446 Quality of life (QoL) in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treated with capecitabine (Xeloda)

Capecitabine monotherapy: safe and effective treatment for metastatic breast cancer

Optimal management for metastatic breast cancer frequently involves cytotoxic chemotherapy. Over the years, several complex multidrug regimens have been developed that were based upon a rationale of synergistic antitumor activity and nonoverlapping toxicities. However, recently the clinical value of these complex regimens has been called into question as several drugs used alone (monotherapy) or in sequence (serial single agent) have been shown to be both efficacious and better tolerated. Capecitabine (an orally administered fluoropyrimidine carbamate) is one such agent that has been proven to be effective when used alone for metastatic breast cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer, and adjuvant colon cancer. In this review, published (or reported in abstract form) data examining various aspects of clinical response and tolerability with single-agent capecitabine for (primarily) first- and second-line metastatic breast cancer are examined. For the most part, response rates are comparable with those of the more complex regimens. Dose reductions from the labeled dose of 1,250 mg/m(2) twice daily are relatively common. Toxicities (following dose reductions if needed) are generally manageable, even by more frail patients. Elderly patients are more likely to have impaired renal function or be receiving warfarin treatment, and special attention to these factors is warranted. Nonetheless, the drug administered alone is a reasonable choice when single-agent chemotherapy is entertained as a treatment option for metastatic breast cancer, including in the first-line setting.

Optimizing the management of HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer with capecitabine (Xeloda)

Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) require chemotherapy that improves outcomes without compromising quality of life. To achieve optimal outcomes with chemotherapy, treatment choices should be influenced by patient and disease characteristics, as well as patient preferences. Capecitabine (Xeloda; F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, Switzerland) combined with docetaxel achieves significantly superior response rates, time to progression, and overall survival compared with single-agent docetaxel. With a manageable safety profile, capecitabine/docetaxel is a particularly appropriate option for younger, fitter patients with rapidly progressing disease and/or visceral metastases. In addition, studies show that dosing flexibility with capecitabine/docetaxel allows management of side effects without compromising efficacy. However, for older patients and those with comorbidities or more indolent disease, single-agent capecitabine may be more appropriate. Studies show that front-line capecitabine is a highly effective and well-tolerated alternative to standard intravenous treatments. The activity of capecitabine in the first-line treatment of MBC is underpinned by its consistently high activity in MBC. As an oral agent that causes minimal alopecia and myelosuppression, capecitabine has the potential to significantly improve patient quality of life and convenience. In summary, the treatment of MBC will always need to be individualized, but a large body of evidence indicates that capecitabine, whether alone or in combination, can be offered to women early in the disease course.