Liposomal doxorubicin and weekly paclitaxel in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Abstract

The combination of paclitaxel and doxorubicin or epirubicin is highly active against metastatic breast cancer, yet may produce congestive heart failure. Liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin is a new formulation of doxorubicin with no dose-limiting cardiac toxicity. Twenty-one patients with metastatic breast cancer were treated with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (20 mg/m2, day 1) and paclitaxel (100 mg/m2, days 1 and 8) for six cycles every 2 weeks. All patients had had relapse or progression on one to five previous chemotherapies. We observed two patients with complete and eight patients with partial remissions (48% response rate). Eight of the 10 responders had had previous therapy with epirubicin, doxorubicin or mitoxantrone. The mean remission duration was 5 months. Disease progression due to brain metastasis occurred in five cases. Severe side effects (grade 3 WHO) were alopecia (100%), skin toxicity in 29%, neuropathy in 24% and mucositis in 13%. Leukopenia (grade 4 WHO) was observed in 48%, but there was no cardiac toxicity, no death and no hospitalization. The combination of weekly paclitaxel and liposomal doxorubicin every 2 weeks is highly effective in previously treated patients. Based on the doses we administered, we recommend 15 mg/m2 liposomal doxorubicin every 2 weeks and 80 mg/m2 paclitaxel weekly.