Docetaxel, gemcitabine and bevacizumab as salvage chemotherapy for HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the activity and safety of the docetaxel, gemcitabine and bevacizumab combination, administered biweekly, in pretreated patients with HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC).


METHODS
Women with HER-2-negative MBC, and disease progression after at least one prior line of chemotherapy, were treated with docetaxel 50 mg/m², gemcitabine 1,500 mg/m² and bevacizumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks. Bevacizumab was continued until disease progression.


RESULTS
Forty-eight patients have been enrolled. Their median age was 61 years, 95.8 % had a performance status 0-1, 83.3 % had hormone receptor-positive disease, and 47.9 % had received one prior line of chemotherapy. All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 45 for response. Partial response was achieved in 20 patients [PR = 44.4 %, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 29.9-59 %] and disease stabilization in 15 (33.3 %). The median progression-free survival was 7.1 months (95 % CI 4.7-9.5 months) and the median overall survival 21.1 months (95 % CI 10.3-31.9 months). Grade 3-4 neutropenia occurred in 19 patients (39.6 %) and febrile neutropenia in 2 (4.2 %). Most common grade 2-3 non-hematologic adverse events included nausea (10.4 %), diarrhea (10.5 %), neurotoxicity (12.5 %) and fatigue (31.3 %), whereas grade 2 hemorrhage and hypertension occurred in 6.3 and 10.4 %, respectively. There were no grade 4 non-hematologic toxicities or toxic deaths.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of docetaxel, gemcitabine and bevacizumab has promising activity and manageable toxicity as salvage chemotherapy for HER-2-negative MBC patients.
Hellenic Oncology Research Group (HORG), 55 Lomvardou Str, 11474, Athens, Greece.
E
E
Kontopodis
N
N
Kentepozidis
Ch
Ch
Christophyllakis
I
I
Boukovinas
A
A
Kalykaki
K
K
Kalbakis
L
L
Vamvakas
S
S
Agelaki
A
A
Kotsakis
N
N
Vardakis
V
V
Georgoulias
D
D
Mavroudis
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D001940:Breast / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077143:Docetaxel; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000077143:Docetaxel; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000093542:Gemcitabine