title: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 126 operable breast cancers.
abstract: 126 patients with non-inflammatory operable breast cancer, who otherwise would have undergone modified radical mastectomy (MRM), were treated by induction chemotherapy. Before treatment, every patient had a local and general assessment, and pathological or cytological evidence of malignancy. Patients received, every 3 weeks, the same treatment with doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil (AVCF); methotrexate was added in 80 cases (AVCFM). Tumour shrinkage greater than 50% was documented in 105 (83%) of the 126 women. A higher objective response rate was obtained in aneuploid or high S phase tumours, especially in the patients treated with methotrexate. After chemotherapy, 41 patients were then treated by radiotherapy alone after complete or sub-complete response; 64 had a residual tumour that could be treated by conservative surgery and radiotherapy. Only 19 had MRM and radiotherapy. Histopathological complete remission was documented in 1 case; isolated residual tumour cells were found in 5 patients. Thus primary chemotherapy enhanced the possibility of breast conservation in up to 83% of the cases in a series in which most would have been otherwise subjected to a MRM because of tumour size.
authors.affiliation: Centre Jean Perrin and INSERM U71, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bélembaogo
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Feillel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chollet
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Curé
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verrelle
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kwiatkowski
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Achard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Le Bouëdec
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chassagne
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Bignon
mesh_terms: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D014750:Vincristine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate