taxane and Pleural-Effusion--Malignant

Of 231 patients with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer treated in Hiei Hospital between January 2001 and March 2005, for whom data on hormone receptor (HR) and HER 2/neu were available, we retrospectively analyzed the association of the response rate with HR and HER 2 in 172 patients treated with taxane in whom the treatment response could be evaluated. Among the patients treated with taxane alone,the response rates were 37.5% (n=67) in the HR (+) patients and 14.6% (n=41) in the HR (-) patients (p=0.0131). In particular, taxane resistance was suggested in the HR (-)/HER 2 (-) patients (response rate: 4.2%, n=24). Concerning combination therapy with trastuzumab and taxane, the response rate were 52.8% in the HR (+)/HER 2 (+) patients and 60.4% in the HR (-)/HER 2 (+) patients. In 27 of these patients, single therapy with taxane was switched to combination therapy with taxane and trastuzumab after they became resistant to taxane, and 8.3% of the HR (+)/HER 2 (+) patients and 53.3% of the HR (-)/HER 2 (+) patients responded to this combination therapy (p=0.0192), suggesting the synergistic effects of the two agents in HR (-)/HER 2 (+) patients. Therefore, HR and HER 2 were associated with the sensitivity to a chemotherapeutic agent, taxane. Stratification with respect to HR and HER 2 is important in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. In particular, therapeutic strategies for HR (-)/HER 2 (-) patients with a poor prognosis must be established in the future.

Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Breast Neoplasms; Bridged-Ring Compounds; Female; Humans; Liver Neoplasms; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Receptor, ErbB-2; Receptors, Estrogen; Receptors, Progesterone; Retrospective Studies; Survival Rate; Taxoids; Trastuzumab

A second-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer has not been established. We report a case of good response in a 39-year-old woman who had recurrent pleural effusion and positive cytology of type 4 gastric cancer and was treated with TS-1, a DPD inhibitory fluoropyrimidine, in combination with weekly taxane. After a partial response for type 4 gastric cancer from the treatment with 2 courses of TS-1 plus low-dose cisplatinum (CDDP), followed by outpatient chemotherapy with TS-1 alone or TS-1 plus weekly CDDP, left pleural effusion appeared and CA19-9 increased during the 7th course of the chemotherapy. Cytology of the effusion was class IV. The patient was treated with a course of TS-1 (120 mg/day, day 1-21) plus paclitaxel (50 mg/m2, day 1, 8) followed by 2 week washout. In the following courses, paclitaxel was replaced with docetaxel (30 mg/m2, day 1 and 8) and the course was continued in the outpatient setting. After 2 courses, the left pleural effusion disappeared and remained absent after 6 courses. Gastric biopsy showed no cancer cells and abdominal CT showed no recurrence. Serum CA19-9 doubled 1 week after taxane treatment and decreased gradually week by week during the course. This case suggests that a combination of TS-1 and taxane is effective against recurrent pleural effusion of advanced gastric cancer and useful as a second-line chemotherapy.

Topics: Adult; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Bridged-Ring Compounds; CA-19-9 Antigen; Docetaxel; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Combinations; Female; Humans; Oxonic Acid; Pleural Effusion, Malignant; Pyridines; Stomach Neoplasms; Taxoids; Tegafur