Minimal toxicity and mortality in high-risk breast cancer patients receiving high-dose cyclophosphamide, thiotepa, and carboplatin plus autologous marrow/stem-cell transplantation and comprehensive supportive care.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical toxicity and outcome associated with a comprehensive supportive care approach in poor-risk breast cancer (BrCA) patients with high-dose chemotherapy (HDC).


METHODS
One hundred twenty-five consecutive patients with stages II, III or metastatic breast cancer received HDC between February 1992 and June 1994. Recipients received 4 days of continuous infusion of cyclophosphamide 1.5 g/m2/d, thiotepa 125 mg/m2/d, and carboplatin 200 mg/m2/d followed by infusion of bone marrow or peripheral-blood stem cells (PBSC) and recombinant human growth factor (rhu-GF) support. Patients received similar supportive care that included administration of prophylactic antibiotics, management of neutropenic fevers, and transfusion support.


RESULTS
There were 38 women with stage II or III (27 patients with > or = 10 lymph nodes), four with stage IIIB, and 83 with metastatic breast cancer. The median age was 44 years (range, 27 to 61). Grade II or greater nonhematologic toxicities included diarrhea (66%), stomatitis (33%), hepatic venoocclusive disease (VOD) (5%), and pulmonary toxicity (4%). Myeloid and platelet engraftment was comparable between bone marrow and PBSC recipients (P > .1). Infectious complications were rare and consisted of gram-negative bacteremia (1.6%), gram-positive bacteremia (1.6%), fungemia (1.6%), and documented or suspected aspergillosis infection (3%). There was one treatment-related death secondary to severe VOD.


CONCLUSIONS
A comprehensive supportive care approach was associated with a low treatment-related mortality rate of less than 1%. With the observed reduction in treatment-related mortality, it is reasonable to evaluate the efficacy of HDC in women with less than 10 positive nodes and stage II disease in well-designed clinical trials.
Holland
H K
HK
Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Dix
S P
SP
Geller
R B
RB
Devine
S M
SM
Heffner
L T
LT
Connaghan
D G
DG
Hillyer
C D
CD
Hughes
L L
LL
Miller
R L
RL
Moore
M R
MR
Winton
E F
EF
Wingard
J R
JR
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013852:Thiotepa / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D013852:Thiotepa; D016190:Carboplatin