Phase II trial of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide combination as first-line chemotherapy in elderly metastatic breast cancer patients

19565 Background: Although the majority of metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients (pts) responds to endocrine therapy, treatment failure is a concern, as well as front-line therapy for pts with ER/PR negative disease.The combination of anthracyclines (A) and cyclophosphamide (C) is active in younger pts, but cardiac toxicity of A in elderly MBC pts has to be considered. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) (Caelyx®) is active in MBC and has much less cardiotoxicity than A, and we present the preliminary data of the PLD/C in elderly MBC pts. Methods: This was a multicentric phase II trial. Inclusion criteria included: pts aged between 65 and 75, histologically proven measurable MBC, ECOG PS 0–1, LVEF = 50%, first-line chemotherapy for MBC. Prior adjuvant chemotherapy was allowed if stopped for = 6 or 12 months without and with anthracyclines, respectively. Endocrine therapy either in the adjuvant or metastatic setting had to be stopped for = 1 month. All pts gave a written informed consent. The treatment schedule was : PLD 40mg/m2 and C 500mg/m2 d1 every 4 weeks. Efficacy as well as response duration and tolerance were the primary and secondary end-points, respectively. Results: 35 patients were enrolled (Median age 71.3, range 65.6–75.9). A total of 166 cycles have been administered. The median number of cycles was 6 (range 1–9). No toxic death was reported, one patient died of diabetes mellitus decompensation. No congestive heart failure or decrease in LVEF was reported, although 1 pt experience grade 3 dyspnea and stopped treatment. Other (gr3–4) NCI-CTC toxicity included: neutropenia in 7 (gr3) and 3 (gr4) pts; gr3 mucositis (4). No febrile neutropenia was reported. Grade 3 hand-foot syndrome occurred in 1 pt, whereas treatment was stopped due to a generalized rash in 1 pt. An objective response (CR + PR) was achieved in 10 (28,6%) pts (1 CR and 8 PR), and a disease control in 24 (68.6%) with a progression free survival of 8.8 months and a median survival of 20.4 months Conclusions: The LPD-C combination is active in elderly MBC pts, with an acceptable toxicity profile. No significant financial relationships to disclose.