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Docetaxel: Standard Recommended Dose of 100 mg/m² Is Effective But Not Feasible for Some Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Heavily Pretreated With Chemotherapy—A Phase II Single-Center Study

From the Departments of Radiotherapy and Oncology and Gynecology, Turku University Hospital, and Department of Biostatistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

Address reprint requests E. Salminen, MD, Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Turku University Hospital, Kiinamyllynk 4-8, 20520 Turku, Finland; email eeva.kaarina.salminen{at}utu.fi

PURPOSE: Patients with metastatic breast cancer, especially those with progression after several prior chemotherapy treatments, need efficient chemotherapy. This study investigates the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel in metastatic breast cancer patients with previous chemotherapy for metastatic disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-one women (median age, 52 years; range, 40 to 65 years) treated for metastatic breast cancer with docetaxel were included. Eleven patients had one metastatic site, 10 patients had two, and 10 patients had three or more. The planned dose of docetaxel per course was the standard treatment of 100 mg/m² (or 75 mg/m² if liver enzyme levels were abnormal) every 3 weeks, given for six or eight cycles.

RESULTS: The overall response rate was 48% (three complete responses [CR] and 11 partial responses [PR] ), and the median duration of response was 7 months (range, 2 to 16 months). Twenty patients (65%) experienced fatigue, and 27 patients (87%) had alopecia. Fifteen cases (48%) of grade 4 leukopenia were observed. Edema with a weight gain of 2 to 15 kg was seen in 12 patients (39%), and mucositis occurred in 20 patients (65%). Twenty-three patients (74%) interrupted treatment before reaching the planned number of courses, nine patients owing to progression of cancer and 14 owing to toxicity. Dose reduction was required in 18 (61%) of the patients. Only two patients were able to receive the planned eight courses without dose reduction.

CONCLUSION: Docetaxel is highly active in metastatic breast cancer, even as a third-line treatment, and can be considered as an efficient standard option in second-line treatment. The standard recommended dose level of 100 mg/m² is not feasible in heavily pretreated patients; therefore, for such patients, an initial dose level not exceeding 75 mg/m² is recommended.

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