Paclitaxel-epirubicin in advanced breast cancer

Breast cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and early death in women worldwide. Despite the responsiveness of advanced breast cancer to a number of chemotherapeutic and hormonal agents, long term outcome remains poor. The introduction of paclitaxel with a novel mechanism of action has kindled a ray of hope. Combination of paclitaxel with anthracyclines are being tried, with varying degree of success. Twenty patients with metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer were treated with Paclitaxel (175 mg/m2) and Epirubicin (80 mg/m2) administered sequentially. Each patient received 3 to 6 such cycles at 3 weekly intervals. A response rate of 85% (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 69%-100%) was observed in these patients with 25% (95% CI 6%-44%) achieving complete response. A response rate of 100% was observed in the six patients with locally advanced disease who had not received any chemotherapy earlier. Grade III neutropenia occurred in 5 patients and was reversible in all the cases. This combination is well tolerated. Its efficacy is being compared in a randomised trial with CAF regime in advanced breast cancer in our center.