title: Current options in treatment of anthracycline-resistant breast cancer.
abstract: Breast cancer is a chemosensitive tumour and anthracyclines are one of the most active cytotoxic agents in chemotherapy treatment. Failure after anthracycline-containing chemotherapy is a poor prognostic factor because of low response rate to salvage chemotherapy. Several factors like P-glycoprotein mediated drug resistance (MDR-1 or MRP), glutathione or amplification of topoisomerase II have been found to be involved in anthracycline resistance. No clear benefit for patients treated with 'resistance-modifier' agents like verapamil, dexverapamil or quinidine has yet been demonstrated. Most clinical studies with non-cross resistant cytotoxic agents are lacking a strict definition of anthracycline resistance. A strict definition of anthracycline resistance implies progressive disease during anthracycline chemotherapy. Among the cytotoxic drugs only 5-Fluorouracil (given as 24 h continuous infusion with folinic acid) and the taxanes produce more than 20% objective remission (RR) in case of anthracycline resistance, whereas the highest response rate was reported for docetaxel (32-57%). Only few randomized studies were performed: docetaxel showed higher anti-tumor activity than methotrexat/5-FU (RR: 42% vs 19%, P<0.001) or mitomycin/vinblastine (RR: 30% vs 12%;P<0.001) and treatment with paclitaxel (175 mg/m(2)) was in favour to mitomycin (RR 17% vs 6%). In combination chemotherapy most activity have been reported for paclitaxel plus high-dose 5-fluorouracil (given as 24 h continuous infusion with folinic acid) (RR: 58%) or for docetaxel plus cisplatinum (RR: 46%). High-dose regimens with growth factor or stem cell support seems to be active in anthracycline-resistant disease but the toxicity is considerable. In conclusion, the taxanes, especially docetaxel as single agent or paclitaxel plus high-dose 5-FU, are the most promising therapeutic options in treatment of anthracycline resistant disease. Further clinical phase II/III studies in breast cancer should include exact definition of anthracycline pretreatment and resistance.
authors.affiliation: Bone Marrow Transplantation, Dept of Oncology and Hematology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, Hamburg, D-20246, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kröger
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Achterrath
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hegewisch-Becker
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mross
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Zander
mesh_terms: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1 / Q000378:metabolism; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D020168:ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Member 1; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004250:DNA Topoisomerases, Type II