PHASE 2 STUDY OF COMBINED VINCRISTINE, ADRIAMYCIN, CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE, AND METHOTREXATE WITH CITROVORUM FACTOR RESCUE IN METASTATIC BREAST-CANCER

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 61  (8) , 1527-1531
Abstract
Patients (50) with metastatic breast cancer were treated with 8 day courses of vincristine (1 mg i.v. day 1), adriamycin (50 mg/m2 i.v. day 1), cyclophosphamide (100 mg/m2 orally, days 1-8), methotrexate (200 mg i.v. by 3 h infusion, day 8) and citrovorum factor rescue (15 mg i.m. 12, 18 and 24 h after methotrexate, day 8) at 3-4 wk intervals. Forty-two patients previously received treatment with hormones and 17 patients received chemotherapy. Fifteen patients achieved a complete remission (CR) and 24 patients a partial remission (PR). There was a significant correlation between the response and number of metastatic organs (0.01 < P < 0.02). The response rate was roughly uniform irrespective of the organ predominantly involved (0.2 < P < 0.3). The remission duration was significantly longer for the patients with CR compared with that for patients with PR (0.001 < P < 0.01). Patients who achieved CR and PR survived significantly longer than patients with no change and progressive disease (P < 0.001). Toxic effects of the treatment were acceptable and no drug-related deaths occurred.