title: Xeloda in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: There are few treatment options available for patients with metastatic breast cancer who have failed anthracycline- and paclitaxel-based chemotherapy. Xeloda (capecitabine) is a novel selectively tumoractivated fluoropyrimidine carbamate producing clinically active levels of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at the tumor site. Xeloda is active in breast cancer and is administered orally. It is the only registered treatment for patients in whom anthracycline and taxoid treatment has failed. In a phase II trial of 163 paclitaxel-refractory patients with metastatic breast cancer, the overall response rate with Xeloda was 20%, with three complete responses, and the median survival was 12.8 months. A total of 20% of patients experienced a Clinical Benefit Response (a composite assessment of clinical benefit). Furthermore, Xeloda was well tolerated; the most common treatment-related adverse events were hand-foot syndrome, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. Two additional studies of Xeloda in patients with metastatic breast cancer have also been completed. In the first study, patients with anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer received either Xeloda or paclitaxel; the response rates were 36 and 26%, respectively. In the second study, women aged >/=55 years received first-line treatment with either Xeloda or cyclophosphamide/methotrexate/5-FU. The response rates were 25 and 16%, respectively. These studies show that Xeloda is an active agent in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer with the additional advantage of oral administration.
authors.affiliation: PRN Research and Baylor-Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75246, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Blum
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017239:Paclitaxel; D005472:Fluorouracil