Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in combination with gemcitabine in elderly women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer: Safety and activity results of our clinical experience

e12005 Background: Elderly breast cancer patients have an increased risk of toxicity from chemotherapy, especially from anthracycline-based regimens. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) has shown a better tolerability profile also in combination with gemcitabine (GEM), as evidenced in several phase II trials. The aim of this study is to retrospectively evaluate the safety and activity of this combination in chemo-naive or pre-treated elderly patients with advanced breast cancer. Methods: From January 2006 to March 2008, 39 patients (pts) with age ≥ 65 received, at our institution, PLD 25 mg/m2 (day 1, q21) and GEM 800 mg/m2 (days 1 and 8, q21). Median age was 72 (range, 65–79). ECOG PS was 0/1/2 in 14/23/2 pts, respectively. 12 pts (31%) were chemo-naive, 20 (51%) received prior adjuvant anthracycline-based regimens, and 7 (18%) received other chemotherapies. PLD-GEM combination was administered as first line in 35 pts (90%). Median left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at baseline was 61% (range, 5...