Adjuvant Taxanes in the Treatment of Breast Cancer: No Longer at the Tip of the Iceberg

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality, and a cure is desperately needed. Adjuvant chemotherapy with anthracycline-based regimens has been proven to decrease the risk of relapse and cancer-related mortality in women with early-stage breast cancer. The taxanes paclitaxel and docetaxel have been incorporated into several adjuvant chemotherapy regimens in recent studies. Some of these trials are now mature and have demonstrated a definitive benefit with the use of taxanes. Thus, taxanes should be incorporated into the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer. To date, the available data do not allow one to select a single best taxane, schedule, or overall regimen.