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Phase II study of intensive chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation in patients in complete remission of disseminated breast cancer

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Summary

Background

This trial studied the disease-free survival after high-dose chemotherapy in patients in complete remission of metastatic breast cancer.

Patients and methods

Thirty women, mean age 42.2 years (range 33–55) with metastatic breast cancer, received high-dose chemotherapy in a phase II study. Patients were eligible if they were ≤ 55 years of age, had achieved complete remission within 6 months of the initiation of chemotherapy, and had a WHO performance scale of 0 or 1. The high-dose regimen consisted of melphalan 180 mg/m2 and mitoxantrone 60 mg/m2 both divided over 3 days. On day 7 bone marrow and/or peripheral stem cells were infused. After bone marrow recovery, external beam radiation was administered to sites of previous metastatic disease in 15 patients.

Results

Apart from leuko- and thrombocytopenia, mucositis was the major side effect. One patient died during the bone marrow transplant period due to an aspergillus infection. The median follow-up since highdose chemotherapy is 25 months (range 13 to 56 months). The median disease-free survival since high-dose chemotherapy is 27 months and the disease free survival is still 43% with an overall survival of 53% at 3 years. In two patients tumor relapse occurred only in the brain; in one patient the only relapse sign was a meningeal carcinosis. At the moment 17 patients are disease-free (13+–56+) months after high-dose chemotherapy.

Conclusion

Until now this high-dose regimen in selected patients with complete remission after induction chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer has a promising disease free survival.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands

    E. G. E. de Vries & N. H. Mulder

  2. Department of Radiotherapy, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands

    W. V. Dolsma

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    S. Rodenhuis

  4. Department of Radiotherapy, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    J. V. Lebesque

  5. Division of Haematology/Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Maastricht, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands

    H. C. Schouten & P. S. G. J. Hupperets

  6. Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands

    G. H. Blijham

  7. Department of Medical Oncology, Daniël den Hoed Kliniek, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    M. Bontenbal

  8. Dutch Working Party on ABMT in Solid Tumors, The Netherlands

    E. G. E. de Vries, S. Rodenhuis, H. C. Schouten, P. S. G. J. Hupperets, W. V. Dolsma, J. V. Lebesque, G. H. Blijham, M. Bontenbal & N. H. Mulder

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  1. E. G. E. de Vries
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  2. S. Rodenhuis
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  3. H. C. Schouten
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  4. P. S. G. J. Hupperets
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  5. W. V. Dolsma
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  6. J. V. Lebesque
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  9. N. H. Mulder
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de Vries, E.G.E., Rodenhuis, S., Schouten, H.C. et al. Phase II study of intensive chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation in patients in complete remission of disseminated breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Tr 39, 307–313 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806158

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01806158

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