title: High-dose epirubicin as a single agent in the treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer. A Hellenic Co-operative Oncology Group study.
abstract: Fifty-two women with advanced breast cancer were treated with 6 cycles of epirubicin. Even though the study was started with a dose schedule of 110 mg/m2 every 3 weeks, the average treatment interval was 26 days and the median weekly dose 78% of the protocol requirement. Forty-eight patients were evaluable for response; 3 achieved a complete remission which lasted for 17, 24 and 65 weeks, respectively, and 14 a partial remission. Median survival was 32 weeks. Toxicity included nausea/vomiting (68%), anemia (24%), leukopenia (37%), thrombocytopenia (8%), alopecia (81%), stomatitis (24%), diarrhea (14%), fever (19%) and fatigue (14%). Also 1 treatment-related death occurred and 2 cases of arrhythmia. Monotherapy with high doses of epirubicin has definite activity in advanced breast cancer and deserves further study in combination with hematopoietic growth factors which might allow a higher dose intensity.
authors.affiliation: AHEPA University Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fountzilas
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Skarlos
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Pavlidis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makrantonakis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsavaris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalogera-Fountzila
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giannakakis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kosmidis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012074:Remission Induction
chemical_list: D015251:Epirubicin