[Therapeutic efficacy of capecitabine on advanced and recurrent breast cancer with special reference to time to progression].

We investigated 29 patients with advanced and recurrent breast cancers who underwent capecitabine therapy in the department. Patients'backgrounds: 41-89 years of age (median, 57 years of age). Advanced breast cancers, 5; recurrent breast cancers, 24. PS< or =2 in 18 cases and PS 3< or =in 11 cases. Eighty-six percent of patients were positive for ER and/or PgR. Multiorgan metastases occurred in 22 cases; bone metastases, 22 cases; lymph node metastases, 12 cases; skin metastases, 11 cases; lung metastases, 10 cases. The rate of patients who received chemotherapy was 93%, and the rate of those who received endocrinotherapy was 90%. Therapeutic response rate was CR in 1 case, PR in 5 cases, long SD in 5 cases, SD in 10 cases and PD in 8 cases, indicating a response rate of 20.7% and a clinical benefit rate of 37.9%. Time to progression (TTP) was 1-15 months (the median time, 4 months). Overall survival time (OS) was 2-23 months (median length, 12 months). OS was significantly longer in patients who had therapeutic effects than in patients with no such effects. TTP was significantly longer in patients who had therapeutic effects and in those who had longer SD than in patients with no such effects. OS was significantly longer in patients who had TTP of 6 months or longer. Clinical benefit (presence vs. absence) and PS (< or =2 vs. 3< or =) were independent factors affecting TTP. Capecitabine is expected to prolong the length of survival in patients who are able to continue treatment for 6 months or longer.