UFT plus oral folinic acid with alternating oral and intravenous vinorelbine in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracyclines and taxanes.
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.
Coşkun
Uğur
U
Department of Medical Oncology, Gazi University Medical School, Ankara, Turkey. ugurcos@hotmail.com
Kaya
Ali Osman
AO
Alkis
Necati
N
Buyukberber
Suleyman
S
Alici
Suleyman
S
Celenkoglu
Gokhan
G
Uncu
Doğan
D
Ozkan
Metin
M
Sevinc
Alper
A
Benekli
Mustafa
M
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
D018943:Anthracyclines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D043823:Taxoids; D005641:Tegafur; D014498:Uracil; D014747:Vinblastine; D002955:Leucovorin; D000077235:Vinorelbine