Response to secondary therapy in patients with adenocarcinoma of the breast previously treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.

The response to secondary therapy, chemotherapy or hormonal, is examined in 26 patients with adenocarcinoma of breast who failed adjuvant chemotherapy. Response rates to tamoxifen or combination chemotherapy, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and 5-FU (CMF) or Adriamycin and vincristine (AV) were similar to response rates reported for Stage IV patients, never exposed to cytotoxic agents. Survivals in these 26 patients were similar to those reported for Stage IV patients never exposed to cytotoxics. It is concluded that adjuvant chemotherapy does not lessen future response to secondary therapies or decrease survival.