title: Docetaxel administered on a weekly basis for metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly docetaxel in women with metastatic breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-nine women were enrolled onto a study of weekly docetaxel given at 40 mg/m(2)/wk. Each cycle consisted of 6 weeks of therapy followed by a 2-week treatment break, repeated until disease progression or removal from study for toxicity or patient preference. Fifty-two percent of patients had been previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy; 21% had received prior chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer, and 31% had previously received anthracyclines. All patients were assessable for toxicity; two patients were not assessable for response but are included in an intent-to-treat analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients received a median of 18 infusions, with a median cumulative docetaxel dose of 720 mg/m(2). There were no complete responses. Twelve patients had partial responses (overall response rate, 41%; 95% confidence interval, 24% to 61%), all occurring within the first two cycles. Similar response rates were observed among subgroups of patients previously treated either with any prior chemotherapy or with anthracyclines. An additional 17% of patients had stable disease for at least 6 months. The regimen was generally well tolerated. There was no grade 4 toxicity. Only 28% of patients had any grade 3 toxicity, most commonly neutropenia and fatigue. Acute toxicity, including myelosuppression, was mild. Fatigue, fluid retention, and eye tearing/conjunctivitis became more common with repetitive dosing, although these side effects rarely exceeded grade 2. Dose reductions were made for eight of 29 patients, most often because of fatigue (n = 5).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weekly docetaxel is active in treating patients with metastatic breast cancer, with a side effect profile that differs from every-3-weeks therapy.
authors.affiliation: Breast Oncology Center, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Burstein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manola
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Younger
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bunnell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scheib
authors.forename: U A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Matulonis
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Garber
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: L N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Shulman
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Winer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel