Weekly dose adriamycin as first line chemotherapy in advanced breast cancer.

Weekly dose Adriamycin was given prospectively as first line chemotherapy in a phase II study including 76 patients with evaluable advanced breast cancer. The response rate (CR+PR) was 24 percent (18/76) and a further 41 per cent (31/76) of the patients achieved stable disease (NC). Mean time to progression for responders was 17 months and for those with stabilized disease 10 months. Mean time to progression for all patients was 8.8 months and overall mean survival time 16 months (2-55+). Side effects were well tolerable; myelosuppression was registered in 27 percent and alopecia requiring a wig in 24 percent. In three patients cardiotoxicity was registered after 1,190 mg, 1,480 mg and 1,780 mg respectively. This low dose regimen seems effective and well comparable regarding time to progression with multidrug regimens, including doxorubicin.