RESUMO
Owing to the increased number of patients treated with anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy, there is a need for new effective and tolerable nonanthracycline regimens in metastatic breast cancer. Patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines in (neo)adjuvant setting were randomized to fully oral 3 weekly cycles of the combination of oral vinorelbine with capecitabine (V + C), to the same drugs alternating every three cycles (VâC), or to the combination of docetaxel and capecitabine (D + C). V was given at 80 mg/m(2) (after the first cycle at 60 mg/m(2)) on days 1 and 8 in the V + C arm and weekly in the VâC arm, C at 1,000 mg/m(2) bid from days 1 to 14, and D on day 1 at 75 mg/m(2). The primary end point was disease control rate (CR + PR + NC ≥ 3 months). A total of 139 patients were randomly assigned to V + C (44 patients), VâC (47 patients), and D + C (48 patients). After an independent review, the disease control rate in the intent-to-treat population in the V + C, VâC, and D + C arms [95% CI] was 70.5% [54.8-83.2], 37.0% [23.2-52.5], and 70.8% [55.9-83.1], and the median overall survival 22.2, 19.4, and 24.2 months, respectively. When taken into account the disease control rate, the alternating VâC regimen seems to be less effective compared with V + C or D + C combinations. Combinations of V + C or D + C showed similar efficacy and a different toxicity profile; V + C induced less neutropenia, infection, hand-foot syndrome, fatigue/asthenia, and alopecia, whereas D + C - less gastrointestinal toxicity. V + C combination constitutes a valuable fully oral alternative option to D + C in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines in (neo)adjuvant setting, while offering the advantages of an all-oral treatment.
Assuntos
Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias da Mama/tratamento farmacológico , Administração Oral , Adulto , Idoso , Antraciclinas/uso terapêutico , Neoplasias da Mama/patologia , Capecitabina , Desoxicitidina/administração & dosagem , Desoxicitidina/efeitos adversos , Desoxicitidina/análogos & derivados , Docetaxel , Feminino , Fluoruracila/administração & dosagem , Fluoruracila/efeitos adversos , Fluoruracila/análogos & derivados , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Metástase Neoplásica , Taxoides/administração & dosagem , Taxoides/efeitos adversos , Vimblastina/administração & dosagem , Vimblastina/efeitos adversos , Vimblastina/análogos & derivados , VinorelbinaRESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Lapatinib, an orally active tyrosine kinase inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor ErbB1 (EGFR) and ErbB2 (HER2), has activity as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy in HER2-overexpressing metastatic breast cancer (MBC). METHODS: This phase II single-arm trial assessed the safety and efficacy of first-line lapatinib in combination with paclitaxel in previously untreated patients with HER2-overexpressing MBC. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints were the duration of response (DoR), time to response, time to progression, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, and the incidence and severity of adverse events. All endpoints were investigator- and independent review committee (IRC)-assessed. RESULTS: The IRC-assessed ORR was 51% (29/57 patients with complete or partial response) while the investigator-assessed ORR was 77% (44/57). As per the IRC, the median DoR was 39.7 weeks, and the median PFS was 47.9 weeks. The most common toxicities were diarrhea (56%), neutropenia (44%), rash (40%), fatigue (25%), and peripheral sensory neuropathy (25%). CONCLUSIONS: First-line lapatinib plus paclitaxel for HER2-overexpressing MBC produced an encouraging ORR with manageable toxicities. This combination may be useful in first-line treatment for patients with HER2-overexpressing MBC and supports the ongoing evaluation of this combination as first-line therapy in HER2-overexpressing MBC.