Critically short telomeres and toxicity of chemotherapy in early breast cancer

Cumulative toxicity from weekly paclitaxel (myalgia, peripheral neuropathy, fatigue) compromises long-term administration. Preclinical data suggest that the burden of critically short telomeres ( 21.9% CSTs) had 2-fold higher number of neuropathy (P = 0.04) or fatigue (P = 0.019) episodes and >3-fold higher number of myalgia episodes (P = 0.005). The average telomere length was unrelated to the incidence of side effects.The percentage of CSTs, but not the average telomere size, is associated with weekly paclitaxel-derived toxicity.This work was supported by the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria [FIS PI10/00288 and FIS PI13/00430]; AECC Scientific Foundation [Beca de Retorno-2010, to MQF]; Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness Projects [SAF2013-45111-R]; Madrid Regional Government Projects [S2010/BMD- 2303]; AXA Research Found; Fundación Botin; AVON Spain; and Boehringer-Ingelheim Spain.S