Efficacy and tolerability of capecitabine with weekly paclitaxel for patients with metastatic breast cancer: a phase II report of the SAKK

Gick, Ute; Rochlitz, Christoph; Mingrone, Walter; Pestalozzi, Bernhard; Rauch, Daniel; Ballabeni, Pierluigi; Lanz, Doris; Hess, Viviane; Aebi, Stefan (2006). Efficacy and tolerability of capecitabine with weekly paclitaxel for patients with metastatic breast cancer: a phase II report of the SAKK. Oncology - international journal of cancer research and treatment, 71(1-2), pp. 54-60. Basel: Karger 10.1159/000100449

Preview

Text 000333396.pdf - Published Version Available under License Publisher holds Copyright. Download (273kB) | Preview

BACKGROUND: Paclitaxel and capecitabine have proven activity in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Paclitaxel increases the expression of thymidine phosphorylase, the enzyme that activates capecitabine. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of capecitabine in combination with weekly paclitaxel largely as first-line therapy in patients with MBC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From April 2002 to September 2004, 19 patients with MBC received oral capecitabine (1,000 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 1-14) plus i.v. paclitaxel (80 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8 and 15) in a 21-day cycle for a maximum of 6 cycles. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 19.3 months the overall response rate was 63% with 1 complete response (5%) and 11 partial responses (58%). Disease was stabilized in 1 patient (5%) and 3 patients had progressive disease (16%). Three patients were unable to be assessed for response to treatment. Median time to progression was 3.3 months, median time to treatment failure 3.0 months and median overall survival 13.8 months. A substantial number of patients experienced major side effects. The most common treatment-related adverse events were hand-foot syndrome (53%; grade 3: 37%), alopecia (42%; grade 3: 26%), diarrhea (32%; grade 3: 11%) and neurotoxicity (32%; grade 3: 16%). Hematologic toxicities were uncommon. CONCLUSION: The combination of capecitabine and paclitaxel appears to be active in MBC but the safety profile with the dosages used in this trial was unacceptably high and led to a short time to treatment failure. However, based on the efficacy data alternative schedules deserve further evaluation.

Interest & Impact

Downloads

26 since deposited on 04 Oct 2013
26 in the past 12 months

Citations

5 Citations in Web of Science ®
6 Citations in Scopus

Search

in Google Scholar™

Services

Actions (login required)

Edit item

Actions (login required)

Edit item