Hematologic profile of stage IIIB breast cancer patients receiving doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide versus docetaxel-doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide regimens: An observational pilot study

<jats:p> <jats:bold>Introduction.</jats:bold> <jats:bold/> Chemotherapy for breast cancer (BC) has been used for a long time. Despite advancements, chemotherapy continues to exhibit considerable toxicity due to its systemic cytotoxic effects, including hematological toxicity. However, there is no conclusive evidence that doublet or triplet chemotherapy is related to increased toxicity. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>Aim.</jats:bold> <jats:bold/> The current study aims to compare the difference in hematological and inflammatory hematological ratio change following chemotherapy with doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide (AC) versus docetaxel-doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide (TAC) in stage IIIB women BC patients. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>Mat</jats:bold> <jats:bold>erials</jats:bold> <jats:bold/> <jats:bold>and methods.</jats:bold> This retrospective study analyzed medical records and laboratory data from adult female stage IIIB BC patients with naïve-to-chemotherapy status who had finished their chemotherapy procedure. Patients were divided into two groups and received either triplet (TAC) or doublet (AC) chemotherapy regimens for six cycles. The study analyzed the difference of hematological and inflammatory hematological ratios following chemotherapy in both groups. The difference was analyzed using an independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Statistical significance was determined at p &lt; 0.05. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>Results.</jats:bold> Fifty-three patients were entered in this observational pilot study. Both groups exhibited similar hematological and inflammatory status profile alterations following the chemotherapy completion (p &gt; 0.05), indicating similar potential of safety and toxicity. This study also determined that docetaxel addition does not provide higher myelosuppressive action of the chemotherapeutic procedure. </jats:p> <jats:p> <jats:bold>C</jats:bold> <jats:bold>onclusion.</jats:bold> <jats:bold/> No significant differences of hematological and inflammatory hematological ratio changes between six adjuvant cycles of AC and TAC in stage IIIB BC patients. </jats:p>