Docetaxel/Gemcitabine: Salvage Chemotherapy in Anthracycline-Pretreated Patients With Advanced Breast Cancer
Docetaxel (Taxotere) and gemcitabine (Gemzar) are active agents against breast cancer. Several phase I studies evaluated different schedules of their combination and clearly demonstrated that docetaxel and gemcitabine can
ABSTRACT: Docetaxel (Taxotere) and gemcitabine (Gemzar) are active agentsagainst breast cancer. Several phase I studies evaluated different schedules oftheir combination and clearly demonstrated that docetaxel and gemcitabine can besafely combined in either an every 3-week schedule or in a weekly and biweeklyschedule. The toxicity profiles of these combinations were mainly grade 3 and 4neutropenia and asthenia. Phase I studies also suggested that thedocetaxel/gemcitabine combinations are active regimens in pretreated patientswith advanced breast cancer. Three phase II studies of patients previouslytreated with anthracycline-based chemotherapy reported a mean objective responserate of 46% and a mean overall survival of 13.5 months. Two of these trialsenrolled patients with anthracycline-resistant or anthracycline-refractorydisease; the objective responses using docetaxel/gemcitabine combination were36% to 55% and 54%, respectively. It is noteworthy that objective responses werealso achieved with this regimen in some patients who progressed while receivingtaxane-based, front-line chemotherapy. These efficacy results were obtained witha mild toxicity profile. Adverse events were of short duration and easilymanageable. Further studies are needed to evaluate this combination asfront-line chemotherapy as well as second-line in well-defined subgroups ofpatients with advanced breast cancer. Furthermore, the combination should becompared with other more standard or investigational regimens. [ONCOLOGY15(Suppl 3):18-24, 2001]
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