BACKGROUND: Most patients with breast cancer need anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens in the adjuvant setting, and an increasing number of them receive taxanes either in this setting or as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, no standard chemotherapy has been fully established for MBC patients pretreated with anthracycline and taxanes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 48 patients with MBC who had been treated with chemotherapy combining mitomycin C and methotrexate (MMC/MTX), following treatment with anthracycline and taxanes. MMC was given at a dose of 8 mg/m(2) on day 1, and MTX of 60 mg/m(2) on day 1 and day 15. The cycle was repeated every 4 weeks. RESULTS: There were 11 partial responses (24%). The median time to progression was 4.8 months. The response rate of liver metastasis was 31%. Thrombocytopenia (grade 3) was observed in five patients (10%). Other toxicity was mild and manageable. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that MMC/MTX could be an effective subsequent treatment for patients whose MBC has been pretreated with anthracycline and taxanes.
BACKGROUND: Most patients with breast cancer need anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens in the adjuvant setting, and an increasing number of them receive taxanes either in this setting or as first-line therapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC). However, no standard chemotherapy has been fully established for MBCpatients pretreated with anthracycline and taxanes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 48 patients with MBC who had been treated with chemotherapy combining mitomycin C and methotrexate (MMC/MTX), following treatment with anthracycline and taxanes. MMC was given at a dose of 8 mg/m(2) on day 1, and MTX of 60 mg/m(2) on day 1 and day 15. The cycle was repeated every 4 weeks. RESULTS: There were 11 partial responses (24%). The median time to progression was 4.8 months. The response rate of liver metastasis was 31%. Thrombocytopenia (grade 3) was observed in five patients (10%). Other toxicity was mild and manageable. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that MMC/MTX could be an effective subsequent treatment for patients whose MBC has been pretreated with anthracycline and taxanes.