Adjuvant taxanes in the treatment of breast cancer: no longer at the tip of the iceberg.
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality, and a cure is desperately needed. Adjuvant chemotherapy with anthracycline-based regimens has been proven to decrease the risk of relapse and cancer-related mortality in women with early-stage breast cancer. The taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) have been incorporated into several adjuvant chemotherapy regimens in recent studies. Some of these trials are now mature and have demonstrated a definitive benefit with the use of taxanes. Thus, taxanes should be incorporated into the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. To date, the available data do not allow one to select a single best taxane, schedule, or overall regimen.
Dang
Chau
C
Department of Medicine, Breast Cancer Medicine Service Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. dangc@mskcc.org
Hudis
Clifford
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015412:Mastectomy, Segmental / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D017239:Paclitaxel