title: Biweekly docetaxel-containing chemotherapy may be the optimal schedule.
abstract: The dosing schedule of docetaxel may affect its clinical activity and toxicity profile. Although triweekly docetaxel has higher antitumor activity but more severe hematological toxicity, weekly docetaxel seems to have less activity or fewer adverse events. To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of biweekly docetaxel and mitoxantrone in patients with advanced breast cancer, the regimen consisting of docetaxel (60 mg/m), and mitoxantrone (8 mg/m) was administered intravenously to 59 patients every 2 weeks. Most (54.2%) of the patients experienced objective responses. The median time to progression for the whole group was 6.8 months. The median time to progression for patients with complete or partial response was 10.3 months, but only 3.6 months for patients with stable or progressive disease (P<0.001). Grade III/IV adverse events of neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, febrile neutropenia, and nausea/vomiting were documented in 61.0, 6.8, 3.4, 3.4, and 3.4% of the patients, respectively. The median overall survival was 16.9 months. In conclusion, biweekly use of docetaxel and mitoxantrone is a highly effective and well-tolerated regimen for patients with advanced breast cancer. The optimal dosage of docetaxel in combination with chemotherapeutic regimen may be given every 2 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xinmiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Xinmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaonan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Zhenzhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Zhouluo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xichun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D043823:Taxoids; D000077143:Docetaxel; D008942:Mitoxantrone