Weekly epirubicin and paclitaxel with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor support in previously untreated metastatic breast cancer patients: a phase II study

Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel/liposomal-encapsulated doxorubicin in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients

Aim: To investigate the toxicity of nab-paclitaxel (wNP)/nonpegylated liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin (wNPLD) combination in HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients as first-line treatment. Materials & methods: Phase I, single-arm study in metastatic breast cancer patients naive to previous chemotherapy for advanced disease. A 3 + 3 dose-escalation design was used to determine the safety. Primary endpoints were the identification of dose-limiting toxicity and maximum tolerated dose. Results: In total, 12 patients (mean age: 52 years; median metastatic sites: 2) were enrolled and 97 cycles were completed. Maximum tolerated dose was wNP + wNPLD 25 mg/m². The most common adverse events were neutropenia, nausea, diarrhea and mucositis. The objective response rate was 68% (response mean duration: 12.6 months). Conclusion: wNP/wNPLD combination constitutes an active regimen with mild toxicity.

Early detection and prediction of cardiotoxicity in chemotherapy-treated patients

As breast cancer survival increases, cardiotoxicity associated with chemotherapeutic regimens such as anthracyclines and trastuzumab becomes a more significant issue. Assessment of the left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction fails to detect subtle alterations in LV function. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether more sensitive echocardiographic measurements and biomarkers could predict future cardiac dysfunction in chemotherapy-treated patients. Forty-three patients diagnosed with breast cancer who received anthracyclines and trastuzumab therapy underwent echocardiography and blood sampling at 3 time points (baseline and 3 and 6 months during the course of chemotherapy). The LV ejection fraction; peak systolic myocardial longitudinal, radial, and circumferential strain; echocardiographic markers of diastolic function; N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide; and high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I were measured. Nine patients (21%) developed cardiotoxicity (1 at 3 months and 8 at 6 months) as defined by the Cardiac Review and Evaluation Committee reviewing trastuzumab. A decrease in longitudinal strain from baseline to 3 months and detectable high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I at 3 months were independent predictors of the development of cardiotoxicity at 6 months. The LV ejection fraction, parameters of diastolic function, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide did not predict cardiotoxicity. In conclusion, cardiac troponin plasma concentrations and longitudinal strain predict the development of cardiotoxicity in patients treated with anthracyclines and trastuzumab. The 2 parameters may be useful to detect chemotherapy-treated patients who may benefit from alternative therapies, potentially decreasing the incidence of cardiotoxicity and its associated morbidity and mortality.

Trastuzumab plus weekly epirubicin and paclitaxel for locally advanced and metastatic breast cancer: preliminary results of a feasibility-phase II study aimed at cardiotoxicity

A feasibility-phase II study was conducted to assess the cardiotoxicity of weekly trastuzumab, epirubicin, and paclitaxel in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Untreated patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive advanced breast cancer received trastuzumab (day 1), and epirubicin (25 mg/m2) and paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) (day 2) on a weekly basis. The rate of patients with left-ventricular ejection fraction (L-VEF) reduction greater than 10% after 12 weeks was the primary end point. According to a two-stage model, an initial step with 15 patients was required; after 11 patients without toxicity, a second step with 21 patients was planned. After 255 courses in 15 patients (median treatment weeks: 18), the relative dose intensity was 94.7%. At 12 weeks, three patients (20%) displayed a L-VEF reduction greater than 10%, six and six (40%) patients showed a L-VEF reduction < or =10% or no change, respectively. Baseline, -12 weeks, and -24 weeks median L-VEF was 69% (range 61-77), 65% (range 60-76), and 65% (range 55-73), respectively. No EKG/cardiac signs were present. Thirteen patients had grade 3 alopecia and two patients had grade 3 asthenia, in the absence of severe hematological toxicity. Objective responses were observed in 11 patients (73.3%, 95% confidence interval 51.0-95.7), with 10 partial. The weekly administration of trastuzumab-epirubicin-paclitaxel is extremely tolerable, also with regard to L-VEF reduction. These results allowed entrance to the second step of the study.