VP-16 and adriamycin in patients with advanced breast cancer

Twenty-eight patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the breast were treated with a combination of VP-16 and adriamycin (VAD). Two complete (CR), and eight partial (PR) remissions were observed. The CR plus PR produced a 36% response rate in this study. Nine additional patients had stable disease for at least 2 months. No drug deaths were seen with this combination, but thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, and vomiting were observed. Alopecia was seen in 100% of the patients treated with the above combination. This study suggests that the combination of adriamycin and VP-16 may be a good second-line therapy for patients with adenocarcinoma of the breast who failed and/or relapsed to CMFVP.