title: Alternating non-cross-resistant chemotherapy for metastatic hormone-independent breast cancer.
abstract: A phase II clinical trial was designed to apply the treatment strategy of alternating non-cross-resistant chemotherapy regimens to patients with metastatic estrogen-receptor negative or hormone-refractory breast cancer. Twenty-six patients received Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide alternating at 3-week intervals with the combination of vinblastine, mitomycin-C, and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Toxicity was moderately severe. Two patients developed grade 2 and three developed grade 1 stomatitis. A single patient developed a WBC count of less than 1000/mm3, whereas five had a lowest recorded WBC count of 1,000-1,999/mm3. Two patients displayed thrombocytopenia of less than 50,000/mm3, one in conjunction with a fatal hemolytic-uremic syndrome. There were six complete and eight partial responses (PRs) for an objective response rate of 54% (64% of fully evaluable patients). The median survival after onset of protocol therapy was 13.3 months. These results are no better than those reported for other Adriamycin-containing regimens.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000032:analysis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D008937:Mitomycins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D016685:Mitomycin; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil