title: New cytotoxic agents and schedules for advanced breast cancer.
abstract: Cytotoxic chemotherapy is important for treatment of women with hormone-insensitive or hormone-refractory advanced breast cancer. A variety of agents are effective, alone or in combination. The clinical activity and side effects of many agents, as well as principles for use of chemotherapy, are reviewed. Recent advances in chemotherapy for breast cancer include important studies on the role of dose-intensity, modifications of available agents to reduce side effects, and the availability of oral chemotherapeutics. Finally, the combination of chemotherapy with novel biological agents may improve outcomes for women with certain types of breast cancer. The growing availability of such biological therapies given in combination with chemotherapy may mean better survival in the future for women with advanced breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Burstein
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bunnell
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Winer
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D043823:Taxoids; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D008081:Liposomes; D043823:Taxoids; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D005472:Fluorouracil; D000093542:Gemcitabine