title: Retrospective analysis of the use of G-CSF and its impact on dose response for anthracycline plus taxane-based schedules in early breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the impact on survival of the relative dose intensity (RDI) achieved in patients with early breast cancer receiving anthracycline plus taxane-based chemotherapy in the adjuvant setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with early breast cancer diagnosed from January 1999 through December 2006 were included. Dose intensity was evaluated according to the number of delayed cycles and days and the percentage of RDI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 231 breast cancer patients were included. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was given to 39 % of patients. Few patients delayed chemotherapy administration ≥2 cycles (6 %) and ≥15 days (2 %), and the majority of them received ≥85 % of the RDI (98 %). Overall survival was statistically lower at 5 years in patients who received <85 % of RDI in comparison with those who received ≥85 % of RDI (80 vs. 97 %; p = 0.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With a wide use of G-CSF in patients treated with adjuvant anthracyclines plus taxane-based schedules, 98 % of patients received a RDI ≥85 %. A significant although inconsistent impairment of survival was found in those patients with lower RDI.
authors: Medical Oncology Service, Hospital Clínico Universitario Avda, Blasco Ibáñez, 17, 46011, Valencia, Spain.
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Pérez-Fidalgo
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Bermejo
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Chirivella
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Martínez
authors: I
authors: I
authors: González
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Cejalvo
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Catoira
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Martínez
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Contel
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Lluch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D043823:Taxoids; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor