title: Bevacizumab combined with two-weekly paclitaxel as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Medical Oncology, St. Savas Anticancer Hospital, 171 Alexandras' Avenue, 11522 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Panteleimon
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kountourakis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doufexis
authors.forename: Savoula
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maliou
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karagiannis
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kardara
authors.forename: Charalampia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Margari
authors.forename: Despoina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sykoutri
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tzovaras
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ardavanis
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D017239:Paclitaxel