title: UFT plus oral folinic acid with alternating oral and intravenous vinorelbine in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We retrospectively evaluated the activity and toxicity of uracil/tegafur (UFT) plus oral folinic acid in combination with vinorelbine (alternating intravenous (IV) on day 1 and oral on day 8) in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment consisted of IV vinorelbine 25 mg/m(2) on day 1 and 60 mg/m(2) orally on day 8, and oral UFT 300 mg/m(2) plus leucovorin 60 mg/m(2) on days 1-14 with 21 days interval. All patients were refractory to anthracyclines and taxanes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Partial response (PR) was observed in 3 (9.7%) and stable disease (SD) was observed in 13 (41.9%) patients. Total clinical benefit (PR + SD) of the combination was 51.6%. The median response duration was 3 (range 1-11.8) months. Median overall survival was 9.8 months (95% confidence interval (CI): 7.5-12.1), and median time to progression was 3.4 months (95% CI: 2.3-4.5). The most common toxicities were hematologic, including 4 (12.9%) cases of grade 3 neutropenia and 4 (12.9%) cases of grade 4 neutropenia. Grade 3 diarrhea was reported in 2 (3.2%) patients. 3 (9.7%) patients had hand-foot syndrome. Febrile neutropenia was observed in 1 patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the combination is safe and convenient in clinical practice, it has only moderate activity in metastatic breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. ugurcos@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Coşkun
authors.forename: Ali Osman
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Necati
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alkis
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Buyukberber
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alici
authors.forename: Gokhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Celenkoglu
authors.forename: Doğan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uncu
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sevinc
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Benekli
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D018943:Anthracyclines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D002955:Leucovorin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D043823:Taxoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005641:Tegafur / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014498:Uracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000077235:Vinorelbine
chemical_list: D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D014747:Vinblastine; D002955:Leucovorin; D000077235:Vinorelbine