title: Once-per-cycle pegfilgrastim in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel/epidoxorubicin/cyclophosphamide.
abstract: The incidence of neutropenia following combination chemotherapy is significant in breast cancer and impairs patients' quality of life. Colony-stimulating factors significantly decrease the risk of febrile neutropenia (FN). Aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy and safety profile of once-per-cycle pegfilgrastim in reducing FN in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel (75 mg/m(2)), epidoxorubicin (75 mg/m(2)), cyclophosphamide (500 mg/m(2)) administered every 3 weeks. Thirty-five breast cancer patients were enrolled. Chemotherapy was administered in adjuvant, neoadjuvant and metastatic setting respectively in 26, 4 and 5 patients. Toxicity was monitored with programmed clinical evaluation and blood sampling. All patients completed the therapeutic programme consisting of six cycles for overall 210 cycles. The FN appeared in 6 out of 35 patients (17%), requiring dose reduction in 3 patients. Hypertransaminasemia was registered in two patients. In one patient pegfilgrastim administration was stopped because of skin hypersensitivity reaction. In conclusion, pegfilgrastim was able to maintain doses and timing of docetaxel/epidoxorubicin/cyclophosphamide in almost all breast cancer patients treated in this series. The reduced need for daily administration of colony-stimulating factors, blood sampling, antibiotic therapy and hospitalization has a significant impact in terms of both quality of life and pharmaco-economic evaluations.
authors: Medical Oncology Unit, S.Giovanni di Dio Hospital, via Giovanni XXIII, Frattamaggiore, Naples, Italy. lilianamontella@libero.it
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Montella
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Addeo
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Guarrasi
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Cennamo
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Faiola
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Capasso
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Caraglia
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Del Prete
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000077143:Docetaxel; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D000069585:Filgrastim; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D043823:Taxoids; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D000077143:Docetaxel; C455861:pegfilgrastim; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D015251:Epirubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D000069585:Filgrastim