Combination chemoendocrine therapy containing vindesine for refractory metastatic breast cancer

Metastatic breast cancer has ultimately failed to respond to the multiple prior therapies, and thus new therapeutic regimens are required. Nine patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with multiple therapeutic regimens were enrolled. The treatment schedule was as follows: vindesine was given intravenously at a dose of 2 mg/m(2) every four weeks. Etoposide and medroxyprogesterone acetate was orally administered at a dose of 25 mg/day for 14 consecutive days and 600 mg/day every day. Only one patient with exclusive bone metastasis showed partial response and the objective response rate for the combination of agents was 11%. Pain derived from the metastatic lesions was reduced in four (80%) among five patients with bone metastasis. For patients with refractory breast cancer, especially with bone metastasis, chemoendocrine therapy containing vindesine might have therapeutic efficacy with low toxicity and favorable quality of life.