Primary chemotherapy with docetaxel for the management of breast cancer

Several clinical trials have explored the efficacy of docetaxel (Taxotere) as primary chemotherapy for breast cancer. Docetaxel has been evaluated as single-agent therapy, sequentially as a single agent following anthracycline-containing regimens, and in combination with anthracyclines, cisplatin, and trastuzumab (Herceptin) in patients with high-risk early breast cancer. Two large, randomized phase III trials have demonstrated significant improvements in clinical and pathologic response rates with the sequential addition of docetaxel to an anthracycline-containing preoperative regimen. A trial conducted in the United Kingdom demonstrated that docetaxel sequential to CVAP (cyclophosphamide [Cytoxan, Neosar], vincristine, doxorubicin [Adriamycin], prednisolone) produced a higher overall clinical response rate (94% vs 66%, P = .001) and pathologic complete response rate (34% vs 18%) compared to additional cycles of CVAP as primary chemotherapy. This translated into a survival advantage for docetaxel-treated patients, whose 3-year disease-free and overall survival were significantly improved (97% vs 84%; 90% vs 77%, P = .03). The results of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) protocol B-27 demonstrated that primary doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel significantly increased the clinical complete response (65% vs 40%, P < .001) and pathologic complete response rates (25.6% vs 13.7%, P < .001) and decreased the rate of positive axillary nodes (40.5% vs 48.5%, P = .01). Final analysis of NSABP B-27 may also potentially demonstrate improved disease-free and overall survivals. Additional phase II and phase III randomized trials have compared docetaxel/anthracycline combinations with standard anthracycline-based regimens. Preliminary results have shown that incorporation of docetaxel can improve the rate of breast preservation surgery and the overall clinical and pathologic complete response rates.