A controlled study in the use of combined drug therapy for metastatic breast cancer.

Three prospectivelyly planned and controlled cooperative clinical studies in the use of combination drug therapy for metastatic breast cancer are reported. Each study contained two drug regimen arms. A total of 326 evaluable patients were treated with one of the five various drug combinations employed. As the number of drugs used in each regimen was increased from two to five, a concommitant increase in remission rates from 50% to 75% was observed. Remission duration of approximately 8 months and survival from the onset of treatment, however, remained relatively constant at 13 to 16 months in all drug regimens. Patients achieving tumor remission survived an average of three times longer than those with progressive disease under therapy. The results are correlated to patient age and predominant metastatic type. Subjective improvement was definitely related to objective tumor regression or stabilization. Treatment was relatively well tolerated and well applicable to outpatient care. Dosage adjustments were often necessary during the initial phases of therapy. Combined cystostatic drug therapy is highly effective in the prognostically worst forms of metastatic breast cancer, and is the treatment of choice for younger patients with visceral type metastases.