Intra-arterial chemotherapy: a safe treatment for elderly patients with locally advanced breast cancer

The feasibility, toxicity and local response rates of intra-arterial chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and mitomycin in patients over 75 years with locally advanced breast cancer was evaluated.

Ten patients were treated by the transfemoral Seldinger technique, with the catheter tip placed into the internal mammary artery. In order to evaluate the vessels perfusing the tumor, blue dye solution was infused before drug administration. The patients received 5-fluorouracil 750 mg/m2, epirubicin 30 mg/m2 and mitomycin 7 mg/m2 by bolus infusion.

All patients were evaluated for toxicity and response. Twenty-two cycles were administered. The toxicity was mild and did not influence the patients' quality of life; the compliance was excellent. A response rate of 80% (8 out of 10) was obtained; the median overall survival was 33.5 months; no patient had local recurrence.

Intra-arterial chemotherapy is an effective and safe treatment for locally advanced breast cancer in the elderly.