Clinical course of breast cancer patients with metastases confined to the lungs treated with chemotherapy. The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center experience and review of the literature.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical course of patients with a metastatic breast cancer (MBC) confined to the lungs and treated with doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide-containing chemotherapy (DC-CT).


METHODS
Between 1973 and 1985, 1581 patients with MBC were treated with DC-CT at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Data for 88 patients (5.6%) with metastases confined to the lungs were reviewed to correlate various clinical characteristics with response to treatment and survival.


RESULTS
The overall response rate was 76% with 33% achieving complete response (CR). The median overall survival time was 22 months (range 1-210). The 10-year survival rate was 9%. The overall response and CR rates were higher for the patients with metastases confined to the lungs (76% and 33%. respectively) than for the remainder of MBC patients (64% and 14%; P < 0.01). The 10-year survival rate was also higher (9% versus 3%, P < 0.01), but there were no differences in median overall survival rate.


CONCLUSIONS
This retrospective analysis demonstrated that patients with metastases confined to the lungs treated with DC-CT had a high objective response rate, especially high CR rates, and a median survival comparable to that of our entire population of MBC patients. A small but clinically significant percentage of patients had prolonged survival. Therefore, not all visceral sites are indicators of poor prognosis.
Diaz-Canton
E A
EA
Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA.
Valero
V
V
Rahman
Z
Z
Rodriguez-Monge
E
E
Frye
D
D
Smith
T
T
Buzdar
A U
AU
Hortobagyi
G N
GN
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
D004317:Doxorubicin; D003520:Cyclophosphamide