Xeloda and Taxotere: a review of the development of the combination for use in metastatic breast cancer.

Docetaxel (Taxotere) and capecitabine (Xeloda) demonstrate synergy in pre-clinical studies and both show high single-agent efficacy in metastatic breast cancer patients previously treated with an anthracycline. The two drugs used in combination in a similar group of patients have been evaluated in a randomised phase III trial comparing this combination with single-agent docetaxel. The results of this study indicate the combination arm to be favourable with significantly superior median time to disease progression (6.1 vs 4.2 months, hazard ratio 0.652, p=0.0001), objective response rate and overall survival without a significant increase in the overall incidence of treatment related adverse effects. This combination of docetaxel and capecitabine provides improved survival prospects for patients with metastatic breast cancer. Ongoing studies will provide further data to optimise the scheduling and use of this combination in the future.