Safety and tolerability of docetaxel with cyclophosphamide for early breast cancer

The US oncology 9735 study showed the superior result of TC (docetaxel/cyclophosphamide) over AC (doxorubicin/ cyclophosphamide), and now TC has been widely adopted for the treatment of early breast cancer. But in Japan there are few data on the safety and tolerability of this regimen. From January 2007 to April 2009, we treated 51 early breast cancer patients with TC in our hospital, and we summarized safety and tolerability profile, including hematologic toxicity and nonhematologic toxicity. Our patients experienced more febrile neutropenia (25.5%) compared with the original USO 9735 result (5%). This might be because we did not use prophylactic oral antibiotics. Skin toxicity was sometimes troublesome, including 3 cases (5.9%) of grade 3 skin rash. Toxicity assessment showed more asthenia, edema, neuropathy and myalgia, as is well known. Finally, we recommend prophylactic oral antibiotics, steroid premedication from the day before treatment and skin moisture, which may minimize the toxicity.