[Use of Taxotere in neoadjuvant therapy of breast cancer]

Wide-range research in the efficacy of neoadjuvant therapy of breast cancer has been conducted worldwide for over two decades. Promising end results have been reported on completion of clinical and pathomorpologic response. It has become a standard practice in managing relatively operable and inoperable breast cancer. However, preoperative chemotherapy in operable disease is still a subject of discussion. For many years anthracycline-based treatment has remained a therapy of choice in the neoadjuvant setting. Higher efficacy of its combined use with taxotere and anthracycline was demonstrated. It was followed by higher rates of complete pathomorphologic response and survival. Besides, regimens using taxotere and target therapies are being investigated. Tentative results suggest that better survival may be achieved due to decreased toxicity profiles.