Abstract:

In the present study, we aimed at identifying the potential relationship between baseline alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) and the adverse effects of docetaxel in breast cancer patients. A total of 87 breast cancer patients receiving docetaxel at a dose 75 mg/m² once every 3 weeks as a single agent in adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were enrolled in this study. Baseline AAG was determined at the day before usage of decetaxel in the first cycle. Febrile neutropenia, grade 3–4 stomatitis, grade 3–4 diarrhea and severe asthenia was determined as safety end points. Common Terminology Criteria of AdverseEffects (CTCAE) V4.0 was used to evaluated the adverse effects during the first cycle of chemotherapy. The mean age of patients was47.7±8.89 years. Mean baseline AAG was 0.99±0.24 g/L. Primary adverse effects during the chemotherapy was febrile neutropenia (30%), grade 3–4 stomatitis (17%), grade 3–4 diarrhea(23%), and severe asthenia (20%). Among those adverse effects, febrile neutropenia, grade 3–4 stomatitis and grade 3–4 diarrhea had shown significant association with mean difference of baseline AAG (P<0.01). Patients who developed febrile neutropenia (n = 26) had lower baseline AAG level of 0.838±0.192 g/L compared with 1.051±0.236 g/L in patients who did not experience such effect (n = 61). Also, the level of baseline AAG in patients who had grade 3–4 stomatitis (0.760±0.176 g/L) and grade 3–4 diarrhea 0.800±0.172 g/L) is lower than those who did not had these events. Baseline AAG is appears to be used as a predictive biomarker of adverse effects in breast cancer patients treated with docetaxel.

Key words: Breast cancer, AAG, Docetaxel, Adverse effects