Salvage Therapy With Bevacizumab Plus Docetaxel and Cisplatin for Taiwanese Metastatic Breast Cancer

Targeted chemotherapy has gradually become the mainstay of cancer treatment in present day. Targeted medications such as trastuzumab, bevacizumab and lapatinib have recently been more extensively adopted for many cancers, particularly breast cancer. Among these targeted medications, bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody acting on vascular endothelial growth factor receptor and it works by preventing the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis). Published articles indicated that monotherapy of bevacizumab on breast cancer showed only a 9-17% response rate, while combining with paclitaxel, the treatment outcome appeared to improve progression-free survival and the objective response rate. We are curious about the additive effect of bevacizumab on conventional chemotherapy, the toxicities induced when combined target therapy with conventional chemotherapy and the duration of remission that these treatment could achieve. In this study, we utilized bevacizumab, docetaxel plus cisplatin for metastatic breast cancer patients and furthermore, we are evaluated the treatment response, toxicities and duration of remission as our main goals.

Inclusion criteria

• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0-2.
• Normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).
• Age ≤ 65 years.
• At least one unidimensionally measurable lesion by imaging studies.
• AST/ALT 2.5 ULN (< 5 ULN if liver metastases).
• Serum bilirubin 3 ULN, Serum Creatinine 1.5 ULN.
• Urine dipstick of proteinuria <2+.
• Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test.

Exclusion criteria

• Uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure > 160 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure > 90 mm Hg).
• Prior exposure to bevacizumab.
• Planned radiotherapy for underlying disease (prior completed radiotherapy treatment allowed), except bone metastasis.
• Evidence of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy.
• Clinically significant (i.e. active) cardiovascular disease for example cerebrovascular accidents (≤ 6 months), myocardial infarction (≤ 6 months), unstable angina, New York Heart Association (NYHA) grade II or greater congestive heart failure, serious cardiac arrhythmia requiring medication. Stroke in the preceding six months.
• Evidence of other disease, metabolic dysfunction, physical examination finding, or clinical laboratory finding giving reasonable suspicion of a disease or condition that contraindicates use of bevacizumab with chemotherapy.
• Ongoing treatment with aspirin (> 325 mg/day) or other medications known to predispose to gastrointestinal ulceration.
• Pregnancy (positive serum pregnancy test) and lactation. Any other serious or uncontrolled illness which, in the opinion of the investigator, makes it undesirable for the patient to enter the trial.