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Characteristics of the combination paclitaxel plus doxorubicin in breast cancer cell lines analyzed with the ATP-Cell Viability Assay

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Summary

Preliminary clinical data show promising activity regarding the combination of paclitaxel (TaxolTM) (TAX) and doxorubicin (AdriamycinTM) (ADR) in the treatment of breast cancer. This combination needs both further preclinical and clinical investigations to better understand the drug interaction, and to optimize the dose and schedule of these drugs. This study was done to evaluate the combination effect of TAX and ADR in three human breast cancer cell lines. The ATP-Cell-Viability Assay was used to evaluate the chemosensitivity profiles and to obtain dose response curves. For quantitation of synergism and antagonism the median-effect principle was applied and the corresponding combination index values were calculated. Drug synergism/antagonism was shown to be dose-related; synergism was enhanced at higher fractions affected. From this preclinical data, we have concluded that TAX-ADR is highly effective and partly synergisticin vitro. In spite of severe initial toxicities in early clinical trials in metastatic breast cancer patients, further clinical studies appear to be justified in order to define a tolerable dosage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology and Breast Service, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Zurich, Nordtrakt, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Ossi R. Koechli

  2. Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Miami School of Medicine, P.O. Box 016960 (D-52), 33101, Miami, Florida, USA

    Bernd-Uwe Sevin, James P. Perras, Roberto Angioli, Albert Steren & Hervy E. Averette

  3. Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, 10021, New York, NY, USA

    Ting Chao Chou

  4. Frauenklinik im Klinikum Grosshadern der Ludwig Maximilian Universitaet, 8000, Munich, Germany

    Michael Untch

  5. Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1600 N.W., 10th Ave, 33136, Miami, Florida, USA

    Ossi R. Koechli, Bernd-Uwe Sevin, James P. Perras, Ting Chao Chou, Roberto Angioli, Albert Steren, Michael Untch & Hervy E. Averette

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  1. Ossi R. Koechli
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  2. Bernd-Uwe Sevin
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  7. Michael Untch
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  8. Hervy E. Averette
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Koechli, O.R., Sevin, BU., Perras, J.P. et al. Characteristics of the combination paclitaxel plus doxorubicin in breast cancer cell lines analyzed with the ATP-Cell Viability Assay. Breast Cancer Res Tr 28, 21–27 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00666352

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