A phase II study of paclitaxel in advanced breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines

• Published in: European journal of cancer (1990) Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 47 - 51
• Main Authors: Fountzilas, G., Athanassiades, A., Giannakakis, T., Bafaloukos, D., Karakousis, K., Dombros, N., Kosmidis, P., Skarlos, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 1996
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; anthracycline; Antibiotics, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - adverse effects; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - therapeutic use; breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Disease Progression; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Middle Aged; paclitaxel; Paclitaxel - adverse effects; Paclitaxel - therapeutic use; Survival Rate; anthracycline; paclitaxel; breast cancer
• ISSN: 0959-8049; 1879-0852
• DOI: 10.1016/0959-8049(95)00398-3

33 women with advanced breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines were treated with paclitaxel 175 mg/m
2 in a 3 h infusion every 3 weeks. The median age was 53 years (range 30–72) and the median performance status was 1 (range 0–2). 24 (73%) patients had visceral metastases while 22 (67%) had≥ two involved sites. 23 (70%) patients received anthracycline or mitoxantrone in an adjuvant setting and 21 (64%) for advanced disease. There were two (6%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1–20%) complete responses (CRs) and 12 (36%, 95% CI 20–55%) partial responses (PRs). Median dose intensity of paclitaxel delivered was 58 mg/m
2/week. Median time to progression was 24 weeks (range 4–61) and median survival was 41 weeks (range 8–66). Grade 3–4 toxicities included leucopenia (9%), stomatitis (3%), alopecia (91%), neurotoxicity (9%), infection (3%) and diarrhoea (3%). In conclusion, paclitaxel at a dose of 175 mg/m
2 exhibits significant activity in advanced breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines.