[Combined chemotherapy and anti-oestrogen administration for metastasising breast carcinoma: randomised study comparing AVC and AVC plus tamoxifen (author's transl)].

In a randomised study two treatment schedules were compared in a total of 84 patients with metastasising carcinoma of the breast. Adriamycin (40 mg/m2 i.v.), vincristin (1 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1), and cyclophosphamide (200 mg/m2 p.o. on days 3--6) (AVC), and tamoxifen (20 mg twice daily) were given to 36 patients, while 48 patients (the control group) received only AVC, without anti-oestrogen. In both groups the AVC treatment cycle was repeated every 3-4 weeks. Remission rate (full or partial) of the AVCT group was 50%, that of the AVC group 54%. Median survival time among the former was 28 months, median duration of remission 18 months. Corresponding results with AVC treatment were 23 and 15 months, respectively. The better results on adding tamoxifen are statistically not significant (P greater than 0.05).