title: A phase II study of three-weekly docetaxel and weekly trastuzumab in HER2-overexpressing advanced breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To test safety and activity of 3-weekly doses of docetaxel and a weekly dose of trastuzumab in women with HER2-overexpressing advanced breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two women, median age 53 years (range 36-73 years), with HER2-overexpressing advanced breast cancer were enrolled in a study of docetaxel, 75 mg/m(2) q3w for 6 cycles, and trastuzumab, 4 mg/kg loading dose, 2 mg/kg weekly thereafter. Thirty-four patients (81%) had visceral metastatic involvement. Thirty-five patients had received prior chemotherapy as part of their treatment: adjuvant/neoadjuvant (26), metastatic (2) and both (7). Thirty-one patients had been previously exposed to an anthracycline and 11 to paclitaxel. Four patients had previously received high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  226 cycles (median 6, range 1-6) were administered. The median delivered dose intensity for docetaxel was 24 mg/m(2)/week (range 16-25 mg/m(2)/week). The intent to treat overall response rate was 67% (95% confidence interval, 52-79%). Median progression-free survival, time to treatment failure, and duration of response were 9, 8 and 12 months, respectively. Symptomatic cardiotoxicity (grade 3) occurred in 1 patient. The most common grade 3/4 toxicity was neutropenia (76% of the patients), although febrile neutropenia did not occur.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three-weekly doses of docetaxel and a weekly dose of trastuzumab is an active and safe combination in patients with HER2-overexpressing advanced breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Istituto per la Ricerca e la Cura del Cancro IRCC, Candiolo, Italia. fmontemurro@ircc.mauriziano.it
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Montemurro
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Choa
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faggiuolo
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donadio
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Minischetti
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Durando
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capaldi
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vietti-Ramus
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alabiso
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aglietta
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000077143:Docetaxel; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D043823:Taxoids; D000068878:Trastuzumab