1. ¹Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France
2. ²Department of Pharmacy, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France

Correspondence: Dr M Debled, Département d'Oncologie Médicale, Institut Bergonié, 229 cours de l'Argonne, Bordeaux 33000, France. E-mail: debled@bergonie.org

Received 25 July 2007; Revised 14 October 2007; Accepted 17 October 2007; Published online 13 November 2007.

Abstract

In 2005, 224 patients received adjuvant/neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer in a single institution according to daily practices. Regimens consisted of epirubicin-based chemotherapy (FEC100, four or six cycles), or three cycles of FEC100 followed by three cycles of docetaxel. An absolute blood count was carried out every 3 weeks, 1–3 days before planned chemotherapy cycle. Overall, 1238 cycles were delivered. An absolute neutrophil count (ANC) <1.5 10⁹ l^-1 before planned chemotherapy was found in 171 cycles. Of these, 130 cycles (76%) were delivered as planned regardless of whether ANC levels recovered, and 41 (24%) were delayed. None of these patients developed a febrile neutropaenia. Haematopoietic support (granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)) was required in 12 cycles. We found that the majority of patients with an ANC <1.5 10⁹ l^-1 before planned chemotherapy received planned doses, without complications and need for G-CSF.