title: Low dose-intensity docetaxel in the treatment of pre-treated elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: We evaluated the efficacy and toxicity profile of single-agent docetaxel administered in daily clinical practice at low-dose regimen in 37 pre-treated elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer previously exposed to chemotherapy. Docetaxel was employed by physician's preference according to a weekly (8 patients, 25-30 mg/m2 every 7 days), bi-weekly (19 patients, 40-50 mg/m2 every 14 days), or tri-weekly (10 patients, 75-100 mg/m2 every 21-28 days) schedule. The median age of patients was 70 yrs, and most of them (84%) had a good PS; visceral metastases were found in 26 patients. Twenty-five patients were pre-treated by two or more chemotherapy lines. Anthracycline or anthracycline/paclitaxel therapy was previously employed in 25 patients (67%). Median delivered dose-intensity of docetaxel was 21 mg/m2/week (range 11-32), without significant differences between the regimens used. Thirty-three patients were evaluable for response. Eight (24%) patients had objective responses (2 complete and 6 partial) to docetaxel, with a median duration of response of 18 months; 14 (42%) patients had stable disease lasting more than 6 months (median 10 months). Median overall time to progression was 6 months. Median overall survival was 16 months, with 1- and 2-year survival rates of 64% and 34%, respectively. Grade 3/4 toxicities were rare: leucopenia in 18% of patients, neutropenia in 13%, emesis in 8%, diarrhea in 5%, and mucositis in 5%. Severe fatigue was recorded in 4 patients. In conclusion, docetaxel, even when administered at low dose-intensity, demonstrated good disease control and toxicity profile. This approach provides an excellent alternative for pre-treated elderly patients with advanced breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Ospedali Riuniti Umberto I-Salesi-Lancisi, Polo Ospedale-Università, Ancona. c.massacesi@ao-umbertoprimo.marche.it
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massacesi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marcucci
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Boccetti
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Battelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilone
authors.forename: M B L
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rocchi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonsignori
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel