[Chemotherapy for recurrent breast carcinoma]

5-FU and its analogs, Cyclophosphamide (CPA), Methotrexate (MTX), Adriamycin (ADM) and Vincristine (VCR) are among the many different anticancer agents that have proven effective by themselves against progressive recurrent carcinoma of the breast. However, in actual clinical practice, multiple combination therapy with these drugs which are effective singly, has been found to be even more effective. Regimens with CF (CPA + 5-FU), CMF (CPA + MTX + 5-FU), CMFVP (CPA + MTX + 5-FU + VCR + Pred., CAF (CPA + ADM + 5-FU), and AC (ADM + CPA) are well known, but the dosage and administration schedule differ somewhat with the researcher. In any case, a 30 to 50% response rate has been reported on the overall. With recurrent carcinoma of the breast, the primary choice of a chemotherapy regimen involving various agents, the combination with hormone therapy, the conditions as to the location of the recurrence or pre-treatment situation, pose serious problems. CMF, CMFVP or AC are recommended as the regimen of choice, and it is only natural that the agents not used in the preferred regimen be combined in the second choice of treatment. Also, testing with new drugs must be aggressively pursued in many cases.