Chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
This review is intended to summarize the most up-to-date information in the field of chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer.


RESULTS
During the past year, the literature on chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer has focused on three main areas of interest: the development of new cytotoxic agents with most studies addressing the taxane-pretreated population; the evaluation of new combination regimens, mainly incorporating a taxane; and the development of new trastuzumab-cytotoxic-agent combinations in the HER-2-positive population. In addition, interesting data regarding combination versus sequential single-agent chemotherapy and the optimal duration of chemotherapy have been published.


CONCLUSIONS
Interesting new drugs have faced phase II development. Randomized trials will define their role in the daily management of metastatic breast cancer. New combination regimens, generally incorporating a taxane, improve short-term efficacy in comparison with standard anthracycline-based combinations or single-agent chemotherapy, but at the cost of increased toxicity. Trastuzumab can be safely combined with several cytotoxic agents.
Biganzoli
Laura
L
Sandro Pitigliani Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, Prato Hospital, Prato, Italy. biganzoli.laura@virgilio.it
Minisini
Alessandro
A
Aapro
Matti
M
Di Leo
Angelo
A
D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013997:Time Factors; D000068878:Trastuzumab
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D004317:Doxorubicin; D000068878:Trastuzumab