title: Mitoxantrone, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (MMF) in hormone-refractory advanced breast cancer.
abstract: Thirty-nine patients with metastatic breast cancer who had not received prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease were treated in a phase II trial with a combination of mitoxantrone (10 mg/m2), methotrexate (40 mg/m2) and 5-fluorouracil (600 mg/m2) i.v. every 3 weeks (MMF). Thirty-three patients could be evaluated with regard to response and toxicity. Objective response was observed in 33% (3/33 complete responses, 8/33 partial responses). Dominant sites of disease were bone (16 patients), liver (7 patients), skin/lymph node (7 patients), lung (1 patient) and breast (2 patients). Responses occurred in bone (4/16), liver (3/7) and skin/lymph node (4/7). Moderate to severe alopecia (grade 3-4 WHO criteria) occurred in 3/33 (10%) patients; moderate to severe nausea and vomiting in 2/33 (6%) patients. Haematological toxicity consisted of predominantly leukopenia. Leukopenia grade 3-4 (nadir below 2000 x 10(9)/litre) occurred in 22/33 (67%) patients; thrombocytopenia grade 3-4 (nadir below 50,000 X 10(9)/litre) occurred in 3 patients (9%). The MMF regimen appears to be effective. The non-haematological toxicity compares favourably with that of the more commonly used chemotherapy regimens, but the anti-tumour activity may be less.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Nortier
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Neijt
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bleeker
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Meeuwissen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: van Kessel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van der Vegt
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Splinter
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Groenestijn
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Schornagel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D008942:Mitoxantrone; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate