metastatic breast cancer patients who have relapsed after anthracycline-containing adjuvant therapy. Thirty-two metastatic breast cancer patients were treated with epirubicin and docetaxel every 21 days. Of the 31 evaluable patients, there were 13/31 (41.9%) partial responses and no complete responses. Median time to progression was 12 months (95% CI, 4-60 months) and median survival duration was 41 months (95% CI, 1.2-80.8 months). According to the Cox model, ECOG performance and response group were statistically significant variables, and visceral metastasis was a borderline significant variable with regards to overall survival. Although this salvage regimen showed a high rate of hematologic toxicities, it was a relatively active regimen with manageable toxicities and no cardiac dysfunction. We propose that this salvage regimen could be carefully used in anthracycline sensitive metastatic breast cancer patients who have relapsed after anthracycline-containing adjuvant therapy.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anthracyclines / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / adverse effects
  • Docetaxel
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Epirubicin / administration & dosage*
  • Epirubicin / adverse effects
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / drug therapy
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / secondary
  • Recurrence
  • Salvage Therapy / adverse effects
  • Survival Analysis
  • Taxoids / administration & dosage*
  • Taxoids / adverse effects

Substances

  • Anthracyclines
  • Taxoids
  • Docetaxel
  • Epirubicin