Intermittent Versus Continuous Chemotherapy Scheduling in Metastatic Breast Cancer
Posted: Tuesday, November 28, 2017
As first-line chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer, intermittent treatment with paclitaxel/bevacizumab is not noninferior to continuous scheduling, according to data from The Stop&Go Study of the Dutch Breast Cancer Research Group. According to A. Claessens, MD, of the Zuyderland Medical Center-Sittard-Geleen, the Netherlands, who presented these findings at the 2017 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress (Abstract 246PD), intermittent first-line treatment cannot be recommended over continuous scheduling.
A total of 420 patients with HER2-negative, incurable, locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer took part in the trial. They were randomized to receive 8 cycles or 2 x 4 cycles of paclitaxel/bevacizumab on days 1, 8 and 15 every 4 weeks, both with continuation of bevacizumab once every 21 days until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.
Median progression-free survival was 10.7 months with the intermittent regimen and 9.7 months with the continuous regimen. Overall survival results were similar. There appeared to be no unexpected safety results.
