ABSTRACT
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is not amenable to current targeted therapies and carries a poor prognosis; however, a specific systemic regimen cannot yet be recommended. The optimal duration of oxaliplatin (OXA) and S-1 combinatorial chemotherapy in patients with advanced breast cancer is not currently known and is likely to be patient-specific based on efficacy and toxicity. In the present study, 52 patients with advanced TNBC received OXA and S-1 chemotherapy. The efficacy and toxicity were observed. The results showed that the median number of regimens was 4 (range 2-6). The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in all patients. The complete response, partial response, overall response and disease control rates were 3.8, 30.8, 34.6 and 69.2%, respectively. Four patients were lost to follow-up, and the median follow-up time was 13.7 months. The median progression-free survival time was 6.7 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.5-9.0] and the median overall survival (OS) time was 13.3 months (95% CI, 9.1-17.5). From the subgroup analysis, it was found that the median OS time of patients with stage IV disease and ≥2 metastases was significantly shorter than that of patients with stage IIIC disease and only 1 metastasis [11.3 vs. 22.7 months, P=0.010 (stage IV vs. stage IIC); 11.3 vs. 15.7 months, P=0.048 (≥2 vs. 1 metastasis)]. The main grade 3/4 toxic effects were neutropenia (11.5%), nausea (7.7%) and nerve toxicity (3.8%). The other toxic effects were mainly of grades 1-2 and included diarrhea, liver dysfunction, stomatitis, anemia and hand-foot syndrome. In conclusion, OXA combined with S-1 is an effective and tolerable regimen for the treatment of patients with advanced TNBC.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe treatment effects and safety of fluvoxamine combined with oxycodone prolonged-release tablets in treating patients with moderate to severe cancer pain. METHODS: Patients confirmed pathologically with cancer and complicated with moderate to severe pain, were divided into control and experimental groups. Oxycodone prolonged-release tablets, with or without fluvoxamine, were administrated to all study patients until pain relief. Degree of pain relief, dose of oxycodone prolonged-release tablets, side effects and quality of life were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS: In total, 120 patients were recruited. No statistically significant difference was detected regarding age, gender, types of cancer, KPS between two groups of patients (P> 0.05). Baseline pain score of patients with moderate pain in treatment and control group was 4.9±0.8 and 5.1±0.8, respectively; and decreased to 1.8±1.1 and 1.2±1.1 after treatment, respectively. Pain intensity was significantly reduced in the treatment group (P =0.028). Average daily consumption of oxycodone prolonged- release tablets was (54.0±19.6) mg and (44.7± 18.7) mg respectively, which is lower in treatment grpup than in control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.065). Baseline pain score of patients with severe pain in treatment and control groups were 8.3±1.1 and 8.3±1.1, respectively; and pain intensity after treatment decreased to 2.9±1.0 and 2.3±1.0. Pain intensity was significantly reduced in the treatment group, with statistical significance (P =0.026). Average daily consumption of oxycodone prolonged-release tablets was (132.0±42.2) mg and (110.7±33.9) mg, respectively, which is lower in treatment group than in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.035). In terms of quality of life, patients in treatment group had better performance status, daily activity, mood, and sleep than that in control group (P < 0.05). Patients in two groups had similar side effects, eg., constipation, nausea/vomiting, lethargy, dizziness, itchy skin, dysuria, and ataxia. Lower incidence of nausea/vomiting, lethargy, was obtained from patients in treatment than in control group, while significant low constipation was observed in treatment than in control group (35.0% vs 49.2%, P=0.026). CONCLUSION: Fluvoxamine combined with oxycodone prolonged-release tablets could be more effective in treating patients with cancer pain, and could reduce the dosage of oxycodone prolonged-release tablets and thus be associated with lower side effects, and improved quality of life.
