BISANTRENE, AN ACTIVE NEW DRUG IN THE TREATMENT OF METASTATIC BREAST-CANCER

  • 1 January 1983
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 43  (3) , 1402-1404
Abstract
Patients (44) with metastatic breast cancer who had previously received extensive conventional systemic therapy, including combination chemotherapy with doxorubicin were treated with Bisantrene, a new anthracene derivative. The dose schedule was 250-300 mg/sq m body surface administered as a 1- to 2-h i.v. infusion. Of 40 evaluable patients, there were 9 partial responses and 18 patients had stable disease. Responses were seen in all major sites of organ involvement with a median time to progression of 28 wk. Moreover, responses were seen among patients who had either failed to respond or had demonstrated refractoriness to prior therapy with doxorubicin, suggesting an apparent lack of cross-resistance between doxorubicin and Bisantrene. Except for myelosuppression and one incidence of acute anaphylactoid reaction, Bisantrene was generally well tolerated by most patients. Bisantrene may ultimately have a major role in the effective treatment of metastatic breast cancer and further clinical trials are warranted.

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