[Intensive therapy with paclitaxel (Taxol) and cyclophosphamide followed by administration of G-CSF as a mobilization regimen in patients with breast carcinoma and indications for autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation].

Abstract

Cyclophosphamide (4 g/m2) and paclitaxel (Taxol) (175, 200 or 250 mg/m2) therapy with subsequent administration of G-CSF (10 micrograms/kg) has been used as intensification and as mobilization therapy for patients with breast cancer. This regimen was used in 19 patients, as part of adjuvant therapy in 14 and as part of therapy of metastatic disease in five. Median number of collected CD34+ cells was 17.5 x 10(6)/kg (2.9-48.1). All patients except one (94.7%) reached minimal required number of CD34+ cells (> or = 3 x 10(6)/kg). Median number of leukapheresis was two. The required number of cells (> or = 3 x 10(6)/kg) was collected in one leukapheresis in 17 out of 19 patients (89.5%) and more than five and 10 x 10(6)/kg CD34+ cells respectively were collected in 14 (73.7%) and 11 (57.9%) patients respectively. No factor significantly influencing the amount of collected cells (except the trend in favour of later year of therapy and large-volume leukapheresis) was identified. Leukopenia gr. 4 was observed in 88.9% of treated patients and febrile neutropenia developed in 46.2% patients. Although the antitumour activity of this chemotherapy was not possible to assess it seems that this intensification could be successfully used as a therapy and as very potent mobilization regimen.