Prolonged remissions of metastatic breast cancer achieved with a six-drug regimen of relatively low toxicity.

A combination of six chemotherapeutic agents was used to treat 30 women with unresectable metastatic carcinoma of the breast. In the first year five drugs (Cytoxan, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and prednisolone [CMFVP]) were given using a weekly schedule for administration of intravenous drugs. During the next year, a seven-week treatment cycle was introduced, with CMFVP given for four weeks, followed by an Adriamycin combination (Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, and prednisone [ACP]) for three weeks and then the cycle repeated. Treatment was continued for three years or to time of relapse. Overall response rate was 66.7% (20/30). The median duration of response was 40 months and the median survival 39 months. Premenopausal women fared better than postmenopausal women with comparable response rates, duration of response and survival being 81.5%, 41 months, 56 months versus 50%, 20 months and 27 months. Of 16 premenopausal patients treated 7 achieved a complete response (CR) and, of these, 5 remained free of disease at 3 years. For these five individuals all treatment was then stopped. Disease recurred in two patients by five months but three remain disease-free after 43, 40 and 34 months, respectively without therapy. Toxicity was generally limited to heartburn and modest hair loss. This regimen appears to be more effective than those previously employed for metastatic breast cancer. However, comparative trials will be necessary to confirm its advantages.