Treatment Information

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Breast Cancer treatment details. Chemotherapy, Biologic therapy.

Edinburgh Cancer Research Center, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom.

Survival: monthsCountry:United Kingdom
Toxiciy Grade:5City/State/Province:Edinburgh, Scotland
Treatments:Chemotherapy, Biologic therapyHospital:Edinburgh Cancer Research Center
Drugs:Journal:Link
Date:Aug 2010

Description:

Patients
This phase 3 study involved women with advanced breast cancer. Patients were separated into two treatment groups. Group A consisted of 207 women with a median age of 54 years and a range of 26-80. Group B included 201 women with a median age of 51 years and a range of 28-83.

Treatment
Patients in group A were given a combination of the chemotherapy agent capecitabine and the biologic therapy lapatinib, which is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.

Patients in group B were given capecitabine alone.

Toxicities
In group A, four deaths were related to adverse effects including cardiorespiratory arrest, lymphedema (lymphatic obstruction causing fluid retention), and hyponatremia (electrolyte imbalance). Other serious adverse events reported for this group included diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, and shortness of breath.

Six deaths related to treatment were reported for group B. Causes included diarrhea, vomiting, respiratory arrest, pulmonary embolism, and cardiac arrest. Other serious adverse events reported for this group included diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, and nausea.

Results
Median overall survival in group A (lapatinib + capecitabine) was 17.3 months.

Group B (capecitabine alone) had a median overall survival of 14.9 months.

Support
This study was funded by GlaxoSmithKline, makers of Tykerb (also known as Tyverb), the brand name for lapatinib.

Correspondence Dr. David Cameron; email: [email protected]



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