title: Use of pegfilgrastim support on day 9 to maintain relative dose intensity of chemotherapy in breast cancer patients receiving a day 1 and 8 CMF regimen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In several commonly used regimens, chemotherapy doses are split across different days of the cycle. We aimed to determine the feasibility of growth factor support with once-per-cycle pegfilgrastim in this setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  This phase II study in breast cancer patients assessed the utility of a single 6 mg subcutaneous dose of pegfilgrastim administered on day 9 of an intravenous (IV) "split" CMF (cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2), methotrexate 40 mg/m(2) and 5-fluorouracil 600 mg/m(2)) chemotherapy regimen administered on days 1 and 8 and repeated every 28 days for 6 cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-eight patients were enrolled, with 49 completing the study. For the primary endpoint, 48 patients (83%) received >or=85% of the relative dose intensity (RDI) of chemotherapy over all 6 cycles (95% confidence interval [CI], 71-91%). Across all chemotherapy cycles, 41 patients (71%) received all scheduled cycles on time and most patients (n=49, 84%) received >or=85% of the planned dose of all chemotherapy agents in all cycles. In total, 295/319 cycles (92%) were delivered on schedule and >or=85% of the planned dose of all chemotherapy agents were administered in 309/319 cycles (97%). Febrile neutropenia was reported in only 2 patients (3%). There were no grade 4 adverse events related to pegfilgrastim.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Day 9 pegfilgrastim administration was well tolerated and provided effective protection against neutropenia in patients receiving IV CMF on days 1 and 8, allowing chemotherapy to be delivered on time and at the scheduled dose in most patients.
authors.affiliation: U.O. di Oncologia, Ospedale S. Croce, Fano, Italy.
authors.forename: Rodolfo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mattioli
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gridelli
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castellanos
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duque
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mansutti
authors.forename: Pam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bacon
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lawrinson
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Skacel
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D000069585:Filgrastim; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000517:prevention & control; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; C455861:pegfilgrastim; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D000069585:Filgrastim; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate