High-dose Chemotherapy and the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer: Selecting the Regimen and the Source of Stem Cells.
High-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell rescue has been associated with an increased overall response rate and improved progression-free survival for patients with metastatic breast cancer when compared retrospectively to standard therapy. The optimal source of stem cells - peripheral blood or autologous bone marrow - has not been determined. We present results from two high-dose regimens - ifosfamide, carboplatin, and etoposide (ICE) or mitoxantrone and thiotepa (MITT) followed by autologous stem cell rescue - and analyze the outcomes for patients based on the regimen used and the source of stem cells. Disease responsiveness at the time of high-dose therapy is the most important factor for determining outcome. The source of stem cells did not affect progression-free survival for either group.
Fields
KK
Bone Marrow Transplant Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Florida 33612, USA.
Agaliotis
DP
Janssen
WE
Perkins
JB
Ballester
OF
Hiemenz
JW
Zorsky
PE
Elfenbein
GJ