title: Epothilones in breast cancer: current status and future directions.
abstract: Taxanes have become fundamental in the treatment of early and advanced breast cancer. However, tumors vary in their sensitivity to these agents; resistance can be acquired or de novo resistance can occur. Epothilones and associated analogs are novel microtubule-stabilizing agents that induce apoptosis and promote cell death. There is now a growing body of clinical data describing the efficacy of epothilones in breast cancer patients who have progressed on taxanes and anthracyclines. This culminated with US FDA approval in October 2007 of ixabepilone (Ixempra, Brystol Myers Squibb, NJ, USA) either as single agent or in combination with capecitabine for the treatment of breast cancer, which has progressed after prior therapies. The results of ongoing and future randomized clinical trials will further define how epothilones, in particular ixabepilone, will be integrated into the management of early and metastatic breast cancer. In parallel, the search for biomarkers predictive of sensitivity to epothilones continues in an attempt to tailor these therapies to patients with greater accuracy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 08001 Barcelona, Spain. fatzori@vhebron.net
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Atzori
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fornier
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D034261:Epothilones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
chemical_list: D034261:Epothilones; D050257:Tubulin Modulators