Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin as first-line monotherapy in elderly women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer: Novel treatment predictive factors identified

We investigated the efficacy and safety of single-agent pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) as first-line treatment for elderly women with advanced breast cancer and evaluated predictive markers for response and toxicity.Twenty-five women ⩾65 years received 40 mg/m2 PLD every 28 days. Time to treatment failure (TTF), response rate, time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) was calculated. The ABCB1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), tumor MRN complex, and TOPOIIα were analyzed. A mean of 7.4 cycles PLD were administered and TTF was 5.5 months and OS 20.6 months.ABCB1 SNPs were found to correlate to both efficacy and toxicity, while tumor expression of the MRN complex and TOPOIIα correlated to TTP.PLD is a safe and effective treatment for elderly breast cancer patients. Also potential predictive markers were identified.

► Elderly with breast cancer received pegylated-liposomal-doxorubicin (PLD) first line.
► Time to treatment failure was 5.5 months and overall survival 20.6 months.
► Tumor TOPO2α and MRN complex expression correlated to outcome.
► ABCB1 single nucleotide polymorphisms correlated to time to progression and toxicity.
► PLD is effective and potential predictive markers were identified.