BACKGROUND: In recent years, induction chemotherapy has been tested by several investigators in the management of operable breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our current study was aimed to evaluate, pragmatically, in patients (74 stage II and 30 stage III) whose treatment would have been mastectomy, the percentage of them in whom a conservative treatment can be performed if primarily treated with a mitoxantrone/vinorelbine regimen. RESULTS: 67/104 patients (64%; 95% CI: 55-74%) had a conservative treatment (lumpectomy: 54, radiation therapy: 12, radiation therapy then lumpectomy: 1) Neutropenia was the major dose-limiting side effect, with grade 3 or 4 neutropenia registered in 83% of patients and 53.3% of the 442 cycles. Overall, a grade 3 or 4 non hematologic side effect occurred in 19.8% of patients and in 9.1% of cycles. One toxic death was observed after 2 cycles in a patient with aplasia who developped septicemia. Seventy one per cent of the patients experienced nausea and vomiting but grade 3 were observed in only 12% of the patients. Other side effects, including stomatitis, asthenia, alopecia, and constipation, were generally mild and uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: This mitoxantrone/vinorelbine regimen is an efficient induction treatment with only neutropenia as a noticeable side effect. It allows 64% of conservative treatment in patients whose treatment would have been mastectomy.
BACKGROUND: In recent years, induction chemotherapy has been tested by several investigators in the management of operable breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Our current study was aimed to evaluate, pragmatically, in patients (74 stage II and 30 stage III) whose treatment would have been mastectomy, the percentage of them in whom a conservative treatment can be performed if primarily treated with a mitoxantrone/vinorelbine regimen. RESULTS: 67/104 patients (64%; 95% CI: 55-74%) had a conservative treatment (lumpectomy: 54, radiation therapy: 12, radiation therapy then lumpectomy: 1) Neutropenia was the major dose-limiting side effect, with grade 3 or 4 neutropenia registered in 83% of patients and 53.3% of the 442 cycles. Overall, a grade 3 or 4 non hematologic side effect occurred in 19.8% of patients and in 9.1% of cycles. One toxic death was observed after 2 cycles in a patient with aplasia who developped septicemia. Seventy one per cent of the patients experienced nausea and vomiting but grade 3 were observed in only 12% of the patients. Other side effects, including stomatitis, asthenia, alopecia, and constipation, were generally mild and uncommon. CONCLUSIONS: This mitoxantrone/vinorelbine regimen is an efficient induction treatment with only neutropenia as a noticeable side effect. It allows 64% of conservative treatment in patients whose treatment would have been mastectomy.
Authors: J M Bennett; H B Muss; J H Doroshow; S Wolff; E T Krementz; K Cartwright; G Dukart; A Reisman; I Schoch Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 1988-10 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: M Spielmann; T Dorval; F Turpin; E Antoine; M Jouve; F Maylevin; D Lacombe; J Rouesse; P Pouillart; T Tursz Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 1994-09 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: T J Powles; T F Hickish; A Makris; S E Ashley; M E O'Brien; V A Tidy; S Casey; A G Nash; N Sacks; D Cosgrove Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 1995-03 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: B Quesnel; H Kantarjian; J P Bjergaard; P Brault; E Estey; J L Lai; H Tilly; A M Stoppa; E Archimbaud; J L Harousseau Journal: J Clin Oncol Date: 1993-12 Impact factor: 44.544
Authors: A L Harris; B M Cantwell; J Carmichael; R Wilson; J Farndon; P Dawes; S Ghani; R G Evans Journal: Lancet Date: 1990-01-27 Impact factor: 79.321