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Published on: October 27, 2014
[Weekly paclitaxel administration in the adjuvant therapy of primary breast cancer]
Hiromasa Takahashi1, Masato Takahashi, Kazunori Taguchi
1Dept. of Pediatric Surgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine.
Purpose:
To investigate feasibility and toxicity of weekly paclitaxel administration in the adjuvant therapy of primary breast cancer.
Patients And Methods:
Thirty-one patients with primary breast cancer received sustained weekly infusion of paclitaxel at a dose of 90 mg/body for 6 weeks followed by a 2-week interval. This weekly schedule was repeated twice. Leukocytes were checked immediately before every infusion and the dose was reduced to 80 mg/body when grade 1 neutropenia occurred. All patients were assessable for feasibility and toxicity.
Results:
A total 349 weekly paclitaxel infusions were administrated to 31 patients (median, 12 infusions/patient). The median delivered dose-intensity was 88.0 mg/body/week (range 80 to 90). Therapy was well tolerated and completed in 27 patients. Four patients refused to continue the therapy because of nausea, fatigue, dizziness and weight gain. Grade 2 neutropenia occurred in 10 patients (32.3%), but grade 3 neutropenia did not occur. Grade 1 peripheral neuropathy occurred in 3 patients (9.7%). Grade 1 nausea occurred in 3 patients (9.7%).
Conclusion:
Weekly paclitaxel administration is well tolerated with a favorable toxicity profile in patients with primary breast cancer in the adjuvant setting. Weekly paclitaxel therapy can be performed safely in the outpatient setting.
