This trial also compared the efficacy of different taxane treatment schedules, using paclitaxel given every three weeks as the current standard of care. In this secondary analysis, there was a trend toward fewer disease-survival events among women who received weekly paclitaxel treatments compared with paclitaxel given every three weeks.

"Previous studies in patients where cancer had spread to other parts of the body have shown that docetaxel is more effective than paclitaxel when given every 3 weeks, and that paclitaxel is more effective if given weekly rather than every 3 weeks, " said Joseph Sparano, M.D., professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, and director of the Breast Evaluation Center at the Montefiore-Einstein Cancer Center, and clinical trial leader. "This study addressed a question that many medical oncologists have had for some time about whether this would translate into improved success rates for patients with stage II and III disease. At this time, this does not appear to be the case, but further follow-up will be required to confirm our initial findings."


The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

*E-1199: Phase III Randomized Study of Doxorubicin and Cyclophosphamide Followed By Paclitaxel or Docetaxel in Women with Node-Positive or High-Risk Node-Negative Stage II or IIIA Breast Cancer. For more information on this trial, go to http://www.cancer.gov/search/ViewClinicalTrials.aspx?cdrid=67353&version=HealthProfessional&protocolsearchid=1981538.

**Sparano JA, Wang M, Martino S, Jones V, Perez EA, Saphner T, Wolff AC Sledge GW Wood WC, Davidson NE. Phase III study of doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel or docetaxel given every 3 weeks or weekly in patients with axillary node-positive or high-risk node-negative breast cancer: results of North American Breast Cancer Intergroup Trial E1199. Presentation at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December 8, 2005.

Back to HCB News

More Industry Headlines