Combination chemotherapy with navelbine and continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil in metastatic, chemotherapy refractory breast cancer.
BACKGROUND
The protracted continuous infusion (PCI) of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has proven in several studies an active and well tolerated treatment for advanced, pretreated breast cancer. Navelbine has also activity in this setting.


METHODS
Heavily pretreated patients with metastatic breast carcinoma were eligible for the study. Treatment consisted of 5-FU 250 mg/m2 given as a PCI by an elastomeric pump and navelbine 20 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, every four weeks. Eighty-three patients (median age 54 years; range 32-82 years) entered the study. The median number of metastatic tumour sites was 2, with visceral involvement in 56 patients. Apart from five patients with contraindications, all patients had been pretreated with anthracyclines. Thirty-one patients had received taxanes and seventy-four bolus 5-FU.


RESULTS
A median of 5 cycles (range 1-14) per patient was administered. The median duration of 5-FU infusion was 17 weeks (range, 4-90). In the 80 evaluable patients (3 not yet evaluable) 12 complete remissions and 24 partial remissions occurred (response rate, 45%). Median duration of response was 9 months. Toxicity was mild. Median survival was 20 months.


CONCLUSIONS
PCI-5-FU combined with navelbine offers a reasonable chance of tumour regression with modest side effects in patients with heavily pretreated breast cancer.
Lombardi
D
D
Division of Medical Oncology, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, Aviano, Italy.
Magri
M D
MD
Crivellari
D
D
Spazzapan
S
S
Paolello
C
C
De Cicco
M
M
Di Lauro
V
V
Scuderi
C
C
Veronesi
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077235:Vinorelbine
D014747:Vinblastine; D000077235:Vinorelbine; D005472:Fluorouracil