Metastatic Breast Cancer
Table 6 shows the frequency of important adverse reactions in the randomized comparative trial for the patients who received either single-agent paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) or paclitaxel injection for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.
Table 6: Adverse Reactions in the Randomized Metastatic Breast Cancer Study on an Every-3-Weeks Schedulea Paclitaxel injection patients received premedication.
b Includes treatment-related events related to hypersensitivity (e.g., flushing, dyspnea, chest pain, hypotension) that began on a day of dosing.
c Severe events are defined as at least grade 3 toxicity. |
| Percent of patients |
| Paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) 260 mg/m2 over 30 min (n=229) | Paclitaxel Injection 175 mg/m2 over 3 ha
(n=225) |
Bone Marrow | | |
Neutropenia | | |
< 2.0 x 109/L | 80 | 82 |
< 0.5 x 109/L | 9 | 22 |
Thrombocytopenia | | |
< 100 x 109/L | 2 | 3 |
< 50 x 109/L | <1 | <1 |
Anemia | | |
< 11 g/dL | 33 | 25 |
< 8 g/dL | 1 | <1 |
Infections | 24 | 20 |
Febrile Neutropenia | 2 | 1 |
Neutropenic Sepsis | <1 | <1 |
Bleeding | 2 | 2 |
Hypersensitivity Reactionb
| | |
All | 4 | 12 |
Severec
| 0 | 2 |
Cardiovascular | | |
Vital Sign Changes During Administration | | |
Bradycardia | <1 | <1 |
Hypotension | 5 | 5 |
Severe Cardiovascular Eventsc
| 3 | 4 |
Abnormal ECG | | |
All Patients | 60 | 52 |
Patients with Normal Baseline | 35 | 30 |
Respiratory | | |
Cough | 7 | 6 |
Dyspnea | 12 | 9 |
Sensory Neuropathy | | |
Any Symptoms | 71 | 56 |
Severe Symptomsc
| 10 | 2 |
Myalgia / Arthralgia | | |
Any Symptoms | 44 | 49 |
Severe Symptomsc
| 8 | 4 |
Asthenia | | |
Any Symptoms | 47 | 39 |
Severe Symptomsc
| 8 | 3 |
Fluid Retention/Edema | | |
Any Symptoms | 10 | 8 |
Severe Symptomsc
| 0 | <1 |
Gastrointestinal | | |
Nausea | | |
Any Symptoms | 30 | 22 |
Severe Symptomsc
| 3 | <1 |
Vomiting | | |
Any Symptoms | 18 | 10 |
Severe Symptomsc
| 4 | 1 |
Diarrhea | | |
Any Symptoms | 27 | 15 |
Severe Symptomsc
| <1 | 1 |
Mucositis | | |
Any Symptoms | 7 | 6 |
Severe Symptomsc
| <1 | 0 |
Alopecia | 90 | 94 |
Hepatic (Patients with Normal Baseline) | | |
Bilirubin Elevations | 7 | 7 |
Alkaline Phosphatase Elevations | 36 | 31 |
AST (SGOT) Elevations | 39 | 32 |
Injection Site Reaction | <1 | 1 |
Other Adverse Reactions
Hematologic Disorders
Neutropenia was dose dependent and reversible. Among patients with metastatic breast cancer in the randomized trial, neutrophil counts declined below 500 cells/mm3 (Grade 4) in 9% of the patients treated with a dose of 260 mg/m2 compared to 22% in patients receiving paclitaxel injection at a dose of 175 mg/m2. Pancytopenia has been observed in clinical trials.
Infections
Infectious episodes were reported in 24% of the patients treated with paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound). Oral candidiasis, respiratory tract infections and pneumonia were the most frequently reported infectious complications.
Hypersensitivity Reactions (HSRs)
Grade 1 or 2 HSRs occurred on the day of paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) administration and consisted of dyspnea (1%) and flushing, hypotension, chest pain, and arrhythmia (all < 1%). The use of paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) in patients previously exhibiting hypersensitivity to paclitaxel injection or human albumin has not been studied.
Cardiovascular
Hypotension, during the 30-minute infusion, occurred in 5% of patients. Bradycardia, during the 30-minute infusion, occurred in < 1% of patients. These vital sign changes most often caused no symptoms and required neither specific therapy nor treatment discontinuation.
Severe cardiovascular events possibly related to single-agent paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) occurred in approximately 3% of patients. These events included cardiac ischemia/infarction, chest pain, cardiac arrest, supraventricular tachycardia, edema, thrombosis, pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary emboli, and hypertension. Cases of cerebrovascular attacks (strokes) and transient ischemic attacks have been reported.
Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities were common among patients at baseline. ECG abnormalities on study did not usually result in symptoms, were not dose-limiting, and required no intervention. ECG abnormalities were noted in 60% of patients. Among patients with a normal ECG prior to study entry, 35% of all patients developed an abnormal tracing while on study. The most frequently reported ECG modifications were non-specific repolarization abnormalities, sinus bradycardia, and sinus tachycardia.
Respiratory
Dyspnea (12%), cough (7%), and pneumothorax (< 1%) were reported after treatment with paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound).
Neurologic
The frequency and severity of sensory neuropathy increased with cumulative dose. Sensory neuropathy was the cause of paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) discontinuation in 7/229 (3%) patients. Twenty-four patients (10%) treated with paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) developed Grade 3 peripheral neuropathy; of these patients, 14 had documented improvement after a median of 22 days; 10 patients resumed treatment at a reduced dose of paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) and 2 discontinued due to peripheral neuropathy. Of the 10 patients without documented improvement, 4 discontinued the study due to peripheral neuropathy.
No Grade 4 sensory neuropathies were reported. Only one incident of motor neuropathy (Grade 2) was observed in either arm of the controlled trial.
Vision Disorders
Ocular/visual disturbances occurred in 13% of all patients (n=366) treated with paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) and 1% were severe. The severe cases (keratitis and blurred vision) were reported in patients who received higher doses than those recommended (300 or 375 mg/m2). These effects generally have been reversible.
Arthralgia/Myalgia
The symptoms were usually transient, occurred two or three days after paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) administration, and resolved within a few days.
Hepatic
Grade 3 or 4 elevations in GGT were reported for 14% of patients treated with paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension (albumin-bound) and 10% of patients treated with paclitaxel injection in the randomized trial.
Renal
Overall 11% of patients experienced creatinine elevation, 1% severe. No discontinuations, dose reductions, or dose delays were caused by renal toxicities.
Other Clinical Events
Nail changes (changes in pigmentation or discoloration of nail bed) have been reported. Edema occurred in 10% of patients; no patients had severe edema. Dehydration and pyrexia were also reported.