Weekly paclitaxel plus carboplatin is an effective nonanthracycline-containing regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy...

To evaluate the activity and safety of nonanthracycline-containing weekly PCb [paclitaxel (Taxol) plus carboplatin] regimen in neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer.

Eligible patients were assigned to receive four cycles of PCb with dose of paclitaxel 80 mg/m(2) and carboplatin at an area under the curve of 2 mg x min/ml, given day 1, day 8 and day 15 of every 4 weeks. Pathological complete remission (pCR) was defined as no invasive cancer in breast and axillary samples.

Overall, 107 consecutive patients received weekly PCb treatment from December 2007 to December 2008, and one was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. A total of 85.2% of patients were initially diagnosed with stage III diseases. Clinical response rate was 86.1% with complete remission rate 32.4%. Twenty-one patients achieved pCR after neoadjuvant treatment, with pCR rate 19.4%. The incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia was 40.2% and only one patient was reported with febrile neutropenia. Severe anemia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 4.7% and 0.9%, respectively, of patients. Peripheral neuropathy was frequent but never severe. Patients with estrogen receptor-negative, progesterone receptor-negative, triple-negative or human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2)-positive subtype disease had higher pCR.

Weekly PCb regimen was very active and tolerable as neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer. This weekly PCb regimen should consider as a reasonable nonanthracycline-containing option in the neoadjuvant treatment of breast cancer.