ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Weekly paclitaxel has been shown more effective and less toxic than the conventional three-weekly administration. The GEICAM 9906 demonstrated effectiveness and safety of a dose-dense schedule of 100 mg/m(2) of paclitaxel given over 8 weeks (w). This schedule has been adopted at our institution in 2009 for HER2-negative disease, and herein, we present the first off-trial experience and compare its safety profile with that of a historical cohort of patients treated with the conventional 80 mg/m(2) over 12 w schedule. METHODS: Retrospective single-center chart review of patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with (neo)adjuvant paclitaxel-based therapy from 2008 to 2012 with (1) 80 mg/m(2) for 12 w or (2) 100 mg/m(2) for 8 w. Adverse events were graded according to common terminology criteria for adverse events (CTCAE) 4.0. RESULTS: A total of 326 patients were analyzed. Median age was 52 (±10.9). Seventy and 256 patients received schedule (1) and (2), respectively. No significant difference was observed in the incidence of grade (G) 3/4 toxicity: pneumonitis (2.8 vs 0.3 % p = 0.097); neuropathy (2.8 vs 0.7 % p = 0.303); hand-foot syndrome (1.4 vs 0.3 % p = 0.538); anemia (0 vs 0.6 % p = 0.624); and neutropenia (5.7 vs 6.2 % p = 0.408). Also, no significant difference was seen when comparing all grades toxicity. Schedule (2) had higher dose intensity: 97.72 vs 77.07 mg/m(2) per week (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Weekly paclitaxel given according to GEICAM 9906 is pragmatic and well tolerated, with safety profile consistent with the conventional schedule. In addition to being convenient to patients, it may also be cost-effective because of a lower number of clinic visits and infusions.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/therapeutic use , Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Paclitaxel/therapeutic use , Receptor, ErbB-2/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Brazil , Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Drug Administration Schedule , Feasibility Studies , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Prognosis , Receptors, Estrogen/metabolism , Receptors, Progesterone/metabolism , Retrospective Studies , Survival RateABSTRACT
Purpose. To assess feasibility, efficacy, toxicity, and cosmetic results of intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) with electrons delivered by standard linear accelerators (Linacs) during breast conserving surgeries for early infiltrating breast cancer (BC) treatment. Materials and Methods. A total of 152 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma (T ≤ 3.0 cm) at low risk for local relapses were treated. All had unicentric lesions by imaging methods and negative sentinel node. After a wide local excision, 21 Gy were delivered on the parenchyma target volume with electron beams. Local recurrences (LR), survival, toxicity, and cosmetic outcomes were analyzed. Results. The median age was 58.3 years (range 40-85); median follow-up was 50.7 months (range 12-101.5). There were 5 cases with LR, 2 cases with distant metastases, and 2 cases with deaths related to BC. The cumulative incidence rates of LR, distant metastases, and BC death were 3.2%, 1.5%, and 1.5%, respectively. Complications were rare, and the cosmetic results were excellent or good in most of the patients. Conclusions. IORT with electrons delivered by standard Linacs is feasible, efficient, and well tolerated and seems to be beneficial for selected patients with early infiltrating BC.
ABSTRACT
AIMS: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLN) seems to represent a reliable method for early breast cancer staging, offering an alternative to complete axillary dissection. METHODS: The identification of sentinel node(s), their localization and the predictive capacity of SLN were analysed in 42 patients who had neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Dextran labelled with (99m)Tc was injected close to the tumor. The radioactive uptake in the axilla was detected by scintigraphic images and by a hand-held probe guided the SLN. RESULTS: One or more sentinel nodes were identified in 41 patients (97.6%). We could accurately predict axillary lymph nodes status in 93% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: SLN can predict the status of the axilla in patients who have received primary chemotherapy.
