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Docetaxel, gemcitabine and bevacizumab as salvage chemotherapy for HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the activity and safety of the docetaxel, gemcitabine and bevacizumab combination, administered biweekly, in pretreated patients with HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Patients and methods

Women with HER-2-negative MBC, and disease progression after at least one prior line of chemotherapy, were treated with docetaxel 50 mg/m2, gemcitabine 1,500 mg/m2 and bevacizumab 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks. Bevacizumab was continued until disease progression.

Results

Forty-eight patients have been enrolled. Their median age was 61 years, 95.8 % had a performance status 0–1, 83.3 % had hormone receptor-positive disease, and 47.9 % had received one prior line of chemotherapy. All patients were evaluable for toxicity and 45 for response. Partial response was achieved in 20 patients [PR = 44.4 %, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 29.9–59 %] and disease stabilization in 15 (33.3 %). The median progression-free survival was 7.1 months (95 % CI 4.7–9.5 months) and the median overall survival 21.1 months (95 % CI 10.3–31.9 months). Grade 3–4 neutropenia occurred in 19 patients (39.6 %) and febrile neutropenia in 2 (4.2 %). Most common grade 2–3 non-hematologic adverse events included nausea (10.4 %), diarrhea (10.5 %), neurotoxicity (12.5 %) and fatigue (31.3 %), whereas grade 2 hemorrhage and hypertension occurred in 6.3 and 10.4 %, respectively. There were no grade 4 non-hematologic toxicities or toxic deaths.

Conclusion

The combination of docetaxel, gemcitabine and bevacizumab has promising activity and manageable toxicity as salvage chemotherapy for HER-2-negative MBC patients.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by a research Grant from the Cretan Association for Biomedical Research (CABR). Dr E. K. was a recipient of a CABR clinical fellowship.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hellenic Oncology Research Group (HORG), 55 Lomvardou Str, 11474, Athens, Greece

    E. Kontopodis, N. Kentepozidis, Ch. Christophyllakis, I. Boukovinas, A. Kalykaki, K. Kalbakis, L. Vamvakas, S. Agelaki, A. Kotsakis, N. Vardakis, V. Georgoulias & D. Mavroudis

  2. Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, Voutes, 71110, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    D. Mavroudis

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  1. E. Kontopodis
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Correspondence to D. Mavroudis.

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Kontopodis, E., Kentepozidis, N., Christophyllakis, C. et al. Docetaxel, gemcitabine and bevacizumab as salvage chemotherapy for HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 75, 153–160 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00280-014-2628-0

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