CARBOPLATIN AND ORAL ETOPOSIDE IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED BREAST-CANCER REFRACTORY TO ANTHRACYCLINES

Aims and Background: To determine the efficacy and toxicity of the car boplatin and oral etoposide combination in patients with advanced brea st cancer previously treated with anthracyclines. Methods: Twenty-seve n patients were treated with a maximum of 6 cycles of carboplatin (300 mg/m(2)) and etoposide (200 mg/m(2)) every 4 weeks. Prior treatment w ith an anthracycline was given as adjuvant in 17 patients and as first line treatment for advanced disease in 10 patients. Results: Only 12 (44 %) patients completed all 6 cycles of chemotherapy. The median adm inistered dose of carboplatin was 72 mg/m(2)/week and of etoposide 143 mg/m(2)/week. Two (7.5%) complete and 4 (15%) partial responses were observed. Both complete responses occurred in patients who received on ly mitoxantrone-containing adjuvant treatment, and lasted for 36 and 9 2+ weeks. The main toxicities included anemia (56%), leukopenia (56%), nausea/vomiting (50%) and alopecia (79%). Conclusions: The combinatio n of carboplatin and oral etoposide is effective and should probably b e considered as an alternative therapeutic option for patients with ad vanced breast cancer refractory to anthracyclines.