title: nab-Paclitaxel for the treatment of breast cancer: an update across treatment settings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this systematic review is to discuss recent studies and ongoing trials ofnab-paclitaxel in breast cancer and to examine the potential role ofnab-paclitaxel as a backbone for immuno-oncology therapies.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed and selected congress proceedings were searched for studies ofnab-paclitaxel in breast cancer published between 2013 and 2015. All phase II and III clinical trials, retrospective analyses, and institutional studies were included. Active, ongoing, phase II or III trials onnab-paclitaxel that were listed on ClinicalTrials.gov were also included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-three studies, including 23 in early-stage and 30 in metastatic breast cancer (some studies not classifiable by setting), were included in this analysis. Trials of neoadjuvantnab-paclitaxel-containing regimens have reported pathological complete response rates ranging from 5.7 to 53%. Median overall survival in metastatic breast cancer studies ranged from 10.8 to 23.5 months, depending on dose and regimen. Adverse event profiles ofnab-paclitaxel were generally similar to those reported from previous studies. Several ongoing trials are evaluatingnab-paclitaxel in the early-stage and metastatic settings, including in combination with immuno-oncology agents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  nab-Paclitaxel continues to demonstrate promising efficacy in breast cancer. Recent studies demonstrate high pathological complete response rates in early-stage breast cancer, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer, an area of high unmet need, and encouraging overall survival in metastatic breast cancer across doses and schedules. Ongoing trials will provide further insights into the role ofnab-paclitaxel in breast cancer including use as a potential backbone chemotherapy agent for immuno-oncology therapies such as checkpoint inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Pittsburgh, 300 Halket Street, Suite 4628, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brufsky
keywords: Breast cancer; Immunotherapy; Pathological complete response; nab-Paclitaxel