TY - JOUR
TI - Safety and efficacy of trastuzumab every 3 weeks combined with cytotoxic
chemotherapy in patients with HER2-positive recurrent breast cancer:
Findings from a case series
AU - Ardavanis, A
AU - Tryfonopoulos, D
AU - Orfanos, G
AU - Karamouzis, M and
AU - Scorilas, A
AU - Alexopoulos, A
AU - Rigatos, G
JO - Onkologie(Czech Republic)
PY - 2005
VL - 28
TODO - 11
SP - 558-564
PB - Karger
SN - null
TODO - 10.1159/000088608
TODO - trastuzumab, 3-weekly; safety; efficacy; breast cancer, metastatic
TODO - Background: Trastuzumab has been repeatedly shown to result in
significant clinical benefits and was subsequently accepted as the
treatment of choice for HER2-positive advanced breast cancer -
particularly as first-line treatment in combination with taxanes and as
monotherapy in the second-line or third-line setting. Trastuzumab is
currently licensed as a weekly treatment, although a 3-weekly schedule
could be used conveniently in combination with other cytotoxic agents
that are administered on a 3-weekly basis in metastatic breast cancer.
Patients and Methods: We determined the safety of i.v. trastuzumab (8
mg/kg followed by 6 mg/kg) every 3 weeks in combination with
chemotherapeutic agents administered in 3-weekly courses (docetaxel,
vinorelbine and capecitabine) in 31 patients with HER2-positive
recurrent locoregional and/or metastatic breast cancer. Results:
3-weekly trastuzumab appeared to be as well tolerated as the standard
once-weekly schedule. All myelosuppressive adverse events and the
majority of non-hematological adverse events were typical and
characteristic of the individual concomitant cytotoxic agents. Transient
trastuzumab-related infusion reactions occurred in 5 patients and 1
patient developed cardiac dysfunction, which recovered after
discontinuation of trastuzumab. Efficacy appeared favourable: 18
clinical responses (3 complete and 15 partial) and 8 disease
stabilizations gave an overall response rate of 58% (70% in the 20
patients receiving first-line therapy). Median progression-free and
overall survival times were 9.9 months (95% Cl: 6.3 - 13.5) and 23.1
months (95% Cl: 19.2 - 27.0), respectively. Conclusions: These findings
will likely encourage further evaluation of this more convenient
3-weekly trastuzumab regimen in patients with HER2-positive metastatic
breast cancer.
ER -