Study of low-dose capecitabine monotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Capecitabine is an established therapy for metastatic breast cancer. In Japan, a 4 weekly regimen is often used, but data for this schedule in the first-line setting are lacking.


METHODS
Metastatic breast cancer patients who had received no chemotherapy for recurrent disease received capecitabine 825 mg/m(2) twice daily, on days 1-21 of a 28-day cycle until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was response rate.


RESULTS
In 33 eligible patients, median age was 53 years (range 27-73). Prior adjuvant therapy included an anthracycline in 90% and a taxane in 40%. The response rate was 18%; a further 24% had stable disease for >or=6 months. Median progression-free and overall survival were 6.9 and 24.8 months, respectively. The only grade 3 events were neutropenia (6%) and hand-foot syndrome (15%).


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary results confirm previous data showing that a lower capecitabine dose is an active and well-tolerated first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer.
Taguchi
Tetsuya
T
Department of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan. ttaguchi @ onsurg.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Nakayama
Takahiro
T
Masuda
Norikazu
N
Yoshidome
Katsuhide
K
Akagi
Kenzou
K
Nishida
Yukihiro
Y
Yoshikawa
Yukinobu
Y
Ogino
Nobuo
N
Abe
Chigusa
C
Sakamoto
Junichi
J
Noguchi
Shinzaburo
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000069287:Capecitabine; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005533:Foot Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced; D006229:Hand Dermatoses / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D013534:Survival; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil