Eric Rowinsky, MD

Traditional therapies for breast cancer have generally relied uponthe targeting of rapidly proliferating cells by inhibiting DNA replicationor cell division. Although this strategy has been effective, its innate lackof selectivity for tumor cells has resulted in diminishing returns, approachingthe limits of acceptable toxicity. A growing understanding ofthe molecular events that mediate tumor growth and metastases has ledto the development of rationally designed targeted therapeutics thatoffer the dual hope of maximizing efficacy and minimizing toxicity tonormal tissue. Promising strategies include the inhibition of growthfactor receptor and signal transduction pathways, prevention of tumorangiogenesis, modulation of apoptosis, and inhibition of histone deacetylation.This article reviews the development of several novel targetedtherapies that may be efficacious in the treatment of patients with breastcancer and highlights the challenges and opportunities associated withthese agents.

The relatively recent introduction of a new class of chemotherapeutic agents--the taxoids--has raised hope of improved survival for patients with advanced or metastatic cancer. Following encouraging preclinical results of taxoid combinations, this phase I, nonrandomized trial was designed to evaluate a 1-hour intravenous infusion of docetaxel (Taxotere) on day 1 combined with fluorouracil (5-FU) as a daily intravenous bolus for 5 consecutive days.