title: Capecitabine combined with weekly docetaxel in Chinese patients > 65 years with anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There are no data on more tolerable capecitabine doses in elderly patients in Chinese population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity and safety of capecitabine combined with weekly docetaxel for the treatment of anthracycline-resistant metastatic breast cancer (MBC) in older Chinese patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  MBC patients aged > 65 years pretreated with 1 - 5 prior chemotherapy regimens, including an anthracycline, received oral capecitabine 825 mg/m(2) twice daily, days 1 - 14, plus docetaxel 30 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 every 21 days. All 41 enrolled patients received at least 1 dose of treatment and were evaluable for safety; 38 received at least 2 cycles (median 4, range 2 - 8) and were evaluable for efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall objective response rate was 47%, including complete responses in 8% of patients. Median time to progression was 8.9 months. Median overall survival was 17.6 months. The most common side effects were haematological and gastrointestinal toxicities and hand-foot syndrome. The only grade 3/4 adverse events were neutropenia (12%), alopecia (7%), grade 3 nausea and vomiting (2%) and grade 3 nail toxicity (2%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capecitabine 825 mg/m(2) twice daily plus weekly docetaxel is active with an acceptable safety profile in Chinese women > 65 years with anthracycline-resistant MBC. Efficacy and tolerability compare favourably with previously reported trials evaluating higher capecitabine doses in combination with 3-weekly or weekly docetaxel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin 300060, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zheng-Zi
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Xian-Ming
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui-Lai
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lan-Fang
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Shi-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Xi-Shan
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Cong-Hua
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077143:Docetaxel; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil