Cancer Management and Research (Jan 2019)

Comparative study of adjuvant chemotherapeutic efficacy of docetaxel plus cyclophosphamide and doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide in female breast cancer

  • Adeel M,
  • Asif M,
  • Naeem Faisal M,
  • Hasanain Chaudary M,
  • Sheraz Malik M,
  • Khalid M

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 11
pp. 727 – 739

Abstract

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Muhammad Adeel,1 Muhammad Asif,1 Muhammad Naeem Faisal,2 Muhammad Hasanain Chaudary,3 Muhammad Sheraz Malik,4 Muhammad Khalid5 1Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, National Textile University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan; 2Faculty of Veterinary Science, Institute of Pharmacy, Physiology, and Pharmacology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan; 3Department of Computer Science, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan; 4Department of Information Technology, Government College University, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan; 5Oncology Department, Faisalabad Medical University, Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan Purpose: This retrospective study presents a comparative analysis of the overall survival and toxicities, as side effects, of docetaxel plus cyclophosphamide (TC) and doxorubicin plus cyclophosphamide (AC). The study measured their efficacies during adjuvant chemotherapy, treating Pakistani breast cancer patients by validating the results obtained, with the published analysis of the same treatment given to US patients.Patients and methods: Between June 2015 and September 2017, for four chemotherapy cycles, 189 patients out of 358 received TC (75 mg/m2 of docetaxel, 600 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide) and 169 were treated with AC (60 mg/m2 of doxorubicin, 600 mg/m2 of cyclophosphamide). On the basis of using pathological markers to assess patients, toxicities, as side effects, (due to docetaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide) were listed in the database of this study. Common factors with respect to common terminology criteria for adverse events version 5.0 and side effects listed in MedlinePlus, NIH US database, and from the database of this study were then separated to be included in comparison for this study. Statistically, chi-squared test was used at α=0.05.Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the proportions of patients with vomiting, extreme tiredness, diarrhea, mild anemia, stability, and overall survival because P-value >0.05. However, AC remained less toxic (P-value <0.05) by 22.6%, 25.7%, 25.3%, 12.4%, 20.8%, and 16.4% compared to TC for changes in taste, muscle pain, burning hands, change in hemoglobin level, moderate anemia, and needing blood transfusion respectively, whereas TC remained less toxic by 52.9%, 32.5%, and 26.3% for dizziness, weight loss, and sores in throat and mouth, respectively.Conclusion: At 27 months, TC was more toxic than AC, whereas both combinations had the same overall survival rate. Keywords: patient health during chemotherapy, overall survival, TC vs AC, pathological markers, toxicity of anticancer drugs

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