paclitaxel + cyclophosphamide + thiotepa

This therapeutic regimen is a combination of high-dose paclitaxel, cyclophosphamide, and thiotepa, followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Developed and studied by Northwestern University, the regimen was evaluated in a Phase I dose-escalation trial for patients with advanced (Stage III or IV) breast cancer. Paclitaxel functions by promoting the assembly of microtubules from tubulin dimers and stabilizing microtubules by preventing depolymerization, which inhibits the normal dynamic reorganization of the microtubule network essential for vital interphase and mitotic cellular functions. Cyclophosphamide and thiotepa are cytotoxic alkylating agents that cross-link DNA, leading to the inhibition of DNA synthesis and cell death. The use of autologous stem cell rescue allows for the administration of these agents at doses significantly higher than standard chemotherapy, aiming to overcome drug resistance in advanced malignancies.

Other names

High-dose paclitaxel, cyclophosphamide, and thiotepa regimen