Study Of Abraxane® And Carboplatin As First-Line Treatment For Triple Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer

Paclitaxel and cisplatin are well-recognized for their activity in treating a variety of tumors including breast cancer. As cytotoxins, they have been studied alone and in combination with other chemotherapeutic agents, and have been incorporated into treatment regimens for women who fail previous anthracycline-based therapies. Although both agents are notable for favorable response rates, they are also associated with a variety of adverse events, some of which may be dose-limiting and having a negative effect on quality of life: myelosuppression, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, stomatitis/mucositis, short- and long-term neuropathy, nephrotoxicity, alopecia and hypersensitivity reactions. As second-generation compounds, Abraxane® and carboplatin have been shown to improve response rates and may mediate some of the toxicities associated with paclitaxel and cisplatin, respectively. Of particular interest is Abraxane's potential to reduce allergic reactions associated with other taxanes. This study combines these two agents: primarily, to evaluate progression-free survival; and secondarily, to assess the feasibility and tolerability of this regimen to treat poor prognosis metastatic breast cancer patients.