title: Epirubicin plus low-dose trastuzumab in HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This phase II study, evaluated the activity and cardiotoxicity of first-line epirubicin plus low-dose trastuzumab (LD-T) in patients with HER2 positive MBC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients received epirubicin 90 mg/sqm every 3 weeks plus weekly LD-T (2 mg/kg loading dose, then 1 mg/kg). After 6/8 cycles of epirubicin, single agent trastuzumab was continued. Cardiotoxicity was defined as signs or symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF), or >or=15% decline in LVEF without symptoms, or <15% LVEF decline to less than 50%, without symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty-five patients were enrolled. Twenty-three received prior adjuvant anthracyclines. Overall response rate was 61.4%. The median time to progression was 7.4 months and the median survival was 32.8 months. Two (4.5%) patients developed CHF.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epirubicin plus LD-T is an active regimen, however, the relatively high rate of cardiotoxicity together with the availability of less cardiotoxic and active trastuzumab-containing combinations precludes further evaluation of this regimen.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Research Institute, Genoa, Italy. alessandra.gennari@istge.it
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gennari
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Tursi
authors.forename: Consiglia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carella
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ricevuto
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Orlandini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frassoldati
authors.forename: Pierfranco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bruzzi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iacobelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D013997:Time Factors; D000068878:Trastuzumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D015251:Epirubicin; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000068878:Trastuzumab