An effective low-dose intermittent cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil treatment regimen for metastatic breast cancer

✍ Scribed by Richard H. Creech; Robert B. Catalano; Michael J. Mastrangelo; Paul F. Engstrom

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1975
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 571 KB
• Volume: 35
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0008-543X
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(197504)35:4<1101::aid-cncr2820350413>3.0.co;2-m

✦ Synopsis

A low-dose, three-drug regimen, C.M.F. (cyclophosphamide 50 mg, P.o., days 1-14; methotrexate, 25 mg, and 5-fluorouracil, 500 mg, i.v., days 1 and 8; cycled every 28 days) was used in 46 consecutive chemotherapy-eligible women (41 previously hormonally treated) with recurrent breast cancer. Thirteen percent of the patients had complete regressions (C.R.) ; 33% had partial regressions (P.R.); 26% stabilized; and 28% progressed. In evaluating response by sites of metastases, lymph nodes (30%), lung nodules (22%), and subcutaneous deposits (2/3) had the highest incidence of C.R.; 46-7170 of patients with lymph node, lung, subcutaneous, liver, breast, or peritoneal disease showed C.R. or P.R.

Skin and pleural disease responded in 30% of patients whereas no patients had radiographic healing of bony metastases. The toxicity was minimal: 7% gastrointestinal, 26% marrow-suppressive, and 7% infectious. This low-dose C.M.F. regimen resulted in regression rates similar to higher dose C.M.F. protocols, which use approximately twice these drug dosages with commensurate toxicity.