Key clinical point: Paclitaxel dose reduction does not necessarily result in improved neuropathy outcomes in patients with breast cancer prescribed weekly paclitaxel schedules.
Major finding: Patients receiving reduced-dose vs. full-dose paclitaxel had worse patient-reported symptom burden ( Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy/Gynecologic Oncology Group-Neurotoxicity, 40.2 vs. 45.9) and clinical neuropathy outcomes (Total Neuropathy Score clinical version, 4.3 vs. 3.3; all P less than .05).
Study details : Findings are from the assessment of women with breast cancer prescribed weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m 2) for 12 weeks. Posttreatment outcomes were assessed at 3.6 months in 105 women who underwent subsequent dose reduction.
Disclosures: This study was supported by grants from the Cancer Institute NSW Program and National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. M Friedlander reported ties with various pharmaceutical companies. The other authors did not have any financial disclosures.
Source: Timmins HC et al. Oncologist. 2021 Feb 1. doi: 10.1002/onco.13697 .