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Weekly low-dose mitoxantrone plus doxorubicin as second-line chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer

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Summary

Weekly low dose mitoxantrone (3 mg/m2) plus doxorubicin (8 mg/m2) was administered as second-line chemotherapy to 33 patients with advanced breast cancer. Four out of 28 evaluable patients (14%) obtained a partial response with a median duration of 34 weeks (range 18–67+ weeks), while 8 patients (29%) showed stable disease with a median duration of 28 weeks (range 11+–60 weeks). Gastrointestinal toxicity and alopecia were mild. Grade II and III leukopenia occurred in 63% of the courses without serious infectious disease. Four patients experienced an asymptomatic drop of 16–20% in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after relatively low cumulative doses of each drug, and one patient with a history of pericarditis carcinomatosa and mediastinal irradiation developed a heart failure. In conclusion, this second-line combination treatment had moderate activity in breast cancer and caused only few subjective side effects, especially with respect to gastrointestinal symptoms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Statistics, Rotterdam Cancer Institute (Dr Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center), Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    W. L. J. van Putten

  2. Dept. of Medical Oncology, Rotterdam Cancer Institute/Dr. Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, PO Box 5201, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    M. Bontenbal, A. S. Th. Planting, C. J. Rodenburg, A. Dees, J. Verweij, C. C. M. Bartels, J. Alexieva-Figusch & J. G. M. Klijn

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  1. M. Bontenbal
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  2. A. S. Th. Planting
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  7. J. Alexieva-Figusch
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  8. W. L. J. van Putten
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  9. J. G. M. Klijn
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Bontenbal, M., Planting, A.S.T., Rodenburg, C.J. et al. Weekly low-dose mitoxantrone plus doxorubicin as second-line chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Tr 21, 133–138 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01836959

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