Comparison of mitozantrone and epirubicin in advanced breast cancer.
Forty chemotherapy naive patients with metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer were treated in a randomized trial comparing mitozantrone 14 mg/m2 with epirubicin 75 mg/m2 given intravenously at 3-weekly intervals. There was a 40% (95% confidence interval (CI) 8-72; P = 0.013) higher partial response rate with epirubicin (11/18) than with mitozantrone (4/19). Epirubicin caused significantly more alopecia (difference 76%; 95% CI 57-96; P < 0.0001) and nausea/vomiting (difference = 38%; 95% CI 10-67; P = 0.01). Three patients who received long courses of epirubicin experienced cardiac failure; two were proved to have cardiomyopathy. The median survival for the epirubicin and mitozantrone groups were 9.5 and 8 months respectively. Thus, although epirubicin gave a higher response rate it also caused more toxicity.
Cook
A M
AM
Bristol Oncology Centre, UK.
Chambers
E J
EJ
Rees
G J
GJ
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015251:Epirubicin; D008942:Mitoxantrone