Mitomycin C plus capecitabine (mixe) in anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer. A multicenter phase II study.
BACKGROUND
Capecitabine is considered the treatment of choice for anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer. Mitomycin C seems to improve the activity of capecitabine by up-regulation of thymidine phosphorylase.


METHODS
Fifty-five women with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclinetaxane were treated with mitomycin C 10 mg/m2 on day 1 every six weeks and capecitabine 1000 mg/m2 on days 2-15 every three weeks.


RESULTS
An overall response rate of 38% was found, consisting of 3 (5%) complete responses (CR) and 18 (33%) partial responses (PR); 8 patients (14%) had a stable disease (SD) for more than 4 months. The combination was well-tolerated, with the main toxicities being neutropenia, diarrhea and fatigue; other toxicities were of mild to moderate intensity without impairment in the quality of life of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Capecitabine is confirmed as the drug of choice in the treatment of anthracycline- and taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer and its combination with mitomycin appears to improve its efficacy.
Maisano
Roberto
R
Unità Operativa di Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Reggio Calabria, Italy. maisano@supereva.it
Caristi
Nicola
N
Mare
Marzia
M
Raffaele
Mario
M
Iorfida
Monica
M
Mafodda
Antonino
A
Zavettieri
Maria
M
Nardi
Mario
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D000069287:Capecitabine; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016685:Mitomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D043823:Taxoids / Q000627:therapeutic use
D018943:Anthracyclines; D043823:Taxoids; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D016685:Mitomycin; D000069287:Capecitabine; D005472:Fluorouracil