Clinical activity of cisplatin and prolonged oral administration of etoposide in previously treated, anthracycline-resistant, metastatic breast cancer patients: A phase II study

Background. This phase II study evaluates the antitumor activity and tolera nce of cisplatin and prolonged oral administration of etoposide in metastat ic breast cancer previously exposed to anthracyclines. Procedure. Twenty-se ven patients with metastatic breast cancer who developed tumor progression following anthracyclines were entered in the study. The patients were treat ed with combination chemotherapy of cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) IV day 1 and oral etoposide 50 mg/m(2) days 1-17. Cycles were repeated every 29 days. Results . Twenty-six patients were evaluated for toxicity and response. Complete re mission was observed in 1 of 26 (4%) patients and partial remission in 12 o f 26 (46%). Median duration of response was seven months. Pain relief was n oted in 9 of 15 (60%) of the symptomatic patients. Myelosuppression was the major toxicity encountered and four (15%) patients required hospitalizatio n for granulocytopenic fever. Nonhematologic toxicity was mild. Conclusions . The combination of cisplatin with prolonged oral etoposide is active and tolerable in the management of patients with relapsed metastatic breast can cer previously treated with an anthracycline-based regimen. (C) 2000 Wiley- Liss. Inc.