Capecitabine and vinorelbine in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracycline and taxane

We have evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combination of capecitabine and vinorelbine in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients previously treated with anthracycline- and taxane-containing regimens. Between April 2000 and September 2002, 44 female MBC patient; received oral capecitabine (1,250 mg/m(2) twice daily on days 114), and intravenous vinorelbine (25 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8) during each 3 week chemotherapy cycle (median, 5 cycles/patient; total, 235 cycles). One patient achieved a complete response and 21 patients had partial responses, giving an overall response rate of 50% in the intention-to-treat analysis (95% CI, 35.0-65.0%). Median duration of response was 6.0 months (range 1.2-23.0 months). Patients were followed-up for a median of 16 months, with median progression-free survival being 5.3 months, and median overall survival being 17 months. Toxicities included grades III and IV neutropenia in 63 (26.8%) and 4 (1.7%) cycles, respectively, and grades II and III hand-foot syndrome in 12 (5.1%) and 4 (1.7%) cycles, respectively. Other nonhematologic toxicities were minimal and manageable. In conclusion, the combination of capecitabine and vinorelbine was effective and well tolerated in MBC patients even after treatment with anthracyclines and taxanes.