Bevacizumab combined with two-weekly paclitaxel as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
Metastatic breast cancer remains a major clinical issue despite progress achieved in recent years. Three randomised trials have demonstrated the benefit of combining bevacizumab with various taxane schedules. Herein, this study sought to investigate an alternative bevacizumab-taxane regimen as first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer.


METHODS
Patients with metastatic breast cancer and who received first-line bevacizumab 10 mg/kg with paclitaxel 135 mg/m(2) every 2 weeks were studied.


RESULTS
All 43 enrolled patients were evaluable for efficacy and safety. The response rate was 58%; a further 40% achieved stable disease. After a median follow-up of 16 months, disease had progressed in 9 patients (21%). Treatment was well tolerated: grade 4 toxicities were absent; grade 3 adverse events comprised neutropenia (5%; no febrile neutropenia), hypertension (2%) and neuropathy (2%).


CONCLUSIONS
This regimen may provide improved patient acceptability, quality of life and pharmacoeconomic benefits over a weekly paclitaxel schedule, and deserves further evaluation.
Kountourakis
Panteleimon
P
First Department of Medical Oncology, St. Savas Anticancer Hospital, 171 Alexandras' Avenue, 11522 Athens, Greece.
Doufexis
Dimitrios
D
Maliou
Savoula
S
Karagiannis
Athanasios
A
Kardara
Eugenia
E
Margari
Charalampia
C
Sykoutri
Despoina
D
Tzovaras
Alexandros
A
Ardavanis
Alexandros
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D017239:Paclitaxel