[Combination chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer]

Combination chemotherapy was administered to 62 patients with metastatic breast cancer in the years 1977-9. The combination consisted of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil. The average age was 52.5 years, and the range from 27-76. Complete or partial remission for a period of 11.5 months (median) was achieved in 56.5%. Among 23 cases of lung metastases 48% had partial or complete remissions, among 16 cases of lymph node metastases 81%, and among 32 cases of bone metastases, 37.5%. Of six cases of local recurrence, 33.3% had partial remissions. Among four cases of liver metastases, 50% had objective responses. Among five cases of miscellaneous metastases, all had complete or partial responses. The median survival of the complete responders was 17 months, while that of the nonresponders was only 11 months. Side effected were tolerable and no deaths were attributed to the treatment.