Research article

Clinical feasibility of (neo)adjuvant taxane-based chemotherapy in older patients: analysis of >4,500 patients from four German randomized breast cancer trials

Sibylle Loibl^1,2 , Gunter von Minckwitz^1,2 , Nadia Harbeck³ , Wolfgang Janni⁴ , Dirk Elling⁵ , Manfred Kaufmann² , Holm Eggemann⁵ , Valentina Nekljudova¹ , Harald Sommer⁴ , Marion Kiechle³ and Sherko Kümmel⁶

¹  German Breast Group, Schleussnerstrasse 42, Neu-Isenburg 63263, Germany

²  Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, J.W. Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern Kai 7, Frankfurt 60590, Germany

³  Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, Munich 81675, Germany

⁴  Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Maistrasse 11, Munich 8337, Germany

⁵  Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Otto-von-Guericke University, Gerhart-Hauptmann Strasse 35, 39108 Magdeburg, Germany

⁶  Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen 45122, Germany

author email corresponding author email

Breast Cancer Research 2008, 10:R77doi:10.1186/bcr2144

Published:	16 September 2008

Abstract

Introduction

Despite the fact that people older than 65 years of age have the highest incidence of developing breast cancer, these patients are excluded from clinical trials in most cases. Furthermore, most physicians tend towards therapy regimens without the use of dose-dense, highly active taxane-based treatments because of a lack of data regarding toxicities of these compounds in older patients.

Methods

Pooled side-effect data were analyzed from four prospective, randomized clinical trials in which patients of different age groups (< 60 years, between 60 and 64 years, and > 64 years) with primary breast cancer received taxane-based chemotherapy.

Results

Dose delays, dose reductions, hospitalization, and therapy discontinuation increased with age. Hematologic toxicities and some nonhematologic toxicities were generally more common in older patients. Leucopenia increased from 55.3% in patients aged < 60 years to 65.5% in patients aged > 64 years (P < 0.001), and neutropenia increased from 46.9% to 57.4% (P < 0.001). There was no difference, however, in clinically more relevant febrile neutropenia between the different age groups. Thrombopenia shows a similar age-dependent increase, whereas there is no difference between the age groups concerning anemia. Hot flushes and elevated liver enzymes decreased with increasing age.

Conclusions

The present pooled analysis of a substantial cohort of older primary breast cancer patients demonstrates that taxane-containing (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy is feasible in older patients and that toxicity can be reduced by sequential therapy regimens.