title: Oral idarubicin and cyclophosphamide for metastatic breast cancer in elderly patients.
abstract: The authors treated 39 heavily pretreated breast cancer patients, median age 72, with a combined oral regimen featuring idarubicin and cyclophosphamide, administered without hospitalization in cycles repeated every 4 weeks for a total not to exceed idarubicin 400 mg/m2. Treatment was remarkably well tolerated, with generally mild hematological toxicity and only one discontinuation caused by severe neutropenia; non-hematologic toxicity consisted mainly of moderate nausea and vomiting in fewer than half the cycles, and hair loss of various severity in the majority of patients. Therapeutic results were graded as partial responses (13 cases), no change (NC; 11 cases) or progressive disease (11 cases) for a response rate of 37.2% (95% CI: 21.1-53.1%). The authors single out the NC issue as being of special interest, its mere occurrence being rewarding in the circumstance and its duration in excess of 5 months (seen in six cases) almost equivalent to therapeutic success.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Division, Casa di Cura Poliambulanza, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaniboni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bolognesi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arnoldi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tabiadon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Intini
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015255:Idarubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D015255:Idarubicin