A PHASE-II STUDY OF PACLITAXEL IN ADVANCED BREAST-CANCER RESISTANT TOANTHRACYCLINES

33 women with advanced breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines were treated with paclitaxel 175 mg/m(2) in a 3 h infusion every 3 weeks. T he median age was 53 years (range 30-72) and the median performance st atus was 1 (range 0-2). 24 (73%) patients had visceral metastases whil e 22 (67%) had greater than or equal to two involved sites. 23 (70%) p atients received anthracycline or mitoxantrone in an adjuvant setting and 21 (64%) for advanced disease. There were two (6%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1-20%) complete responses (CRs) and 12 (36%, 95% CI 20-5 5%) partial responses (PRs). Median dose intensity of paclitaxel deliv ered was 58 mg/m(2)/week. Median time to progression was 24 weeks (ran ge 4-61) and median survival was 41 weeks (range 8-66). Grade 3-4 toxi cities included leucopenia (9%), stomatitis (3%), alopecia (91%), neur otoxicity (9%), infection (3%) and diarrhoea (3%). In conclusion, pacl itaxel at a dose of 175 mg/m(2) exhibits significant activity in advan ced breast cancer resistant to anthracyclines.