title: Weekly one-hour paclitaxel as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: In this first reported study of weekly paclitaxel administered as first-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer, paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 was administered in a 1-h infusion on a weekly basis to 35 patients who may previously have received adjuvant chemotherapy (but not taxane-containing regimens), but not for advanced or metastatic disease. A median of 14 infusions per patient was given at a mean delivered dose intensity of 94 mg/m2 per week. In 33 assessable patients, a complete response (CR) was observed in 1 patient and partial responses (PRs) in 12 patients, producing an overall response rate of 40%. Stable disease (SD) was observed in 17 patients, of whom 9 were stabilized for more than 24 weeks. Thus, clinical benefit (CR+PR+SD(> or = 24 weeks)) was observed in 67% of the patients. Time to progression was 189 days, the duration of response 180 days and overall survival 544 days. Five patients developed grade 3 neutropenia and five patients grade 3 neurotoxicity. Thus, this study has shown that weekly paclitaxel as first-line therapy for metastatic or advanced breast cancer produces comparable response rates and less toxicity than when the drug is given every three weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Ullevål University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. erik.wist@ioks.uio.no
authors.forename: Erik Andreas
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Wist
authors.forename: Hilde Heen
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: Bjørn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ostenstad
authors.forename: Terje
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Risberg
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fjaestad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009664:Norway; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011292:Premedication; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D003907:Dexamethasone; D017239:Paclitaxel