Improved outcomes initially observed for weekly paclitaxel were qualitatively similar but quantitatively less pronounced with longer follow-up, according to a study of 4,954 women with stage II to III breast cancer who were treated with four cycles of doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide. After patients were randomly assigned to receive paclitaxel or docetaxel every 3 weeks for 4 doses or weekly for 12 doses, researchers followed up for a median 12.1 years and found:

• Compared to the standard every-3-week paclitaxel arm, disease-free survival (DFS) significantly improved and overall survival (OS) marginally improved only for the weekly paclitaxel and every-3-week doclitaxel arms.

• Weekly paclitaxel improved DFS and OS in triple-negative breast cancer.

• For hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-overexpressing disease, no experimental arm improved OS.

• Black race and obesity were associated with increased risk of breast cancer recurrence and death.

Citation: Sparano JA, Zhao F, Martino S, et al. Long-term follow-up of the E1199 phase III trial evaluating the role of taxane and schedule in operable breast cancer. [Published online ahead of print June 15, 2015]. J Clin Oncol. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2015.60.9271.