RESULTS AND TOXIC SIDE-EFFECTS OF THE COMBINATION OF CYTOSTASAN, ADRIAMYCIN AND VINCRISTINE AS 2ND LINE THERAPY OF METASTATIC BREAST-CANCER

Remission rates of 30 - 50 % can be obtained using different cytostatic combinations in second line therapy of metastatic breast cancer. The combination of adriamycin and vincristin with cytostasan revealed a remission rate of 50 % in 62 CMF-pretreated patients. Considerable toxic side effects led to a dose reduction of cytostasan and adriamycine in 43 patients without clinical efficacy loss. The long remission periods of the total responders (8 - 23 months) were remarkable. Both, 3 patients with bone +/- soft tissue metastasis and 4 patients with visceral metastasis benefited from a clinical total remission. The remission rates indicated no significant differences between the group of patients with soft tissue +/- bone metastasis (47.3 %) and that with a predominantly visceral metastasis (50 %). The CyAV-combination with a low dosage provides an effective therapeutical scheme with acceptable side effects for CMF-pretreated patients with breast cancer.