Nab-paclitaxel-based regimens with docetaxel-based regimens as neoadjuvant treatment for early breast cancer

Background Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-PTX) and docetaxel (DOC) both demonstrated favorable efficacy as neoadjuvant therapy in breast cancer. We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of nab-PTX-based chemotherapy (nPBC) and DOC-based chemotherapy (DBC) as neoadjuvant therapy in patients with breast cancer. Methods Breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant nPBC or DBC and underwent surgery from January 2018 to June 2020 were consecutively analyzed. Pathologic complete response (pCR) was defined as no residual invasive cells in the breast and axillary nodes (ypT0/is ypN0) after surgery. The pCR, clinical complete response (cCR), and safety profiles were assessed in the two groups. Results A total of 104 breast cancer patients were included in this study. Fourty one patients received nPBC, and 63 patients received DBC The pCR was 34.1% in the nPBC group and 12.7% in the DBC group. Additionally, the cCR was 36.6% in the nPBC group and 15.9% in the DBC group. Peripheral sensory neuropathy was more common in the nPBC group, while hematologic toxicity was observed more frequently in the DBC group. Conclusions This study presented antitumor activity of nPBC and DBC in patients with early breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant treatment in a real-world setting. Further prospective research is warranted to confirm the results and to develop biomarkers for better patient selection.