title: A multicenter prospective phase II randomized trial of epirubicin/vinorelbine versus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin/vinorelbine as first-line treatment in advanced breast cancer. A GOIM study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate activity and tolerability of two anthracycline-containing regimens as first-line treatment for anthracycline-naïve relapsed breast cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with relapsed breast cancer not previously treated with adjuvant anthracyclines were randomly assigned to epirubicin/vinorelbine (arm A: EPI/VNB, EPI 90 mg/m2 on day 1, VNB 25 mg/m2 on days 1,5 plus G-CSF subcutaneously on days 7-12, with cycles repeated every 21 days), or to pegylated liposomal doxorubicin/VNB (arm B: PLD/VNB, PLD 40 mg/m2 on day 1, VNB 30 mg/m2 on days 1, 15, with cycles repeated every 4 weeks). Primary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of the two regimens in terms of response rate, secondarily toxicity, progression free survival and overall survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and four patients have been enrolled (arm A 54, arm B 50): characteristics were well balanced between the 2 arms. Responses were as follows: arm A, 3 (5.6%) CR, 20 (37%) PR, (ORR 42.6%, 95%CI 29.3%-55.9%); arm B, 8 (16%) CR, 18 (36%) PR, (ORR 52%, 95%CI 38.2%-65.8%). Median progression free survival was 10.7 months in arm A (95% CI, 8.7-12.6), and 8.8 months in arm B (95% CI, 7.1-10.5). Median overall survival was 34.6 months in arm A (95%CI, 19.5-49.8) and 24.8 months in arm B (95%CI, 15.7-33.9). As toxicity concerns, both treatment regimens were well tolerated; myelosuppression was the dose-limiting toxicity, with G3-4 neutropenia occurring in 18.5% and 22% of the patients of arm A and B, respectively. No relevant differences in main toxic effects have been observed between the two arms, except for alopecia, more common in arm A, and cutaneous toxicity, observed only in arm B. No clinical congestive heart failures have been observed, one case of tachyarrhythmia was reported after the last EPI/VNB cycle, and two reversible ≥ 20% LVEF decreases have been observed in arm A.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both anthracycline- containing regimens evaluated in the present study seem to be active and with a satisfactory tolerability in anthracycline-naïve relapsed breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology B, Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy. pvici@ifo.it
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vici
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Colucci
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giotta
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sergi
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filippelli
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perri
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Botti
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vizza
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carpino
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pizzuti
authors.forename: Agnese
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Latorre
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giannarelli
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Lauro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D014781:Viscera / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: C506643:liposomal doxorubicin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D015251:Epirubicin; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D000077235:Vinorelbine