Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Docetaxel rechallenge after a first response in non-resistant metastatic breast cancer: significant activity with manageable toxicity

  • Clinical Trial
  • Published:
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Docetaxel is a major drug in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treatment. At progression, rechallenge with docetaxel can be discussed, according to previous efficacy and tolerance, as long as it was stopped for reasons other than progression. Currently, no data are available outlining outcomes after this pragmatic approach in MBC. We retrospectively identified 72 patients with the following criteria: (i) objective response or stable disease with a previous line of treatment with docetaxel in the metastatic setting, (ii) discontinuation for a reason other than progression, (iii) rechallenge with docetaxel after a minimal docetaxel-free interval of 3 months. The main objectives were to evaluate overall response (ORR), time to progression (TTP), overall survival (OS) and toxicity at reintroduction of docetaxel. Median patient age was 57 years (range: 34–84). Docetaxel was reintroduced as a 2nd, 3rd, or ≥4th line of chemotherapy in the metastatic setting in 21, 46 and 33 % of cases, respectively. Previous agents used included capecitabine, anthracycline, and vinorelbine in 54, 40 and 21 % of cases, respectively. The median number of docetaxel cycles was 6 (range: 1–18). Among the 33 patients with disease assessed according to RECIST criteria, 14 (42.5 %) had a partial response and 11 (33.5 %) a stable disease >6 weeks. Among the 46 patients with an initial CA 15-3 increase, 34 (74 %) had a ≥50 % decrease of the value. Globally, 55 patients (76 %) obtained a benefit from the treatment. The median TTP and OS were 5.7 months (95 % CI: 5.0–6.3) and 10.2 months (95 % CI: 8.6–11.8), respectively. Forty-six patients (64 %) reported grade 1/2 toxicity, 23 patients (32 %) experienced grade 3/4 toxicity, mostly neutropenia (17 %) and fluid retention (10 %). There was no difference in median TTP after subsequent docetaxel in subgroup analyses. This retrospective analysis supports the pragmatic strategy to retreat patients with MBC with docetaxel when this drug has shown previous activity and was stopped for other causes than progression.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ghersi D, Wilcken N, Simes RJ (2005) A systematic review of taxane-containing regimens for metastatic breast cancer. Br J Cancer 93:293–301

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Fumoleau P, Chevallier B, Kerbrat P, Krakowski Y, Misset JL, Maugard-Louboutin C, Dieras V, Azli N, Bougon N, Riva A, Roche H (1996) A multicentre phase II study of the efficacy and safety of docetaxel as first-line treatment of advanced breast cancer: report of the Clinical Screening Group of the EORTC. Ann Oncol 7:165–171

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hudis CA, Seidman AD, Crown JP, Balmaceda C, Freilich R, Gilewski TA, Hakes TB, Currie V, Lebwohl DE, Baselga J, Raptis G, Gollub M, Robles M, Bruno R, Norton L (1996) Phase II and pharmacologic study of docetaxel as initial chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 14:58–65

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Trudeau ME, Eisenhauer EA, Higgins BP, Letendre F, Lofters WS, Norris BD, Vandenberg TA, Delorme F, Muldal AM (1996) Docetaxel in patients with metastatic breast cancer: a phase II study of the National Cancer Institute of Canada-Clinical Trials Group. J Clin Oncol 14:422–428

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Bonneterre J, Roche H, Monnier A, Guastalla JP, Namer M, Fargeot P, Assadourian S (2002) Docetaxel vs. 5-fluorouracil plus vinorelbine in metastatic breast cancer after anthracycline therapy failure. Br J Cancer 87:1210–1215

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Chan S, Friedrichs K, Noel D, Pinter T, Van Belle S, Vorobiof D, Duarte R, Gil Gil M, Bodrogi I, Murray E, Yelle L, von Minckwitz G, Korec S, Simmonds P, Buzzi F, Gonzalez Mancha R, Richardson G, Walpole E, Ronzoni M, Murawsky M, Alakl M, Riva A, Crown J (1999) Prospective randomized trial of docetaxel versus doxorubicin in patients with metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 17:2341–2354

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Nabholtz JM, Senn HJ, Bezwoda WR, Melnychuk D, Deschenes L, Douma J, Vandenberg TA, Rapoport B, Rosso R, Trillet-Lenoir V, Drbal J, Molino A, Nortier JW, Richel DJ, Nagykalnai T, Siedlecki P, Wilking N, Genot JY, Hupperets PS, Pannuti F, Skarlos D, Tomiak EM, Murawsky M, Alakl M, Aapro M et al (1999) Prospective randomized trial of docetaxel versus mitomycin plus vinblastine in patients with metastatic breast cancer progressing despite previous anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. 304 Study Group. J Clin Oncol 17:1413–1424

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sjostrom J, Blomqvist C, Mouridsen H, Pluzanska A, Ottosson-Lonn S, Bengtsson NO, Ostenstad B, Mjaaland I, Palm-Sjovall M, Wist E, Valvere V, Anderson H, Bergh J (1999) Docetaxel compared with sequential methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil in patients with advanced breast cancer after anthracycline failure: a randomised phase III study with crossover on progression by the Scandinavian Breast Group. Eur J Cancer 35:1194–1201

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Miles DW, Chan A, Dirix LY, Cortes J, Pivot X, Tomczak P, Delozier T, Sohn JH, Provencher L, Puglisi F, Harbeck N, Steger GG, Schneeweiss A, Wardley AM, Chlistalla A, Romieu G (2010) Phase III study of bevacizumab plus docetaxel compared with placebo plus docetaxel for the first-line treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 28:3239–3247

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Robert NJ, Dieras V, Glaspy J, Brufsky AM, Bondarenko I, Lipatov ON, Perez EA, Yardley DA, Chan SY, Zhou X, Phan SC, O’Shaughnessy J (2011) RIBBON-1: randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III trial of chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab for first-line treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 29:1252–1260

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Cortes JE, Pazdur R (1995) Docetaxel. J Clin Oncol 13:2643–2655

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Donato BM, Burns L, Willey V, Cohenuram M, Oliveria S, Yood MU (2010) Treatment patterns in patients with advanced breast cancer who were exposed to an anthracycline, a taxane, and capecitabine: a descriptive report. Clin Ther 32:546–554

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Jassem J, Carroll C, Ward SE, Simpson E, Hind D (2009) The clinical efficacy of cytotoxic agents in locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer patients pretreated with an anthracycline and a taxane: a systematic review. Eur J Cancer 45:2749–2758

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Dufresne A, Pivot X, Tournigand C, Facchini T, Altweegg T, Chaigneau L, De Gramont A (2008) Impact of chemotherapy beyond the first line in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 107:275–279

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Banerji U, Kuciejewska A, Ashley S, Walsh G, O’Brien M, Johnston S, Smith I (2007) Factors determining outcome after third line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Breast 16:359–366

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. de Gramont A, Buyse M, Abrahantes JC, Burzykowski T, Quinaux E, Cervantes A, Figer A, Lledo G, Flesch M, Mineur L, Carola E, Etienne PL, Rivera F, Chirivella I, Perez-Staub N, Louvet C, Andre T, Tabah-Fisch I, Tournigand C (2007) Reintroduction of oxaliplatin is associated with improved survival in advanced colorectal cancer. J Clin Oncol 25:3224–3229

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Fung-Kee-Fung M, Oliver T, Elit L, Oza A, Hirte HW, Bryson P (2007) Optimal chemotherapy treatment for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. Curr Oncol 14:195–208

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Buonerba C, Palmieri G, Di Lorenzo G (2010) Docetaxel rechallenge in castration-resistant prostate cancer: scientific legitimacy of common clinical practice. Eur Urol 58:636–637

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Eymard JC, Oudard S, Gravis G, Ferrero JM, Theodore C, Joly F, Priou F, Krakowski I, Zannetti A, Thill L, Beuzeboc P (2010) Docetaxel reintroduction in patients with metastatic castration-resistant docetaxel-sensitive prostate cancer: a retrospective multicentre study. BJU Int 106:974–978

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Loriot Y, Massard C, Gross-Goupil M, Di Palma M, Escudier B, Bossi A, Chauchereau A, Fizazi K (2010) The interval from the last cycle of docetaxel-based chemotherapy to progression is associated with the efficacy of subsequent docetaxel in patients with prostate cancer. Eur J Cancer 46:1770–1772

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Therasse P, Arbuck SG, Eisenhauer EA, Wanders J, Kaplan RS, Rubinstein L, Verweij J, Van Glabbeke M, van Oosterom AT, Christian MC, Gwyther SG (2000) New guidelines to evaluate the response to treatment in solid tumors. European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, National Cancer Institute of the United States, National Cancer Institute of Canada. J Natl Cancer Inst 92:205–216

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Cheung KL, Evans AJ, Robertson JF (2001) The use of blood tumour markers in the monitoring of metastatic breast cancer unassessable for response to systemic therapy. Breast Cancer Res Treat 67:273–278

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Cheung KL, Graves CR, Robertson JF (2000) Tumour marker measurements in the diagnosis and monitoring of breast cancer. Cancer Treat Rev 26:91–102

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Hennessy BT, Gauthier AM, Michaud LB, Hortobagyi G, Valero V (2005) Lower dose capecitabine has a more favorable therapeutic index in metastatic breast cancer: retrospective analysis of patients treated at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and a review of capecitabine toxicity in the literature. Ann Oncol 16:1289–1296

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Moreno-Aspitia A, Perez EA (2009) Anthracycline- and/or taxane-resistant breast cancer: results of a literature review to determine the clinical challenges and current treatment trends. Clin Ther 31:1619–1640

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Cortes J, O’Shaughnessy J, Loesch D, Blum JL, Vahdat LT, Petrakova K, Chollet P, Manikas A, Dieras V, Delozier T, Vladimirov V, Cardoso F, Koh H, Bougnoux P, Dutcus CE, Seegobin S, Mir D, Meneses N, Wanders J, Twelves C (2011) Eribulin monotherapy versus treatment of physician’s choice in patients with metastatic breast cancer (EMBRACE): a phase 3 open-label randomised study. Lancet 377:914–923

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Palmieri C, Krell J, James CR, Harper-Wynne C, Misra V, Cleator S, Miles D (2010) Rechallenging with anthracyclines and taxanes in metastatic breast cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 7:561–574

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Lin YC, Chang HK, Wang CH, Chen JS, Liaw CC (2000) Single-agent docetaxel in metastatic breast cancer patients pre-treated with anthracyclines and paclitaxel: partial cross-resistance between paclitaxel and docetaxel. Anticancer Drugs 11:617–621

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Perez EA, Vogel CL, Irwin DH, Kirshner JJ, Patel R (2001) Multicenter phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel in women with metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 19:4216–4223

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Seidman AD, Hochhauser D, Gollub M, Edelman B, Yao TJ, Hudis CA, Francis P, Fennelly D, Gilewski TA, Moynahan ME, Currie V, Baselga J, Tong W, O’Donaghue M, Salvaggio R, Auguste L, Spriggs D, Norton L (1996) Ninety-six-hour paclitaxel infusion after progression during short taxane exposure: a phase II pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic study in metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 14:1877–1884

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Taguchi T, Aihara T, Takatsuka Y, Shin E, Motomura K, Inaji H, Noguchi S (2004) Phase II study of weekly paclitaxel for docetaxel-resistant metastatic breast cancer in Japan. Breast J 10:509–513

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Valero V, Jones SE, Von Hoff DD, Booser DJ, Mennel RG, Ravdin PM, Holmes FA, Rahman Z, Schottstaedt MW, Erban JK, Esparza-Guerra L, Earhart RH, Hortobagyi GN, Burris HA III (1998) A phase II study of docetaxel in patients with paclitaxel-resistant metastatic breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 16:3362–3368

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Yonemori K, Katsumata N, Uno H, Matsumoto K, Kouno T, Tokunaga S, Yamanaka Y, Shimizu C, Ando M, Takeuchi M, Fujiwara Y (2005) Efficacy of weekly paclitaxel in patients with docetaxel-resistant metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 89:237–241

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Pippa McKelvie-Sebileau for medical editorial assistance.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Bergonié, South-West Comprehensive Cancer Center, 229 cours de l’Argonne, 33076, Bordeaux, France

    M. Toulmonde, N. Madranges, M. Durand, H. Bonnefoi, L. Mauriac & M. Debled

  2. Unit for Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Institut Bergonié, South-West Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bordeaux, France

    V. Brouste

  3. Department of Pharmacy, Institut Bergonié, South-West Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bordeaux, France

    C. Donamaria

  4. Department of Pathology, Institut Bergonié, South-West Comprehensive Cancer Center, Bordeaux, France

    G. MacGrogan

Authors
  1. M. Toulmonde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N. Madranges
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. V. Brouste
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. Donamaria
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G. MacGrogan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. M. Durand
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. H. Bonnefoi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. L. Mauriac
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. M. Debled
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Toulmonde.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Toulmonde, M., Madranges, N., Brouste, V. et al. Docetaxel rechallenge after a first response in non-resistant metastatic breast cancer: significant activity with manageable toxicity. Breast Cancer Res Treat 134, 325–332 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-2060-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-012-2060-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation