title: High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support for breast cancer: a review of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Beth Israel Hospital experience.
abstract: The overall median survival of women with advanced or high-risk primary breast cancer has not changed with conventional chemotherapy. Regimens employing high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support (ABMT) have been developed with the hope of optimizing tumor response and increasing survival. Early phase I studies in women with advanced refractory disease achieved high response rates of short duration. Second generation studies combined an induction phase followed by one high-dose intensification at time of maximum tumor response. The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Beth Israel Hospitals have developed the high-dose intensification regimen of cyclophosphamide, thiotepa, and carboplatin (CTCb) for use in women with metastatic and high-risk stage IIIB/inflammatory breast cancer. To date, approximately 19% of women with metastatic disease remain progression free using this approach, with median length of follow-up approaching 40 months. Although the median duration of follow-up for the stage IIIB women is much shorter (approximately 12 months), greater than 90% of these women are thus far disease free. With the advent of hematologic support, such as blood stem cells and colony-stimulating factors, the morbidity, mortality, and costs associated with this treatment have been substantially reduced, allowing for two or more cycles of high-dose intensification to be employed, to exploit the potential of dose-intensity to optimize response.
authors.affiliation: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Ayash
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elias
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tepler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schnipper
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frei
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Antman
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001804:Blood Transfusion, Autologous; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy*; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013852:Thiotepa / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D013852:Thiotepa; D016190:Carboplatin