title: Adjuvant therapy for primary breast cancer in a female patient affected by autoimmune liver disease: does it cure breast cancer and primary biliary cirrhosis?
abstract: Polychemotherapy (CMF or CMF-like regimens) is the treatment of choice in premenopausal breast cancer patients with 1-3 positive nodes. In clinical practice, patients with abnormal biochemical tests of liver function are usually excluded from this potentially curative methotrexate-containing regimen in order to avoid worsening of hepatic damage. On the other hand, recent reports have shown a beneficial effect of methotrexate in a particular autoimmune liver disease such as primary biliary cirrhosis. We discuss the case of a female patient with breast cancer and primary biliary cirrhosis whose biochemical tests of liver function and the titer of antimitochondrial antibody persistently improved after treatment with 3 cycles of CMF. In conclusion, we suggest that the CMF regimen is potentially useful in patients with breast cancer and primary biliary cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Oncologia Medica, IRCCS, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crivellari
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cannizzaro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galligioni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valentini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monfardini
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castiglione
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate