title: Mitoxantrone as second-line single agent in metastatic breast cancer.
abstract: Mitoxantrone (MIX), a member of the anthraquinone chemical class, was found to be a potential anticancer agent. It has a similar spectrum of activity as Adriamycin in experimental and human tumors. Thirty-five female patients with metastatic breast cancer, refractory to previous chemotherapy, were treated between 1986 and 1987 with MIX (14 mg/m2 i.v. every 3 weeks); patients with diffuse bone metastases or heavily pretreated patients received 10-12 mg/m2 MIX. All patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. Two patients achieved complete response and 4 partial response, giving an overall response rate of 17%. Median time of response was 5.5 months. The drug was well tolerated. Objective response was obtained mostly in patients with a performance status (Karnofsky scale) of more than 70%, and in those who received more than 12 mg/m2 MIX per course. One patient developed cardiomyopathy, another an acute myocardial infarction, and 3 patients had pathological changes on echocardiography or multigated nuclear angiography. Hematological and gastrointestinal toxicity was tolerable. We found MIX to be a potentially effective second-line treatment with mild toxicity in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Northern Israel Oncology Center, Rambam Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Haifa.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Borovik
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006334:Heart Function Tests; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008593:Menopause; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis
chemical_list: D008942:Mitoxantrone