Onkológia 4/2011

Nano-particle nab-paclitaxel in treatment of metastatic breast cancer

Taxanes, paclitaxel and docetaxel, are together with anthracyclines the cornerstone of treatment of both early and advanced breast cancer. They are established as the standard of care either as monotherapy or in combination with other cytostatic agents and targeted therapies. However, despite their significant clinical activity in many cancer types, the use of taxanes is often limited by significant toxicities, including hypersensitivity reactions, which complicate treatment and diminish quality of life. Nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel) is a 130 nm particle cremophor free formulation. Due to its special properties it allows to reach higher intratumoral concentrations of paclitaxel. In randomized phase II and phase III trials has been shown a superior efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel over paclitaxel or docetaxel. This new therapeutic formulation of paclitaxel may be therefore an adeqate alternative to classic formulation of taxanes in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Keywords: nab-paclitaxel, taxanes, breast cancer, chemotherapy.