Modulated chemo-hormonotherapy in advanced breast cancer. A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Oncology
• Clinical Therapeutics

Background:

• Advanced breast cancer often requires novel treatment strategies, especially in heavily pretreated patients.
• Sequential chemo-hormonotherapy represents a potential approach for managing complex cases.
• Evaluating treatment efficacy and toxicity in a pretreated population is crucial for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy and tolerability of a sequential chemo-hormonotherapy regimen in patients with advanced breast cancer.
• To determine the overall response rate (ORR) in a heavily pretreated patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• A sequential chemo-hormonotherapy regimen was administered to 22 patients with advanced breast cancer.
• The regimen included tamoxifen, estrogen, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, folinic acid, and 5-fluorouracil.
• Patients were evaluated for response and toxicity, with a focus on those heavily pretreated with prior therapies.

Main Results:

• An overall response rate of 20% was observed in 15 evaluable patients.
• One patient achieved a complete remission; 46.6% had stable disease, and 33.3% had progressive disease.
• The treatment was well-tolerated, with mild hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities reported across 90 administered cycles.

Conclusions:

• Sequential chemo-hormonotherapy demonstrated a modest but potentially significant response rate in heavily pretreated advanced breast cancer patients.
• The treatment regimen was found to be well-tolerated, suggesting a favorable safety profile.
• Further investigation may be warranted to optimize this approach for specific patient subgroups.