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Patient and practice impact of capecitabine compared to taxanes in first-/second-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer

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Abstract

Background

Oral chemotherapy regimens have emerged as comparably effective to intravenous regimens with the potential for less resource utilization, fewer treatment side effects and a better quality-of-life outcome. The objective of this retrospective chart review was to examine these issues among patients who received single-agent taxane therapy vs. single-agent capecitabine for first- or second-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC)

Methods

Data from the medical charts of 61 patients who received single-agent capecitabine, docetaxel, or paclitaxel therapy were supplemented with data from the 38-item Patient Care Monitor (PCM) survey of symptom burden and quality of life, prospectively collected during chemotherapy. The endpoints were PCM index scores, hospitalization during treatment, and the number of clinic visits during treatment.

Results

The sample was 75% Caucasian, 16% African–American, with a mean age of 59.4 years. Taxane-treated patients had more clinic visits than capecitabine patients, were more likely to have been hospitalized during treatment, and had worse treatment side effects. Controlling for depression, infusion-treated patients reported greater acute distress at the start of therapy than those on oral medication.

Conclusion

Capecitabine for MBC was associated with a more favorable outcome regarding treatment side effects and quality of life, with reduced resource burden to patients and providers. Physicians may have differentially selected patients with greater depressive symptoms for capecitabine therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Accelerated Community Oncology Research Network, 1770 Kirby Pkwy, Suite 400, Memphis, TN, 38138, USA

    Lee S. Schwartzberg, Patrick Cobb, Mark S. Walker, Edward J. Stepanski & Arthur C. Houts

Authors
  1. Lee S. Schwartzberg
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  2. Patrick Cobb
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  3. Mark S. Walker
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  4. Edward J. Stepanski
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  5. Arthur C. Houts
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Correspondence to Lee S. Schwartzberg.

Additional information

This work was supported in part by funding from Roche.

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Schwartzberg, L.S., Cobb, P., Walker, M.S. et al. Patient and practice impact of capecitabine compared to taxanes in first-/second-line chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer. Support Care Cancer 17, 1081–1088 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0558-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-008-0558-2

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