Flare on bone scintigraphy following Taxol chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer

Abstract

Our goal was to determine if a healing flare response seen on bone scintigraphy occurs following chemotherapy with Taxol (paclitaxel; Bristol- Myers Squibb Co, Princeton, NJ), a novel antimicrotubule agent for metastatic breast cancer. Methods: We performed 74 bone scans on 21 females with breast cancer and bone metastases entering a Phase II trial of Taxol chemotherapy with granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). All patients had baseline scans within 6 wk prior to therapy, after the second cycle (4-6 wk) of Taxol, and then after 6-12 mo. All bone scans were reviewed by two nuclear medicine physicians, without knowledge of the patients' clinical history. Skeletal radiographs, CT and ..