title: Combination chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer: two regimens containing adriamycin.
abstract: Forty-eight women with advanced metastatic carcinoma of the breast were treated with one of two combination chemotherapy regimens: 1) adriamycin and cyclophosphamide or 2) adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil. The response rate in the two-drug treatment group was 50% and in the four-drug treatment group, 55%. The median duration of response was ten months in both treatment groups. Dramatic responses were seen in patients with visceral metastases. Patients who responded to chemotherapy had a significantly longer survival than nonresponders (p less than 0.01). The long interval between adriamycin doses (six weeks) in the four drug regimen did not adversely effect the response rate--an important finding in view of the dose-related cardiac toxicity of this agent.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004064:Digestive System / Q000187:drug effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate