Cisplatin and etoposide: an effective treatment for refractory breast carcinoma

Thirty-one patients with metastatic breast carcinoma refractory to standard hormonal and chemotherapy were treated with cisplatin 100 mg/m2 per course and etoposide 300 mg/m2 per course divided over 5 days. Courses were repeated at 3-6-week intervals, depending on the speed of recovery from myelosuppression. Of 29 evaluable patients, three had complete responses, eight had partial responses, eight had stable disease, and 10 had progressive disease. Nausea, emesis, anorexia, weakness, and easy fatigability were common but tolerable side effects. Myelosuppression was frequent and occasionally profound but there were no deaths from hemorrhage or infection. No significant renal toxicity was encountered. The combination of cisplatin and etoposide has sufficient antitumor activity with acceptable toxicity in heavily pretreated patients to justify its further study in breast cancer.