[Adjuvant chemotherapy in breast neoplasms. Clinical and immunologic results]

After radical mastectomy and postoperative radiotherapy 56 patients with loco-regional breast cancer and positive lymph nodes and/or tumor size over 2 cm in diameter were treated by a "mild" adjuvant chemotherapy: Cyclophosphamide 150 mg p.o./day + Methotrexate 7,5 mg on three consecutive days p.o./week. The study was started on July 1st 1975, duration of treatment was planned for two years/patient. At the time of evaluation (May 1st 1979) 21 pre- and 35 postmenopausal patients were under study. 7 patients (12,5%) recurred within 6-36 months after the beginning of chemotherapy. Two women died after 20 resp. 36 months. Median time of treatment was 19 months. Chemotherapy caused very mild toxicity and was well tolerated. Patients under adjuvant chemotherapy developed only a transitory depression of B- and T-cells as well as mitogen-induced lymphocyte stimulation whereas patients under polychemotherapy showed a marked depression of these immunological markers.