To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ASCO MEETING: Weekly, Low-Dose Taxol Offers Viable Breast Cancer Treatment, Fewer Side Effects URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/FE302.htm Doctor's Guide May 17, 1999
ATLANTA, GA - May 17, 1999 -- Results from a major, multicentre study show that weekly, low-dose Taxol(R) (paclitaxel) treatments seem as effective as the normal, high-dose treatment but are much better tolerated by women with advanced breast cancer. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s Taxol is usually infused over three hours once every three weeks in women with metastatic breast cancer. The data were presented yesterday at the 35th meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. "This study establishes the weekly, low-dose option as a reasonable approach for physicians to consider when treating metastatic breast cancer," said Dr. Edith Perez, principal investigator and director of the Breast Cancer Program at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL. "In women with metastatic breast cancer, it's critical to identify the safest and most effective chemotherapy regimens. By administering Taxol at a lower dose every week, we minimise side effects while maintaining anti-tumour activity." The trial enrolled 212 women from 20 U.S. centres. The women had various types of breast cancer that had spread to many lymph nodes or beyond. All had received prior and sometimes extensive treatment. The weekly, low-dose Taxol treatments had short-term antitumour effect in at least half the patients and significantly reduced hair loss and joint pain. Women receiving high-dose Taxol every three weeks all lose their hair and up to 15 percent have significant joint pain. Half the women in the weekly, low- dose treatment did not lose hair at all, and only 0.5 percent complained of joint pain. Three weeks of low-dose treatments expose patients to more Taxol than can be given in one treatment every three weeks, Perez said. "We can't say yet that this produces better tumour results in the long term, because we continue to follow that." However, in the short term, the weekly treatment's effect on tumours was similar to the high-dose regimen. At least half the study patients derived some benefit. Tumours shrank in about 25 percent of patients, and another 25 percent had no tumour growth for four months. Related Links: Taxol --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.