title: A phase II study of the effectiveness of docetaxel (Taxotere) in women with advanced breast cancer previously treated with polychemotherapy. Hellenic Cooperative Interhospital Group in Oncology.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to study the effectiveness of docetaxel (Taxotere) in patients with advanced breast cancer treated previously with polychemotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine patients received docetaxel (100 mg/m2; 1-h i.v. infusion) and corticosteroid premedication. Forty-one patients who had received previous anthracycline treatment were divided into anthracycline-refractory and anthracycline-resistant (early and late) groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 45 evaluable patients, 66.7% had a partial response (PR) and 2.2% a complete response (CR), giving an overall response rate (ORR) of 68.9%. The ORR in anthracycline-refractory patients was 60% versus 82.6% in anthracycline-resistant patients; the difference was not significant. The ORR in early-resistance patients was 62.5% versus 93.4% in late-resistance patients (0.05 < P < 0.1). The median response duration and overall survival was 8 months (range, 4-23 + months) and 11.5 months (range, 4-31 + months), respectively, in 39 patients treated previously for metastatic disease. For 295 courses, grade 3/4 neutropenia developed in 28.6% of patients (12.5% of courses) and was febrile in 26.5% of patients (6.1% of courses), including one septic death. Hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) developed in 16.3% of patients, and fluid retention developed in 34.7% of patients (11.9% of courses).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Docetaxel is an active second-line drug in advanced breast cancer. The time of relapse after cessation of anthracycline treatment may be a significant prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Evangelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rigatos
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Efremidis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papacharalambous
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alexopoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vassilomanolakis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patila
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D043823:Taxoids
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel