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Primary systemic chemotherapy with sequential, dose-dense epirubicin and docetaxel for inoperable, locally advanced inflammatory breast cancer: a phase II study.

Kümmel S, Thomas A, Paepke S, Schwarz M, Heinrich G, Wetzel A, Elling D, Kohls A, Lichtenegger W, Blohmer JU

Department of Senology, University Medicine Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Berlin, Germany. sherko.kuemmel@charite.de

Sequential, dose-dense epirubicin plus docetaxel was evaluated as primary systemic therapy for women with inoperable, locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) or inflammatory breast cancer (IBC). Patients (LABC n=27; IBC n=7) received 3 cycles of epirubicin 120 mg/m2 every 2 weeks followed by 3 cycles of docetaxel 100 mg/m2 every 2 weeks, with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Grade 3-4 toxicities were observed in 21 of 195 cycles (10.8%). Grade 3 anemia and leukopenia each occurred in 1% of cycles. Following chemotherapy, all patients underwent surgery. Eight patients (23.5%) had a clinical complete response and 15 (44.1%) had a partial response. In patients with IBC, median skin thickness decreased from 5.85 mm (range: 3.1-6.2 mm) to 4 mm (range: 2.7-5.1 mm) (p<0.005). Sequential, dose-dense epirubicin plus docetaxel achieved a high response rate among patients with LABC or IBC with only moderate toxicity.

Published 3 August 2005 in Acta Oncol, 44(3): 248-54.
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