Combination of trastuzumab and vinorelbine in metastatic breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Since the clinical introduction of trastuzumab (Herceptin) for metastatic breast cancers that overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), this anticancer agent has played an important role in breast cancer treatment. We examined the effects of trastuzumab and vinorelbine (Navelbine) as a second- or third-line therapy in 24 patients whose HER2-positive tumors did not respond to or relapsed after administration of trastuzumab alone or in combination with taxane.


METHODS
Trastuzumab was administered at 2 mg/kg (loading dose 4 mg/kg) once weekly and vinorelbine at 25 mg/m(2) once weekly. The median treatment duration was 118.5 days (range, 22-351 days).


RESULTS
The response rate was 42% (95% confidence interval (CI): 22%-63%). The adverse events of NCI-CTC grade 3 or above consisted of neutropenia in three patients; other adverse events, including vasculitis, generalized fatigue, anemia and thrombocytopenia, were grade 1 or 2. All adverse events were reversible after treatment withdrawal and were easily manageable.


CONCLUSIONS
A combination of trastuzumab and vinorelbine can be safely administered on an outpatient basis, and is useful in the treatment of patients with HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer.
Suzuki
Yasuhiro
Y
Department of Surgery, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan.
Tokuda
Yutaka
Y
Saito
Yuki
Y
Ohta
Masatoshi
M
Tajima
Tomoo
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005221:Fatigue / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D014657:Vasculitis / Q000139:chemically induced; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077235:Vinorelbine
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine