The role of anthracyclines in the treatment of early breast cancer.

Abstract

We review the use of anthracyclines, their associated cardiotoxicity, and the role of taxanes in the treatment of early breast cancer. The efficacy of anthracyclines has been proven in multiple large cohort trials and meta-analyses. The addition of a taxane to an anthracycline-based regimen in the adjuvant setting has improved the disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with early breast cancer. The use of the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab combined with an anthracycline and taxane regimen has had significant benefit both in disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)-positive disease. However, the development of significant cardiotoxicity related to anthracyclines and the emergence of newer agents that appear to limit the cardiotoxicity but with similar anticancer efficacy have called the role of anthracyclines into doubt. Taxane/trastuzumab-based chemotherapy without anthracyclines is now a widely accepted adjuvant regimen in patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer. Indeed, the use of taxanes in early breast cancer has overtaken the use of anthracyclines, particularly in women with HER2-positive breast cancer. Concerns regarding anthracycline cardiotoxicity and positive data from taxane-based regimens likely have contributed to this change in practice. Ongoing trials will determine whether taxane-based chemotherapy has equivalent efficacy to anthracycline-based regimens in adjuvant therapy of HER2-negative early breast cancer. Moving forward, the use of anthracyclines as initial chemotherapy in early breast cancer may continue to be replaced by taxane-based and novel regimens in the future.

• Authors: John Greene, Bryan Hennessy
• Journal: Journal of oncology pharmacy practice : official publication of the International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (J Oncol Pharm Pract) Vol. 21 Issue 3 Pg. 201-12 (Jun 2015) ISSN: 1477-092X [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24769570 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Chemical References

• Anthracyclines
• Taxoids
• ERBB2 protein, human
• Receptor, ErbB-2
• Trastuzumab

Topics

• Anthracyclines (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Breast Neoplasms (drug therapy, metabolism)
• Disease-Free Survival
• Female
• Humans
• Receptor, ErbB-2 (metabolism)
• Taxoids (therapeutic use)
• Trastuzumab (therapeutic use)