title: Salvage treatment of patients relapsing after breast cancer adjuvant chemotherapy.
abstract: We analyzed the efficacy of salvage therapy with systemic agents in 33 women who initially received adjuvant chemotherapy with Adriamycin and cyclophosphamide (AC) for early breast cancer. Relapses occurred at a median of 9 months after completion of adjuvant therapy, and six patients relapsed while receiving adjuvant treatment. Nonetheless, salvage treatment produced objective responses in three of ten patients (30%) receiving hormonal therapy alone, in five of 11 (45%) receiving AC plus hormonal therapy, and in none of 12 receiving cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (P < 0.05). Survival from the time of relapse from adjuvant chemotherapy was superior for patients receiving hormonal therapy with or without AC chemotherapy compared to that of patients receiving cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (P < 0.05), and the median survival time of responders is > 12 months. On the basis of these findings, we believe that patients relapsing after adjuvant chemotherapy should receive aggressive treatment employing Adriamycin combination chemotherapy along with hormonal therapy.
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002369:Castration; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006728:Hormones; D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil; D008727:Methotrexate