Volume 28, Number 3, 291-294, DOI: 10.1007/BF00666591

Mitoxantrone, vincristine, and 5-fluorouracil with leucovorin modulation as induction chemotherapy prior to high-dose intensification in metastatic breast cancer

Stephanie F. Williams, Susan E. Myers, Sheila Huffman, Rosemarie Mick and Jacob D. Bitran

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Abstract

We treated 39 women with newly diagnosed stage IV breast cancer with a new regimen of mitoxantrone 18 mg/m2 on days 1, 29, 57, vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 (maximum 2.0 mg) on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 36, 43, 50, and 5-fluorouracil 375 mg/m2 on days 15–20, 43–47, 71–75 with leucovorin modulation 500 mg/m2 before each 5FU infusion (MVF). This regimen was utilized as an initial cytoreductive or induction program for these patients prior to high-dose intensification with autologous stem cell rescue. Ten patients (25%) obtained a clinical complete response and six patients (15%) obtained a partial response for an overall response rate of 40%. In addition, 10 patients had evaluable disease that was improved or stable (primarily bone and/or bone marrow metastases) after MVF induction. Thus, 26 patients (65%) were eligible for high-dose intensification with autologous stem cell rescue after MVF induction. Toxicity was primarily a mild mucositis and more commonly peripheral neuropathy. MVF therapy is an active treatment program for metastatic breast cancer but the neurotoxicity makes it difficult to recommend for widespread use.

Key words  breast cancer - induction chemotherapy - mitoxantrone

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