Paclitaxel plus carboplatin for women with advanced breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination chemotherapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin for advanced breast cancer (ABC).


METHODS
From January 2001 to March 2006, 45 patients with ABC were treated with combination chemotherapy of paclitaxel and carboplatin. Patients received infusion of paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 on day 1 every 3 weeks or 75 mg/m2 on day 1, 8, 15 every 4 weeks. Carboplatin was administrated on day 2 with a dose of area under the time-concentration curve (AUC) being 5.


RESULTS
The median number of cycles was 3 (range, 2-6). The overall response rate was 62.2%. Median time to progression was 7.0 months (95% CI: 5.1-8.9). Median overall survival was 29.0 months (95% CI: 20.1-37.9). One year survival rate was 73.3%. Response rate for first line and second line treatment were 62.1% and 62.5% , respectively. No significant difference in response existed between visceral metastasis and soft tissue metastasis. The main side effects included nausea/vomiting, neurotoxicity, and hematologic toxicities. Grade III to IV adverse events included nausea/vomiting in 2 cases (4.4%), leukopenia in 17 cases (37.8%) , and alopecia in 6 cases (13.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin is active in treatment of ABC with an acceptable toxicity profile.
Liu
Ju
J
Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital & Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021.
Li
Qing
Q
Zhang
Pin
P
Wang
Jia-Yu
JY
Zhao
Long-Mei
LM
Xu
Bing-He
BH
D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007970:Leukopenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D009325:Nausea / Q000139:chemically induced; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017698:Postmenopause; D017697:Premenopause; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000556:secondary; D015996:Survival Rate; D014839:Vomiting / Q000139:chemically induced
D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel