INTRAARTERIAL CHEMOTHERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH BREAST-CANCER - A FEASIBILITY STUDY

The aim of this study was to assess the practicality of treating patie nts with various stages of breast cancer by means of regional (intra-a rterial) chemotherapy. Three groups of patients received a median of f our (range 2-4) cycles of combination chemotherapy: group I operable p rimary (n = 10); group II, locally advanced disease (n = 20); group II I, recurrent locoregional disease (n = 22). The response rates (comple te response, partial response and mixed response) in these groups of p atients were 100% in groups I and II and 86% in group III. Morbidity i ncluded drug streaming and dysaesthesia in the hand. patients in group s I and II had their tumours downstaged, allowing surgery to be perfor med. Local control was also achieved in group III when other treatment modalities had failed.