[Clinical study of ambulatory cancer chemotherapy for recurrent breast cancer]

To evaluate ambulatory cancer chemotherapy, the clinical response, toxicities and survival time were analysed among 12 outpatients with recurrent breast cancer who were treated by sequential methotrexate (MTX)/5-FU therapy for the past 2 years. In this study, MTX (70 mg/m2, i.v.) and 5-FU (370 mg/m2, d.i.v.) were given on days 1 and 15 every 4 weeks, the 5-FU being given one hour after the MTX. Partial response (PR) was observed in 3 patients (25%), no change (NC) in 9. One-year survival ratio was 59%, and 7 out of 12 patients survived at the end of this study. The median disease free interval was 7.3 months, and 3 cases survived for more than one year without disease. Although nausea/vomiting, stomatitis, leukopenia and alopecia were noted, no severe side effects were observed. These results suggested that sequential MTX/5-FU therapy might be a useful ambulatory cancer chemotherapy for patients with recurrent breast cancer.