Docetaxel administered on a weekly basis for metastatic breast cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly docetaxel in women w ith metastatic breast cancer. patients and Methods: Twenty-nine women were enrolled onto a study of weekl y docetaxel given at 40 mg/m(2)/wk. Each cycle consisted of 6 weeks of ther apy followed by a 2-week treatment break, repeated until disease progressio n or removal from study for toxicity or patient preference. Fifty-two perce nt of patients had been previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy; 21% had received prior chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer, and 31% had p reviously received anthracyclines. All patients were assessable for toxicit y; two patients were not assessable for response but are included in an int ent-to-treat analysis. Conclusion: Weekly docetaxel is active in treating patients with metastatic breast cancer, with a side effect profile that differs from every-3-weeks therapy. (C) 2000 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.