title: Effective palliation of advanced breast cancer with weekly low dose epirubicin.
abstract: A single institution Phase II study of weekly low dose epirubicin was performed on patients with advanced breast cancer. They received epirubicin in doses approximating to 12 mg/m2 i.v. each week. Most patients had received prior hormone therapy and five had previous chemotherapy; all were post-menopausal. Only patients with bidimensionally measurable visceral or soft tissue metastatic lesions were eligible for objective assessment of response according to WHO criteria. Forty-two patients were evaluable for response and 46 were evaluable for toxicity. An objective response rate of 43% was observed (95% CI = 27.9-57.8%) confirming that epirubicin is an active single agent in breast cancer. Remarkably little toxicity was seen; 35% of patients reported no toxicity at all. Since this low dose weekly approach was so well tolerated, and yet was effective, useful palliation was achieved in this group of patients.
authors: University Department of Radiotherapy, Cookridge Hospital, Leeds, U.K.
authors: W G
authors: WG
authors: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care
chemical_list: D015251:Epirubicin