[A case report of advanced breast cancer effectively treated by chemo-endocrine therapy with diethylstilbestrol...

A woman more than 5 years postmenopausal with right advanced breast cancer (T4, T3, M1, stage IV) was treated with a mild chemo-endocrine therapy. The regimen consisted of diethylstilbestrol diphosphate (Honvan) at 15 mg/day orally and cyclophosphamide at 100 mg/day orally. By the sixth month after administration, both the right breast cancer and multiple lymph node metastases completely disappeared. The change of hormonal therapy from Honvan, as estrogen, to tamoxifen, as antiestrogen, was done 2 years and 9 months after the beginning of initial treatment. The breast cancer recurred 9 months after the change of treatment. At that time, Honvan was again administered instead of tamoxifen. Complete remission was again obtained for 6 months beginning 2 months after the change of drugs, but then the tumor recurred. Although combination chemotherapy was undertaken, the patient died 5 years after initial treatment. These results suggest that chemoendocrine therapy using a low dose of Honvan and cyclophosphamide is effective for advanced breast carcinoma.