Neoadjuvant intraarterial high-dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheralblood stem cell transplantation for advanced breast cancer

Eight locally advanced breast cancer patients were treated with neoadjuvant intraarterial high-dose chemotherapy (epirubicin) plus MPA combined with a utologous PBSCT. All patients completed the scheduled treatment, and there were no toxic deaths. Patients were treated with an escalating dose of epir ubicin (370-480 mg) and cyclophosphamide (0-6000 mg). The rate of clinical response was 100%. The rate of good histologic response was 87.5% in the ma in tumor and 75% in diseased lymph nodes. The 2-year survival rate was 100% . Six patients were disease-free at the time of writing. This treatment res ulted in higher rates of clinical and histologic response when compared wit h standard-dose intraarterial chemotherapy.